Can I open-source Scite?
NOT REALLY · nothing credible yetNo credible open-source replacement for Scite yet — Perplexica and SearXNG are the closest escape hatches, but they don't cross the moat. Researchers pay for reliable, broad coverage of paywalled literature and for a maintained, cross-checked citation graph rather than re-scraping and re-classifying papers themselves every time.
Researchers pay for reliable, broad coverage of paywalled literature and for a maintained, cross-checked citation graph rather than re-scraping and re-classifying papers themselves every time.
xcoverage of paywalled publishers (Wiley, Cambridge, Wolters Kluwer, etc.)
xpre-built citation database spanning hundreds of millions of citation statements
xretraction/correction flags sourced from Crossref and PubMed
xbrowser extension overlay on Google Scholar and journal pages
xreference-check tool for uploaded manuscripts
These projects already replace it, free.
PPerplexicaAI-powered answer engine with cited sources — Perplexity, but on your hardware with your models.open source↗SSearXNGPrivacy-respecting metasearch engine that aggregates results from dozens of sources with zero tracking.open source↗OOnyxAI search and chat over all your company's docs and apps (ex-Danswer).open source↗What each one is, in full: Perplexica · SearXNG · Onyx
no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
Scite pricing
premium$20/mo · monthly · $240/yr
free tierFree account allows searching the citation database plus one report and one visualization per month, but reports can't be exported.
verified 2026-08-10 · source ↗
Is Scite free?
Free account allows searching the citation database plus one report and one visualization per month, but reports can't be exported. Paid is Premium at $20/mo (checked 2026-08-10).
Can I open-source Scite?
Not really. Scite's value is not the code: . No credible open-source replacement exists yet.
How much does Scite cost?
Scite costs about $20/month (Premium, checked 2026-08-10), which is $240 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Scite?
Honestly: coverage of paywalled publishers (Wiley, Cambridge, Wolters Kluwer, etc.); pre-built citation database spanning hundreds of millions of citation statements; retraction/correction flags sourced from Crossref and PubMed; browser extension overlay on Google Scholar and journal pages; reference-check tool for uploaded manuscripts. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Scite?
Yes: Perplexica (AI-powered answer engine with cited sources — Perplexity, but on your hardware with your models.) SearXNG (Privacy-respecting metasearch engine that aggregates results from dozens of sources with zero tracking.) Onyx (AI search and chat over all your company's docs and apps (ex-Danswer).)