Covidence vs Rayyan
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Rayyan has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $28 for Covidence.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Reference screening
- Relevance sorting
- RCT classifier
- Risk-of-bias tools
- Data extraction
- AI relevance ranking
- Blind screening
- Duplicate detection
- PICO extraction
- Team collaboration
| Feature | Covidence | Rayyan |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Systematic review platform with machine learning screening help | AI-assisted screening platform for systematic and literature reviews |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $339/yr | $8.33/mo |
| Free plan | No, trial available | Yes |
| Made by | Covidence | Rayyan |
| Based in | Australia | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Rayyan has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $28 for Covidence.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Single
$339/yr
- 1 review for 12 months
- Unlimited collaborators
Package
$907/yr
- Up to 3 reviews for 12 months
- Unlimited collaborators
Organization
Contact sales
- Institution-wide subscription
- Unlimited reviews
5 plans
Free
Free
- 3 active reviews
- Invite 2 free reviewers
- Limited mobile app access
Essential
$8.33/mo
- Billed quarterly
- PRISMA flow diagrams
- Invite 5 free reviewers
Advanced
$13.33/mo
- Billed quarterly
- 9 active reviews
- Invite 10 free reviewers
Business / Academic
$41.67/mo
- Per license, billed annually
- Minimum 5 licenses
- ResearchPilot AI
- Invite 250 free reviewers
Enterprise
Custom
- Unlimited reviews and viewers
- SSO / SAML
- Rayyan API
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Covidence
- Trusted by Cochrane teams
- Guided review workflow
- Often free via institutions
- Individual plans are costly
- AI help is limited in scope
Rayyan
- Standard tool in health research
- Free plan available
- Speeds up screening
- Interface feels dated
- Few active reviews on free plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Covidence if you want:
- Trusted by Cochrane teams
- Guided review workflow
- Often free via institutions
Watch out: individual plans are costly.
Choose Rayyan if you want:
- Standard tool in health research
- Free plan available
- Speeds up screening
Watch out: interface feels dated.
Covidence vs Rayyan FAQ
What is the difference between Covidence and Rayyan?
Covidence: Systematic review platform with machine learning screening help. Rayyan: AI-assisted screening platform for systematic and literature reviews. Both are research & search tools.
Is Covidence or Rayyan cheaper?
Rayyan has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $28 for Covidence.
Do Covidence and Rayyan have free plans?
Covidence: No, trial available. Rayyan: Yes.
Who makes Covidence?
Covidence is made by Covidence, based in Australia.
Who makes Rayyan?
Rayyan is made by Rayyan.
Which should I choose, Covidence or Rayyan?
Choose Covidence if you value trusted by cochrane teams and guided review workflow. Choose Rayyan if you value standard tool in health research and free plan available.