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Head to head · 2026

PaperBrain vs Scite

Pricing, free plans, ratings, features, pros and cons, side by side. Where one comes out ahead, we mark it.

PaperBrain

Search, read and summarise scientific papers through a single interface

3.6Free

Visit PaperBrain (opens PaperBrain in a new tab)

Scite

Smart Citations classify whether a citing paper actually supports or contradicts a claim

4.2$20/mo

Visit Scite (opens Scite in a new tab)

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

    Not comparable

    Not comparable: PaperBrain does not list a price

  • Free plan

    PaperBrain

    Only PaperBrain has one

  • Higher rating

    Scite

    3.6 against 4.2

  • Same job?

    Yes

    Both are Research tools

Side by side

Compared onPaperBrainScite
Our rating3.64.2Better
Starts atFree$20/mo
Free planYesBetterNo
CategoryResearchResearch
PlansFreeFrom $20/mo
Key features
  • Search across scientific literature from one interface
  • Summaries to triage whether a paper deserves a full read
  • Content generation from the papers you collect
  • Free tier covering core exploration
  • 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
  • Compresses the triage step that dominates a literature review
  • Single interface replaces the usual scatter of tabs and PDFs
  • 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
  • Summaries are a filter, never a substitute for the source
  • Paper sourcing and access rights need checking for your field
  • 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
CompanyResearch Solutions, Inc., founded 2018

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260811. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is PaperBrain better than Scite?

In our reviews PaperBrain scores 3.6 and Scite scores 4.2. The better pick depends on the job. PaperBrain: Search, read and summarise scientific papers through a single interface. Scite: Smart Citations classify whether a citing paper actually supports or contradicts a claim.

Which is cheaper, PaperBrain or Scite?

PaperBrain: free. Scite: from $20/mo.

Do PaperBrain and Scite have free plans?

Only PaperBrain has a free plan.

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