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RevMan

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Spec score 8.7 #3 of 30 in Systematic Review Software

What it is

RevMan is Cochrane’s software for building systematic reviews, from structured data entry and analysis to presenting results. It supports diagnostic test accuracy, intervention, methodology, overview, prognosis, qualitative, and flexible review types. Authors can edit separate parts of a review at the same time and see who else is working on it. Analysis options include pairwise meta-analyses, sensitivity and subgroup analyses, and fixed-effects, random-effects, Mantel-Haenszel, and inverse-variance models. Built-in outputs include forest, SROC, and funnel plots, risk-of-bias assessments, and PRISMA flow diagrams. Authors can work from ready-made or custom templates and structured headings with Cochrane methodological guidance. RevMan imports study data and references from Covidence, and RIS reference imports can draw on Crossref, PubMed, or CRS. A free practice review is deleted after 30 days and permits one person, with no data export. Free access is also available to authors working on Cochrane Reviews. Individual annual plans are £80 a year for eligible students, £100 a year for eligible academics, and £130 a year for standard subscriptions; VAT applies in the EU and UK.

Spec sheet

What it does
RevMan is Cochrane software for planning, writing, analyzing and reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Purpose
RevMan is Cochrane’s software for producing transparent systematic reviews, guiding authors from structured data entry and analysis through result visualization.Read 2 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Intended users
RevMan supports diagnostic test accuracy, intervention, methodology, overview, prognosis, qualitative, and flexible review types.Read 2 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
API
Cochrane documents Review Document, ReviewDB and Group APIs, including a REST ReviewDB endpoint at api.cochrane.org.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Integrations
RevMan can import study data and references from Covidence, and RIS reference imports can use data from Crossref, PubMed, or CRS.Read 2 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Security
Cochrane states that RevMan Web is GDPR compliant, hosted on AWS with SOC 2 Type 2 controls, uses 256-bit SSL, encryption at rest, OIDC single sign-on, permission separation, monitoring and daily backups.Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Support
Cochrane directs users to its Support Team and provides how-to articles, screencasts and release notes.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Headquarters
London, United KingdomRead 28 Sep 2026 · cochrane.org
Maker
RevMan and Cochrane Interactive Learning are distributed and sold by The Cochrane Collaboration, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee in England and Wales.Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
API extensibility
Technical documentation describes analysis endpoints and an independent NPM package for analysis JavaScript used by RevMan Web and its backend.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Charts and diagrams
RevMan produces forest, SROC and funnel plots, risk-of-bias displays and PRISMA flow diagrams.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Collaboration
Authors can edit different review fields concurrently and see which collaborators are currently working in a review.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Company legal identity
RevMan is sold by The Cochrane Collaboration, an England-and-Wales company limited by guarantee and registered charity number 1045921, company number 03044323.Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Covidence integration
RevMan imports citations and study data from Covidence and can reformat imported references.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
CRS integration
The roadmap lists easier study-reference import through Cochrane Register of Studies integration.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Data retention
After a subscription ends, subscribers can access reviews and their history in RevMan for 60 days.Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Documentation
The Knowledge Base covers data workflow, analyses, text editing, exporting, validation, version comparison, publishing, portfolio and administration.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Effect measures
Built-in calculations include odds ratio, relative risk, relative difference, mean difference and standardized mean difference.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
File format
RevMan 5 stores reviews in structured RM5 XML files with hierarchical sections for electronic publication.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
GRADEpro limitation
GRADEpro GDT integration is available for Cochrane reviews but is not enabled for non-Cochrane individual reviews.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Hosting and access
RevMan Web is hosted on AWS, uses Cochrane Account single sign-on with OpenID Connect, and AWS-hosted customer data is in London and Ireland.Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Independent usability result
A comparative study of meta-analysis software measured RevMan's overall usability at 6.1 out of 10, with data preparation scoring 4.5 out of 10.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Integration limit
GRADEpro integration is not enabled for non-Cochrane reviews, and Cochrane Library data cannot be downloaded and reused in RevMan.Read 2 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Legacy API status
The older RevManService SOAP API is largely stubbed because functionality moved to ReviewDB after RevMan 5.4.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Limit: confusing UX
The independent interview study recorded user confusion with parts of RevMan's interface and workflow.Read 20 Oct 2026 · researchgate.net
Limit: data-set creation
The same study identified difficulty creating data sets as a recurring usability problem.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Limit: language support
That analysis also noted that RevMan lacked built-in functionality for repeating findings in languages other than English.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Limit: repetitive writing
A peer-reviewed analysis noted that transferring calculated table data into narrative text remains largely manual and prone to mistakes.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Limit: restricted features
Interview participants reported that some RevMan capabilities were inaccessible unless a review was commissioned by Cochrane.Read 20 Oct 2026 · researchgate.net
Maker founded
Cochrane says it was established in Oxford in 1993.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Maker headquarters
Cochrane lists its headquarters at 11-13 Cavendish Square, London, W1G 0AN, United Kingdom.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Meta-analysis
The software supports automatic or manual analyses, pairwise randomized-trial analyses, subgroup and sensitivity analyses, and random-effects, fixed-effects, Mantel-Haenszel and inverse-variance models.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
PICOs
Authors can define study and synthesis PICOs before extracting data, helping establish eligibility and analysis criteria in advance.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Portfolio management
Organization subscriptions provide review portfolios, units, milestones, tasks, lifecycle status and assigned-author management.Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Practice access limit
Practice reviews are deleted after 30 days, cannot be exported and allow only one person to work on them.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Praise: interface and help
The comparative usability study reported favorable comments about RevMan's user interface and help system.Read 20 Oct 2026 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Praise: protocol guidance
The same independent study reported that users valued RevMan's guidance for developing review protocols.Read 20 Oct 2026 · researchgate.net
Praise: statistical analysis
An independent cross-domain interview study reported that participants found RevMan's statistical-analysis and meta-analysis functions relatively easy to use.Read 20 Oct 2026 · researchgate.net
Release news
The October 15, 2026 release added GRADE certainty ratings for nonrandomized studies and improved migration from manual to automatic analyses.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Risk of bias
The product supports Risk of Bias 2 and the previous risk-of-bias version, with templates for assessments.Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Structured writing
Structured Cochrane headings, templates, spellcheck, find-and-replace, references, appendices and inline comments support review writing.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Study-data preparation
It imports citations and study data from Covidence or templates and can combine study arms, calculate contrasts and log-scale data, and derive SD or SE values.Read 20 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Supported environment
RevMan supports Chrome, Firefox, and newer Edge versions; mobile devices and touchscreen use are not supported.Read 2 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
System requirements
The minimum supported setup is a 1280×1024 viewport, 8GB RAM and Chrome, Firefox or newer Edge; mobile devices and touchscreens are unsupported and Safari can cause export problems.Read 20 Oct 2026 · documentation.cochrane.org
Visualizations
Built-in tools create forest, SROC, and funnel plots, risk-of-bias assessments, and PRISMA flow diagrams.Read 2 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Writing tools
Review authors can use ready-made or custom templates and structured headings with Cochrane methodological guidance.Read 2 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org

Plans and prices

Cochrane author access Free No subscription required while writing a Cochrane Review Cochrane Reviews only; discounted subscription for non-Cochrane reviews Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Cochrane author access Free free access to RevMan Web for authors working on Cochrane Reviews Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Practice review Free deleted after 30 days · no data export · one person per review Read 2 Oct 2026 · cochrane.org
Individual student annual subscription £80 a year £80.00 + VAT (EU & UK) eligibility shown after login Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Student £80 a year £80.00 + VAT (EU & UK), annual subscription Student eligibility required Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Academic £100 a year £100.00 + VAT (EU & UK), annual subscription Academic eligibility required Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Individual academic annual subscription £100 a year £100.00 + VAT (EU & UK) eligibility shown after login Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Individual standard annual subscription £130 a year £130.00 + VAT (EU & UK) individual subscription Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org
Standard rate £130 a year £130.00 + VAT (EU & UK), annual subscription Individual subscription · eligibility shown after login Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Organization Priced on request Pricing starts at £560 for up to 8 users Organization pricing varies by organization type and seats · Contact required Read 20 Oct 2026 · revman.cochrane.org
Organization subscription Priced on request Pricing starts at £560 for up to 8 users price varies by organization type and number of seats Read 2 Oct 2026 · subscribe.cochrane.org

Every RevMan plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports simultaneous editing by review authors.
  • Includes several meta-analysis models and subgroup analysis.
  • Creates forest, SROC, and funnel plots.
  • Imports data and references from Covidence.
  • Available on Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

Limits

  • Practice reviews are deleted after 30 days.
  • Practice reviews have no data export.
  • Only one person can use a practice review.
  • Mobile and touchscreen use are unsupported.

Who it suits

RevMan suits authors preparing systematic reviews across its supported review types, including intervention, qualitative, and diagnostic test accuracy reviews. It offers free access to Cochrane Review authors and paid individual subscriptions for others.

RevMan in depth

Read the full write-up

RevMan brings systematic-review writing, quantitative analysis, and results visualization into one shared workspace. It suits authors who need a method-led review process and collaborators editing in parallel. Its analytical range is a strength, but practice reviews are tightly limited and mobile work is unsupported.

Overview

RevMan supports diagnostic test accuracy, intervention, methodology, overview, prognosis, qualitative, and flexible reviews. It is a substantial workspace for authors taking a review from structured data entry through analysis and presentation, but it does not include a screening workflow. Teams that need screening alongside review authoring should look elsewhere.

Key features

Multiple authors can work on different parts of a review at the same time and see who else is working. Templates, structured headings, and Cochrane methodological guidance provide a useful framework for shared writing, while custom templates leave room to adapt it.

For quantitative work, RevMan supports pairwise meta-analysis, sensitivity and subgroup analyses, and fixed-effects, random-effects, Mantel-Haenszel, and inverse-variance models. Forest, SROC, and funnel plots, risk-of-bias assessments, and PRISMA flow diagrams help turn analysis into review outputs. This breadth is valuable for authors who need those methods and visualizations; it is unnecessary weight for projects focused only on screening.

Study data and references can be imported from Covidence, and RIS reference imports can draw on Crossref, PubMed, or CRS. There are important integration boundaries: GRADEpro integration is not enabled for non-Cochrane reviews, and Cochrane Library data cannot be downloaded and reused in RevMan.

RevMan Web complies with GDPR for processing personal data of people in the EU, encrypts stored data, and uses 256-bit SSL for communications. It is hosted on AWS, with customer data in London and Ireland, and uses Cochrane Account single sign-on through OpenID Connect. After a subscription ends, reviews and their history remain accessible in RevMan for 60 days, so subscribers should plan for export or continued access rather than treating that window as permanent retention.

Pricing

RevMan is freemium, with a 30-day trial and annual individual subscriptions. The free Practice review plan costs nothing, but permits only one person per review, provides no data export, and deletes the review after 30 days. It is suitable for a brief individual practice exercise, not a durable project or collaborative review. Cochrane authors working on Cochrane Reviews can use RevMan Web free through Cochrane author access.

The Individual student annual subscription is £80 a year, billed £80.00 + VAT (EU & UK); the Individual academic annual subscription is £100 a year, billed £100.00 + VAT (EU & UK); and the Individual standard annual subscription is £130 a year. Student and academic eligibility is shown after login. These paid individual options avoid the practice plan’s stated deletion and export restrictions, while the student and academic tiers cost less than the standard subscription if the subscriber qualifies.

Organization subscription starts at £560 for up to 8 users, with custom pricing depending on organization type and seat count. It is the option for a group needing a shared organizational subscription, but the starting price and seat allowance matter when comparing it with individual access. Check the VAT on EU and UK subscriptions when budgeting.

Platforms

RevMan supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web. RevMan Web supports Chrome, Firefox, and newer Edge versions, but not mobile devices or touchscreen use. That makes it a poor fit for authors who need to review or edit on phones, tablets, or touch-first computers. For support beyond the Knowledge Base, users can contact the Cochrane Support Team.

Who it's for

RevMan is best suited to students, academics, and review teams who need structured authoring alongside established meta-analysis methods and built-in figures. It is less suitable for screening-led workflows, mobile-first work, or short practice projects that need durable records and export.

Pros and cons

Pros: Broad review-type support and multiple meta-analysis models make it useful across varied evidence syntheses.

Pros: Simultaneous editing, templates, and methodological guidance support coordinated, structured writing.

Pros: Built-in plots, risk-of-bias assessments, and PRISMA flow diagrams keep several reporting outputs within the review workspace.

Cons: The free Practice review is single-user, has no export, and is deleted after 30 days.

Cons: No screening workflow and no mobile or touchscreen support exclude some common review and access needs.

Cons: GRADEpro integration is unavailable for non-Cochrane reviews, and Cochrane Library data cannot be reused in RevMan.

Alternatives

Choose Synthesis if you want a paid option with a free trial and Linux, macOS, and Windows support. Choose ASReview if free, open-source software with no licensing fees or subscriptions matters most, and you can account for the possible cost of your own hardware or server. Bibliometrix is a free open-source R package available on CRAN with a Biblioshiny web interface.

Rayyan offers a freemium option with a free tier capped at 3 active reviews, 2 free reviewers, 1 sample, and limited mobile app access. Buhos is a free alternative credited to Claudio Bustos Navarrete. Elicit has a free Basic plan with limited Research Agent and Research Reports usage, alongside unlimited search across more than 138 million papers, summaries, and chat with papers. EviSynth is open source and offers free academic access with unlimited collaborators and no trials or subscriptions. Litmaps has a free tier limited to 20 inputs, 100 articles, one Litmap, monthly summaries, and no collaboration.

For broader comparisons, browse Literature Review Software and Systematic Review Software.

Verdict

Choose RevMan if your priority is a structured, collaborative systematic-review workspace with substantial analysis and visualization tools. Its clearest advantages are the breadth of supported review methods and the way writing, analysis, and reporting outputs fit together. Look elsewhere if you need screening, mobile access, or a free practice space that preserves and exports your work.

Verdict

RevMan combines review writing, analysis, and visualization tools with simultaneous collaboration. Check the practice-review limits and the stated VAT for EU and UK subscriptions before choosing an access option.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to RevManAll alternatives →