Sakura: manuscript formatting and reference checker

About Sakura

Sakura formats a Word manuscript to a journal’s rules and checks every citation against the bibliography. Fonts, spacing, headings, captions and reference style are fixed as tracked changes, and nothing is final until you approve it.

In-text citations are matched to references, with missing, unused and duplicate entries called out and DOIs checked. The Journal Finder matches your manuscript to journals that fit and adds their formatting rules in one click, and every run ends with a corrected .docx and a QC report.

Journal formattingA journal’s rules applied as tracked changes you can review.
Citation checkingEvery in-text citation matched to its reference.
Reference checksMissing, unused and duplicate entries, and DOIs verified.
Review modeSafe fixes are automatic; you decide the rest.
Journal FinderFind journals that fit and add their rules in one click.
QC reportA corrected .docx and a report for each run.

Integrations

Microsoft Word (.docx)Crossref

Pricing

Free

$0forever

3 checks a day
3 manuscripts
3 journal matches a day

Researcher

$9.99a month

20 checks a day
25 manuscripts
10 journal matches a day

Pro

$29.99a month

60 checks a day
200 manuscripts
30 journal matches a day

Prices in US dollars.

Ratings and reviews

5.0

Questions

Which files does Sakura accept?

Microsoft Word .docx files up to 15 MB. The file is checked in your browser before it is uploaded.

Does it change my manuscript without asking?

In Review mode, only safe fixes are applied, as tracked changes; you approve or reject everything else. Auto mode applies the whole template for you.

What does the reference check cover?

Citations with no reference entry, references never cited, duplicates, year and author mismatches, and DOIs that cannot be found.

What’s new

2026.09.17
17 Sep 2026
- Journal Finder match results show again, with the journal page and website on every result.
2026.09.12
12 Sep 2026
- Decided findings collapse into a Resolved group.
- A citation tally shows in-text citations, works cited, entries never cited and citations missing from the bibliography.

Deepa WilsonVerified email

9 Nov 2026Used on Web app

Enfin un outil qui comprend les règles des revues

J'ai utilisé Sakura pour formater un manuscrit destiné à une revue avec des règles très particulières. Le résultat était impeccable dès la première exécution. Les modifications étaient suivies, donc je pouvais tout vérifier. Le vérificateur de citations a également trouvé une référence dupliquée que j'avais manquée. Je ne soumettrai plus sans Sakura.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Deepa, un résultat impeccable dès la première exécution sur une revue aux règles très particulières, c'est exactement le cas difficile qu'on veut réussir. Et la référence dupliquée trouvée au passage, c'est un bonus. Merci beaucoup pour votre confiance !

Joanna RossiVerified email

7 Nov 2026Used on Web app

La herramienta que faltaba en mi flujo de trabajo

Sakura se ha vuelto parte esencial de mi proceso de envío. Formatea el manuscrito según las reglas de la revista, verifica cada cita contra la bibliografía y genera un informe QC que puedo compartir con mis coautores. Ya no tengo que preocuparme por los detalles de formato. Lo recomiendo a cualquier investigador.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Joanna, compartir el informe QC con tus coautores es una gran idea, así todo el equipo ve qué cambió antes de enviar. Nos encanta saber que Sakura ya forma parte fija de tu proceso. ¡Gracias por recomendarnos a otros investigadores!

Ana LewisVerified email

5 Nov 2026Used on Web app

It turned a two-day formatting chore into a ten-minute review

I used to block out two full days before every submission just for formatting and reference cleanup. With Sakura, I upload the manuscript, review the tracked changes, and approve them. Ten minutes of active work instead of two days. The time savings alone justify the subscription, but the citation checks are what make it indispensable.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Ana, two full days blocked out before every submission adds up to weeks over a year, so we're really happy to hand that time back to you. Upload, review the tracked changes, approve, done. Thanks for subscribing, and for calling out the citation checks!

Sara SullivanVerified email

2 Nov 2026Used on Web app

The in-browser check is fast and private

Sakura checks the .docx in the browser before uploading, which means my manuscript never leaves my machine until I am ready. The upload limit is 15 MB, which is enough for most papers. The entire process is fast and I appreciate the privacy consideration. It is a small detail that builds trust.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Sara, an unpublished manuscript is about as sensitive as a file gets, so checking the .docx in your browser before anything is uploaded felt like the obvious thing to do. Thank you for noticing that detail. If you ever run into a paper that goes over the 15 MB limit, let us know and we'll take a look.

Anna BennettVerified email

28 Oct 2026Used on Web app

Un instrument esențial pentru trimiterile la reviste

Sakura formatează manuscrisul conform regulilor revistei și verifică fiecare citare în raport cu bibliografia. Raportul QC de la final este foarte util pentru a documenta modificările. Am folosit-o pentru trei trimiteri și toate au trecut de etapa de verificare fără probleme de formatare.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Anna, trei trimiteri care au trecut de verificare fără nicio problemă de formatare este exact rezultatul pe care ni-l doream. Raportul QC de la final este acolo tocmai ca să ai documentate toate modificările dacă editorul întreabă ceva. Îți mulțumim mult pentru recenzie și mult succes cu publicările!

Ricardo MoreauVerified email

23 Oct 2026Used on Web app

The reference checks are more thorough than I expected

Sakura checks for citations with no reference entry, references never cited, duplicates, year and author mismatches, and DOIs that cannot be found. I ran it on a manuscript I thought was clean and it found five issues. All were legitimate. That level of thoroughness is rare in a tool at this price point.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Ricardo, five legitimate issues in a manuscript you thought was clean is the best kind of result to get before submission rather than after. Year and author mismatches between the text and the bibliography are the ones people miss most often, and the DOI lookup catches typos nobody spots by eye. Thanks a lot for the review!

Luis GillVerified email

18 Oct 2026Used on Web app

Sakura räddade min inlämning

Jag hade en deadline som närmade sig och manuset var inte formaterat enligt journalens regler. Sakura fixade allt på under tio minuter och flaggade dessutom tre referensproblem. Jag kunde lämna in samma kväll. Verktyget är enkelt att använda och resultatet är pålitligt.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Luis, att hinna formatera hela manuset, hitta tre referensproblem och ändå lämna in samma kväll är precis den situationen vi byggde Sakura för. Tack för att du tog dig tid att skriva en recension, och lycka till med granskningen!

Diego BeckerVerified email

13 Oct 2026Used on Web app

The safest way to automate journal formatting

I have tried automation tools before and always ended up manually fixing the output. Sakura is different. Review mode applies only safe fixes and leaves the rest as suggestions. I approved the formatting, rejected one reference change, and the final .docx was ready to submit. It respects the author's judgment.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Diego, being able to reject that one reference change and still keep everything else is exactly how review mode should work. It only applies the fixes that are safe to make on their own and leaves anything with judgment involved to you as a suggestion. Thanks for giving automation another chance with Sakura!

Oscar KhanVerified email

8 Oct 2026Used on Web app

Il controllo delle citazioni è meticoloso

Sakura ha trovato due citazioni nel testo che non avevano una voce corrispondente nella bibliografia e una voce che non era mai stata citata. Sono errori che capitano facilmente in un manoscritto lungo, e averli individuati prima della sottomissione mi ha risparmiato una revisione imbarazzante. Il rapporto finale è chiaro e completo.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Oscar, in un manoscritto lungo due citazioni senza voce in bibliografia e una voce mai citata sono quasi inevitabili dopo qualche giro di revisioni. Meglio scoprirli con Sakura che da un revisore! Grazie mille per la recensione.

Tom KingVerified email

3 Oct 2026Used on Web app

I trust it with my final submissions

I have used Sakura for four journal submissions now. Each time, the formatting has been correct and the citation checks have caught issues I missed. The fact that every change is tracked means I never lose control of my manuscript. It has become a non-negotiable step in my submission workflow.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Tom, four submissions in and still trusting it with the final version is the highest praise a tool like this can get. Keeping every change tracked is what lets you stay in charge of the manuscript the whole way through. Thank you for sticking with Sakura!