Research assistants
AMiner: review, pricing, data and alternatives
AMiner lets people conducting research find scientific publications, ask questions about documents, and explore researcher profiles. It produces research reports with sources and turns reports into presentations. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs CN¥0.01 pay as you go. Access and transparency score: 78/100, #2 of 15 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 20/30 | |
| Trust | 33/40 |
What is AMiner?
AMiner lets people conducting research find scientific publications, ask questions about documents, and explore researcher profiles. It produces research reports with sources and turns reports into presentations.
According to its documentation, AMiner lets you:
- search for scientific publications
- ask questions about documents
- explore researcher profiles
- produce a research report with sources
- turn a report into a presentation
We file it under Research assistants, the category of tools to find, read and summarise papers, and it also overlaps with aI search engines and aI for documents and PDFs. The category lists 15 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology Co., Ltd., based in China. The service launched in 2006, which gives it some track record.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: researchers, students, and teachers. The need it covers is simple to state: find, read and summarise papers.
AMiner is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you plan to connect it to your tools or automations through its API
The best test is a concrete case from your daily work: if the tool does not beat your current method within a week, move on to an alternative.
How much does AMiner cost?
Pricing model: freemium (limited free use, then paid). A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs CN¥0.01 pay as you go (API: price listed per call for certain services, including publication details; separate from interface subscriptions), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
According to its privacy policy, data is processed in China.
For professional use, check that a data processing agreement (DPA) is offered, and do not send customers' personal data or confidential documents without one.
Exporting your content: DOCX, Markdown, PDF, LaTeX, PPTX. Being able to get your data back makes switching tools easier later.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
AMiner runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages: Chinese.
A public API lets you call it from your own programs or an automation tool, and plug it into an AI agent.
How we scored it
Our 78/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 25/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 20/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 33/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
AMiner against other tools in the research assistants category:
Verdict
AMiner is among the most accessible and transparent tools in its category.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
- Established since 2006
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is AMiner free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs CN¥0.01 pay as you go.
Where is AMiner data stored?
According to the publisher, in China.
Does AMiner have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to AMiner?
In the same category: Consensus, ASReview, Elicit, and Ai2 Asta.
AMiner or Consensus: which one to choose?
AMiner starts at CN¥0.01 pay as you go, Consensus at $144 per year and our score is 78/100 for AMiner and 81/100 for Consensus. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score