Hosted Zotero MCP server
A Zotero MCP connector for your AI research tools
RefBridgeMCP connects your Zotero library to Claude, ChatGPT, and other MCP clients. Search and cite your sources, organize your library, add new research, and explore connections between papers without installing or maintaining a local server.
How it works
One secure connection
- 01
Connect Zotero
Sign in on Zotero's own authorization page and approve access. There is no API key to copy or paste.
- 02
Add one MCP URL
Add https://refbridgemcp.com/mcp to your AI client's connector or MCP settings.
- 03
Work from your AI client
Ask the assistant to find, read, cite, organize, or add research using the tools your plan permits.
What your AI can do
Search and read
Find items by topic, author, collection, tag, or date, then read metadata, notes, and available full text.
Cite your sources
Return clean bibliographic details and citation keys so answers stay grounded in your own library.
Find meaning, not keywords
Use semantic search to surface relevant passages even when your question uses different language.
Build your library
Add papers by DOI, ISBN, or URL and organize them with tags and collections on supported plans.
See research connections
Explore citation and entity relationships in an interactive knowledge graph.
Review every change
Track AI-assisted edits and undo supported changes when the result is not what you intended.
Choose your client
Use the AI tool you already know
RefBridgeMCP uses the open Model Context Protocol, so the same Zotero connection works across compatible assistants. Start with a client-specific walkthrough.
Hosted or local
No server maintenance required
The hosted connector works with browser-based assistants and is available anywhere your AI client runs. If you prefer a local, open-source connection to Zotero 7 on your computer, use RefBridgeMCP Desktop instead.
Explore the desktop version →Questions
Zotero MCP, explained
What is a Zotero MCP connector?+
It gives an MCP-compatible AI assistant permission to use tools that search, read, and—when you allow it—update your Zotero library. RefBridgeMCP provides those tools through one hosted connection.
Do I need to create or paste a Zotero API key?+
No. RefBridgeMCP uses Zotero's authorization screen. You sign in to Zotero, approve access, and can revoke that access later.
Which AI clients work with RefBridgeMCP?+
Any client that supports remote MCP servers, including Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini, and other compatible research tools.
Can I run a Zotero MCP server locally instead?+
Yes. RefBridgeMCP Desktop is the free, open-source option for connecting local AI clients directly to Zotero 7 on your computer.
Ready to connect your Zotero library to AI?
Connect Zotero free