Reference managers
- Zotero Live WebSocket sync
- Mendeley Cloud sign-in
- ReadCube Papers Cloud sign-in
- Paperpile BibTeX export
- CiteDrive Shared BibTeX
- Crossref DOI lookup
Coming soon
Thesis
Research notes and references.
The nonfiction writing app for students, scholars, and professionals. Native to macOS and iOS, with iCloud sync, full Citation Style Language support, and direct integration with Zotero, Mendeley, and ReadCube Papers.
Launching on the App Store in 2026. Write. Cite. Sync.
Mac · iPad · iPhone
How it works
From a stack of references to a finished draft.
Pick a citation style
Choose from thousands of CSL 1.0.2 styles — APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, any journal, any institution. Import a custom .csl when you need to.
Bring in your references
Connect Zotero over live WebSocket, sign in to Mendeley or ReadCube Papers, or drop in BibTeX, RIS, or EndNote XML. Everything syncs through your own iCloud.
Write and cite
Drop citations as you draft. Thesis auto-formats the bibliography in your chosen style, on Mac, iPad, and iPhone — pick up exactly where you left off.
iCloud sync
Pick up where you left off, on any device.
Work continues seamlessly across Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Every reference, citation, and draft is end-to-end synced through your own iCloud account — never a Thesis-operated server, never a separate login.
[ sync screenshot ]
CSL 1.0.2
Every citation style, not just four.
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver — and thousands
more. Thesis ships full Citation Style Language support,
so any journal or institution style works out of the box.
Drop in a custom .csl when you need to.
[ CSL picker screenshot ]
Integrations
Plays well with your library — and your toolchain.
Bring references in from the reference manager you already use, and hand off finished drafts in whatever format your editor, supervisor, or publisher expects.
Import
Export
Direct publish
Editor
A focused canvas built for long-form nonfiction.
Native TextKit 2 typesetting with figures, equations, a live table of contents, abstracts, chapters, and appendices. Liquid Glass surfaces, dynamic type, and full keyboard navigation — at home on macOS 26 and iOS 26.
[ editor screenshot ]
Reference types
The whole catalog, not just journal articles.
Books, book chapters, journal articles, conference papers, theses, datasets, software, websites, legal cases, government reports, patents, interviews, personal communications — every CSL reference type, with style-appropriate formatting.
[ reference types screenshot ]
From the field
What writers are saying.
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“Thesis cured my measles. Three weeks of bedrest, one bibliography, fully recovered. My epidemiologist is baffled.”
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“I changed a flat tire on the shoulder of I-95 using only the iPad app and sheer force of will. The lug nuts cited themselves in APA 7.”
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“My thesis defense was scheduled for 9 a.m. My committee was scheduled for never. Thesis convinced them to show up.”
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“I imported 14,000 Zotero entries while making a soufflé. Neither collapsed.”
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“Used Thesis to draft a strongly-worded letter to my HOA. They rescinded the fence ordinance and gave me a gift basket.”
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“The CSL picker has thousands of styles. I picked one. My advisor wept openly. Good tears, I think.”
FAQ
Answers to the questions that come up most.
What is Thesis?
A native macOS and iOS writing app built for long-form nonfiction — research papers, theses, dissertations, articles, and books. It pairs a focused editor with a first-class reference manager and full Citation Style Language (CSL) support.
Who is it for?
Students, scholars, journalists, and professionals who need to write with citations, manage a library of references, and produce a finished document in the style their journal, institution, or publisher requires.
How does it compare to Word or Pages?
Thesis treats references and citations as first-class data, not afterthought fields. Bibliographies stay perfectly in sync with your text, and switching citation styles is one click — not a search-and-replace nightmare.
Which operating systems are supported?
macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later, iOS 26 or later, and iPadOS 26 or later. Thesis is built on TextKit 2, SwiftData, and CloudKit — APIs that ship in the latest OS versions.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The full editor, library, and reference data live on-device. iCloud sync runs in the background when you're connected; everything keeps working when you're not.
Is there a web or Windows version?
No. Thesis is a native Apple-platform app and uses TextKit 2, SwiftData, and CloudKit. A web or Windows version isn't planned.
What gets synced through iCloud?
Your library of references, your documents, citation styles, and reading notes. Sync runs through your own iCloud account using CloudKit — your data is end-to-end tied to your Apple ID and not stored on any Thesis-operated server.
Which citation styles are supported?
All CSL 1.0.2 styles — over ten thousand — including APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, and every major journal house style. Drop in a custom .csl file if your institution requires its own.
How does the Zotero integration work?
Thesis connects to Zotero over a live WebSocket. Add an item to your Zotero library and it appears in Thesis within seconds. The same authentication-and-sync model is used for Mendeley and ReadCube Papers.
What import formats does it understand?
BibTeX, RIS, EndNote XML, DocX, Scrivener, Ulysses, AsciiDoc, DocBook, and plain-text reference lists.
What can I export to?
DocX (with live citation fields), AsciiDoc, BibTeX, RIS, and PDF via Print. Direct publishing to Ghost, WriteFreely, Micro.blog, LeanPub, and Kindle Direct is also supported.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is still being finalized ahead of the App Store launch in 2026. Updates will be posted on the App Store listing and the community forum.
Will there be a free trial?
Yes — details will be announced alongside pricing.
How do refunds work?
All purchases go through Apple. Refund requests follow Apple's standard App Store refund process.
How do I get support?
The community forum at forums.thesisapp.com is the fastest place to get help, share workflows, and report bugs.