At a glance
Overview
Scite answers the question citation counts can’t: do papers citing this work actually support it? Smart Citations classify contexts as supporting, mentioning or contrasting — trust made visible.
What Scite actually does
Search citation statements, build topic dashboards tracking support over time, and run reference checks on manuscripts before submission. Compared with Elicit’s extraction or Consensus’s verdicts, Scite is the verification layer for high-stakes claims.
Pricing in plain English
Free tier for searching; paid tiers for dashboards and professional use. Verify-before-publish workflows justify it.
Our take: Scite review verdict
This Scite review is based on hands-on testing against the alternatives in its category.
Research tools are only as good as verification habits: trace key claims to full texts, prefer peer-reviewed grounding for load-bearing facts, and cite underlying studies — never AI summaries.
Match tool to stage: discovery for finding, extraction for digesting, verification for trusting. Keep a living bibliography from day one; future you will be grateful.
Getting started with Scite
Start with the free tier or trial on a real task from your own work — not the demo project. Give it two full workweeks, measure one outcome (hours saved, quality gained, or cost avoided), then decide on paid tiers.
Research workflows split naturally: discover broadly (citation networks, alerts), digest systematically (extraction tables, summaries), verify rigorously (full texts for load-bearing claims). The best researchers combine two or three tools the way chefs combine knives.
Academic budgets favor free tiers plus one paid workhorse: expense the tool that demonstrably shortens review cycles. A single accelerated literature review justifies annual plans many times over.
For current plans, start with the official Scite website — pricing changes often, and this Scite review is refreshed as listings are re-checked.
Anyone publishing claims: check your key citations in Scite before submitting.
Key features
- Smart Citations (supporting/contrasting)
- Citation statement search
- Custom dashboards per topic
- Reference check for manuscripts
- Journal and institution metrics
- Browser extension basics
Pricing
Freemium Free tier; paid plans available
Plans and prices change often — the figures above reflect our last review (2026-10-08). Confirm on the vendor’s official pricing page before purchasing.
Best for
- Citation verification
- Literature due diligence
- Manuscript reference checks
Pros & cons
What we like
- Unique support/contrast signal
- Excellent for due diligence
- Trusted by publishers
What to watch
- Coverage follows indexed literature
- Full value needs paid tiers
- Interface academic-dense
Frequently asked questions
Is Scite free?
Scite vs Elicit?
What are Smart Citations?
User reviews
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