Software / mobile app: how to cite in APA (7th ed.)?

Create a spot-on reference in APA 7 and 6

Select a source type:

Book Website Journal article Video (online)

Archival document Blog post Book Book chapter Complete reference Conference paper Copyright certificate Court case Dictionary Dictionary entry Disc Dissertation / Thesis Encyclopedia Encyclopedia article Extended abstract of dissertation Image Journal article Law / Act Newspaper article Patent Podcast Preprint Press release Religious text Report Social media post Software Standard Video (online) Video game Website

General rules

APA Style treats computer software and mobile applications as specific types of software and requires including appropriate basic details pertaining to such sources in a bibliographic reference. These generally include the name(s) of the author(s) (quite often, the name of the organisation or company that developed the software), title of software, name of publisher, and version or edition of the program.

How to cite in a bibliography

To cite a piece of software in accordance with the requirements of APA Style, follow the template below:

Author(s). (Date). Title (Version) [Computer software]. Publisher. URL

For a mobile app, use the same template but change the description of the type of source in brackets accordingly:

Author(s). (Date). Title (Version) [Mobile app]. Publisher. URL

If the publisher is the same as the author of the software, omit the Publisher element from the reference.

If the software or mobile app was accessed online, add the URL in the end.

Examples of references

Cockos Incorporated. (2023). Reaper (Version 7.02) [Computer software]. https://www.reaper.fm/download.php

Trello, Inc. (2023). Trello: Organize anything! (Version 2023.15) [Mobile app]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trello-organize-anything/id461504587