Inspec
Inspec: A deep STEM index for institutions needing advanced search, analytics and data access. Ranked #17 of 35 in Academic Research Databases by our editors (7.8/10); pricing: Pricing on request; best for engineering and physical-sciences indexing.
At a glance
- Editor score7.8 / 10
- PricingPricing on request
- Best forEngineering and physical-sciences indexing
- Free planNo
- Full-text accessNo
- Founded1967 · London, United Kingdom
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Deep indexing across engineering, physics and computing
- Advanced search, analytics, exports, APIs and XML access
- Inspec Archive coverage spanning 1898 to 1968
Where it doesn't
- Does not provide full-text access directly
- Pricing requires contact with sales or regional representatives
- Focused primarily on STEM literature and technical records
Our verdict on Inspec
Inspec is a subscription research database from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), serving institutions and researchers working across engineering, physics, computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, and related fields. Its indexed content includes journals, conference proceedings, preprints, dissertations, books, patents, standards, technical reports, presentations, posters and videos. The database is suited to organizations that need structured discovery across technical literature rather than a general-purpose scholarly collection.
Search is a central strength. Inspec Direct provides quick, advanced and fielded search, with Boolean operators, wildcards, exact-phrase searching, and filters for document type, language and publication date. Controlled and uncontrolled subject indexing supports more structured exploration, while result analysis and visualization help identify research trends and impact. Users can export and download results, and the Inspec Archive extends coverage from 1898 to 1968. The published offering also includes APIs and structured XML direct-data access, supporting integration into research workflows and information systems.
Inspec fits institutional environments through integrations with Derwent Innovation, Dialog Solutions, EBSCOhost, Engineering Village, OvidSP, ProQuest and Web of Science. It is available through web, API and self-hosted platforms, with institutional access supported. Pricing follows a contact-sales model, and the published plans do not include a free plan. Inspec primarily indexes and abstracts scholarly records; it may link to publisher full text via DOI rather than provide documents directly. Choose it for deep STEM indexing, historical coverage and programmatic access. Consider another database when direct full-text access is the primary requirement or when research extends substantially beyond STEM subjects.
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Inspec pricing
Inspec fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Full-text access | No |
| Advanced search | Yes |
| Subject coverage | Stem |
| Content types | journals, conference proceedings, preprints, dissertations, books, patents, standards, technical reports, presentations, posters, videos |
| Theses and dissertations | Yes |
| Conference proceedings | Yes |
| Institutional access | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: Derwent Innovation, Dialog Solutions, EBSCOhost, Engineering Village, OvidSP, ProQuest … |
| Pricing | Pricing on request (source) |
| Website | theiet.org |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Inspec integrations
Inspec lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- Derwent Innovation
- Dialog Solutions
- EBSCOhost
- Engineering Village
- OvidSP
- ProQuest
- Web of Science
Alternatives to Inspec
- Web of ScienceA broad citation index for institutions that need structured scholarly discovery and tracking.9.4
- ProQuest CentralBroad institutional access to scholarly, professional, and research content.9.3
- OpenAlexA strong open-data foundation for multidisciplinary scholarly discovery and analysis.9.2
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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