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Consensus vs Liner

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Both have one
Public API
Consensus has one; not confirmed by us for Liner
Best fit
Consensus: Checking whether a specific claim has support across published studies · Liner: Graduate students building literature reviews
Platforms
Consensus: Web, iOS, Android · Liner: Web, Chrome extension
Trust score
About even — Consensus 90, Liner 86

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Side by side

FactConsensusLiner
CategoryAcademic Search & Literature ReviewAcademic Search & Literature Review
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at—$14.99/mo
Public APIYesNot confirmed
Trust score90 / 10086 / 100
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, Chrome extension
CompanyConsensus NLP, Inc.Liner, Inc.
Launched20212015
Last verifiedOct 15, 2026Oct 29, 2026

What our research says

Consensus

Useful when you want to know what a body of literature actually concludes rather than reading one paper at a time, but it orients you, it does not replace reading them.

Pros

  • Every answer is tied to specific papers with study design and sample size
  • Free tier is a standing plan rather than a time-limited trial
  • The yes-or-no consensus meter is a fast orientation device
  • Covers a very large index of peer-reviewed literature

Cons

  • Summaries can flatten real disagreement between studies into false consensus
  • Coverage skews to indexed English-language biomedical work
  • Pricing cannot be verified from outside; the site blocks automated access
  • Free allowance of the deeper analyses runs out quickly in real use

Liner

Liner is a good fit for students and researchers who want cited answers and a paper finder in one subscription, and who will actually click through the sources. Casual users happy with a general chatbot, or anyone who dislikes ads and tight credit limits on the free plan, will find less value.

Pros

  • Sentence-level citations make answers checkable
  • Scholar mode focuses search on academic papers
  • Paid plans include many third-party chat and image models
  • Annual billing brings Pro under $15 a month

Cons

  • Free credits run out after a few tasks and answers show ads
  • No refunds on subscriptions
  • Product spans search, scholar and writing, which can blur what each plan unlocks

Which one fits

Choose Consensus if you need

  • Checking whether a specific claim has support across published studies
  • Clinicians and students orienting quickly in an unfamiliar literature
  • Anyone who wants citations attached to every summarised claim

Choose Liner if you need

  • Graduate students building literature reviews
  • Professionals fact-checking claims before publishing
  • Students who want citations attached to every answer

Consensus vs Liner: the questions people ask

Is Consensus cheaper than Liner?

Liner starts at $14.99/mo. Consensus has a free tier; what its paid plans cost is not confirmed by us yet.

Does Consensus or Liner have a free tier?

Both: Consensus has a free tier, and Liner has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Consensus or Liner?

Consensus ships a public API, as of our last verification. A public API for Liner is not confirmed by us — check its developer docs before you plan an integration.

All Consensus alternatives →All Liner alternatives →Browse all Academic Search & Literature Review →