Our verdict
Being tested. An editor is using Consensus hands-on; the verdict and score appear here once they sign it off.
What it does
Consensus is a search engine for scientific research. Ask a question, such as whether a habit or treatment works, and it reads relevant published studies and writes a short answer with links to the papers it used.
It suits students, health and science writers, and anyone who wants evidence rather than opinion. Its answers come from research papers, not from the general web.
Why use it
- Answers are based on published studies, with a link to each one.
- Plain-English questions work, so you don’t need database search skills.
- It is much quicker than searching for papers one at a time.
How it works
- Go to consensus.app and create a free account.
- Ask a research question in plain English.
- Read the answer, then open the studies it cites.
- Check how large and how recent the key studies are.
- Rely on the papers themselves, not the summary, for anything important.
How hard is it to use?
Beginner Easy to start. You need an account, not any technical know-how.
Ask a question and read the answer, so anyone can start in minutes, which is why we rate it Beginner. Judging the studies it cites is the real skill.
What it costs
Free plan; paid plans. A free plan with limits. Paid plans raise the limits and add more AI features.
Prices change often, so check Consensus’s own site before you pay.
Watch out for
- A summary of studies isn’t expert advice, especially on health questions.
- A small or old study can sound as convincing as a large, recent one, so check them.
- It only covers the research it holds, so recent or specialist work can be missing.
Your data
Check Consensus’s privacy policy for how your searches are stored and used before you search for anything sensitive.
We haven’t confirmed that Consensus can keep your data in the UK, so check where it keeps your data before you share anything private or about other people.