Sign inList your app

Sakura

Manuscript formatting and reference checker for journal submissions

Rating
5.0
Reviews
22Reviews
Pricing
$9.99a month
Category
ProductivityWeb apps
Version
2026.09.1717 Sep 2026
Languages
3English, French and more

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
22 reviews
5100%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Write a review
AY
Amara YangVerified email
Used on Web app

The Journal Finder saved me from a bad fit

I was about to submit to a journal that I later realized was not a good match for my paper's scope. Sakura's Journal Finder suggested three alternatives that were much better aligned. I chose one, applied its formatting rules in one click, and the submission process was smooth. The tool understands journal fit, not just formatting.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Amara, a scope mismatch usually means a desk rejection weeks later, so catching it before you hit submit saves a lot of time. Glad one of the three suggestions clicked and the formatting followed in one go. Wishing you a smooth review process, and thanks for the kind words!

KN
Kavya NovakVerified email
Used on Web app

The citation tally feature is incredibly useful

Sakura shows a tally of in-text citations, works cited, entries never cited, and citations missing from the bibliography. Seeing those numbers side by side made it obvious where my reference list had drifted out of sync with the text. I fixed everything in one pass. It is a simple feature but it gives you a complete picture of your reference integrity.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Kavya, reference lists drift out of sync with the text over a few rounds of revisions without anyone noticing, and that's exactly what the tally catches. Seeing uncited entries and missing citations next to the totals turns it into a one-pass fix. Thank you for the thoughtful review, and good luck with the submission.

JC
Jordan CostaVerified email
Used on Web app

Die Formatierung als nachverfolgbare Änderungen ist genial

Ich war skeptisch, ob ein Tool die Formatierungsregeln eines Journals wirklich korrekt anwenden kann. Sakura hat es geschafft. Alle Änderungen wurden als nachverfolgbare Änderungen eingefügt, sodass ich jede einzelne überprüfen konnte. Die Schriftarten, Abstände und Überschriften waren am Ende genau richtig. Ich habe keine manuellen Korrekturen mehr gebraucht.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Hallo Jordan, Skepsis ist bei Formatierungstools absolut berechtigt, deshalb landet bei Sakura jede Änderung als nachverfolgbare Änderung im Dokument. So können Sie Schriftarten, Abstände und Überschriften einzeln prüfen, bevor Sie etwas übernehmen. Schön, dass am Ende keine manuellen Korrekturen nötig waren. Vielen Dank!

SJ
Sakura JacksonVerified email
Used on Web app

The DOI verification caught a dead link

I had a reference in my bibliography with a DOI that had expired. Sakura flagged it and I was able to replace it with the correct one before submission. That single catch saved me from a reviewer comment about inaccessible references. The citation matching is thorough and the checks are reliable.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Sakura, we have to say we love a Sakura reviewing Sakura! A DOI that no longer resolves is one of those small things a reviewer always seems to find, so swapping it before submission was a good catch. Thanks for the kind words about the citation matching.

AS
Alice SantosVerified email
Used on Web app

The QC report is a co-author communication tool

I work with collaborators across three institutions, and keeping everyone on the same page about formatting and references is a headache. The QC report Sakura generates after each run summarizes every change and every citation issue in one document. I send it to my co-authors before submission. It has eliminated the back-and-forth emails almost entirely.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Alice, coordinating co-authors across three institutions is hard enough without formatting threads on top, so we love that the QC report has become the thing you send around before submission. Every change and every citation issue in one document gives everyone the same picture at the same time. Thank you for sharing how you use it!

MW
Mohamed WardVerified email
Used on Web app

Perfect for journal-specific formatting

Every journal has its own obscure formatting rules, and I used to spend hours going through the author guidelines line by line. Sakura applies the rules as tracked changes, so I can see exactly what was changed and why. The headings, captions, and reference style were all handled correctly on the first try. I submitted with confidence.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Mohamed, going line by line through author guidelines is the worst part of submitting, so we're glad to give you those hours back. Applying everything as tracked changes means you can audit each heading, caption and reference fix yourself rather than trusting a black box. Thank you for the lovely review.

JC
Jenna CarterVerified email
Used on Web app

A ferramenta que todo pesquisador deveria usar

Sakura faz o que promete: formata o manuscrito de acordo com as regras do periódico e verifica cada citação contra a bibliografia. O relatório de QC no final é excelente para compartilhar com coautores. Já usei em três submissões e nenhuma foi devolvida por problemas de formatação ou referências. Recomendo sem hesitar.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Jenna, três submissões sem nenhuma devolução por formatação ou referências é um ótimo histórico. O relatório de QC foi pensado justamente para os coautores conferirem tudo antes do envio. Muito obrigado pela recomendação!

DE
Deepa EdwardsVerified email
Used on Web app

The duplicate reference detection paid for itself

I had been working on a long review article for months and my reference list had grown organically. Sakura found four duplicate entries that had crept in through different reference managers over time. It also flagged two references that were never cited in the text. Cleaning those up before submission saved me from an embarrassing desk rejection.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Deepa, four duplicates from different reference managers is very common in a long review article, because each tool formats the same paper slightly differently and they stop looking like duplicates. Catching those plus the two uncited entries before submission is a nice save. Thank you, and best of luck with the article!

SC
Sarah CohenVerified email
Used on Web app

Review mode gives me complete control

I am very particular about my manuscript and I do not like tools making changes without my approval. Sakura's Review mode applies only safe fixes as tracked changes and lets me decide the rest. I accepted the formatting and rejected a few reference edits I disagreed with. Nothing was final until I approved it. That level of control is exactly what I needed.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Sarah, being particular about your own manuscript is completely reasonable, it's your name on the paper. Review mode keeps every change as a tracked suggestion until you approve it, so rejecting the reference edits you disagreed with is exactly how it's meant to be used. Thank you for the review!

LM
Lucas MoreauVerified email
Used on Web app

Le Journal Finder m'a fait gagner un temps fou

Je cherchais un journal adapté à mon article depuis des semaines. Le Journal Finder de Sakura m'a proposé une liste de revues correspondant à mon domaine et à la portée de mon travail. J'ai choisi l'une d'elles, appliqué ses règles de formatage en un clic, et soumis le lendemain. Je n'aurais pas pu trouver un meilleur ajustement moi-même.

Reply from Dude Lemon LLC

Lucas, passer de plusieurs semaines de recherche à une soumission le lendemain, c'est tout l'intérêt de relier le Journal Finder directement aux règles de formatage de chaque revue. Merci pour ce retour, et bonne chance pour la relecture de votre article !

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.