Scite
Scite: A citation-focused research engine for finding papers and understanding how they are cited. Ranked #16 of 28 in AI Search Engines by our editors (7.5/10); pricing: Free plan · 7-day trial; best for citation-context analysis.
At a glance
- Editor score7.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 7-day trial
- Best forCitation-context analysis
- Free planYes
- Paid from$20/mo
- Deep research modeYes
- Founded2018 · Henderson, Nevada, USA
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Smart Citations classify citations as supporting, contrasting, or mentioning.
- AI Assistant answers are grounded in peer-reviewed literature and source passages.
- API, browser extension, Zotero, and MCP integrations support research workflows.
Where it doesn't
- The Free plan has no Assistant or Search access.
- Mobile apps are not available.
- API access and larger research allowances require the Pro plan.
Our verdict on Scite
Scite is an AI-powered research platform for students, academics, researchers, and research-intensive organizations. It searches scholarly literature, including full text, and helps users evaluate how papers are cited. Smart Citations classify citation contexts as supporting, contrasting, or mentioning, while the AI Assistant generates answers grounded in peer-reviewed literature and links claims to source passages. Citation reports, Reference Check, collections, alerts, dashboards, and the browser extension extend its usefulness from discovery to manuscript and reference review.
The published plans follow a freemium model. Free includes 25 MCP credits per month, use in ChatGPT, Claude, and more, and access to a corpus described as 300M+ papers, but it does not include Assistant or Search access. Basic costs $20 per month when billed annually and adds full Assistant and Search access, 250 MCP credits per month, Article Smart Citation reports, collections up to 1,000 papers, citation alerts, and dashboards. Pro costs $50 per month when billed annually and adds API access, 2,500 MCP credits per month, collections up to 10,000 papers, and patent, clinical trial, and grant datasets. A seven-day trial is also available.
Scite fits research environments that need citation context rather than simple keyword discovery. Its web platform, Chrome extension, API, and integrations with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Zotero, and MCP-compatible tools provide several ways to bring literature and citation data into existing workflows. The API supports search, citations, reports, and Assistant workflows. Choose Scite if supporting, contrasting, or mentioning evidence matters to your research process, or if you need structured citation monitoring. It is less suitable for users who need mobile access or a free plan with full search and Assistant functionality.
Your product? Our editors can test Scite in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Scite pricing
All 3 Scite plans and prices →
Scite fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $20/mo |
| Citation format | Inline |
| Deep research mode | Yes |
| Source filters | Yes |
| Browser extension | Yes |
| Mobile apps | Not verified |
| API access | Yes |
| Monthly query limit | Not verified |
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome extension |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: ChatGPT, Claude, MCP-compatible assistants, Zotero, browser extension, Scite API … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan · 7-day trial (source) |
| Website | scite.ai |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Scite integrations
Scite lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- MCP-compatible assistants
- Zotero
- browser extension
- Scite API
- library holdings
Alternatives to Scite
- 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
Also Ranked In
Scite is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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