Understanding the importance of citing BioRender

This article explains why it’s important to cite your BioRender figures. Citing BioRender accurately maintains ownership integrity and allows you to follow the terms associated with your subscription.

Citing BioRender 

If you include BioRender icons or templates (referred to as "BioRender Content") in any publication or printed material, you are required to cite BioRender for that figure. Per our Terms of Service, BioRender retains all rights to the icons and templates provided in our library.

What do you own?

You own:

• All content you create or upload to BioRender.
• The full figure you design in BioRender, known as your “Completed Graphic.”

What BioRender owns:

• The icons and templates from BioRender’s library (“BioRender Content”) that you incorporate into your figures. While the final figure is yours, BioRender retains ownership of the individual icons and templates used.

You maintain full ownership of your unique creations, including layout and design, while BioRender owns the underlying icons and templates.

Why is citing important?

• Indicates you have permission to use BioRender’s icons and templates in your published figure.
• Recognizes you as the creator of the figure.
• Clarifies ownership and helps prevent misunderstandings if your figure is shared or reused online

✨ Pro tip: Preparing figures for multiple publications? Unlimited file and object creation (Premium) lets you iterate freely—ideal for tailoring figures to different journal formats without hitting limits.

Ensuring proper usage and compliance

Citing BioRender with a unique figure URL or other credit ensures compliance with your subscription terms.

This applies to all license types:

• Basic (Free) Accounts
• Academic (Paid Premium) Licenses
• Industry (Paid Premium) Licenses

Each license has specific content usage rights, and proper citation helps ensure you’re meeting these terms. For more details, see our page: Licensing and usage of figures made in BioRender

How to credit BioRender:

For any published or unpublished figure containing BioRender Content, include a credit such as:

• “Created with BioRender.com” or
• Your unique figure URL, as applicable to your use case.

This citation verifies that you’re using BioRender Content appropriately and in line with your subscription.

What's next

📝 Learn: Follow proper citation guidelines to ensure your work is recognized and compliant with BioRender’s terms. Read the citation guide ↗

Need help?

1. Email: support@biorender.com
2. Live Chat: Available by clicking on the "Help" bubble in the app on the bottom right-hand corner.