The Scite Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Scite 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.
Scite
The Insider’s Guide
Research assistant that shows how papers have been cited
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI research tools, read from Scite’s own pages.
Made by Scite LLC (Research Solutions) · 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 Scite’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Scite’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
2.2
GPA, above 2 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade
Scite is a literature search and evaluation tool built around Smart Citations, which show whether later research supported, contrasted or simply mentioned a paper's findings. Its AI Assistant answers questions from the full text of licensed and open access articles and links each claim to the sentence it came from. Scite is part of Research Solutions and also runs as a browser extension, a Zotero plugin and an MCP connector for AI assistants.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Scite, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The browser extension is the easy part, putting Scite's citation counts beside papers on Google Scholar and PubMed.
- 1
Best for checking if a paper's findings held up
Scite shows, for any paper, whether later research supported it, contrasted it or only mentioned it, and its Assistant links each claim to the sentence behind it.
- 2
Paid plans start at $20 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $20 per month, billed monthly.
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial for new users; it rolls into the plan chosen at sign-up unless canceled first.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Smart Citations
Shows how later research has cited a paper: whether the citing statements support, contrast or simply mention its findings, with the surrounding context.
- 6
Scite Assistant
Answers questions from the scientific literature and links every claim back to the specific sentence in the paper it came from.
- 7
Full-text search
Searches inside more than 280 million full-text articles under agreements with Wiley, SAGE and 30+ other publishers, alongside preprints, books, patents and datasets.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 2 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 Scite 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.
Scite at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $20 per month, billed monthly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial for new users; it rolls into the plan chosen at sign-up unless canceled first.
- Runs on
- Web, Browser extension
- Made by
- Scite LLC (Research Solutions)
- Category
- AI Research Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for checking if a paper's findings held up
Scite shows, for any paper, whether later research supported it, contrasted it or only mentioned it, and its Assistant links each claim to the sentence behind it. There's no free plan: a 7-day trial rolls into a paid plan unless you cancel, and Basic is $20 a month, the dearest tenth of this category. Patents, trials and grants need Pro at $50, MCP use is capped by credits, annual prices couldn't be confirmed, and there's no phone app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Basic is $20 a month billed monthly, which lands in the dearest tenth of a category whose middle is $10. Unlimited Assistant queries, full-text search and citation alerts are in. Patents, clinical trials, grants and Collections past 1,000 papers need Pro at $50. Annual billing exists at a price we couldn't confirm. |
| Free plan and trial | D | No free plan at all. New users get a 7-day trial, and it rolls into whichever plan you chose at sign-up unless you cancel first, so your card is in from the start. Set a reminder if you're only looking! |
| Features | A | Scite's citation reports show whether later papers supported a finding, contrasted it or only mentioned it, with the context around each one, and nothing else in this category does that. The Assistant links every claim to a sentence, and search runs inside 280 million full-text articles under publisher agreements. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. The browser extension is the easy part, putting Scite's citation counts beside papers on Google Scholar and PubMed. The rest asks more of you: no free plan to practice on, Collections with size caps to watch, and MCP use running on a monthly credit count. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web app and a browser extension, plus a Zotero plugin, an API and an MCP connector that runs Scite inside Claude and ChatGPT. MCP use is capped at 250 credits a month on Basic. No phone or desktop app is listed, so those connectors are what earn the B. |
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 Scite is for
- Fits if you need to know whether a finding held up in later research
- Works for researchers who want cited answers inside Claude or ChatGPT through the MCP connector
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there's only a 7-day trial that rolls into a paid one
- Pricey if you need patent, clinical trial or grant search, or Collections past 1,000 papers, which start on Pro at $50 a month
- Tight if you lean on it through Claude or ChatGPT, with 250 MCP credits a month on Basic
- Watch out: annual billing and a Team plan are offered, but their prices couldn't be confirmed
- Not for you if you want a phone or desktop app, as only the web app and a browser extension are listed
Good to know
Good for
- Checking whether a paper's findings were supported or disputed by later work
- Searching inside the full text of licensed journal articles
- Researchers who want cited answers inside Claude or ChatGPT
Worth knowing
- No free plan is listed; after the 7-day trial a paid subscription is needed.
- The pricing page also offers annual billing and a Team plan for labs; those prices could not be confirmed in page text and are left out here.
- Patent, clinical trial and grant search and Collections above 1,000 papers need the Pro plan.
- MCP use is capped by monthly credits: 250 on Basic and 2,500 on Pro.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$20
A month to start
Scite is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $20 per month, billed monthly.
Unlimited Assistant queries, full-text search and citation alerts are in.
Basic
$20
per month, billed monthly
Unlimited Assistant queries, full-text search, Smart Citation reports, citation alerts, 250 MCP credits a month and Collections of up to 1,000 papers.
Pro
$50
per month, billed monthly
Everything in Basic, plus 2,500 MCP credits a month, Collections of up to 10,000 papers, and search across patents, clinical trials and grants.
Enterprise
Custom
For organizations and universities: unlimited users with pooled usage, SAML/SSO, access by domain, IP or email, and regulatory and safety datasets.
Trying it first
7-day free trial for new users; it rolls into the plan chosen at sign-up unless canceled first.
Read from scite.ai on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
Student and academic discount on request
The pricing FAQ says students and academics who recommend Scite to their institution by email, copying Scite's sales and support addresses, are sent a discount code. The amount is not stated.
Stated on scite.ai
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Browser extension
Research assistant that shows how papers have been cited. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, chat assistant, AI search, research, citations.
A web app and a browser extension, plus a Zotero plugin, an API and an MCP connector that runs Scite inside Claude and ChatGPT.
- Smart Citations
- Shows how later research has cited a paper: whether the citing statements support, contrast or simply mention its findings, with the surrounding context.
- Scite Assistant
- Answers questions from the scientific literature and links every claim back to the specific sentence in the paper it came from.
- Full-text search
- Searches inside more than 280 million full-text articles under agreements with Wiley, SAGE and 30+ other publishers, alongside preprints, books, patents and datasets.
- Collections and citation alerts
- Group papers into Collections of up to 1,000 papers on Basic or 10,000 on Pro, and get alerts about new citations.
- Browser extension
- Adds Smart Citation counts to paper listings on Google Scholar, PubMed and publisher sites. Clicking a badge opens the full Scite report.
- MCP, Zotero and API access
- Runs inside Claude, ChatGPT and other MCP-compatible assistants, plugs into Zotero and offers an API for teams building their own tools.
Where it runs
- Web
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Zotero
- Claude
- ChatGPT
Scite is made by Scite LLC (Research Solutions).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/27
Other AI research tools it is graded above
Scite's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 2 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on features (A, above 25 of 27) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 19 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 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 28 AI research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Scite’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 27
- DFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 27
- AFeaturesAbove 25 of 27
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 27
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 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. Scite 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 Scite 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: 22 of the 27 other AI research tools grade higher. It costs $240 a year.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- It plugs into other products, Zotero, Claude and ChatGPT among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Scite’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
Consensus, Elicit, Semantic Scholar, SciSpace and ResearchRabbit
The 5 tools Scite is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Consensus
Free plan
AI search engine that answers questions from peer-reviewed papers.
- Consensus has a free plan. Scite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Scite lists a browser extension.
- Only Consensus lists an Android app.
- 2.4GPA
Elicit
Free plan · from $49/mo
AI research assistant for literature search and systematic reviews.
- Elicit has a free plan. Scite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Scite also covers chat assistant.
- Elicit also covers AI agents.
- 3.2GPA
Semantic Scholar
Free
Free AI-powered search engine for scientific literature.
- Semantic Scholar has a free plan. Scite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Scite also covers chat assistant.
- 2.4GPA
SciSpace
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI research platform for literature review and reading papers.
- SciSpace has a free plan. Scite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only SciSpace lists an iOS app.
- SciSpace also covers AI agents.
- 2.2GPA
ResearchRabbit
Free plan · from $10/mo
Literature discovery tool that maps how papers connect.
- ResearchRabbit 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
15
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 Scite free?
No, Scite is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial for new users; it rolls into the plan chosen at sign-up unless canceled first.
How much does Scite cost?
Scite lists 3 plans. Basic: $20 per month, billed monthly.
What platforms does Scite work on?
Scite is available on Web. It also has a browser extension.
Does Scite offer any discounts?
Scite publicly lists the following: Student and academic discount on request.
Does Scite have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Scite is listed for Web.
Does Scite have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Scite is listed for Web.
Is Scite open source?
Scite is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Scite have an API?
Yes. Scite offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Scite integrate with?
Scite's listing names Zotero, Claude and ChatGPT. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Scite have a student discount?
Student and academic discount on request. The pricing FAQ says students and academics who recommend Scite to their institution by email, copying Scite's sales and support addresses, are sent a discount code.
Who makes Scite?
Scite is made by Scite LLC (Research Solutions).
What are the alternatives to Scite?
The closest alternatives to Scite in our directory are Consensus, Elicit, Semantic Scholar, SciSpace and ResearchRabbit.
How does Scite compare with other AI research tools?
Scite's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 2 of the 27 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 3.
Is Scite good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Scite D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 19 of the 20 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Scite?
To replace Scite 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 Scite’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 Scite's own pages on 5 October 2026. Its pricing page blocked our reader on 9 October, so the prices are as the listing has them. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-15.
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 Scite LLC (Research Solutions). Prices change, so check scite.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
- Scite, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/scite
- 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, "Scite: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/scite
Know someone choosing between AI research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/scite/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI research tools after Scite, 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 Scite’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. Scite is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Scite LLC (Research Solutions). Prices and plans change: check scite.ai before you buy.