Research assistants
Sourcely: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Sourcely helps people seeking sources for a text or assignment find publications. It filters and summarizes results, answers questions about sources, and exports citations and bibliographies. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $9 per month. Access and transparency score: 38/100, #14 of 15 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 10/30 | |
| Trust | 3/40 |
What is Sourcely?
Sourcely helps people seeking sources for a text or assignment find publications. It filters and summarizes results, answers questions about sources, and exports citations and bibliographies.
According to its documentation, Sourcely lets you:
- find publications from a text or assignment
- filter results by author and year
- summarize the publications found
- ask questions about sources
- export citations and the bibliography
We file it under Research assistants, the category of tools to find, read and summarise papers, and it also overlaps with aI summarisers. The category lists 15 verified tools on this site.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: students, researchers, and teachers. The need it covers is simple to state: find, read and summarise papers.
Sourcely is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
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 Sourcely 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 $9 per month (Pro, monthly equivalent with annual billing, totaling USD 108 per year; monthly payment advertised at USD 17), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
Per month, that is cheaper than 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
The publisher does not clearly state where data is hosted. Assume your content may leave your region.
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: yes (details on the official site). 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
Sourcely runs on: web browser.
Interface languages: English.
API availability is not documented.
How we scored it
Our 38/100 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 | 10/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 3/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Sourcely against other tools in the research assistants category:
Verdict
Sourcely publishes little verifiable information: look at the better-scored alternatives first.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Cheaper than its category median
Limitations
- Data hosting not disclosed
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Sourcely free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $9 per month.
Where is Sourcely data stored?
The publisher does not clearly say so in its public documentation.
Does Sourcely have an API?
It is not documented.
What are the alternatives to Sourcely?
In the same category: Consensus, AMiner, ASReview, and Elicit.
Sourcely or Consensus: which one to choose?
Sourcely starts at $9 per month, Consensus at $144 per year and our score is 38/100 for Sourcely 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