The Sourcely Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Sourcely 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.
Sourcely
The Insider’s Guide
Paste an essay and find academic sources to cite
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI research tools, read from Sourcely’s own pages.
Made by Sourcely · checked Nov 12, 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 Sourcely’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Sourcely’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 19 of the 49 other AI research tools we grade
Sourcely takes pasted text and searches a database of more than 200 million papers for sources to support it, with summaries, citation export and a personal library. A free version exists, limited mostly to English-language sources. Paid plans add deep searches and source credibility checks.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Sourcely, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Paste your text and get sources back, with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for finding academic sources for an essay you've written
Sourcely takes pasted text and finds academic sources to cite.
- 2
Paid plans start at $9 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $9 per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
A free version exists, limited mostly to English-language sources; its other limits are not on the pricing page.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Source finding from text
Paste an essay or paragraph and Sourcely highlights citation-worthy parts and suggests sources.
- 6
Deep search
Quick and Deep modes; paid plans include a monthly number of deep searches.
- 7
Summaries and chat
Gives a summary of each source and lets you ask questions about it.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 19 of 49
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 Sourcely 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.
Sourcely at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $9 per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Sourcely
- Category
- AI Research Tools
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for finding academic sources for an essay you've written
Sourcely takes pasted text and finds academic sources to cite. Pro is $9 a month billed yearly for 10 deep searches a month, and the free version is mostly limited to English-language sources.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $9 a month billed yearly ($17 monthly), in the middle of the research range. Ultra is $19. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free version exists, but its limits aren't on the pricing page beyond being mostly English-language sources. |
| Features | C | Source finding from text, deep search, summaries, chat, citation export and filters. Deep searches are capped monthly on both paid plans: 10 on Pro, 30 on Ultra. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. Paste your text and get sources back, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with MCP support for ChatGPT and Claude. |
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 Sourcely is for
- Fits if you've drafted an essay and need papers to back it up
- Works for someone who uses ChatGPT or Claude and wants source search there
Who it is not for
- Tight if you do a lot of searching: 10 deep searches a month on Pro, 30 on Ultra
- Not for you if you want to know the free limits first, as they aren't on the pricing page
- Watch out: the free version is mostly English-language sources
- Watch out: Ultra's monthly price isn't shown, and there's no app
Good to know
Good for
- Students looking for sources to back an essay
- Writers who want citations exported in many styles
Worth knowing
- Deep searches are capped monthly on both paid plans.
- The free version is mostly limited to English-language sources.
- The monthly price for Ultra is not shown on the pages read.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$9
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Sourcely has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9 per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly).
A free version exists, but its limits aren't on the pricing page beyond being mostly English-language sources.
Pro
$9
per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly)
10 deep searches and 25 source credibility checks a month, plus MCP support.
Ultra
$19
per month, billed annually
30 deep searches and 100 credibility checks a month, on a smarter AI model.
The free plan
A free version exists, limited mostly to English-language sources; its other limits are not on the pricing page.
Read from sourcely.net on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 50% with yearly billing
The pricing page shows a Yearly toggle labeled as saving 50% against monthly billing.
Stated on sourcely.net
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
Paste an essay and find academic sources to cite. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, chat assistant, AI search, research, citations.
Source finding from text, deep search, summaries, chat, citation export and filters.
- Source finding from text
- Paste an essay or paragraph and Sourcely highlights citation-worthy parts and suggests sources.
- Deep search
- Quick and Deep modes; paid plans include a monthly number of deep searches.
- Summaries and chat
- Gives a summary of each source and lets you ask questions about it.
- Citation export
- Exports references in more than 700 citation styles and saves sources to a library.
- Filters
- Narrow results by publication year, authorship and relevance.
- MCP support
- Paid plans list MCP support for ChatGPT, Claude and similar assistants.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- ChatGPT
- Claude
Sourcely is made by Sourcely.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/49
Other AI research tools it is graded above
Sourcely's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 49 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 29 of 49) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $9 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 12 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 50 AI research tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sourcely’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 6 of 49
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 49
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 49
- BEase of useAbove 29 of 49
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 16 of 49
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 40 AI research tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Sourcely 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 Sourcely 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.
It costs $108 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.
What this rests on. Sourcely’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
Keenious, SciSpace, Elicit, Paperguide and AnswerThis
The 5 tools Sourcely is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Keenious
Free plan · from $10/mo
- 2.4GPA
SciSpace
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI research platform for literature review and reading papers.
- Only SciSpace lists an iOS app.
- Only SciSpace lists a browser extension.
- SciSpace also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Elicit
Free plan · from $49/mo
AI research assistant for literature search and systematic reviews.
- Only Elicit lists a browser extension.
- Sourcely also covers chat assistant.
- Elicit also covers AI agents.
- 2.6GPA
Paperguide
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI research platform for literature and systematic reviews.
- Only Paperguide lists a browser extension.
- Paperguide also covers AI agents and long-form writing.
- 2.4GPA
AnswerThis
Free plan · from $14/mo
AI literature review assistant with a library and writer.
- Sourcely also covers chat assistant.
- AnswerThis also covers AI agents and long-form writing.
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 Sourcely free?
Sourcely has a free plan. A free version exists, limited mostly to English-language sources; its other limits are not on the pricing page.
How much does Sourcely cost?
Sourcely lists 2 plans. Pro: $9 per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly).
What platforms does Sourcely work on?
Sourcely is available on Web.
Does Sourcely offer any discounts?
Sourcely publicly lists the following: Save 50% with yearly billing.
Does Sourcely have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Sourcely is listed for Web.
Does Sourcely have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Sourcely is listed for Web.
Is Sourcely open source?
Sourcely is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Sourcely integrate with?
Sourcely's listing names ChatGPT and Claude. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Sourcely?
Sourcely is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Sourcely?
The closest alternatives to Sourcely in our directory are Keenious, SciSpace, Elicit, Paperguide and AnswerThis.
How does Sourcely compare with other AI research tools?
Sourcely's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 49 other AI research tools we grade, and level with 13.
Is Sourcely good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Sourcely C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $9 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 12 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Sourcely?
To replace Sourcely 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 Sourcely’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sourcely's own pages on 12 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 Sourcely. Prices change, so check sourcely.net before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Sourcely, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sourcely
- 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, "Sourcely: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sourcely
Know someone choosing between AI research tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sourcely/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI research tools after Sourcely, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Research Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 50 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 Sourcely’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. Sourcely is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sourcely. Prices and plans change: check sourcely.net before you buy.