LitReview vs Publish or Perish at a Glance
| LitReview | Publish or Perish | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Literature reviews and finding papers | Citation analysis and research metrics |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Search Google Scholar | ||
| Other data sources | Google Scholar only | Scopus, Web of Science, OpenAlex, Crossref, and more |
| Sort by citations | Total and per year | Total and per year |
| Save searches into folders | Searchable folders | Query manager |
| h-index and author metrics | Not the focus | Extensive |
| Platforms | Mac and Windows | Windows, Mac, and Linux |
When to Choose LitReview
Publish or Perish, created by Professor Anne-Wil Harzing, is a respected tool for bibliometrics: calculating the h-index, g-index, and other citation metrics for authors and journals. Many researchers, though, open it for a simpler reason. Google Scholar won't let you sort search results by citation count, and Publish or Perish will.
If that's you, LitReview is designed around that job. It's a focused tool for literature reviews:
- Find influential papers fast: sort Google Scholar results by total citations or citations per year
- Follow key researchers: sort results by author
- Keep your review organized: save searches into folders and search your past searches
- Fit your workflow: works alongside Zotero, Mendeley, and other citation managers
- Stay private: the app doesn't collect or transmit your searches
When to Choose Publish or Perish
If you need citation metrics for a tenure case, a grant application, or a bibliometric study, or you want to query databases beyond Google Scholar, Publish or Perish is the specialist tool. The two work well together: use LitReview to find and organize the literature, and Publish or Perish to analyze it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Publish or Perish?
If you use Publish or Perish mainly to find and sort Google Scholar papers for a literature review, LitReview is a free alternative for Mac and Windows built for exactly that. If you need h-index and other citation metrics, Publish or Perish remains the specialist tool.
Is LitReview free like Publish or Perish?
Yes. LitReview is free for Mac and Windows with no payment and no trial period. Enter your email and we send you the download links and your license key.
Can I use LitReview and Publish or Perish together?
Yes. Many researchers use LitReview to find and organize papers for a literature review and Publish or Perish to analyze citation metrics. Both work alongside citation managers like Zotero and Mendeley.
Publish or Perish is developed by Anne-Wil Harzing. LitReview is not affiliated with or endorsed by Publish or Perish. Comparison based on publicly available information as of October 2026.