Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Rayyan.
Want the closest match?
GatsbiMost similar to Rayyan in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Gatsbi 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 to pay less than Rayyan?
ScholarcyFrom $5/mo, against from $10/mo for Rayyan.
Visit (opens Scholarcy in a new tab)Want the best rated?
ElicitRated 4.3 out of 5 in our review, against 4.4 for Rayyan.
Visit (opens Elicit in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Rayyan, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 RayyanBaseline | 4.4 | $10/mo | Yes | Built specifically for the systematic-review screening process, not general search | |
| Gatsbi | 3.6−0.8 | Not listed | No | Generates research topics, drafts papers with citations and automates systematic reviews. | vs Rayyan |
| Elicit | 4.3−0.1 | $12/mo$2 more | Yes | Automates systematic review, extracting data into tables across many papers at once | vs Rayyan |
 SciSpace | 4.2−0.2 | $12/mo$2 more | Yes | Started as a journal-formatting tool, now a broader AI research assistant | vs Rayyan |
| ResearchRabbit | 4.6+0.2 | Free | Yes | A free, continuously updating visual map of papers as your collection grows | vs Rayyan |
| Scholarcy | 4.3−0.1 | $5/mo$5 less | Yes | Turns each paper into a structured flashcard-style summary | vs Rayyan |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Rayyan.
Gatsbi
3.6Not listed
vs Rayyan−0.8
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
Elicit
4.3$12/mo
vs Rayyan$2 more−0.1
Automates systematic review, extracting data into tables across many papers at once.
- Structured data extraction into comparison tables across many papers at once
- Built specifically for systematic review and meta-analysis workflows
- Custom extraction fields defined by the user
Multi-paper table extraction addresses a genuinely labor-intensive research task
More extractions and features require a paid plan
SciSpace
4.2$12/mo
vs Rayyan$2 more−0.2
Started as a journal-formatting tool, now a broader AI research assistant.
- Deep journal-formatting and citation-template capability from its Typeset.io origin
- AI-powered literature review and PDF chat across 280+ million papers
- Free tier for standard use
Combines AI research assistance with genuinely deep formatting capability
Broad feature set adds more surface area to learn than a single-purpose tool
ResearchRabbit
4.6Free
vs Rayyan+0.2
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
Scholarcy
4.3$5/mo
vs Rayyan$5 less−0.1
Turns each paper into a structured flashcard-style summary.
- Flashcard-style structured summary cards for each paper
- Browser extension generating summaries directly on a paper's page
- Free tier for standard use
Flashcard format suits fast triage of many papers well
Summary-card format is less suited to deep follow-up questions than a chat interface
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Rayyan free?
Rayyan has a free plan, and paid plans start from $10/mo.
What is the best free alternative to Rayyan?
ResearchRabbit is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.6 out of 5). Other free options: Elicit, Scholarcy, SciSpace.
What is the cheapest alternative to Rayyan?
Among paid plans, Scholarcy has the lowest starting price (from $5/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.