5 Best Free APA 7th Edition Citation Generators in 2026

When diving into the deep waters of academic writing, citations become an integral part of your academic lifeboat. They’re the life jackets that keep your work afloat, providing the necessary credibility and validity to your arguments.

Of all the citation styles, the APA (American Psychological Association) citation is one you're likely to come across frequently.

However, creating APA citations is no walk in the park. In fact, creating an APA citation can be challenging if you aren't familiar with the format.

A citation generator is a tool that does the work for you by allowing you to input information and generate an APA citation in seconds.

In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about APA citations, when to use them, what format to use, and provide options for the best APA citation generator you can use to knock our your citations in a breeze today.

What Are APA Citations?

APA citation is a method of referencing sources in academic writing, commonly used in the social sciences. When you use another person's work in your own, be it a direct quote or an idea, you need to give credit to the original author.

This recognition is the 'citation' - a breadcrumb trail that allows your readers to trace the origins of your argument or data.

The APA style provides a uniform framework for consistency in presenting the list of works cited, the bibliography, or the references.

Its guidelines standardize the format, punctuation, and order of information presented, offering an organized and streamlined look to your academic paper.

When Do You Use APA Citations?

APA citations are typically employed in papers related to psychology, education, and other social sciences. Yet, their use extends beyond these subjects due to their comprehensive structure and ease of use. It's critical to use APA citations whenever you:

• Quote directly from a source.
• Paraphrase another person's ideas or work.
• Refer to a theory, data, or research conducted by someone else.
• Use images, diagrams, or graphs from another source.

By doing so, you not only give the credit where it's due, but also protect yourself from allegations of plagiarism - a serious offense in the academic world.

What Is the Format for an APA Citation 7th Edition?

A general APA citation format follows the author-date method. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text. For example, (Smith, 2020).

In the reference list at the end of your document, the citation should include:

• Author's Last name, Initial(s). (Year of Publication). Title of the work. Source.

Here's an example of a book citation:

Smith, J. (2020). The Title of the Book. Publishing Company.

For an article from a periodical or journal, the citation will look like this:

Smith, J. (2020). Title of the article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. DOI or URL (if online).

The intricacies of the APA style can make it challenging to remember all the rules, especially for beginners. Thankfully, there are online tools known as APA citation generators that can create citations quickly and accurately.

Best Free APA Citation Generators

Looking for a free APA citation generator? Look no further than these tools that can help you quickly generate APA citations in no time!

AI Blaze

First up on our list of the best free APA citation generators is AI Blaze.

AI Blaze is the ultimate writing & studying assistant that helps you quickly generate APA or MLA citations for any article or website!

AI Blaze can read the required information for a citation directly from the article or website, making sure the generated citations are accurate and up to date for APA 7th edition.

Features

• Generate APA citations in any format on any site - AI Blaze can help you generate citations in any PDF, article, or website.

• Your AI studying & writing assistant - AI Blaze can help you study with practice tests, generate citations, and even help improve your writing!

• Instantly use GPT-4 on any site with keyboard shortcuts and a dynamic AI sidebar assistant!

• AI Blaze is free! - Forget about annoying licenses or subscriptions.

Citation Machine APA Citation Generator

Citation Machine is a popular APA citation generator trusted by students and professionals alike. It's useful because it allows you to choose from a range of source types - from books and journal articles to films and software.

All you need to do is input the details, and the tool generates a perfectly formatted APA citation for you. It also offers grammar and plagiarism checks, making it an all-around resource for any writer.

Grammarly APA Citation Generator

Grammarly is a comprehensive citation and writing assistant that helps students and researchers create flawless APA citations. Its advanced features help you format citations correctly while also checking your writing style and tone.

Beyond just citations, Grammarly provides real-time grammar and spelling suggestions as you write, making it a valuable tool for ensuring your entire paper meets academic standards. It also offers plagiarism detection to help maintain academic integrity.

Cite This For Me APA Citation Generator

Another exceptional tool is Cite This For Me. It stands out for its user-friendly interface and versatility in handling various types of sources.

With Cite This For Me, you don't need to worry about intricate APA rules; it does the work for you. It also allows you to save and manage your reference list, making it easy to keep track of your citations. This is especially useful for longer research papers.

Scribbr APA Citation Generator

Scribbr is a reliable APA citation generator known for its accuracy and ease of use. What sets it apart is its detailed citation previews and helpful tooltips that guide you through the citation process.

With Scribbr, you get access to extensive citation style guides and examples to help you understand the APA format better. The platform also offers professional proofreading services, making it a comprehensive solution for academic writing needs.

Which APA Citation Generator is Your Favorite?

In essence, APA citations play a crucial role in academic writing, providing credibility and avoiding plagiarism. While the APA style's comprehensive nature can be a bit daunting, using an APA citation generator helps you save time and get your assignment done on time.

Use AI Blaze to generate APA citations anywhere you work for free!