AI Research pricing compared
What 5 ai research tools actually cost — free tiers, the cheapest paid plan, and where each free plan runs out. Each figure is taken from the vendor’s own pricing page and dated, so you can see when we last checked.
| Tool | Free tier | Cheapest paid plan | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connected Papers | Yes | $3/month · Paid (tier 1) | 14 Jul 2026 |
| ResearchRabbit | Yes | $10/mo · Paid (optional) | 14 Jul 2026 |
| Consensus | Yes | $12/mo · Premium | 14 Jul 2026 |
| Scite | No | $20/mo · Individual | 14 Jul 2026 |
| Elicit | Yes | $49/user/month · Paid tier 1 | 14 Jul 2026 |
Prices are as published by each vendor and may be region-specific — many vendors price by country. Confirm on the vendor’s page before buying.
Sorted cheapest paid plan first. A “free tier” means there is a genuinely free plan — tap through to any tool to see the full tier breakdown and exactly where the free plan stops. We list no fabricated prices: where a vendor only quotes “contact sales” we say so.
What drives ai research pricing
Price in this category tracks how much automated analysis you run, expressed in each vendor's own unit of research work. Connected Papers meters literature graphs, giving 5 a month free and then $3-$10 tiers; Consensus meters Deep reviews, allowing 200 a month at its $45 tier; Scite meters MCP credits at 250 a month for individuals and 2,500 per team seat; Elicit charges per user per month at a steep $49-$169. The spread from Connected Papers' $3 to Elicit's $169 reflects depth of automation, not brand. A tool that only visualises citation networks costs little; one that extracts data from hundreds of papers and synthesises findings costs a lot, because each query burns real model compute. ResearchRabbit sits at the free end because discovery and alerts are cheap to serve. The billing question is always how many analyses per month, and what each one costs once you exceed the included allowance.
How to choose on price
Match the tool's unit of work to how you actually research. If you scan the literature and map citations, Connected Papers or free ResearchRabbit cover it, and paying $3-$10 buys more graphs rather than a different capability. If you extract and synthesise data across many papers, Elicit and Consensus earn their higher tiers, but only if you run enough reviews to justify $45-$169; a light user is overpaying badly at Elicit's $169. Watch the credit units: Scite's 250 MCP credits a month suit an individual, while a team needs the 2,500-credit seats. The classic false economy is buying a synthesis platform for the occasional lookup a free tool handles. Trial the free tier or the 7-day Scite trial against your real questions before committing annually, since most of these bill yearly upfront. Choose on monthly analysis volume, and step up only when you consistently hit the included cap.
AI Research pricing FAQ
Why is Elicit so much pricier than Connected Papers?
They automate different amounts of work. Connected Papers at $3-$10 a month visualises citation networks, which is cheap to serve, while Elicit at $49-$169 per user extracts and synthesises data across large paper sets, consuming heavy model compute per query. You are paying for depth of analysis, not brand.
What are MCP credits in Scite's pricing?
They are Scite's unit of metered usage, with each analysis or query drawing from a monthly allowance. Individuals get 250 credits a month at $20; team seats get 2,500 each at $50. Heavy citation-checking depletes credits faster, so estimate your monthly query volume before choosing a tier.
Is a free research tool enough for a serious literature review?
For discovery and mapping, often yes: ResearchRabbit is free forever and Connected Papers gives 5 graphs monthly. They break down when you need automated data extraction or synthesis across dozens of papers, which is where paid Elicit or Consensus tiers become worth the money.
Do these tools bill monthly or annually?
Most quote annual-billed rates. Consensus's $12 and $45 figures, Connected Papers' $3 and $10, and Elicit's tiers all reflect yearly commitments billed upfront, while Scite offers a 7-day trial. Confirm the term before subscribing, since the monthly-equivalent headline hides a full-year charge.
See the full breakdown
Open any tool for its complete pricing tiers, free-tier limits, screenshot and honest review.