Consensus vs Scite (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
Consensus
From $9/mo against from $20/mo
Free plan
Consensus
Only Consensus has one
Higher rating
Consensus
4.3 against 4.2
Same job?
Yes
Both are Research tools

Side by side

Compared on	Consensus	Scite
Our rating	4.3Better	4.2
Starts at	$9/moBetter	$20/mo
Free plan	YesBetter	No
Category	Research	Research
Plans	From $9/mo	From $20/mo
Key features	Consensus Meter showing agreement, disagreement, and mixed results across studies Search scoped specifically to peer-reviewed scientific literature Claims linked directly to source studies Free tier for standard use Operating since 2021	Smart Citations classifying citing papers as supporting, contradicting, or mentioning Index of over one billion classified citations Acquired by Research Solutions, Inc. in December 2023 Operating since 2018, originally Brooklyn-based Full-text search across the citation index
Pros	Consensus Meter format surfaces real disagreement other tools tend to flatten Scoped specifically to peer-reviewed literature Free tier available for standard use	Citation classification answers a genuinely different question than raw citation counts Very large, established index of classified citations Now backed by publicly traded Research Solutions, Inc
Cons	More searches and features require a paid plan Meter format works best for yes/no-style research questions specifically Narrower scope than tools also covering web or non-peer-reviewed sources	No permanent free plan, only a time-limited trial Among the higher prices in this category Citation-evaluation focus is a narrower use case than general literature search or chat
Company	Consensus, founded 2021	Research Solutions, Inc., founded 2018

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260629. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Consensus better than Scite?

In our reviews Consensus scores 4.3 and Scite scores 4.2. The better pick depends on the job. Consensus: Answers research questions with a yes/no consensus meter across studies. Scite: Smart Citations classify whether a citing paper actually supports or contradicts a claim.

Which is cheaper, Consensus or Scite?

Consensus has the lower starting price: from $9/mo for Consensus and from $20/mo for Scite.

Do Consensus and Scite have free plans?

Only Consensus has a free plan.

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