kitio.aiScite vs ScienceDirect AI
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Scite starts at $20/mo and ScienceDirect AI starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
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
- Cited answers from full text
- Compare experiments table
- Reading assistant
- Peer-reviewed sources
- Institutional access
| Feature | Scite | ScienceDirect AI |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations | Elsevier's AI assistant for answers from full-text ScienceDirect articles |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starting price | $20/mo | See pricing page |
| Free plan | No, 7-day trial | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Research Solutions | Elsevier |
| Based in | United States | Netherlands |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Scite starts at $20/mo and ScienceDirect AI starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
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
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
ScienceDirect AI
- Grounded in full-text articles
- Compares studies side by side
- Trusted content
- Limited to Elsevier content
- Mostly institutional pricing
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 ScienceDirect AI if you want:
- Grounded in full-text articles
- Compares studies side by side
- Trusted content
Watch out: limited to elsevier content.
Scite vs ScienceDirect AI FAQ
What is the difference between Scite and ScienceDirect AI?
Scite: See how papers are cited and get AI answers backed by citations. ScienceDirect AI: Elsevier's AI assistant for answers from full-text ScienceDirect articles. Both are research & search tools.
Is Scite or ScienceDirect AI cheaper?
Scite starts at $20/mo and ScienceDirect AI starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Scite and ScienceDirect AI have free plans?
Scite: No, 7-day trial. ScienceDirect AI: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Scite?
Scite is made by Research Solutions, based in United States.
Who makes ScienceDirect AI?
ScienceDirect AI is made by Elsevier, based in Netherlands.
Which should I choose, Scite or ScienceDirect AI?
Choose Scite if you value shows if findings were disputed and draws on full-text articles. Choose ScienceDirect AI if you value grounded in full-text articles and compares studies side by side.