Consensus: Ask a Question, Get an Answer From Research

Consensus is an AI search engine for scientific papers. You ask a question in plain words and it answers from peer-reviewed research, not from the open web. Each point links to the study behind it. It is used by students, academics and clinicians who need evidence rather than opinion. The company says more than 5 million people trust it.

What does Consensus do?

Consensus searches more than 400 million scientific papers. Type a question such as "does creatine improve memory?" and it finds the relevant studies, reads them and writes a short answer with citations.

For yes or no questions, the Consensus Meter shows how much the research agrees. Study Snapshots sum up each paper's key findings and methods, so you can judge quality at a glance. Pro Search gives a fuller AI answer, and Deep Search runs a broader literature review across many studies.

You can also chat with a single paper using Ask Paper, follow links between papers in a Citation Graph, and save results into Collections. Citations export to RIS, BibTeX and CSV for your reference manager. Paid plans add API and MCP access, so AI agents can search Consensus too.

Which features stand out?

• Peer-reviewed sources only — answers come from 400M+ papers, not web pages
• Consensus Meter — shows how far studies agree on a yes or no question
• Study Snapshots — key findings and methods for each paper
• Deep reviews — broader literature reviews across many studies
• Citation export — RIS, BibTeX and CSV
• API and MCP access — included uses on paid plans

How much does Consensus cost?

There are three plans for individuals:

• Free — $0, basic paper search, 10 Pro messages a month and up to 3 Deep reviews
• Pro — $20 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly ($144), with unlimited Pro messages, 15 Deep reviews and 500 API uses
• Deep — $65 a month, or $45 a month billed yearly ($540), with 200 Deep reviews and 2,000 API uses

Students and faculty with a school email, and US clinicians with an NPI number, can get up to 40% off. Team and enterprise plans are sold separately.

Who is Consensus for?

Consensus suits students writing essays and dissertations who need real sources fast. Researchers can use Deep reviews to map a topic before reading in depth. Doctors, nurses and other clinicians can check what the evidence says on a treatment question, which is why the company offers clinicians a discount. Journalists and curious readers can test health or science claims they see online.

Where does Consensus fall short?

The free plan is a taste, not a tool. Ten Pro messages and three Deep reviews a month run out in one sitting.

Summaries flatten nuance. A study's limits, sample size or funding may not survive into a two-line snapshot, and the Consensus Meter can make weak evidence look settled. It also only finds what is in its index, so very new or paywalled work may be missing.

Deep reviews are capped on every plan. Heavy users on Pro may find 15 a month tight, and the next step up is a large jump to $65. Treat Consensus as a fast way into the research, then read the key papers yourself.

Is Consensus worth trying?

Yes. It is one of the quickest ways to see what research says on a question. Start free, and claim the student or clinician discount before paying. Pro billed yearly is the sweet spot for most people.