Elicit Review: Best AI Research Assistant?
Our in-depth evaluation reveals Elicit's strengths in literature review automation and paper analysis, though with some limitations in niche disciplines.
Overview
Elicit has emerged as a leading AI research assistant, specializing in automating time-consuming literature review processes. The 2025 version enhances its ability to summarize, extract data, and synthesize findings from academic papers, making it invaluable for researchers across disciplines. While particularly strong in biomedical and social sciences, it continues to expand its coverage of technical fields.
Version Tested
Elicit 3.2 (June 2025)
Platform
Web-based
AI Technology
LLM + Semantic Search
Free Tier
5,000 credits/month
Note: Elicit uses a credit system where more complex tasks consume more credits. Paid plans start at $10/month.
Key Features
Elicit offers powerful research capabilities through these standout features:
Literature Review
Automatically find relevant papers and extract key information.
Paper Summarization
Generate concise summaries of academic papers in seconds.
Data Extraction
Pull out methods, results, and conclusions from PDFs.
Concept Synthesis
Compare findings across multiple papers automatically.
Research Assistant
Answer questions using evidence from papers.
Citation Management
Organize papers and generate citations.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Saves dozens of hours on literature reviews
- Excellent for systematic review preparation
- Clean, researcher-focused interface
- Continuously improving paper coverage
- Good transparency about limitations
- Flexible credit-based pricing
Cons
- Weaker in some technical fields
- Can miss nuance in complex papers
- No mobile app available
- Requires manual verification
- Limited to English-language papers
- Steep learning curve for some features
Pricing & Plans
Elicit offers a free tier with basic access and paid plans for serious researchers:
Free
- 5,000 credits/month
- Basic search and summarization
- Limited paper analysis
- Ad-supported
- Community support
Researcher
- 12,000 credits/month
- Full paper analysis
- Advanced data extraction
- Priority support
- No ads
Team
- 20,000 credits/user
- Shared workspaces
- Admin dashboard
- Dedicated support
- Early feature access
Note: Enterprise plans are available for institutions with custom pricing and features like SSO and enhanced security.
How It Compares
Elicit leads in automated literature reviews but has different strengths than competitors:
| Feature | Elicit | Scite | Scholarcy | ResearchRabbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Paper Analysis | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Citation Context | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Paper Coverage | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Pricing | $$ | $$$ | $$ | Free-$ |
Best Use Cases
Elicit excels in these research scenarios:
Systematic Reviews
Quickly identify relevant papers and extract key data points.
Literature Surveys
Map out existing research on new topics efficiently.
Grant Writing
Build comprehensive literature reviews for proposals.
Thesis Research
Accelerate background research for dissertations.
Paper Screening
Filter large numbers of papers by relevance.
Concept Exploration
Discover connections between research areas.
Expert Tips
Maximize Elicit's potential with these research strategies:
Use Specific Queries
Frame questions precisely to get more relevant paper suggestions.
Upload Your PDFs
Get summaries and extractions from papers not in Elicit's database.
Combine Concepts
Use Boolean operators to explore interdisciplinary connections.
Monitor Credit Usage
Save complex analyses for when you really need them.
Verify Key Findings
Always check important extractions against original papers.
Organize Early
Use folders and tags from the start of large projects.
Alternatives to Consider
While Elicit excels in literature reviews, these alternatives may suit specific needs:
Scite
Best for: Citation context, smart citations
Limitations: More expensive, less automated
Scholarcy
Best for: Individual paper summarization
Limitations: Less research synthesis
ResearchRabbit
Best for: Visual literature discovery
Limitations: Less analytical features
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elicit worth the subscription cost for individual researchers?
+For active researchers, absolutely. At $10/month, Elicit can save 10+ hours of manual literature review work each month. The time savings alone typically justify the cost for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty conducting regular literature reviews.
How accurate are Elicit's paper summaries and extractions?
+Elicit is generally accurate for well-structured papers in supported disciplines, but should not be fully trusted without verification. Our tests showed ~85% accuracy on key extractions from biomedical papers, dropping to ~70% for highly technical material. Always check important findings against original sources.
Can Elicit replace traditional literature review methods?
+Not completely. Elicit dramatically accelerates the process but should complement rather than replace manual review, especially for systematic reviews or meta-analyses. It's best for initial screening and identifying key papers, with traditional methods used for final analysis and synthesis.
What disciplines does Elicit work best for?
+Elicit performs best in biomedical sciences, psychology, and social sciences. It's increasingly capable in computer science and engineering but may struggle with highly specialized or niche topics. Performance varies by how well-represented a field is in its training data.
Does Elicit have access to paywalled papers?
+No, Elicit can only analyze full text of open-access papers or those you upload with proper access. For paywalled papers, it can still provide metadata and sometimes abstracts, but full analysis requires legal access to the PDF.
Ready to Accelerate Your Research?
Elicit can save you dozens of hours on literature reviews and paper analysis.
Try Elicit NowLast Updated: June 22, 2025 | Suggest an Update