kitio.aiScite vs Moonlight
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 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
- Inline explanations
- Translation
- Section summaries
- Citation previews
- Chrome extension
| Feature | Scite | Moonlight |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations | AI reading companion that explains and translates research papers |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | No, 7-day trial | Yes |
| Made by | Research Solutions | Corca |
| Based in | United States | South Korea |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 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
4 plans
Free
Free
- Unlimited document access
- AI features for 3 papers/week
Pro
$12/mo
- Unlimited interactive AI features
- Infographic explanations
- Selected advanced AI models
Premium
$59/mo
- Everything in Pro
- Unlimited access to all AI models
- Chat support
Enterprise
Contact sales
- For 30+ seats
- University partnerships
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
Moonlight
- Reads papers in place
- Strong translation help
- Free plan available
- Focused on reading only
- Paid plan for heavy use
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 Moonlight if you want:
- Reads papers in place
- Strong translation help
- Free plan available
Watch out: focused on reading only.
Scite vs Moonlight FAQ
What is the difference between Scite and Moonlight?
Scite: See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations. Moonlight: AI reading companion that explains and translates research papers. Both are research & search tools.
Is Scite or Moonlight cheaper?
Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 a month, against $20 for Scite.
Do Scite and Moonlight have free plans?
Scite: No, 7-day trial. Moonlight: Yes.
Who makes Scite?
Scite is made by Research Solutions, based in United States.
Who makes Moonlight?
Moonlight is made by Corca, based in South Korea.
Which should I choose, Scite or Moonlight?
Choose Scite if you value shows if findings were disputed and draws on full-text articles. Choose Moonlight if you value reads papers in place and strong translation help.