The Ai2 Asta Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ai2 Asta in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Ai2 Asta
The Insider’s Guide
AI research assistant for finding papers and analyzing data
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI research tools, read from Ai2 Asta’s own pages.
Made by Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Ai2 Asta’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ai2 Asta’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 26 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade
Asta is a scholarly research assistant from Ai2, the nonprofit Allen Institute for AI. It has three agents: Find papers searches the literature and explains why each result is relevant, Generate a report writes a cited answer drawn from many papers, and Analyze data runs Python analyses on datasets you upload. It searches about 108 million abstracts and 12 million full-text papers, and Ai2 publishes the agents and their benchmark suite as open source.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Ai2 Asta, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Uncited lines in a report are labelled as model-generated, so you can see which bits to trust.
- 1
Best for free paper search that explains its picks
Reports only cover computer science, medicine, environmental science and biology.
- 2
It is free
Ai2 Asta has no paid plan at all. No paid plans are offered. The three agents can be used without an account; signing in saves queries and results so they can be reopened later.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Find papers
Breaks a query into parts, searches, follows citations and judges relevance, then lists papers with a note on why each fits. A slower deep search mode handles complex questions.
- 5
Generate a report
Answers questions that need many papers with a structured report: expandable sections, comparison tables and inline citations with excerpts. Uncited text is labeled as model-generated.
- 6
Analyze data
Upload CSV, TSV, Excel, JSON, HDF5 or Parquet data and ask questions in plain language. Asta writes and runs Python and returns findings with charts, the code and a methods section.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 26 of 27
That is against the other AI research tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Ai2 Asta is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Ai2 Asta at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Allen Institute for AI (Ai2), since 2025
- Category
- AI Research Tools
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free paper search that explains its picks
Asta is a free research assistant from the nonprofit Ai2 that finds papers and says why each fits, writes cited reports, and runs Python on data you upload, with no account needed. Reports only cover computer science, medicine, environmental science and biology. Data explorations lock after 24 hours, uploads are deleted after 7 days, sensitive data needs a self-hosted setup, and it's one browser tab with no API or app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Nothing to pay: Ai2 is a nonprofit and publishes no pricing page. Four tools in this category are free outright. The A is for what's free here: 108 million abstracts, cited reports and a Python data agent, where paid rivals start around $12 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, and you don't even need an account. All three agents run anonymously; signing in just keeps your history. There's no monthly cap to hit, only storage limits: a data exploration goes read-only after 24 hours and uploaded datasets are deleted after 7 days. |
| Features | B | It covers the job: a reason given for every paper found, reports with inline citations and excerpts, and a Python agent that analyzes your own CSV or Parquet file. What keeps it off an A is Ai2's own guide, which says reports only draw on four fields. |
| Ease of use | B | There's no store rating on record, so the B rests on what the listing shows, and it shows a product with nothing to set up: open the page, type a question, no sign-up. Uncited lines in a report are labelled as model-generated, so you can see which bits to trust. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. One integration on the listing, Semantic Scholar, and no API, no phone app, no extension. That's one place it runs, which is a C however good the web app is. Developers can self-host the open-source agents, but that isn't reach for the rest of us. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Ai2 Asta is for
- Fits if you want a stated reason for every paper a search turns up
- Works for developers building or testing science agents, since the agents and benchmarks are open source
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want reports outside computer science, medicine, environmental science and biology
- Not for you if your data is sensitive or regulated, which Ai2 says needs a self-hosted setup
- Tight if you come back to a dataset later, as explorations lock after 24 hours and uploads go after 7 days
- Too light for use on a phone or from your own tools: it's web only, with no app, extension or API
Good to know
Good for
- Researchers who want a stated reason for each paper a search returns
- Getting a cited overview of a question that spans many papers
- Exploring a tabular dataset with analysis code that stays visible
- Developers building or evaluating scientific AI agents
Worth knowing
- Ai2 publishes no pricing page; the app runs without an account, and its credit panel lists no credit cost for the three main agents.
- The getting started guide says Generate a report searches computer science, medicine, environmental science and biology papers.
- Data explorations stay active for 24 hours and then become read-only, and uploaded datasets are deleted after 7 days.
- Ai2 says not to upload sensitive or regulated data to the hosted version; that requires a self-hosted deployment.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Ai2 Asta is free to use.
Four tools in this category are free outright.
Free
$0
Find papers, Generate a report and Analyze data, usable anonymously or with a free sign-in that keeps a history of queries.
The free plan
No paid plans are offered. The three agents can be used without an account; signing in saves queries and results so they can be reopened later.
Read from asta.allen.ai on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
AI research assistant for finding papers and analyzing data. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI search, AI agents, research, citations.
One integration on the listing, Semantic Scholar, and no API, no phone app, no extension.
- Find papers
- Breaks a query into parts, searches, follows citations and judges relevance, then lists papers with a note on why each fits. A slower deep search mode handles complex questions.
- Generate a report
- Answers questions that need many papers with a structured report: expandable sections, comparison tables and inline citations with excerpts. Uncited text is labeled as model-generated.
- Analyze data
- Upload CSV, TSV, Excel, JSON, HDF5 or Parquet data and ask questions in plain language. Asta writes and runs Python and returns findings with charts, the code and a methods section.
- Follow-ups and sharing
- Reports can be refined over several turns, with specific papers referenced by an @ mention. A Share button copies a link to the results of any query.
- AstaLabs prototypes
- Hosted previews include AutoDiscovery, which generates and tests hypotheses on a dataset, and Paper + Figure QA, which answers questions about figures and tables in papers.
- Open-source agents and AstaBench
- Ai2 publishes open-source versions of the agents behind the three tools, along with AstaBench, a benchmark suite and leaderboard for scientific AI agents.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Semantic Scholar
Ai2 Asta is made by Allen Institute for AI (Ai2), and has been around since 2025.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
26/27
Other AI research tools it is graded above
Ai2 Asta's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 26 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 24 of 27) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).
Ai2 Asta has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 AI research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ai2 Asta’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 27
- AFree plan and trialAbove 24 of 27
- BFeaturesAbove 15 of 27
- BEase of useAbove 13 of 27
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 25 AI research tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Ai2 Asta is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Ai2 Asta is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 26 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Ai2 Asta’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Undermind, Elicit, Edison Scientific, Consensus and Semantic Scholar
The 5 tools Ai2 Asta is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Undermind
Free plan · from $16/mo
AI literature search agent that reads hundreds of papers.
- Ai2 Asta is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Undermind also covers chat assistant.
- 2.4GPA
Elicit
Free plan · from $49/mo
AI research assistant for literature search and systematic reviews.
- Only Elicit lists a browser extension.
- Ai2 Asta is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Edison Scientific
Free plan
AI agents for scientific research, led by the Kosmos AI Scientist.
- Ai2 Asta is open source, according to its own site.
- Ai2 Asta also covers AI search.
- 2.6GPA
Consensus
Free plan
AI search engine that answers questions from peer-reviewed papers.
- Only Consensus lists an Android app.
- Ai2 Asta is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Semantic Scholar
Free
Free AI-powered search engine for scientific literature.
- Only Semantic Scholar lists a browser extension.
- Ai2 Asta is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Ai2 Asta also covers AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Ai2 Asta free?
Yes. Ai2 Asta is free to use.
How much does Ai2 Asta cost?
Ai2 Asta lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Ai2 Asta work on?
Ai2 Asta is available on Web.
Does Ai2 Asta have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Ai2 Asta is listed for Web.
Does Ai2 Asta have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Ai2 Asta is listed for Web.
Is Ai2 Asta open source?
Yes. Ai2 Asta is open source, according to its own site.
What does Ai2 Asta integrate with?
Ai2 Asta's listing names Semantic Scholar. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Ai2 Asta?
Ai2 Asta is made by Allen Institute for AI (Ai2). It dates from 2025.
What are the alternatives to Ai2 Asta?
The closest alternatives to Ai2 Asta in our directory are Undermind, Elicit, Edison Scientific, Consensus and Semantic Scholar.
How does Ai2 Asta compare with other AI research tools?
Ai2 Asta's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 26 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 1.
Is Ai2 Asta good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ai2 Asta A for value for money. Ai2 Asta has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Ai2 Asta?
Ai2 Asta is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ai2 Asta’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ai2's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-23.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Allen Institute for AI (Ai2). Prices change, so check asta.allen.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Ai2 Asta, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ai2-asta
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Ai2 Asta: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ai2-asta
Know someone choosing between AI research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ai2-asta/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI research tools after Ai2 Asta, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Research Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 28 AI research tools we grade, compared
- Semantic Scholar Insider's GuideFree AI-powered search engine for scientific literature3.2 GPA
- ChatPDF Insider's GuideAsk questions about PDFs and get answers with citations2.8 GPA
- Inciteful Insider's GuideFree citation-network tools for exploring academic papers2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Ai2 Asta’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Ai2 Asta is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Allen Institute for AI (Ai2). Prices and plans change: check asta.allen.ai before you buy.