Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving PaperJet.
Want the closest match?
KeeniousMost similar to PaperJet in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Keenious in a new tab)Need a free plan?
ResearchRabbitHas a free plan, rated 4.6 out of 5.
Visit (opens ResearchRabbit in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
LitmapsFrom $10/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens Litmaps in a new tab)Want the best rated?
SourcelyRated 4.2 out of 5 in our review, against 3.4 for PaperJet.
Visit (opens Sourcely in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than PaperJet, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PaperJetBaseline | 3.4 | Free | Yes | Searches the literature and drafts beside it on the same canvas. | |
| Keenious | 4.2+0.8 | $10/mo | Yes | Suggests citations in real time while you write your own paper | vs PaperJet |
| ResearchRabbit | 4.6+1.2 | Free | Yes | A free, continuously updating visual map of papers as your collection grows | vs PaperJet |
 PaperBrain | 3.6+0.2 | Free | Yes | Search, read and summarise scientific papers through a single interface. | vs PaperJet |
| Sourcely | 4.2+0.8 | $17/mo | Yes | Paste a whole essay draft, get back citation-worthy sources matched to specific passages | vs PaperJet |
 Gatsbi | 3.6+0.2 | Not listed | No | Generates research topics, drafts papers with citations and automates systematic reviews. | vs PaperJet |
| Litmaps | 4.4+1.0 | $10/mo | Yes | Citation mapping with ongoing alerts, not just a one-time snapshot | vs PaperJet |
 Mendeley | 3.7+0.3 | Free | Yes | AI interprets the logic behind your search queries and surfaces patterns and missing links across your entire reference library, not just keyword matches. | vs PaperJet |
 Paperguide | 4.2+0.8 | $10/mo | Yes | Bundles search, review, full draft writing, and reference management in one platform | vs PaperJet |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches PaperJet.
Keenious
4.2$10/mo
vs PaperJet+0.8
Suggests citations in real time while you write your own paper.
- Real-time literature suggestions triggered by the user's own writing
- No separate search query required to surface relevant papers
- Free tier for standard use
Suggests relevant literature without interrupting the writing process
More features require a paid plan
ResearchRabbit
4.6Free
vs PaperJet+1.2
A free, continuously updating visual map of papers as your collection grows.
- Continuously updating recommendations based on a growing paper collection
- Visual network of authors and citation connections
- Completely free with no paid tier
Completely free with no paid tier at all
No paid tier means no path to additional enterprise features
PaperBrain
3.6Free
vs PaperJet+0.2
Search, read and summarise scientific papers through a single interface.
- Search across scientific literature from one interface
- Summaries to triage whether a paper deserves a full read
- Content generation from the papers you collect
Compresses the triage step that dominates a literature review
Summaries are a filter, never a substitute for the source
Sourcely
4.2$17/mo
vs PaperJet+0.8
Paste a whole essay draft, get back citation-worthy sources matched to specific passages.
- Paste a full essay or draft to match passages with citation-worthy sources
- Citation generation across 700+ citation styles
- Database of 200+ million research papers
Passage-matching input approach is genuinely different from keyword search
Free tier's 300-character limit is restrictive for anything beyond a short excerpt
Gatsbi
3.6Not listed
vs PaperJet+0.2
Generates research topics, drafts papers with citations and automates systematic reviews.
- Research topic discovery
- Paper drafting with citations
- Patent drafting
Systematic review screening is a genuinely good fit for automation
Generated citations must be checked individually against real sources
Litmaps
4.4$10/mo
vs PaperJet+1.0
Citation mapping with ongoing alerts, not just a one-time snapshot.
- Visual citation mapping around a research topic or paper
- Ongoing alerts when new papers connect to a saved map
- Free tier for standard use
Ongoing alerts address literature that changes over a long project, not just a single search session
More maps and features require a paid plan
Mendeley
3.7Free
vs PaperJet+0.3
AI interprets the logic behind your search queries and surfaces patterns and missing links across your entire reference library, not just keyword matches.
- AI Search & Insights - interprets query logic, not just keywords
- Pattern recognition uncovering relationships across your reference library
- 2GB free cloud storage with PDF management and annotation
Pattern recognition catches cross-paper connections a manual review would likely miss
Full pricing details aren't shown on the homepage
Paperguide
4.2$10/mo
vs PaperJet+0.8
Bundles search, review, full draft writing, and reference management in one platform.
- AI search across 200+ million papers
- AI Writer generating full draft text grounded in user references
- Automated Deep Research Reports analyzing trends across a topic
AI Writer's full-draft generation goes further than most competitors' citation-only assistance
More features require a paid plan
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is PaperJet free?
PaperJet has a free plan.
What is the best free alternative to PaperJet?
ResearchRabbit is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.6 out of 5). Other free options: Litmaps, Keenious, Sourcely.
What is the cheapest alternative to PaperJet?
Among paid plans, Keenious has the lowest starting price (from $10/mo). If you need it free, start with ResearchRabbit.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.