The DistillerSR Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DistillerSR 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.
DistillerSR
The Insider’s Guide
Literature review software for systematic reviews and surveillance
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI research tools, read from DistillerSR’s own pages.
Made by DistillerSR Inc. · checked Nov 13, 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 DistillerSR’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DistillerSR’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 5 of the 69 other AI research tools we grade
DistillerSR is a web platform for managing literature-based research such as systematic reviews, from reference import and screening through data extraction and reporting. It is sold to companies and government bodies by quote, with published monthly plans for students and academics. It lists an AI feature that reorders references by relevance.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about DistillerSR, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and a review project has to be configured before use.
- 1
Best for managing systematic reviews with an audit trail
DistillerSR covers a systematic review from screening to reporting, with an audit trail and AI-assisted screening.
- 2
Paid plans start at $19.95 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $19.95 per month (Student).
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Review lifecycle management
Centrally manages importing references, screening, extraction and reporting with a configurable workflow.
- 5
AI-assisted screening
Reorders references by predicted relevance and can double-check exclusion decisions; plan availability is shown only as icons.
- 6
Audit trail
Integrated audit trail and version control, which the vendor presents as making evidence traceable.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 5 of 69
That is against the other AI research tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace DistillerSR you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
DistillerSR at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $19.95 per month (Student)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- DistillerSR Inc.
- Category
- AI Research Tools
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for managing systematic reviews with an audit trail
DistillerSR covers a systematic review from screening to reporting, with an audit trail and AI-assisted screening. The cheapest plan is $19.95 a month, for one project, and the faculty and project plans go through sales. No free plan or trial is stated.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Student is $19.95 a month, Faculty $94 and Research Project $194, against a category middle of $10. Corporate pricing is quote only. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free tier or free trial is stated on the pages read. |
| Features | B | Review lifecycle management, AI screening, an audit trail, reference alerts, full-text retrieval and BI and API links. The listing names no gap in the core review work. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and a review project has to be configured before use. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with links to PubMed, EBSCO, OVID, Power BI and Tableau, and an API. No phone or desktop apps are listed. |
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 DistillerSR is for
- Fits if you run reviews that need a full audit trail for regulators
- Works for university teams who would buy the Faculty or Research Project plan
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to try before paying, because no free tier or trial is stated
- Tight if you are a student: the Student plan covers 1 project
- Pricey if you are faculty: Faculty is $94 a month for 5 projects, and plans are bought through sales
- Watch out: corporate and government pricing is a quote form only
Good to know
Good for
- Pharma, device and public-sector teams running regulated literature reviews
- Universities buying seats for students and faculty
- Organizations that need audit trails across many reviews
Worth knowing
- Corporate and government pricing is not published; it is quote-only through a form.
- No free tier or free trial is stated on the pages read.
- The Student plan is limited to 1 project, and faculty and project plans to 5 projects.
- Faculty and Research Project plans are bought by contacting sales, not self-serve checkout.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19.95
A month to start
DistillerSR is a paid product, starting at $19.95 per month (Student).
No free tier or free trial is stated on the pages read.
Student
$19.95
per month, billing basis not stated
Three subscriptions for the price of one; 1 project and standard support; the page lists 3 users.
Faculty
$94
per month, billed annually
One faculty user with 5 projects and standard support; bought through sales.
Research Project
$194
per month, billed annually
One faculty member plus 4 students and 5 projects; bought through sales.
Departmental
Custom
Manage multiple subscriptions across a department, with 20 to 45 projects; contact sales.
Institutional
Custom
Capabilities for an entire institution, with 80 to 150 projects; request a quote.
Corporate and Government
Custom
No published price; a quote form is used for companies and public-sector teams.
Read from distillersr.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
Student and academic pricing
Discounted plans from $19.95 a month for students, with faculty and research-project plans billed annually.
Stated on distillersr.com
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
Literature review software for systematic reviews and surveillance. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, real-time collaboration, research, reports.
Review lifecycle management, AI screening, an audit trail, reference alerts, full-text retrieval and BI and API links.
- Review lifecycle management
- Centrally manages importing references, screening, extraction and reporting with a configurable workflow.
- AI-assisted screening
- Reorders references by predicted relevance and can double-check exclusion decisions; plan availability is shown only as icons.
- Audit trail
- Integrated audit trail and version control, which the vendor presents as making evidence traceable.
- Reference database alerts
- LitConnect brings in new articles from databases such as EBSCO, OVID and PubMed; it is not on the Student or Faculty plans.
- BI and API integration
- Connects to business-intelligence tools such as Power BI and Tableau, and exposes an API as a paid module.
- Full-text retrieval
- Links references to source material through DOI.org and works with the Unpaywall plugin.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- PubMed
- EBSCO
- OVID
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Unpaywall
DistillerSR is made by DistillerSR Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/69
Other AI research tools it is graded above
DistillerSR's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 5 of the 69 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on features (B, above 53 of 69) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $19.95 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 40 of the 48 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 5 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 AI research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. DistillerSR’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 69
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 69
- BFeaturesAbove 53 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 AI research tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. DistillerSR 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
To replace DistillerSR you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 62 of the 69 other AI research tools grade higher. It costs $239.40 a year.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, PubMed, EBSCO and OVID among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. DistillerSR’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
Covidence, Rayyan, Nested Knowledge, Laser AI and Silvi
The 5 tools DistillerSR is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Covidence
Free trial · from $339/yr
Web platform for screening and extracting data in systematic reviews.
- DistillerSR also covers reports.
- Covidence also covers citations.
- 2.6GPA
Rayyan
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Systematic review screening with AI relevance predictions.
- Rayyan has a free plan. DistillerSR does not.
- DistillerSR also covers reports.
- Rayyan also covers citations.
- 2.0GPA
Nested Knowledge
Free plan · from $19.95/mo
Systematic review and meta-analysis platform with AI screening.
- Nested Knowledge has a free plan. DistillerSR does not.
- 1.4GPA
Laser AI
From $3000/mo
AI-assisted screening and data extraction for systematic reviews.
- DistillerSR also covers reports.
- Laser AI also covers citations.
- 2.6GPA
Silvi
Free plan · from €19/mo
Literature review platform with AI screening and data extraction.
- Silvi has a free plan. DistillerSR does not.
- DistillerSR also covers reports.
- Silvi also covers citations.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 DistillerSR free?
No. DistillerSR is a paid product, starting at $19.95 per month (Student).
How much does DistillerSR cost?
DistillerSR lists 6 plans. Student: $19.95 per month, billing basis not stated.
What platforms does DistillerSR work on?
DistillerSR is available on Web.
Does DistillerSR offer any discounts?
DistillerSR publicly lists the following: Student and academic pricing.
Does DistillerSR have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DistillerSR is listed for Web.
Does DistillerSR have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DistillerSR is listed for Web.
Is DistillerSR open source?
DistillerSR is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does DistillerSR integrate with?
DistillerSR's listing names PubMed, EBSCO, OVID, Power BI, Tableau and Unpaywall.
Does DistillerSR have a student discount?
Student and academic pricing. Discounted plans from $19.95 a month for students, with faculty and research-project plans billed annually.
Who makes DistillerSR?
DistillerSR is made by DistillerSR Inc.
What are the alternatives to DistillerSR?
The closest alternatives to DistillerSR in our directory are Covidence, Rayyan, Nested Knowledge, Laser AI and Silvi.
How does DistillerSR compare with other AI research tools?
DistillerSR's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 5 of the 69 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 2.
Is DistillerSR good value for money?
ToolGPA grades DistillerSR D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $19.95 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 40 of the 48 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of DistillerSR?
To replace DistillerSR you would be making a library of papers and sources to search.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DistillerSR’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from DistillerSR's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 DistillerSR Inc. Prices change, so check distillersr.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- DistillerSR, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/distillersr
- 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, "DistillerSR: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/distillersr
Know someone choosing between AI research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/distillersr/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded AI research tools after DistillerSR, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Research Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 AI research tools we grade, compared
- Ai2 Asta Insider's GuideAI research assistant for finding papers and analyzing data3.2 GPA
- Brave Search Insider's GuidePrivate web search engine with its own index and AI answers3.2 GPA
- CORE Insider's GuideOpen access research search backed by a free API3.2 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 DistillerSR’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. DistillerSR is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by DistillerSR Inc. Prices and plans change: check distillersr.com before you buy.