Product Review

Citation Machine Review: Worth the Price?

As an author myself, I always find online citation hard. 

So what is Citation Machine exactly? Let’s find out in this Citation Machine review.

Citation Machine, a Chegg service, is a tool best known for being a work cited generator.

A work cited generator finds information from across the web to automatically create a full bibliography that helps you cite all of the sources used in an academic paper.

In short, Citation Machine helps you reference or cite any author correctly.

In addition to offering citation services, Citation Machine also offers a grammar and plagiarism checker.

We’re a content marketing agency that has clients paying us tens of thousands each month. If our writers ever plagiarized something on their behalf – we’d BOTH be in a huge amount of trouble.

Here are the pros and cons of Citation Machine, and how it stacks up against the best grammar checkers on the market.

Disclosure: These reviews are reader-supported. We might earn a small commission if you purchase something through our site. Learn more

Our Verdict

This grammar checker is good only if you’re a student or an educator. Otherwise, I recommend a better all-around option like Grammarly , ProWritingAid, or  WhiteSmoke. While Grammarly might be on the pricey side, you can save 20% with our link. 

Grammarly Best All-Around

$11.66 /mo – before discount
PROS
  • 86/86% accuracy
  • 16+ billion database
  • 150k+ word limit
  • 5 device limit
  • 1-hour response
CONS
  • Only English
  • Expensive without our link

Citation Machine Limited Features

$9.95 /month
PROS
  • Good usability
  • Accurate grammar checker
  • Easy integrations
  • Plagiarism checker available with paid version
  • APA, MLA, and Chicago style guides
CONS
  • Low limits with free version
  • Poor device compatibility
  • No human reviews
  • English only

Grammarly Premium Walkthrough Video

Citation Machine Pros

1. Good Usability

This grammar checker is one of the easiest to use on this list. Citation Machine offers a complete step by step initial walkthrough of how to use the checker for new users.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine Walkthrough
Citation Machine Homepage walkthrough.

By the end of the walkthrough, you’ll know how to use every feature that comes with the service.

2. An Accurate Grammar Checker

Citation Machine consistently finds the same issues with text when it comes to things like word usage, commas, punctuation, and misspellings.

It sounds subtle. But just like the experts from our MasterClass review can attest, it’s the details that make all the difference!

3. Sophisticated, Easily Integrates With Other Citation Machine Features

Citation Machine can identify issues with sophisticated errors, like comma usage or certain parts of speech.

On top of that, the grammar checker easily integrates with other features, like the actual citation creator.

This makes it possible for users to check, edit, revise their paper and insert a bibliography or a reference list into their text all from the same window.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine's citation generator.
Citation Machine’s citation generator

Measures Conciseness

Citation Machine can measure conciseness and help writers with clarity by suggesting the removal of redundant, unnecessary words. Your writing gets clearer.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine's concision measurement.
Example of Citation Machine’s conciseness check

4. Plagiarism Checker is Available With Paid Version

Citation Machine offers a plagiarism checker. The only catch? It doesn’t come with the free version.

In order to use it, you’ll have to sign up for the monthly, premium plan. However, there is a three-day free trial included.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine's sign up page
Citation Machine trial page

5. APA, MLA, and Chicago Style Guides

Citation Machine is very transparent about the fact that they use APA, MLA, and Chicago Style Guides.

Their site reads: “The APA and MLA are not associated with Citation Machine, but our citation services follow their styles.”

Writing and referencing your article or publication in the right citation styles are important to get a good grade.

If you are an academic author, pay attention to citing sources correctly and consult the manual of style of your publication before you start writing.

6. Reporting Options Are Available

This checker allows users to download grammar reports.

However, you’ll have to create an account in order to export your grammar check report.

This is a fairly painless process unless you aren’t a student or educator. Why? The site asks you to enter a university to register.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine's Create Account page.
Citation Machine’s “create account” page.

Once you’ve registered, you can export your report in the form of a Microsoft Word document.

7. Comprehensive Knowledge Base

While Citation Machine doesn’t offer any fancy customer support features like live chat or a ticketing system, they do have a pretty comprehensive knowledge base available.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine Support Center
This is where you could look up articles to answer frequently asked questions.

(Image Source)

There’s even a section listing answers to their most frequently asked questions.

Example screenshot of Citation Machine's FAQ Section.
Citation Machine’s FAQ page.

Citation Machine has a lot to offer. But it also falls short in a few ways.

Citation Machine Cons

1. Low Limitations With Free Version

Users accessing the free version of this grammar checker will only be able to access 20 suggestions. The paid version, however, is unlimited.

2. Device Compatibility Could Be Better

For such a sophisticated tool, we expected that Citation Machine would at least offer an app or some kind of browser plug-in or extension.

But it looks like it’s only accessible via mobile and web browsers for now.

3. No Human Reviews Offered, English Only

This checker doesn’t seem to offer human reviews at the moment, and it seems to only be able to check English text.

This is bad news for those looking for a multilingual grammar checker.

While some Citation Machine features are free, a paid option is available for users who want to access advanced features.

4. Citation Machine Cost

A three-day free trial is available with this plagiarism and grammar checker. After that, it is $9.95 per month. It appears that Citation Machine only accepts credit or debit card payments at this time.

Do I Recommend Citation Machine?

Yes, but maybe only if you’re a student or an educator.

This grammar checker is designed with students and teachers in mind. This citation and plagiarism tool would be best suited for those looking to check an academic paper or an essay to ensure a solid grade.

It’s great for students who you are writing an article and need to cite or reference their academic sources. You can check a paper in MLA style, Turabian format, and other citation styles. Depending on the style guide, you can also check any title or website citation in your work.

Citation Machine could also be beneficial for educators to paste in students’ work and let the grammar checker do some of the gradings for them. All is you have to do is copy and paste the article or content of the book and check the results.

Otherwise, I recommend a better all-around option like Grammarly. You’ll get all of this, and more, for the same (or less).

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