Consensus

What is Consensus?

Consensus reimagines how we search scientific literature. Instead of keyword-matching like traditional databases, Consensus uses AI to understand research questions and synthesize answers from peer-reviewed papers. Ask a question in plain language, and the platform returns evidence-based responses with citations to relevant studies.

For researchers, students, healthcare professionals, and curious minds drowning in the flood of published research, Consensus offers a way to quickly understand what science says about specific questions—without reading hundreds of papers individually.

The platform transforms access to scientific knowledge, making evidence-based answers available to anyone who can ask a question.

Key Features

Natural Language Search

Ask questions the way you'd ask a knowledgeable colleague: "Does meditation reduce anxiety?" or "What are the effects of intermittent fasting on weight loss?" Consensus interprets intent rather than matching keywords, returning relevant papers even when they use different terminology.

AI-Synthesized Answers

Beyond listing papers, Consensus synthesizes findings into coherent answers. See what the research collectively suggests, with nuance about consensus levels and conflicting evidence. The AI highlights key findings from each paper without requiring you to read abstracts individually.

Consensus Meter

For questions where scientific consensus matters, the Consensus Meter shows the degree of agreement across studies. Quickly understand whether research strongly supports a conclusion, shows mixed results, or lacks sufficient evidence—critical context for evidence-based decisions.

Citation Quality Filters

Not all papers carry equal weight. Filter by study type (meta-analyses, RCTs, observational studies), publication date, citation count, and journal quality. Prioritize the most rigorous evidence for your specific needs.

Paper Summaries

AI-generated summaries extract key findings from each paper. Understand a study's conclusions, methodology, and limitations without reading the full text. Save time while maintaining comprehension.

Pricing

Consensus offers a free tier with limited searches per month—useful for occasional research needs. Premium at $9.99/month provides unlimited searches, AI summaries, and GPT-4 powered synthesis. Team plans add collaboration features and usage analytics for research groups and organizations.

Academic discounts make Premium more accessible for students and researchers.

Who Uses Consensus?

Academic Researchers

Academic researchers use Consensus for literature reviews, quickly surveying what's known about topics before diving into specific papers. The AI synthesis identifies gaps in existing research and surfaces relevant work that keyword searches might miss.

Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals check current evidence on treatments, medications, and interventions. Medical decisions backed by synthesized research from multiple studies provide stronger foundations than individual paper reviews.

Science Journalists

Science journalists and writers fact-check claims and understand scientific consensus on contested topics. The Consensus Meter helps distinguish between genuinely debated questions and settled science.

Students

Students accelerate coursework and thesis research, getting up to speed on fields faster than traditional literature review methods. The plain-language interface requires no training in database query syntax.

Policy Analysts

Policy analysts and business professionals access evidence for decision-making without needing specialized research skills.

Consensus vs Alternatives

Consensus vs Google Scholar

Google Scholar indexes papers but only matches keywords. Consensus understands questions and synthesizes answers. Use Scholar for comprehensive indexing; use Consensus for understanding what research says.

Consensus vs Semantic Scholar

Semantic Scholar offers AI-powered features but focuses on discovery rather than synthesis. Consensus excels at answering specific questions; Semantic Scholar helps explore topics and find related work.

Consensus vs Elicit

Elicit provides similar AI-powered research capabilities with a focus on research workflow automation. Both tools serve evidence synthesis; Consensus offers a cleaner interface for quick question-answering.

Integrations

Export citations to reference managers like Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote. Share findings via links or copy formatted citations. API access enables integration with custom research workflows for organizations.

Pros and Cons

What We Like

Natural language queries replace complex search syntax

AI synthesis saves hours of reading

Consensus Meter quantifies scientific agreement

Quality filters prioritize rigorous evidence

Accessible to non-researchers

Affordable Premium tier

What Could Be Better

Database smaller than comprehensive services like PubMed

AI synthesis may oversimplify nuanced findings

Not suitable for exhaustive systematic reviews

Quality varies by topic coverage

Tips for Success

Ask specific questions: Focused questions yield better results than broad topic searches. "Does vitamin D supplementation reduce COVID-19 severity?" outperforms "vitamin D and COVID."

Use filters strategically: Prioritize meta-analyses and RCTs for treatment questions. Accept observational studies for epidemiological questions.

Check the Consensus Meter: Before citing findings, understand how strong the scientific consensus actually is.

Verify important findings: AI summaries are helpful but not infallible. Read original papers for critical decisions.

Complement with traditional databases: For exhaustive literature reviews, use Consensus alongside PubMed and other comprehensive databases.

Getting Started

Visit Consensus and start searching immediately—no account required for basic queries. Ask a research question in plain language and explore how the platform synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed papers.

Create an account to save searches and access additional features. Consider Premium for unlimited searches if you'll use Consensus regularly for research or professional needs.

Experiment with different question phrasings to understand how the AI interprets queries. Learn to use filters effectively to prioritize the evidence types most relevant to your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers does Consensus cover?

Consensus indexes over 200 million papers from peer-reviewed sources. Coverage is strong in medicine, psychology, and natural sciences. Some niche fields have less complete coverage.

Can I trust AI-generated summaries?

Summaries aim for accuracy but should supplement—not replace—reading original papers for important decisions. Always verify critical findings in source papers. The AI provides efficiency, not infallibility.

Is Consensus suitable for systematic reviews?

For formal systematic reviews requiring comprehensive searches, Consensus should complement—not replace—traditional database searches like PubMed and Web of Science. Use it for exploratory research and understanding; use comprehensive databases for exhaustive coverage.

Does Consensus work for non-health topics?

Yes, Consensus covers research across fields including psychology, economics, education, and environmental science. Coverage depth varies by discipline.

How current is the research database?

Consensus regularly updates its database with new publications. For cutting-edge research, check publication dates in results to ensure currency.

Can I access full papers through Consensus?

Consensus links to papers but doesn't host full text. Access depends on your institutional subscriptions or open access availability.

Final Verdict

Consensus brings AI-powered understanding to scientific literature, transforming how non-specialists and researchers alike access evidence. The combination of natural language queries, AI synthesis, and consensus measurement makes research accessible in ways traditional databases cannot match.

While it won't replace systematic database searches for rigorous academic work, Consensus excels at quick evidence checks, literature exploration, and understanding what science says about specific questions. For anyone who needs research answers without PhD-level database skills, Consensus is invaluable.

Rating: 4.5/5