Consensus
Consensus: A citation-focused research engine with deep reviews, paper analysis, and academic filters. Ranked #14 of 28 in AI Search Engines by our editors (7.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for evidence-heavy academic research.
At a glance
- Editor score7.7 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forEvidence-heavy academic research
- Free planYes
- Deep research modeYes
- Founded2021 · San Francisco, California, United States
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Inline citations connect claims to supporting research papers.
- Advanced filters refine searches by study, journal, population, and field.
- Deep reviews, exports, integrations, mobile apps, and API access.
Where it doesn't
- Pro and Deep usage limits apply to reviews and API calls.
- The strongest research workflows require paid plans.
- Enterprise features are oriented toward larger organizations.
Our verdict on Consensus
Consensus is an AI search engine and workspace for scientific research. It is designed for researchers, clinicians, students, and research teams that need to find academic papers, compare evidence, and connect written claims with supporting sources. Searches can use natural language, keywords, Boolean operators, paper titles, authors, or DOIs. The product also supports paper search without an AI summary, Pro analysis, Deep multi-step literature reviews, Study Snapshots, citation graphs, full-text analysis when available, document uploads, and citation exports.
The freemium structure provides a practical starting point for individual research. The Free plan includes unlimited Papers searches per month, limited Pro messages, 3 Deep reviews per month, 10 Study Snapshots per month, and 30 included API and MCP calls per month. Pro costs $12 per user per month when billed annually and adds unlimited Pro messages, 15 Deep reviews per month, unlimited Study Snapshots, and 500 included API and MCP calls per month. Deep costs $45 per user per month when billed annually and includes everything in Pro, 200 Deep reviews per month, and 1,000 included API and MCP calls per month. Teams adds centralized billing, individual logins, and 50 Deep reviews per month per user, while Enterprise adds custom quoting, centralized account management, and library integrations.
Consensus stands out when evidence discovery needs more structure than a general search interface. Its Consensus Meter, advanced source filters, extracted study details, citation graphs, and CSV, RIS, and bibliography exports support academic workflows from discovery through review. Zotero, ChatGPT, Claude, and MCP client integrations extend its fit across research tools, while web, iOS, Android, and API access support different working environments. It is a strong choice for evidence-heavy academic research and teams that need citation-linked synthesis. Researchers who mainly need general web search or infrequent paper lookups may not need the paid review and analysis allowances.
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Consensus pricing
All 5 Consensus plans and prices →
Consensus fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Citation format | Inline |
| Deep research mode | Yes |
| Source filters | Yes |
| Browser extension | Not verified |
| Mobile apps | Both |
| API access | Yes |
| Monthly query limit | Not verified |
| Money-back guarantee | 5 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Live chat, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 6 integrations: ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | consensus.app |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Consensus integrations
Consensus lists 6 integrations on its own site.
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Zotero
- EndNote
- Mendeley
Alternatives to Consensus
- PerplexityA broad research assistant combining cited web search, advanced models, files, and integrations.9.4
- Google AI ModeA multimodal Google Search experience for cited answers, follow-ups, and deeper research.9.2
- Brave SearchAffordable cited search with privacy features, rich tools, and optional premium access.9.0
See all Consensus alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Consensus is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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