Best Research & search tools: Research answers with cited sources
Research & search
Ranked by an evidence score built from public, verifiable facts (pricing, free tier, docs, platforms, open source, update activity). Hands-on testing is coming. How we test.
Top 3
#1
Perplexity
Answer engine with cited sources.
Free tier 79/100 · evidence
#2
Elicit
AI research assistant for academic papers.
Free tier 65/100 · evidence
#3
Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM)
Research notebook grounded in your sources, with audio overviews.
Free tier 65/100 · evidence
Budget pick
Consensus
AI search engine over peer-reviewed research.
Free tier 57/100 · evidence
Local / open-source pick
Jan
Open-source desktop ChatGPT alternative that runs models offline.
Free tier Open source 100/100 · evidence
Comparison
| Tool | Pricing | Free tier | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | Free tier; Pro $20/mo, Max $200/mo | Yes | 79 |
| Elicit | Free Basic plan; Plus $11/mo (annual) | Yes | 65 |
| Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM) | Free; higher limits with Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo) | Yes | 65 |
| Consensus | Free tier; Pro $20/mo ($12/mo annual) | Yes | 57 |
| Scite | 7-day free trial; Basic $20/mo ($12 annual) | No | 50 |