kitio.aiScite vs Citely
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Citely has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Scite.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Smart Citations
- AI research assistant
- Reference check
- Citation alerts
- Browser extension
- Fake citation detection
- Reference list verification
- AI source finder
- CrossRef and PubMed checks
- APA, MLA and Chicago export
| Feature | Scite | Citely |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations | Checks references for fake citations and finds real sources |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Paid |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $9 one-time |
| Free plan | No, 7-day trial | No |
| Made by | Research Solutions | Citely |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Citely has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Scite.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Basic
$20/mo
- Full Assistant and Search access
- 250 MCP credits / month
- Collections up to 1,000 papers
- Citation alerts and dashboards
Pro
$50/mo
- Per seat
- API access
- 2,500 MCP credits / month
- Patent, clinical trial and grant data
Enterprise
Custom
- Unlimited users, pooled usage
- SSO, IP or domain access
- Collections up to 50,000 papers
3 plans
Trial
$9 one-time
- 15 credits
- Verify up to 2,000 characters
- Basic verification
Monthly
$19/mo
- 150 credits per month
- Verify up to 4,000 characters
- Citation export
Believer
$347 one-time
- 5,000 credits over 3 years
- Advanced source verification
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
Scite
- Shows if findings were disputed
- Draws on full-text articles
- Good for checking references
- Full features are paid
- Classification is not always right
Citely
- Checks against several scholarly databases
- Targets AI-hallucinated references
- Cheap one-time trial pack
- No free plan listed
- Input length limits per check
- Advanced verification needs a subscription
Which one should you choose?
Choose Scite if you want:
- Shows if findings were disputed
- Draws on full-text articles
- Good for checking references
Watch out: full features are paid.
Choose Citely if you want:
- Checks against several scholarly databases
- Targets AI-hallucinated references
- Cheap one-time trial pack
Watch out: no free plan listed.
Scite vs Citely FAQ
What is the difference between Scite and Citely?
Scite: See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations. Citely: Checks references for fake citations and finds real sources. Both are research & search tools.
Is Scite or Citely cheaper?
Citely has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Scite.
Do Scite and Citely have free plans?
Scite: No, 7-day trial. Citely: No.
Who makes Scite?
Scite is made by Research Solutions, based in United States.
Who makes Citely?
Citely is made by Citely.
Which should I choose, Scite or Citely?
Choose Scite if you value shows if findings were disputed and draws on full-text articles. Choose Citely if you value checks against several scholarly databases and targets ai-hallucinated references.