kitio.aiScite vs Petal
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Petal has the lower starting price: about $5 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
- Chat with documents
- Multi-document AI table
- Notebook drafting
- Citation generator
- Reference manager
- Team sharing
| Feature | Scite | Petal |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations | Chat with your documents and get sourced answers |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $4.99/mo |
| Free plan | No, 7-day trial | Yes |
| Made by | Research Solutions | Petal |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Petal has the lower starting price: about $5 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
- 1 GB storage
- 400 AI credits (one-time)
- 3 guests
Plus
$4.99/mo
- 2 GB storage
- 400 AI credits per month
- Export included
Advanced
$13.99/mo
- 10 GB storage
- 1,200 AI credits per month
- Priority support
Premium
$25.49/mo
- 25 GB storage
- 2,000 AI credits per month
- Priority support
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
Petal
- Answers cite your documents
- Student pricing with .edu accounts
- Reference manager included
- Free plan has 1 GB and no export
- AI credits are capped each month
- Prices shown depend on billing and .edu status
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 Petal if you want:
- Answers cite your documents
- Student pricing with .edu accounts
- Reference manager included
Watch out: free plan has 1 gb and no export.
Scite vs Petal FAQ
What is the difference between Scite and Petal?
Scite: See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations. Petal: Chat with your documents and get sourced answers. Both are research & search tools.
Is Scite or Petal cheaper?
Petal has the lower starting price: about $5 a month, against $20 for Scite.
Do Scite and Petal have free plans?
Scite: No, 7-day trial. Petal: Yes.
Who makes Scite?
Scite is made by Research Solutions, based in United States.
Who makes Petal?
Petal is made by Petal.
Which should I choose, Scite or Petal?
Choose Scite if you value shows if findings were disputed and draws on full-text articles. Choose Petal if you value answers cite your documents and student pricing with .edu accounts.