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Research · head to head

Elicit vs Paperpile

Elicit logo

Elicit

Research

The AI research assistant

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paperpile logo

Paperpile

Research

Reference management essentials

From
$4.15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Elicit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Elicit pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified; Paperpile no monthly billing option; annual billing only
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 28 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Elicit and Paperpile actually diverge.

Attributes where Elicit and Paperpile differ
AttributeElicitPaperpile
Starting priceFree$4.15/month
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Research).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Elicit

  • Screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviewsnot Paperpile
  • Extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automaticallynot Paperpile
  • Querying full-text papers using AI for custom literature analysisnot Paperpile
  • Tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alertsnot Paperpile

Paperpile

  • Organizing research papers and managing academic citationsnot Elicit
  • Creating citations in multiple styles and BibTeX for writingnot Elicit
  • Collaborating on research through shared reference librariesnot Elicit
  • Integrating citations into Google Docs and Microsoft Wordnot Elicit

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Elicit

  • Pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified
  • Enterprise plan pricing not disclosed; requires contacting vendor

Paperpile

  • No monthly billing option; annual billing only
  • Regular plan lacks full-text PDF search and annotations
  • Safari and Firefox browser extensions currently in beta
  • Chrome signup initially required

Pricing, plan by plan

Elicit

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Limited usage for Research Agent and Research Reports
    • Unlimited search across 138+ million papers
    • Unlimited summaries and chat with papers
  • Pro$49/month
    • Standard usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
    • Dedicated workflow screening up to 5,000 papers
    • Up to 20 table columns
  • Scale$169/month
    • 5x usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
    • Figure extraction and interpretation
    • Real-time team collaboration
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom usage limits
    • Unlimited alerts and up to 40,000 paper screening
    • Up to 40 table columns

Paperpile

$4.15/month
  • Regular$4.15/month
    • Basic reference management
    • PDF storage and citation generation
    • Integrations with Word, Google Docs, and academic databases
  • Expert$5.75/month
    • All Regular features
    • Full-text PDF search
    • Notes and annotations

Which should you pick?

Choose Elicit if

  • You want to start without paying.
Elicit review

Choose Paperpile if

Nothing in the data separates Paperpile from Elicit on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Paperpile review

Questions people ask

Is Elicit or Paperpile better?
Neither clearly leads. Elicit starts at Free and Paperpile at $4.15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Elicit or Paperpile?
Elicit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Elicit and $4.15/month for Paperpile.
Does Elicit or Paperpile run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Elicit for free?
Yes. Elicit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paperpile starts at $4.15/month.
What is Elicit best used for?
Elicit is most often used for screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews, extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically, querying full-text papers using ai for custom literature analysis, tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alerts. Of those, screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews and extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically are not what Paperpile is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elicit: Does Elicit offer a free plan?

Yes, Elicit's Basic plan is free and includes unlimited search across 138+ million research papers, unlimited summaries, chat with papers, source viewing, and Zotero import. Limited usage is included for Research Agent and Research Reports.

Source
Paperpile: How much does Paperpile cost?

Paperpile costs $4.15 per month for the Regular plan or $5.75 per month for the Expert plan, both billed annually.

Source
Elicit: What is the difference between Elicit's Pro and Scale plans?

Elicit's Pro plan ($49/month) includes standard usage limits, dedicated screening of up to 5,000 papers, and access to 135 data sources. The Scale plan ($169/month) offers 5x higher usage limits, screening of up to 40,000 papers, figure extraction, team collaboration, and access to 200 data sources.

Source
Paperpile: Is there a free trial available for Paperpile?

Yes, Paperpile offers a 30-day free trial for both plans.

Source
Elicit: What security features does Elicit Enterprise offer?

Elicit's Enterprise plan includes single sign-on (SSO), SAML, two-factor authentication (2FA), PRISMA-grade screening and extraction accuracy, and a dedicated customer success team. Pricing is custom and requires contacting the vendor.

Source
Paperpile: Does Paperpile offer academic or group discounts?

Yes, students, faculty, and researchers receive 50% off, and group discounts up to 20% off Expert plans are available when purchasing multiple seats.

Source
Paperpile: What billing options does Paperpile offer?

Paperpile accepts credit cards and PayPal, with additional payment options by location. Purchase orders are accepted for Enterprise customers.

Source
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