OpenAIRE Explore
OpenAIRE Explore: A free web portal for finding research outputs and exploring their connections. Ranked #8 of 33 in Research Paper Discovery Tools by our editors (8.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for exploring research outputs and their connections.
At a glance
- Editor score8.7 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forExploring research outputs and their connections
- Free planYes
- Paid fromNone
- Citation graphYes
- Facts checked5 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Searches publications, research data, software, and other research products
- Connects outputs with citations, grants, organizations, and data sources
- Includes tools to find repositories and link outputs to grants or ORCID
Where it doesn't
- Focused on discovery rather than managing research workflows
- Citation and usage statistics come from open sources
- Available as a web portal, with no listed non-web platform
Our verdict on OpenAIRE Explore
OpenAIRE Explore is a free web portal for researchers and others looking for open research information. It searches publications, research data, software, and other research products indexed in the OpenAIRE Graph, then lets users follow links among records. Browsing by Fields of Science or Sustainable Development Goals offers another way to explore the collection beyond a direct search. Its broad scope suits people tracing research across different output types, rather than those looking for a tool centered on one publication format.
The core value is the network between records: users can navigate citations and semantic links, and explore connections among publications, datasets, software, grants, and organizations. The portal also presents citation and usage statistics drawn from open sources. Researchers can find repositories for depositing outputs, while connected services support linking work to grants or ORCID profiles. Named connections include ORCID, OpenDOAR, re3data, DOAJ, ROR, OpenCitations, Zenodo, Figshare, Europe PMC, and arXiv. This ecosystem makes it useful for discovery and connecting records, but the listed capabilities focus on finding and linking information rather than a broader research-management workflow.
OpenAIRE describes Explore as free. Its service catalogue also says custom portals can be offered as a paid service, but does not provide a public price for that option. The service is delivered through the web, with email as a support channel. Choose it if open research discovery, cross-output connections, and repository or profile linking are central to your work. If you need a tool focused on managing research projects rather than discovering and connecting their outputs, this is a narrower fit.
Your product? Our editors can test OpenAIRE Explore in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $99/mo →
OpenAIRE Explore pricing
OpenAIRE Explore fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | None |
| Citation graph | Yes |
| Semantic search | Yes |
| Related-paper suggestions | Not verified |
| Literature mapping | Not verified |
| Natural-language search | Not verified |
| Export formats | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 12,000+ integrations: ORCID, OpenDOAR, re3data, DOAJ, ROR, OpenCitations … |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | explore.openaire.eu |
| Facts checked | 5 Oct 2026 |
OpenAIRE Explore integrations
OpenAIRE Explore lists 12,000+ integrations on its own site — the 10 named here are the ones its pages call out.
- ORCID
- OpenDOAR
- re3data
- DOAJ
- ROR
- OpenCitations
- Zenodo
- Figshare
- Europe PMC
- arXiv
Alternatives to OpenAIRE Explore
- Google ScholarA free scholarly search tool with citation tracking, alerts, and a personal library.9.4
- Semantic ScholarA free research discovery tool that combines filtered search, paper insights, recommendations, and APIs.9.3
- CORESearch multidisciplinary research and access open full texts, API data, and bulk datasets.9.2
See all OpenAIRE Explore alternatives →
OpenAIRE Explore vs the competition
- OpenAIRE Explore vs Google Scholar
- OpenAIRE Explore vs Semantic Scholar
- OpenAIRE Explore vs CORE
- OpenAIRE Explore vs PubMed
- OpenAIRE Explore vs Europe PMC
- OpenAIRE Explore vs BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine)
Compare OpenAIRE Explore with any tool side by side →
Used OpenAIRE Explore? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used OpenAIRE Explore for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
OpenAIRE Explore is listed in our Research Paper Discovery Tools directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/openaire-explore/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/openaire-explore.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update