OpenAIRE Explore review
A free web portal for finding research outputs and exploring their connections.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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.
OpenAIRE Explore pros and cons
- 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
OpenAIRE Explore fact sheet, pricing and score →
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