ASReview vs Litstream
ASReview
asreview.nlLitstream
icf.comSide by side
| Figure | ASReview | Litstream |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Systematic Review Software | 9.1 (#1) | 6.8 (#27) |
| Headquarters | Utrecht, Netherlands | ICF says it relocated its headquarters to Fairfax, Virginia, in 1987. |
| Intended users | The site presents ASReview for screeners, information specialists, data scientists, developers, institutions, and students. | ICF says its literature review tools have been used by state and federal agencies, nonprofits, watchdogs, and private researchers. |
| Purpose | ASReview uses AI-aided active learning to prioritize records for systematic review screening while keeping a human screener in the decision loop. | Litstream helps researchers collaborate on literature screening and data extraction while tracking review work across team members. |
| Screening | The site says ASReview can reduce the screening workload by up to 95%. | Users can configure document tags and keyword highlights, assign screening tasks, and move studies to later steps based on screening results. |
| Support | The site offers free online documentation, tutorials, videos, and community discussion support, and describes in-house workshops and custom consultancy for organizations. | ICF offers expert support across review design and execution, including search strategies, criteria, study quality assessment, data integration, and training for collaborators. |
Plans
In their own words
ASReview
ASReview is a free, open-source tool that uses AI-aided active learning to prioritize records for systematic review screening, with a human making screening decisions. Its site says the approach can reduce screening workload by up to 95%. Users can simulate AI-aided review to compare models, while Crowdscreen supports parallel screening with access managed by administrators through a private login system. The described model families are ELAS-Ultra, ELAS-Heavy, and language-agnostic ELAS-L; ELAS-Heavy and ELAS-L require the Dory package. ASReview works with reference managers including EndNote and PubMed, and imports and exports CSV, RIS, and XLSX files. Documentation includes a Python API, while the institutional workflow also describes a REST API and CLI for automation. In a local setup, data stays on the user's computer; server deployments keep it in the organization's environment and follow its policies. Support includes documentation, tutorials, videos, community discussion, and organizational workshops and consultancy. ASReview LAB costs nothing with no licensing fees or subscriptions, though running hardware or a server may incur costs.