Head-to-head · Literature Review Software
Rayyan vs Elicit
Rayyan leads on 1 check, Elicit on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreRayyan · 9.3/10
- Lowest starting priceRayyan · $8.33/seat/mo
- Free planboth
- Most featuresRayyan · 1 of 5
Rayyan scores higher on our rubric for literature review software: 9.3 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #5.
Rayyan is cheaper to start at $8.33/user/mo against $11/user/mo.
Rayyan is the better fit for mobile-first collaborative review teams. Elicit is the better fit for researchers combining discovery and review automation.
- Rayyan fits best
Mobile-first collaborative review teams
- Elicit fits best
Researchers combining discovery and review automation
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Side by side
| Feature | Rayyan 9.3/10 Visit ↗ | Elicit 8.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.3 | 8.9 |
| Ranking | #2 in Literature Review Software | #5 in Literature Review Software |
| Best for | Mobile-first collaborative review teams | Researchers combining discovery and review automation |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | $8.33/seat/mo (best) | $11/user/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Support | Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs, Live chat | Email, Docs |
| Compliance | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA | SOC 2, GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Rayyan 1/5 · Elicit 0/5 | ||
| Screening workflow | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Full-text management | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Systematic review tools | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Collaboration | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Evidence mapping | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Discovery tools | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Citation import limit | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Rayyan is a web-based collaboration platform for researchers, students, librarians, and review teams conducting literature and systematic reviews. Its workflow covers reference importing, duplicate detection, title and abstract screening,… Read the review → |
Elicit is a web-based AI research assistant for researchers, analysts, academics, and teams. It searches academic papers and clinical trials through semantic and keyword search, helps users organize sources, extracts information, supports… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Rayyan — where it wins
- Free plan covers importing, screening, and collaboration
- Supports duplicate detection, extraction, risk-of-bias, and PRISMA reporting
- iOS and Android apps support mobile and offline screening
Where it doesn't
- Individual paid plans are billed quarterly
- Business / Academic pricing starts at five licenses
- ResearchPilot features beyond Help Center mode require institutional plans
Elicit — where it wins
- Combines semantic and keyword search across papers and clinical trials
- Supports systematic-review screening, extraction, and cited reports
- Offers exports, research alerts, Zotero import, and API access
Where it doesn't
- Advanced research workflows use plan-based limits
- API access starts with the Pro plan
- Listed integration support centers on Zotero
- Rayyan9.3/10 · Free plan
A mobile-first review workspace with free screening, AI tools, and structured extraction.
Visit RayyanFull verdict → - Elicit8.9/10 · Free plan
A research assistant that combines discovery, evidence gathering, and review automation.
Visit ElicitFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update