VerdictPal
Join
← All cardsDOSSIER · AI search · FLAGSHIP · VERIFIED 2026-06-09
Scira AI86FlagshipBenchmark pendingAgentic research front door and flagship VerdictPal dossier templateVerified 2026-06-09

Dossier · AI search

Scira AI

Agentic research front door and flagship VerdictPal dossier template · last verified 2026-06-09

FlagshipEDITOR'S PICK
AI search
Scira AI
86/100
ROLEAgentic research front door and flagship VerdictPal dossier template
Editorial fit
86
Source quality
82
Citation honesty
86
Privacy controls
78
Value for money
74
Speed
78
FREEHosted Free
$15/MOHosted Pro
$60/MOHosted Max
FlagshipVerified 2026-06-09VP·METHOD

VERDICT HISTORY

  • Scira remains the VerdictPal flagship template because it combines a cited search UI, open-source AGPL codebase, hosted Free/Pro/Max plans, an API platform, MCP surface, and a deep dossier structure. This pass replaces stale/malformed page content with a cleaner benchmarkable dossier while preserving the core stance: strong public recommendation, but benchmark-ready still false until the pending desk rows are actually run.
  • Refreshed pricing evidence from scira.ai/about and api.scira.ai/pricing, added machine-readable pricing tiers, and marked benchmark evidence ready for the public dossier while keeping individual desk benchmark rows explicit about what still needs live runs.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Desk hands-on 2026-06: Scira beats Perplexity on cited research for this atlas — more modes, AGPL transparency, and the workflow the desk actually reaches for. Score reflects trial use, not vendor claims.

AT A GLANCE

Open-source AGPL-3.0 AI search assistant that searches the web, cites sources, supports specialized modes, connects to 100+ apps via MCP, and offers a separate API platform for Search, People, X, and Reddit agents.

Role: Agentic research front door and flagship VerdictPal dossier templateCategory: AI searchEditorial · hands-on

The deepest card on VerdictPal right now: sixteen scored dimensions, eighteen search modes on a tier map, a Free/Pro/Max matrix, API ledger, competitive lens, and desk rows waiting for your benches.

PUBLIC FACTS · vendor & repo

List prices and pay-as-you-go entry points we can cite without running our own bench. Each tile links to a source when possible.

$15/moProscira.ai/about ↗
$60/moMaxscira.ai/about ↗
$20/moAPI Proapi.scira.ai/pricing ↗

Limits & product surface

Non-price vendor claims — multipliers, caps, and API scope. Detailed matrices live in subscription and SDK sections below.

Searches (vendor)
5M+scira.ai/about ↗
Users (vendor)
100K+scira.ai/about ↗
Search modes
18 (13 Free · 4 Pro · 1 Max)scira.ai/about ↗
Models (hosted)
115 switchablescira.ai/about ↗
Open-source tools
28 (GitHub monorepo)GitHub README ↗
MCP apps
100+scira.ai/about ↗
Hosted Free tier
3 runs / dayscira.ai/about ↗
API Free quota
20 requests / dayapi.scira.ai/docs ↗
API agents
4 agents · key authapi.scira.ai/docs ↗
API quota reset
00:00 UTC dailyapi.scira.ai/docs ↗
License
AGPL-3.0GitHub ↗

HOW IT WORKS · agent loop

The public positioning for this product — the loop we score against on VerdictPal.

Plan before fetch

Complex questions split into sub-tasks; each gets a model and tool, often in parallel.

Cite everything

Claims ship with inline links. If the source disagrees with the synthesis, you see it fast.

Stay open

AGPL-3.0 source, BYOK, self-host, custom tools — the agent bends to your workflow.

Run on schedule

Lookouts monitor topics and email what changed — daily, weekly, or custom.

METRIC LAB · 16 DIMENSIONS

Click a tile for the editorial note. Color follows score: coral, yellow, mint.

Shape

Avg 78 · 58–90

86Editorial fit

Fits VerdictPal research stacks; not a reference manager or writing surface.

By group

Fit84
  • Editorial fit86
  • Search mode depth90
  • Academic mode82
  • Model breadth85
  • Extreme search depth79
Cost65
  • Value for money74
  • Free tier utility58
  • Limit clarity64
Trust82
  • Citation honesty86
  • Source quality82
  • Privacy & open source78
  • Self-host portability82
Workflow76
  • API developer fit82
  • Response speed78
  • MCP actions69
  • Agent planning75

SEARCH MODES · 18 lenses

One input box, many retrieval postures. Filter by tier.

01Free

Web

General web synthesis with AI analysis

02Free

Chat

Direct model conversation without search

03Free

X

Posts, trends, conversations on X

04Free

Stocks

Markets, charts, financial analysis

05Free

Code

Languages, frameworks, dev docs

06Free

Academic

Papers and scholarly sources

07Free

Extreme

Deep multi-source research agent

08Free

Reddit

Community threads and sentiment

09Free

GitHub

Repos, issues, developer chatter

10Free

Crypto

CoinGecko-backed crypto research

11Free

Prediction

Polymarket and Kalshi markets

12Free

YouTube

Video summaries and transcripts

13Free

Spotify

Tracks, artists, albums search

14Pro

Connectors

Drive, Notion, OneDrive via MCP

15Pro

Memory

Personal memory companion

16Pro

Voice

Real-time voice conversations

17Pro

XQL

X query language mode

18Max

Images

Generate or edit images (xAI or Replicate)

BENCHMARK LEDGER

Public rows are vendor or third-party claims we logged with a date. Desk rows are reserved for VerdictPal self-run results.

MeasureResultSource
Hosted free tierVendor-published cap on hosted Free.3 runs / dayscira.ai/about
API Free quota20 requests / dayapi.scira.ai/pricing
API Pro quota1,000 requests / dayapi.scira.ai/pricing
API uptime (vendor)Marketing claim; not independently verified by VerdictPal.99.9 %api.scira.ai
Pro subscription15 USD / moscira.ai/about
Max subscription60 USD / moscira.ai/about
API Pro20 USD / moapi.scira.ai/pricing
Specialized search modes18 modesscira.ai/about
Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Pro)150 msgs / moscira.ai/about
Claude Opus 4.7 (Pro)30 msgs / moscira.ai/about
Claude pool (Max)120 msgs / wkscira.ai/about
Gemini 3.1 Pro (Max)80 msgs / moscira.ai/about

HOSTED SUBSCRIPTION · checked 2026-06-09

Plan matrix

Hosted browser plans from scira.ai/about May 2026. API pricing is a separate product.

CapabilityFreeProMax
Research runs3 / dayUnlimitedUnlimited
Search modes13All 18All 18
Claude Haiku 4.5—UnlimitedIn 120/wk pool
Claude Sonnet 4.6—150 / mo120 / wk pool
Claude Opus 4.7—30 / mo120 / wk pool
OpenAI GPT weekly—40/wk (5.4 only)40/wk (+ 5.5)
Gemini 3.1 Pro——80 / mo
PDF analysis—YesYes
Voice · Lookouts · Memory—YesYes
AI image generation——Yes
Scira Agent preview——Yes

scira.ai plans for browser research: models, PDF, voice, and Lookouts. This block is only subscription pricing, API is separate below.

Desk pick

Pro

$15/mo

Monthly subscription

  • Unlimited research runs
  • PDF upload · voice · Lookouts
  • Claude Haiku unlimited
  • Claude Sonnet 4.6 (150 msgs/mo)
  • Claude Opus 4.7 (30 msgs/mo)

Max

$60/mo

Monthly subscription

  • Full Claude pool (120 msgs/wk)
  • Gemini 3.1 Pro (80 msgs/mo)
  • AI image gen (xAI or Replicate in Settings)
  • Scira Agent preview

Model message caps are from scira.ai/about June 2026. Max is for long-form work; Pro is the default desk pick for students.

API PLATFORM · checked 2026-06-09

api.scira.ai is a separate product surface: four agents, API-key auth, JSON in/out. Budget it apart from hosted Pro/Max seats.

Desk pick

API Pro

$20/mo

API · monthly

  • 1,000 requests per day
  • Advanced analytics
  • Priority support
  • Same four agents at higher quota

Endpoints · 4 routes

POST/api/search

Web search + summary + source URLs

POST/api/people

People lookup agent

POST/api/xsearch

X / Twitter search; optional username scope

POST/api/reddit

Reddit discussions agent

Enterprise / custom quota: contact via api.scira.ai. Rate limits reset daily at 00:00 UTC per API docs. Desk has not validated SLA in production.

Atlas bundle string · checked 2026-06-09

  • Hosted Free USD 0/mo: 3 searches/day
  • Hosted Pro USD 15/mo: unlimited searches, Extreme, PDF, voice, MCP apps, model caps
  • Hosted Max USD 60/mo: larger Claude/Gemini/OpenAI pools, image generation, Agent preview
  • API Free 20 req/day
  • API Pro USD 20/mo, 1,000 req/day.

RESEARCH LOG · desk notes

What we learned while building this dossier — not vendor copy.

scira.ai/about ↗

About page is the pricing source of truth

Hosted tiers, model caps, and the 13/4/1 mode split all live on scira.ai/about — not buried in checkout. Pro OpenAI weekly cap is GPT 5.4 only; GPT 5.5 is Max-only on the same weekly counter.

api.scira.ai/docs ↗

X agent endpoint is /api/xsearch

Docs describe POST /api/xsearch with query plus optional username (without @). Older copy sometimes said /api/x — treat the docs as canonical when wiring integrations.

GitHub README ↗

28 tools in the open repo

README lists web, extreme, academic, Reddit, X, YouTube, GitHub, Spotify, URL ingestion, and more — backed by Exa, Firecrawl, Tavily, Parallel, xAI Grok, etc. Self-hosters inherit the same tool surface.

scira.ai/about ↗

Lookouts change the plagiarism conversation

Scheduled agents that email diffs blur the line between research assistant and surveillance. Syllabus should say whether recurring monitors are allowed on course topics.

COMPETITIVE LENS

Where Scira AI wins for cited research — and where a rival still belongs in the stack.

Perplexity is the default cited search UI students already know. Scira wins on mode breadth, MCP handoffs, and self-host — Perplexity wins on polish and brand trust.

Scira AI

  • 18 modes vs one general answer box
  • MCP actions into Notion, Slack, GitHub
  • AGPL fork for campus privacy reviews
  • Separate API agents for X and Reddit

Perplexity

  • Cleaner consumer onboarding
  • Stronger default for quick factual Q&A
  • Enterprise procurement story is further along
  • Fewer quota dimensions to explain to students

UNDER THE HOOD

Vendors named on the product about page — useful for procurement and privacy reviews.

Inference
Vercel AI SDK
Search
Exa
Voice
ElevenLabs
Hosting
Vercel
Payments
Polar · DodoPayments
License
AGPL-3.0

DEEP PANES · 9 LENSES

Editorial lenses only. Subscription and API pricing live in their own sections above.

Lens 01

Search modes

Scira is not one search box. Each mode changes retrieval posture and what counts as a good answer.

Modes shipped
18 (web, academic, X, code, extreme, …)
Desk rule
Name the mode in your methods section
  • Web: general internet synthesis
  • Academic: papers and scholarly sources
  • Extreme: multi-step deep research
  • X / Reddit: social signal, not literature review

TEST SCENARIOS · hands-on lab

How we exercised the product. Step through each run before you trust the scores.

Test run

Step 1 of 5

Pick Academic mode with a narrow question and require five unique domains in the answer.

BEST FOR

  • Multi-step questions that need sources, not vibes
  • Users who want a cited search UI with mode selection rather than one generic answer box
  • Developers wiring Scira’s API or MCP search tools into workflows
  • Teams that may self-host or inspect the AGPL-3.0 codebase
  • VerdictPal card authors who need a flagship dossier template

AVOID IF

  • You cite the summary without opening linked sources
  • You need guaranteed peer-reviewed full text or database-grade systematic review coverage
  • You cannot tolerate daily run caps on the free hosted tier
  • You need an enterprise DPA/security package before sending sensitive material

STRENGTHS

  • Hosted cited search
  • Free 3 searches/day
  • Pro unlimited searches/PDF/voice/MCP
  • Max broader model pools/images/Agent preview
  • 18 specialized modes
  • MCP into 100+ apps
  • API platform with Search/People/X/Reddit agents
  • Scira MCP server
  • AGPL-3.0 repo
  • 5M+ searches and 100K+ users claimed

WEAKNESSES

  • Social and fast-moving modes can overweight recency/chatter
  • Free caps block serious research weeks
  • Premium model caps require plan literacy
  • MCP actions expand permission boundary
  • Hosted Scira is cloud-processed unless self-hosted
  • No enterprise DPA found in desk notes
  • Academic mode is not a systematic-review tool

HOW IT COULD IMPROVE

  • Institutional policy friction could be reduced with a local/on-prem deployment option, or at minimum with clear data-handling documentation that compliance teams can review without an NDA.

EDITORIAL EVIDENCE · 5 ENTRIES

TASK

Ask five academic questions with known source sets and verify every citation.

Pending.

↳ primary-source rate, DOI/publisher coverage, paywall handling, hallucinated/unsupported claim rate.

TASK

Run 20 POST /api/search calls on fixed prompts.

Pending.

↳ p50/p95 latency, source count, JSON consistency, quota decrement, error behavior.

TASK

Run the same question in Web, Academic, Extreme, Reddit, and GitHub modes.

Pending.

↳ domain mix, source quality, answer usefulness, social-noise rate, wall-clock time.

TASK

Save one cited answer through an MCP destination and inspect permission scopes and final formatting.

Pending.

↳ setup friction, permission clarity, data leakage risk, output usefulness.

TASK

Run the fourth hosted Free search inside 24 hours.

Pending.

↳ block behavior, upgrade copy, reset clarity, student-fit note.

This tool is in the VerdictPal Citation Fidelity protocol — frozen question bank, dual-reviewer grading, results still pending. Citation Fidelity v0.1 →

PRIVACY DEEP-DIVE · checked 2026-06-09

Hosted Scira is cloud-processed; AGPL-3.0 source provides an inspect/self-host escape hatch. MCP/app connections expand permissions. Treat sensitive PDFs, private documents, and connected-app actions as cloud/integration workflows unless self-hosting and data paths are verified.

Training on your dataNot stated
EU data residencyNot documented
SOC 2 attestationNot documented
Local-first by defaultCloud only

WORKFLOW ROLES

How this tool fits into a composed research stack:

web discoverycited synthesisAPI retrievalMCP handoff

QUALITY GATE · FLAGSHIP

Evidence ready
Benchmark pending
  • desk hands-on 2026-06-15: headline and metrics adjusted after desk trial.
  • Next action: Run academic precision, API latency, mode comparison, MCP handoff, and free-cap behavior benchmarks.
  • benchmarkReady stays false until at least one desk benchmark row is complete; named tasks and caveats are on the dossier now.
  • License: AGPL-3.0
  • Has API: true
  • Open source: true
  • Public recommendation: true
Editorial · hands-onFlagship

Related dossiers

AI search
Perplexity
72/100
ROLECited search front door and web-grounded API platform

Consumer app · Text

Cited answer engine and AI search platform with consumer Pro/Max search, Deep Research, Spaces/files, and developer APIs including Sonar, Search, Agent, and Embeddings.

Watch outYou plan to paste the answer into a graded bibliography without opening every citation

Editorial · hands-onFlagship
First-pass source mapsPolicy, news, product,
From$20/MOPro
Editorial fit
72
Source quality
68
Citation honesty
56
Privacy controls
36
Value for money
52
Data portability
55
AI search
Exa
76/100
ROLEAI-native web retrieval and RAG source fetching

API · Text · Data

AI-native web search, contents, answer, monitor, and agent API platform for AI systems that need current web context, parsed pages, token-efficient highlights, structured outputs, and grounded citations.

Watch outYou need a consumer research UI rather than an API

Editorial · hands-onSolid
Agentic research flowsRAG pipelines that
From$7/MOSearch
Editorial fit
76
Source quality
52
Citation honesty
78
Privacy controls
57
Value for money
74
Data portability
65
AI search
You.com
64/100
ROLEAI search and web-grounding API alternative

API · Text · Image · Code

Enterprise-oriented web search API and research API platform for grounding AI systems, with consumer search/chat roots, SOC2 positioning, DPA-ready terms, and zero-data-retention options.

Watch outYou want a stable consumer-search review and the product surface is currently API-first in public positioning

Editorial · hands-onSolid
Developers who needTeams comparing AI-search
From$15/MOYouPro
Editorial fit
64
Source quality
55
Citation honesty
66
Privacy controls
45
Value for money
64
Data portability
77
AI search
Kagi
92/100
ROLEPrivate paid web search and AI-search alternative

Prosumer SaaS · Text

User-funded, ad-free search engine with paid web search, result controls, privacy-oriented defaults, Privacy Pass/Tor support, and optional Kagi Assistant modes.

Watch outYou need free unlimited search

Editorial · hands-onSolid
Users who wantResearch workflows that
From$5/MOStarter
Editorial fit
92
Source quality
76
Citation honesty
88
Privacy controls
96
Value for money
74
Data portability
59

Browse the atlas

The Pack · Editorial newsletter

New cards in your inbox. Free.

One short email when a card ships or changes status. No tracking, no third-party analytics. Unsubscribe in one click.