Consensus Review (2026)
An AI search engine that answers questions using peer-reviewed research. Best for: Quick, evidence-based answers from scientific studies.
What is Consensus?
Consensus is an academic search engine that uses AI to answer questions with findings from peer-reviewed research. Ask 'Does creatine improve memory?' and it summarises what studies say, with citations.
Its Consensus Meter shows how much of the research agrees with a yes/no question, and quality indicators help users judge study strength.
What problems does Consensus solve?
Here are the concrete pain points Consensus addresses — and how it addresses them.
Health and science misinformation
Answers based on published research.
Unclear scientific agreement
Consensus Meter summarises agreement.
Reading many abstracts
Summaries of key findings.
Judging study quality
Labels for study type and journal quality.
Key features and solutions
- Research-backed answers. Synthesised from papers.
- Consensus Meter. Agreement on yes/no questions.
- Study snapshots. Population, method and results.
- Quality filters. Filter by study type and more.
- Pro analysis. Deeper summaries and searches.
Best use cases for Consensus
- Health and nutrition questions
- Academic research
- Fact-checking
- Science writing
- Student assignments
Who it's for: Students, researchers, journalists, clinicians and curious readers.
Consensus pricing
Consensus offers a free plan with limited Pro searches, and paid plans for unlimited advanced features. Team and enterprise options exist. See the pricing screenshot.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Evidence-based answers
- Clear agreement indicators
- Easy to use
- Mobile apps
Cons
- Only covers research questions
- Simplification can miss nuance
- Not medical advice
Consensus vs alternatives
How Consensus compares with Elicit, Perplexity, NotebookLM:
| Consensus | Elicit | Perplexity | NotebookLM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Research & Search | AI Research & Search | AI Research & Search | AI Research & Search |
| Best for | Quick, evidence-based answers from scientific studies | Literature reviews and systematic research | Fast, cited answers and research instead of traditional search | Studying, research and understanding your own documents |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Free (premium via Google AI plans) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Developer | Consensus | Elicit | Perplexity AI | |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Comet browser | Web, iOS, Android |
Verdict
Consensus is the fastest way to see what science says. For deep literature reviews, Elicit is more thorough.
Try Consensus ↗Consensus FAQ
Is Consensus free?
Yes, with limited advanced searches.
Can Consensus replace a doctor?
No. It summarises research and is not medical advice.
What is the Consensus Meter?
A visual summary of how studies answer a yes/no question.