Free APA Citation Generator

Generate accurate APA 7th edition citations in seconds

How This APA Citation Generator Works

Create accurate APA format citations in three simple steps — no sign-up required.

Search Your Source

Enter a URL, DOI, ISBN, or title. Our APA citation generator automatically finds and retrieves the source details for you.

Review & Edit Details

Verify the auto-filled metadata — authors, publication date, title, and publisher. Make any corrections needed for a precise, properly formatted reference entry.

Copy Your Citation

Instantly get a formatted APA 7th edition reference and in-text citation — both parenthetical and narrative forms. Copy to clipboard or export your entire reference page to Word.

Why Use Our Free APA Citation Generator

Everything you need to cite in APA format — fast, free, and accurate.

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Instant Auto-Fill

Paste a URL or DOI and our automatic citation generator fills in every field — authors, dates, publishers, and more.

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APA 7th Edition Accurate

Every reference and in-text citation follows the latest APA 7th edition Publication Manual guidelines, so your bibliography is always correct.

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Multiple Source Types

Cite websites, books, journal articles, and videos. This APA reference generator handles all common academic source types.

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One-Click Copy

Copy individual citations or your entire reference list to clipboard instantly. No reformatting needed from this citation formatting tool.

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Word Document Export

Download your reference page as a properly formatted Word document with hanging indents and double spacing — ready to submit with your research paper.

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100% Free & Private

No account required. No data stored on servers. This free citation generator runs entirely in your browser for complete privacy.

Source Types Supported by This APA Format Generator

Our APA bibliography maker supports the most common academic source types.

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Website

Cite any webpage, blog post, or online article. Paste the URL and this APA citation maker auto-fills the details.

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. https://url

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Book

Cite printed or digital books by ISBN or title. Our reference list generator formats single-author works, edited volumes, and specific editions.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.

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Journal Article

Cite peer-reviewed scholarly articles by DOI or title. The APA citation generator handles volume, issue, and page numbers automatically.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), Page–Page. https://doi.org/xxxx

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Video

Cite YouTube videos, lectures, and other media. Enter the URL and this APA style citation tool extracts the metadata.

Author, A. A. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Platform. https://url

What Is APA Citation Format?

APA (American Psychological Association) citation format is one of the most widely used citation styles in the social sciences, education, and psychology. The current standard — APA 7th edition, based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association — was released in 2019 and introduced simplified guidelines for in-text citations, reference pages, and overall formatting.

An APA style citation consists of two parts: an in-text citation using the author-date format placed in the body of your research paper, and a corresponding reference list entry at the end that gives full publication details. In-text citations can be parenthetical — (Author, Year) — or narrative — Author (Year). Getting both parts right is essential for academic integrity, proper source attribution, and avoiding plagiarism.

Using an APA citation generator eliminates the guesswork. Instead of memorizing formatting rules for every source type, you simply search for your source and receive a correctly formatted citation — saving time and reducing errors in your bibliography. Whether you are writing a research paper, annotated bibliography, or literature review, this tool helps you cite sources accurately.

APA Citation Examples

See how this APA format generator structures references for different source types.

Website

Grammer, K. (2024, March 15). How to write an effective abstract. Academic Writing Tips. https://academicwritingtips.com/abstract-guide

In-text: (Grammer, 2024)

Book

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

In-text: (Creswell & Creswell, 2018)

Journal Article

Patel, R., & Liu, S. (2023). Digital literacy in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Educational Technology, 45(2), 112–134. https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2023.0042

In-text: (Patel & Liu, 2023)

Video

Khan Academy. (2022, June 10). Introduction to statistics [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

In-text: (Khan Academy, 2022)

Why Choose This APA Citation Generator

Compared to manual formatting or other tools, our APA reference generator saves time and improves accuracy.

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No Sign-Up or Paywall

Many citation generators lock features behind accounts or subscriptions. Our APA citation maker is completely free with no hidden limits.

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Faster Than Manual Formatting

Hand-formatting APA references takes minutes per source. This automatic citation generator does it in seconds — with fewer mistakes and consistent formatting across your entire bibliography.

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Always Up to Date

APA rules change. Our citation formatting tool follows the latest APA 7th edition guidelines so you do not have to track updates yourself.

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Works on Any Device

Desktop, tablet, or phone — this free APA citation generator runs in any modern browser. No software to install.

Trusted by Students & Researchers

100%

Free to use

APA 7th

Edition compliant

Source types supported

Data stored on servers

Built for students, educators, and researchers who need a reliable tool to cite sources in APA format — without the clutter of ads, sign-ups, or upsells.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about APA citations and this citation generator.

What is an APA citation generator? +

An APA citation generator is an online tool that automatically creates citations in APA (American Psychological Association) format. You provide source information — such as a URL, DOI, or ISBN — and the generator produces a correctly formatted reference and in-text citation following APA 7th edition rules.

Is this APA citation generator really free? +

Yes, this APA citation generator is 100% free with no account required, no ads, and no feature limits. You can generate unlimited citations for websites, books, journal articles, and videos without paying anything.

What is the difference between APA 6th and 7th edition? +

APA 7th edition (2019) simplified several formatting rules: it removed the publisher location from book references, allows up to 20 authors before using an ellipsis, uses "et al." after one author for three or more authors in parenthetical citations, and recommends inclusive language guidelines. The updated Publication Manual also streamlined how to format DOIs and URLs. This APA format generator follows APA 7th edition exclusively.

How do I cite a website in APA format? +

To cite a website in APA format, you need the author, date, page title, site name, and URL. The format is: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. https://url. Our APA citation maker can fill in all these fields automatically when you paste a URL.

How do I create an in-text citation in APA style? +

APA in-text citations use the author-date format in two forms: a parenthetical citation — (Author, Year) — or a narrative citation — Author (Year). For direct quotes, add the page number: (Author, Year, p. 15). For two authors use "&" — (Author & Author, Year). For three or more, use "et al." — (First Author et al., Year). This in-text citation generator creates both parenthetical and narrative forms automatically.

Can I export my reference list? +

Yes. This APA reference generator lets you copy your entire reference list to the clipboard or download it as a Word document (.docx) with proper APA formatting — including hanging indents and double spacing — ready to paste into your research paper or academic assignment.

What source types does this APA bibliography maker support? +

Currently this APA citation generator supports four source types: websites (any URL), books (by ISBN or title), scholarly journal articles (by DOI or title), and videos (YouTube and other platforms). Each type follows APA 7th edition reference formatting rules for your bibliography.

Is my data private when using this citation formatting tool? +

Yes. Your citations are stored only in your browser's local storage. No personal data or citation content is saved on our servers. When you close or clear your browser, the data is gone. This free citation generator is designed with privacy in mind.

Start Citing in APA Format Now

Join thousands of students and researchers who use this free APA citation generator to build accurate reference lists for every academic paper. No sign-up needed — just search, edit, and cite.

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