Litmaps
Litmaps is a literature review tool that turns seed articles into interactive citation maps, recommends related papers and sends alerts on new research.
About this tool
Litmaps helps students and researchers work through a literature review visually. You start by searching for one or more seed articles, and Litmaps builds a map that places related papers as a network, making it easier to spot influential citations, clusters of work and articles you may have missed.
Beyond discovery, it can monitor a topic and alert you when new papers appear, and it lets colleagues collaborate on shared maps. The free plan covers basic search with limits on inputs and the size of each map, while Pro lifts the free plan’s caps on maps and searches and adds more advanced search options and daily literature alerts. Litmaps says it is used in more than 150 countries.
What you can do
Seed-based maps
Search for a starting article and see related papers laid out as an interactive citation network.
Discovery suggestions
Litmaps proposes relevant articles connected to your map so you can widen a review systematically.
Literature alerts
Pro users receive daily alerts when new papers appear in the topics they monitor.
Team collaboration
The Team plan lets groups share maps and work on the same literature collection.
Who is it for?
- A master’s student builds a map around three key papers to structure a thesis chapter.
- A lab monitors a fast-moving topic and is alerted when relevant preprints are published.
- A supervisor and students share one map of the core literature for a project.
Before you choose
The Pro plan requires an academic email address, according to Litmaps’ pricing page; others should check the Team or commercial options.
The free plan limits map size and excludes alerts and collaboration, so it is mainly suited to trying the tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is Litmaps free?
Yes. The free plan offers basic search with a cap of 20 inputs and a maximum of 100 articles in each map, without alerts or collaboration.
How much is Litmaps Pro?
Litmaps lists Pro at $10 per month or $120 per year, and it requires an academic email address. Discounts exist for some institutions and countries.
Can Litmaps alert me about new papers?
Yes. Pro and Team plans include daily literature alerts on the topics you choose to monitor.
Check the official website for current features, pricing, and terms.
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