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scite vs Sourcely

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. scite starts at $20, Sourcely at $19. Only scite has a free tier. Only scite ships a public API.

sciteCitation index that shows whether papers support or contradictSourcelyFinds citable academic sources for a pasted essay or paper draft, with summaries and credibility checks

Side by side

FactsciteSourcely
CategoryResearch & Citation ToolsAcademic Search & Literature Review
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starts at$20 month$19 month
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome Ext, APIWeb
CompanyResearch Solutions, Inc.Sourcely
Launched2018—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

scite

The citation-classification dataset is the moat — no other research assistant tells you a paper has been contradicted 14 times. Use it to vet sources, not to discover them; Elicit and Consensus are better at the initial sweep.

Pros

  • Supporting/contrasting/mentioning classification is genuinely unique among research tools
  • Zotero plugin and free browser extension carry the data into existing workflows without an account
  • Full API access to papers, tallies, citations and Reference Check endpoints
  • Backed by a public company since the 2023 acquisition, so it is unlikely to disappear

Cons

  • Classification quality depends on full-text access; low-coverage publishers yield sparse tallies
  • $20/mo monthly is a hard sell against free-tier competitors unless you cite heavily
  • The Assistant is competent but not clearly better than dedicated research chat tools
  • Free tier is capped at roughly 100 reports a month

Sourcely

A fast way for students to back an already-written argument with citable papers, and the per-source credibility check is something most rivals skip. Deep searches are metered even on paid plans, and the free version is a 300-character demo, so budget for a subscription.

Pros

  • Works from pasted prose rather than keyword queries
  • Summaries and credibility checks attached to each suggested source
  • Citation export covers a very wide range of formats
  • Cheaper than most per-seat research platforms at list price

Cons

  • Free version is a 300-character demo, not a usable tier
  • Deep searches and credibility checks are metered on both paid plans
  • No live API despite one being announced for late 2026

Which one fits

Choose scite if you need

  • Checking whether a paper you plan to cite has been disputed in later literature
  • Systematic reviews where you must justify why a source was included or dropped
  • Auditing your own manuscript's reference list before journal submission
  • Librarians and institutions wanting citation-context badges inside existing discovery tools

Choose Sourcely if you need

  • Students who wrote first and need supporting sources after the fact
  • Essay writers who want citations exported straight into their required format
  • Quick credibility triage of sources before a deadline

More comparisons

All scite alternatives →All Sourcely alternatives →Browse all Research & Citation Tools →