Consensus vs Elicit
Two of the most-asked-about agents in the research space. Here's how they actually stack up.
Consensus
AI search engine for evidence-backed answers from peer-reviewed papers
Free + $12/mo
Read full review →Elicit
AI research assistant for academic literature with citation-grounded answers
Free + $12/mo
Read full review →Side-by-side comparison
| Consensus | Elicit | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | AI search engine for evidence-backed answers from peer-reviewed papers | AI research assistant for academic literature with citation-grounded answers |
| Pricing | Free + $12/mo | Free + $12/mo |
| Categories | research, academic, search | research, academic, search |
| Made by | Consensus | Elicit |
| Launched | 2022-08 | 2018 |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Status | active | active |
Consensus highlights
- + Consensus Meter: visual indicator showing the percentage of papers that support, partially support, or oppose a claim
- + GPT-powered paper summaries that synthesize findings without requiring you to read the abstract
- + Direct search across 200+ million peer-reviewed papers indexed from sources including PubMed, Semantic Scholar, and arXiv
- + Pro Analysis mode that generates structured, study-type breakdowns of evidence on a topic
- + Cited responses that link every claim to the original paper with DOI
Elicit highlights
- + Search across 125 million academic papers with semantic understanding
- + Extracted data tables that pull specific columns across dozens of studies simultaneously
- + Systematic review workflows with PRISMA-compatible screening and filtering
- + Citation-grounded answers that link every claim back to the source paper
- + Notebooks for organizing multi-session literature reviews with saved searches
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Consensus or Elicit?
Neither is universally better. Consensus (Free + $12/mo) leans into research, while Elicit (Free + $12/mo) is closer to research. Pick based on which workflow you actually do every day.
What is the price difference between Consensus and Elicit?
Consensus is free + $12/mo. Elicit is free + $12/mo. See the pricing row in the comparison table.
Can I use Consensus and Elicit together?
In most cases, yes. They serve overlapping but distinct needs, so running them side by side is common until you decide which fits your workflow.