The Litmaps Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Litmaps 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.
Litmaps
The Insider’s Guide
Literature review tool that maps papers by their citations
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI research tools, read from Litmaps’s own pages.
Made by Litmap Limited · checked Oct 9, 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 Litmaps’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Litmaps’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 0 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade
Litmaps is a web tool for literature reviews that finds papers through the citation network. You start from one or more articles, and it suggests connected work from a database of more than 270 million articles, laid out as a visual map called a Litmap. Monitor alerts send an email when new related papers appear, and the paid Pro tier adds unlimited maps, advanced search filters and Zotero Sync.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Litmaps, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The homepage also tells small screens that making a Litmap needs a bigger one.
- 1
Best for literature reviews built from a few known papers
Litmaps finds papers by following citations: start from a few articles and it lays out the connected work as a map, then emails you when new related papers come out.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month, billed annually, with an academic email ($40 commercial).
- 3
There is a free plan
Basic search with up to 20 input articles, 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each, and monthly literature alerts. No collaboration features.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Citation-network search
Start from one or more articles and Litmaps returns the most connected papers among their citations, references and co-citations, from a database of 270+ million articles.
- 6
Three search algorithms
Shared Citations & References is the default. Common Authors finds other work by the same collaborators, and Similar Text uses AI semantic analysis of titles and abstracts.
- 7
Visual literature maps
Results are shown as a Litmap of articles linked by citation. A map can be shared through a public link, with specific email addresses or as an exported image.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 0 of 27
That is against the other AI research tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Litmaps 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.
Litmaps at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $10 per month, billed annually, with an academic email ($40 commercial)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Litmap Limited
- Category
- AI Research Tools
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for literature reviews built from a few known papers
Litmaps finds papers by following citations: start from a few articles and it lays out the connected work as a map, then emails you when new related papers come out. Pro is $10 a month on the annual plan only with an academic email, and $40 without one. Free stops at 2 maps of 100 articles, Zotero Sync and filters are Pro, it won't answer questions or hold notes, and small screens can't make a map.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $10 a month billed annually, but only with an academic email. Without one the same Pro is $40, double the dear end of what this category charges. So it's ordinary money at a university and steep outside one. More than 100 lower income countries get a discount code. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free gets you basic search with up to 20 input articles, 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each and a monthly alert. One real review week and you're done: a third map means paying, and so do Zotero Sync and the advanced filters. |
| Features | C | It does citation mapping: three ways to search, maps you can share by link, and Monitor emails when new related papers appear. That is a smaller job than most tools here take on, though. It finds and maps papers. It won't answer a question, hold your notes or write a line. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and it isn't a tool you just open and use: you pick seed articles, read a citation map and choose between three search algorithms. The homepage also tells small screens that making a Litmap needs a bigger one. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. No phone or desktop app, and no API on the listing. Zotero and LibKey are the only products it connects to, alongside BibTeX, RIS and PubMed files going in and out. |
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 Litmaps is for
- Fits if your literature review starts from a handful of papers you already know
- Works for students and academics, who get Pro at $10 a month with an academic email
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you have no academic email, at $40 a month billed annually for the same Pro, or $50 monthly
- Tight if you're staying free, with 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles, 20 inputs a search and monthly alerts only
- Watch out: Zotero Sync, advanced filters and custom alerts all need Pro, and Team prices aren't published
- Skip it if you work on a phone, as making a Litmap needs a bigger screen and no app is listed
- Too light for reading or writing, as it finds and maps papers but won't answer a question or hold your notes
Good to know
Good for
- Literature reviews that start from a handful of known papers
- Students and academics, who get 75% off Pro with an academic email
- Zotero users who want collections kept in sync while they search
- Researchers who want email alerts when related papers are published
Worth knowing
- The free plan allows 20 input articles per search and 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each.
- Advanced search filters, customizable Monitor alerts and Zotero Sync all need Litmaps Pro.
- The $10 Education price needs an academic email address; the standard Commercial license is $40 a month, billed annually.
- The homepage tells visitors on small screens that creating a Litmap needs a bigger screen, and no mobile app is listed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Litmaps has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, with an academic email ($40 commercial).
So it's ordinary money at a university and steep outside one.
Free
$0
Basic search with up to 20 inputs, 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each and monthly literature alerts.
Pro (Education)
$10
per month, billed annually ($120); $12.50 billed monthly
Needs an academic email address. Unlimited inputs, articles and Litmaps, advanced search and configurable alerts.
Pro (Commercial)
$40
per month, billed annually ($480); $50 billed monthly
The same Pro features on the standard license, for people without an academic affiliation.
Team
Custom
Pro features for every member in shared Team Workspaces, bought by the seat. The pricing page gives no public price.
Enterprise
Custom
Institution-wide and customizable licensing, arranged with the sales team.
The free plan
Basic search with up to 20 input articles, 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each, and monthly literature alerts. No collaboration features.
Read from litmaps.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Pro costs $10 a month billed annually against $12.50 billed monthly on an Education license, and $40 against $50 on a Commercial one. The pricing page labels the annual price as a 20% saving.
Stated on litmaps.comEducation
75% off with an Educational License
Students, professors and others affiliated with an educational institution qualify for the Educational License, which is 75% off the standard price.
Stated on docs.litmaps.comBy country
Country discounts in over 100 countries
People doing most of their research in an eligible low or middle income country are shown a discount code when they upgrade in the app. More than 100 countries qualify.
Stated on litmaps.comNonprofit
Special rates for nonprofits on request
The Litmaps Pro help article invites nonprofits, publicly funded research and government education research to contact the company about special rates.
Stated on docs.litmaps.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 tool that maps papers by their citations. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, research, citations.
It does citation mapping: three ways to search, maps you can share by link, and Monitor emails when new related papers appear.
- Citation-network search
- Start from one or more articles and Litmaps returns the most connected papers among their citations, references and co-citations, from a database of 270+ million articles.
- Three search algorithms
- Shared Citations & References is the default. Common Authors finds other work by the same collaborators, and Similar Text uses AI semantic analysis of titles and abstracts.
- Visual literature maps
- Results are shown as a Litmap of articles linked by citation. A map can be shared through a public link, with specific email addresses or as an exported image.
- Monitor alerts
- Monitor reruns a map's search and emails you about newly published articles. Every user can enable it; Pro users can set the frequency, algorithm and filters.
- Import, export and Zotero Sync
- Import BibTeX, RIS or PubMed files and export as BibTeX, RIS or CSV. Zotero Sync, a Pro feature, keeps Zotero collections and Litmaps Tags matched in both directions.
- Advanced search filters
- Pro users can narrow results by publication date, keyword, author, journal title, journal h-index and SJR quartile.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Zotero
- LibKey
Litmaps is made by Litmap Limited.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/27
Other AI research tools it is graded above
Litmaps's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 1.
Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 9 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 11 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 AI research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Litmaps’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 27
- CFree plan and trialAbove 1 of 27
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 27
- CEase of useAbove 0 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. Litmaps 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 Litmaps 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: 26 of the 27 other AI research tools grade higher. It costs $120 a year.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Litmaps’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
ResearchRabbit, Connected Papers, Inciteful, Semantic Scholar and Scite
The 5 tools Litmaps is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
ResearchRabbit
Free plan · from $10/mo
- 2.4GPA
Connected Papers
Free plan · from $6/mo
Visual graphs of similar academic papers for literature search.
- 2.8GPA
Inciteful
Free
Free citation-network tools for exploring academic papers.
- Inciteful is open source, 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.
- Semantic Scholar also covers AI search.
- 2.2GPA
Scite
Free trial · from $20/mo
Research assistant that shows how papers have been cited.
- Litmaps has a free plan. Scite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Scite lists a browser extension.
- Scite also covers chat assistant and AI search.
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 Litmaps free?
Litmaps has a free plan. Basic search with up to 20 input articles, 2 Litmaps of up to 100 articles each, and monthly literature alerts.
How much does Litmaps cost?
Litmaps lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Litmaps work on?
Litmaps is available on Web.
Does Litmaps offer any discounts?
Litmaps publicly lists the following: Save 20% with annual billing; 75% off with an Educational License; Country discounts in over 100 countries; Special rates for nonprofits on request.
Does Litmaps have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Litmaps is listed for Web.
Does Litmaps have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Litmaps is listed for Web.
Is Litmaps open source?
Litmaps is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Litmaps integrate with?
Litmaps's listing names Zotero and LibKey. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Litmaps have a student discount?
75% off with an Educational License. Students, professors and others affiliated with an educational institution qualify for the Educational License, which is 75% off the standard price.
Who makes Litmaps?
Litmaps is made by Litmap Limited.
What are the alternatives to Litmaps?
The closest alternatives to Litmaps in our directory are ResearchRabbit, Connected Papers, Inciteful, Semantic Scholar and Scite.
How does Litmaps compare with other AI research tools?
Litmaps's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 1.
Is Litmaps good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Litmaps C for value for money. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of Litmaps?
To replace Litmaps 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 Litmaps’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Litmaps's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-09.
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 Litmap Limited. Prices change, so check litmaps.com before you buy.
- litmaps.com/pricing
- litmaps.com
- litmaps.com/features
- litmaps.com/company
- litmaps.com/lmic
- litmaps.com/about/litmaps-for-teams
- litmaps.com/about/for-institutions
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/8115278-litmaps-pro
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9125752-litmaps-teams
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9126249-monitor-get-alerts-for-important-research
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9092911-search-for-articles-with-litmaps
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9029858-search-algorithms-in-litmaps
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9081738-import-articles-into-litmaps
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9092828-export-articles-from-litmaps
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/9421968-sync-zotero-with-litmaps
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/10108900-how-to-share-a-litmap
- docs.litmaps.com/en/articles/7212085-litmaps-database-coverage-open-access-and-article-indexing
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
- Litmaps, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/litmaps
- 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, "Litmaps: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/litmaps
Know someone choosing between AI research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/litmaps/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded AI research tools after Litmaps, 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
- Ai2 Asta Insider's GuideAI research assistant for finding papers and analyzing data3.2 GPA
- 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
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Litmaps’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. Litmaps is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Litmap Limited. Prices and plans change: check litmaps.com before you buy.