Research assistants
Elicit: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Elicit helps people conducting scientific research find and summarize publications. It supports asking questions about articles, extracting information into tables, preparing systematic reviews and producing reports with their sources. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $132 per year. Access and transparency score: 75/100, #4 of 15 in its category.
What is Elicit?
Elicit helps people conducting scientific research find and summarize publications. It supports asking questions about articles, extracting information into tables, preparing systematic reviews and producing reports with their sources.
According to its documentation, Elicit lets you:
- search for scientific publications
- summarize articles
- extract information into tables
- ask questions about an article
- prepare systematic reviews
- produce reports with their sources
We file it under Research assistants, the category of tools to find, read and summarise papers, and it also overlaps with aI for documents and PDFs and aI summarisers. The category lists 15 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Elicit Research, PBC. The service launched in 2021, 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.
Elicit 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 Elicit 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 $132 per year (Plus, per user; equivalent to USD 11/month, billed annually), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
Per month, that is close to the category median ($12 per month, based on tools with a published price).
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 the United States.
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: RIS, CSV, BIB, PDF, DOCX. 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
Elicit runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages: English.
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 75/100 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 | 30/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Elicit against other tools in the research assistants category:
Verdict
Elicit is a decent option; compare its price and terms with the category leaders.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
- Established since 2021
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Elicit free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $132 per year.
Where is Elicit data stored?
According to the publisher, in the United States.
Does Elicit have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to Elicit?
In the same category: Consensus, AMiner, ASReview, and Ai2 Asta.
Elicit or Consensus: which one to choose?
Elicit starts at $132 per year, Consensus at $144 per year and our score is 75/100 for Elicit 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