The GPT Researcher Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about GPT Researcher 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.
GPT Researcher
The Insider’s Guide
Open source research agent that writes cited reports
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from GPT Researcher’s own pages.
Made by GPT Researcher · 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 GPT Researcher’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on GPT Researcher’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
2.0
GPA, above 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade
GPT Researcher is an MIT-licensed Python agent that plans a research question, reads web sources and your own documents in parallel, and writes a report with citations. You host it yourself and pay only the language model and search providers you connect.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about GPT Researcher, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There is no hosted service, so you run it with Python or Docker and pay your own model and search bills.
- 1
Best for open-source research agent
GPT Researcher is an open-source agent that plans, searches in parallel and writes cited reports.
- 2
It is free
GPT Researcher has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Linux, macOS and Windows.
- 4
Planner and parallel researchers
A planner splits a question into sub-questions and runs a researcher on each at the same time before a writer drafts the report.
- 5
Many retrievers and your own files
The site lists 20+ retrievers, including Tavily, Google, Bing, Exa, arXiv and PubMed, which can be combined with MCP servers or local documents.
- 6
Cited reports
Each claim in the report is tied to a numbered source. Reports can be output as markdown, PDF, docx or plain text.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 64 of 178
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
GPT Researcher is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
GPT Researcher at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- GPT Researcher, since 2023
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for open-source research agent
GPT Researcher is an open-source agent that plans, searches in parallel and writes cited reports. There is no hosted service, so you run it with Python or Docker and pay your own model and search bills. A deep run is a few cents to a few dollars.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The software costs nothing, but there is no hosted service, so you host it yourself and pay LLM and search providers, a few cents to a few dollars per deep run. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free and MIT licensed, with free retrievers like DuckDuckGo and SearXNG. The model calls are not free. |
| Features | C | Planner, parallel researchers, many retrievers, your own files, deep research mode, MCP server and API. Managed deployments and SLAs are by contact only. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. Python 3.11 or newer or Docker, keys and a command line are needed. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Runs on Linux, Mac and Windows as a program, with an API and MCP server. No web service or phone app. |
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 GPT Researcher is for
- Fits if you can run Python or Docker and want cited research reports
- Works for developers who want to choose their own search sources and models
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a hosted service, since there is none
- Skip it if you do not want a command line, as setup needs Python 3.11 or newer or Docker
- Watch out: you pay your LLM and search providers directly
- Too light on support: managed deployments and SLAs are by contacting the maintainers, with no price
Good to know
Good for
- Developers adding cited research reports to their own apps
- Teams that want to keep research on their own infrastructure
- Researchers who want to choose their own model and search engine
Worth knowing
- There is no hosted service; you run it yourself with Python 3.11 or newer, or Docker.
- You pay your LLM and search providers directly; the site gives a few cents to a few dollars per deep run as a ballpark.
- Managed deployments, private-corpus retrievers and SLAs are handled by contacting the maintainers, with no listed price.
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
GPT Researcher is free to use.
Free and MIT licensed, with free retrievers like DuckDuckGo and SearXNG.
Open Source
$0
MIT-licensed Python package and MCP server that you host yourself; you pay your own LLM and search API providers.
Read from gptr.dev on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open source research agent that writes cited reports. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, AI agents, research, citations.
Planner, parallel researchers, many retrievers, your own files, deep research mode, MCP server and API.
- Planner and parallel researchers
- A planner splits a question into sub-questions and runs a researcher on each at the same time before a writer drafts the report.
- Many retrievers and your own files
- The site lists 20+ retrievers, including Tavily, Google, Bing, Exa, arXiv and PubMed, which can be combined with MCP servers or local documents.
- Cited reports
- Each claim in the report is tied to a numbered source. Reports can be output as markdown, PDF, docx or plain text.
- Deep research mode
- Findings seed new questions, so a run explores a tree of subtopics instead of a single pass. Depth is configurable.
- MCP server and API
- The official gptr-mcp server exposes research tools to Claude, Cursor, n8n and other MCP clients, and a FastAPI server can be run from the repository.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Tavily
- Bing
- Exa
- arXiv
- PubMed
- DuckDuckGo
- SearXNG
GPT Researcher is made by GPT Researcher, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
64/178
Other AI agents it is graded above
GPT Researcher's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 144 of 178) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
GPT Researcher has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 179 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. GPT Researcher’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 28 of 178
- BFree plan and trialAbove 144 of 178
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 178
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 178
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 178
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 109 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. GPT Researcher 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
GPT Researcher is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Tavily, Google and Bing among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. GPT Researcher’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
Dust, Browser Use, OpenHands and Manus
The 4 tools GPT Researcher is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Dust
Free trial · from $24/mo
Platform for building AI agents on your company's knowledge.
- GPT Researcher has a free plan. Dust does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only GPT Researcher lists Linux, macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Dust lists a web app.
- 2.6GPA
Browser Use
Free plan · from $5
Browser agents and cloud browsers for AI apps.
- Only GPT Researcher lists Linux, macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Browser Use lists a web app.
- GPT Researcher is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
OpenHands
Free plan · from $500/mo
Open-source platform for AI coding agents and automations.
- Only GPT Researcher lists Linux, macOS and Windows apps.
- Only OpenHands lists a web app.
- GPT Researcher also covers research and citations.
- 3.2GPA
Manus
Free plan · from $20/mo
General AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks.
- Only GPT Researcher lists a Linux app.
- Only Manus lists a web app.
- Only Manus lists iOS and Android apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 GPT Researcher free?
Yes. GPT Researcher is free to use.
How much does GPT Researcher cost?
GPT Researcher lists one plan. Open Source: $0.
What platforms does GPT Researcher work on?
GPT Researcher is available on Linux, macOS and Windows.
Does GPT Researcher have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. GPT Researcher is listed for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Does GPT Researcher have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. GPT Researcher is listed for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Is GPT Researcher open source?
Yes. GPT Researcher is open source, according to its own site.
Does GPT Researcher have an API?
Yes. GPT Researcher offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does GPT Researcher integrate with?
GPT Researcher's listing names Tavily, Google, Bing, Exa, arXiv, PubMed, DuckDuckGo and SearXNG.
Who makes GPT Researcher?
GPT Researcher is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to GPT Researcher?
The closest alternatives to GPT Researcher in our directory are Dust, Browser Use, OpenHands and Manus.
How does GPT Researcher compare with other AI agents?
GPT Researcher's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 16.
Is GPT Researcher good value for money?
ToolGPA grades GPT Researcher C for value for money. GPT Researcher has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of GPT Researcher?
GPT Researcher 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 GPT Researcher’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 GPT Researcher'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 GPT Researcher. Prices change, so check gptr.dev 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
- GPT Researcher, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/gpt-researcher
- 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, "GPT Researcher: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/gpt-researcher
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/gpt-researcher/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after GPT Researcher, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 179 AI agents we grade, compared
- Genspark Insider's GuideAI workspace with an agent for research, slides, sheets and docs3.2 GPA
- Manus Insider's GuideGeneral AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks3.2 GPA
- OpenClaw Insider's GuideOpen-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat3.2 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 GPT Researcher’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. GPT Researcher is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by GPT Researcher. Prices and plans change: check gptr.dev before you buy.