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What is Consensus?
Consensus is an AI academic search engine: you ask a question and it synthesises what more than 200 million peer-reviewed scientific papers say, with verifiable citations. Its consensus meter shows how much agreement there is in the literature. Essential for researchers, students, clinicians and anyone who wants answers grounded in science.
Pros
- Answers based on real papers, with verifiable citations
- Consensus meter: see how much scientific agreement there is on a topic
- Unlimited free searches; you can ask in Spanish
- Discounts for students (40%) and clinicians (25%)
Cons
- Advanced analyses (Pro Analysis, Deep) have monthly quotas
- English interface, although it understands questions in Spanish
- Limited to the scientific domain: not useful for general topics
What Consensus is like in practice
Where it stands out
It searches only peer-reviewed papers and, beyond summarising, indicates whether the studies found point the same way or contradict each other. That measure of agreement is information no general search engine gives, and when the honest answer is that the evidence is split, knowing that is worth more than any summary.
Where it falls short
It indexes mostly English-language publishing, so for local or humanities topics in Spanish coverage is thinner and worth supplementing with regional databases. And it does not replace reading: an automatic summary can miss methodological nuances that change a study's conclusion.
How its pricing works
There is a free plan with limited monthly queries, enough to settle occasional questions on solid ground. Paid tiers raise volume and add deeper analysis. For continuous academic use it pays off; for checking a health question now and then, the free tier covers it easily.
Is Consensus right for you?
Yes, if…
You need answers grounded in science — health, nutrition, psychology — and to check every claim against its paper. Its consensus meter shows how much agreement actually exists.
No, if…
You ask about general topics, current affairs or products: it only reads scientific literature. Perplexity searches the whole web and also cites for that.
Frequently asked questions
Is Consensus free?
Yes, with unlimited searches and 10 Pro analyses a month. The Pro plan ($10/month) unlocks advanced analysis and features with no quotas.
How is it different from ChatGPT?
It only answers from peer-reviewed scientific literature and always with citations, so its answers are verifiable and free of invention.
Can I ask in Spanish?
Yes, it understands questions in Spanish, although the papers and the interface are mostly in English.
Compare Consensus head to head
Pricing, features and limits of Consensus against its direct rivals.
Where Consensus appears
Rankings where we have picked this tool.