ASReview vs Sysrev
ASReview
asreview.nlSysrev
sysrev.comSide by side
| Figure | ASReview | Sysrev |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $50/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · AI Literature Review Software | 9.0 (#1) | 8.4 (#7) |
| Spec score · Systematic Review Software | 9.1 (#1) | 8.4 (#4) |
| Spec score · Literature Review Software | 9.1 (#1) | 8.4 (#5) |
| API | ASReview documentation includes a Python API, and the institutional page also mentions a REST API and CLI for automated workflows. | Premium and Enterprise accounts receive API tokens for a REST API described by an OpenAPI specification with an interactive web interface. |
| Documentation depth | The documentation covers user, server and technical guides, including authentication, command-line use, APIs and extension development. | The help center contains tutorials, workflow articles, API guidance, export specifications, role documentation and dated release notes. |
| Integrations | The site describes compatibility with EndNote, PubMed, and other reference managers, and says RIS files can be imported and exported. | External records can be imported through RIS or BibTeX files, and Zotero-compatible files can be handled through the Zotero translator. |
| Intended users | The site presents ASReview for screeners, information specialists, data scientists, developers, institutions, and students. | The maker describes Sysrev as suitable for researchers conducting systematic, scoping, and rapid reviews, including collaborative institutional teams. |
| Purpose | ASReview uses AI-aided active learning to prioritize records for systematic review screening while keeping a human screener in the decision loop. | Sysrev is a platform for data curation and systematic evidence review. |
| Search integrations | Tested search-engine exports include CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, ERIC, OpenAlex, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. | Sysrev provides built-in search options for PubMed and OpenAlex. |
| Self-hosting | ASReview can run locally, on a server or cloud instance, and through Docker. | SRVC documentation describes local installation using Nix and git-managed review projects, with optional synchronization to Sysrev. |
| Support | The site offers free online documentation, tutorials, videos, and community discussion support, and describes in-house workshops and custom consultancy for organizations. | Users can submit an in-project issue report or email [email protected]. |
| Supported inputs | The software accepts CSV, TSV, XLSX and RIS data containing textual records such as titles and abstracts. | Sysrev handles PDFs, title-abstract pairs, plain text and structured JSON. |
| What it does | ASReview uses active learning to reorder large collections of textual records so likely-relevant items appear earlier during systematic-review screening. | Sysrev is a web application for collaborative and automated document review and structured data extraction. |
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.