Decision Support · Side-by-side
Compare pricing, strengths, and use cases so it is easier to pick the right fit.
Change tools
For most everyday users, Elicit is the better choice due to its lower barrier to entry and direct paper access, while Iris.ai is a powerful but expensive tool best suited for institutional research teams. The single biggest difference is pricing: Elicit's credit system is unpredictable but accessible to individuals, whereas Iris.ai requires a sales call and is clearly enterprise-only.
Elicit
Iris.ai
Scores at a glance
Choose Elicit if
Choose Iris.ai if
Key differences
Facts side by side
| Elicit | Iris.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access |
Common questions
Yes. Elicit's credit system, while not perfectly predictable, is far more affordable for an individual than Iris.ai's enterprise pricing, which requires a sales call and is typically thousands of dollars per year.
No. Neither Elicit nor Iris.ai has a mobile app, and their web interfaces are not optimized for small screens. You'll need a laptop or desktop computer.
Elicit is easier. You just type a research question and start filtering. Iris.ai requires you to write a detailed 'Context' description (300-500 words) before you can search, which is a bigger upfront investment.
Both claim to minimize hallucinations by grounding results in actual papers. Elicit provides direct links to source text, and Iris.ai states it is 'grounded in scientific literature.' Neither is perfect, but they are safer than general-purpose chatbots for research.
Yes. Elicit lets you upload custom PDFs for papers not in its database. Iris.ai also accepts PDF uploads and can sync with PubMed, CORE, and OpenAlex.
Iris.ai explicitly includes patent analysis as a primary task. Elicit does not mention patent support. If you need to analyze patents, Iris.ai is the clear choice.
Elicit wins for everyday researchers on a budget; Iris.ai is powerful but only worth it if your organization is paying.
If you're an individual researcher, student, or small team, start with Elicit — it's easier to get started, cheaper, and covers most literature review needs. Leave Iris.ai for the big-budget corporate labs and university departments that need to map entire fields of patents and papers.
