What is Rayyan?
Rayyan is a platform built for researchers who conduct systematic reviews and evidence synthesis. It brings the entire review workflow into one place, from screening references to extracting data. Over a million researchers use it across more than 190 countries, and it is designed to handle projects ranging from small studies to reviews with millions of references.
You start by importing your references. Rayyan helps you remove duplicates automatically using your own protocol, then guides you through screening with AI-assisted prioritization. You can work on the web or through the mobile app, even offline. Hot keys let you move quickly through decisions. The ResearchPilot feature adds zero-shot relevance ratings, an AI analyzer, an AI reviewer, and auto data extraction to speed things up further.
Rayyan suits research teams that need transparency and auditability. Every decision is traceable, and the platform generates PRISMA diagrams and audit trails. It also supports team coordination through data sampling and workload division. The site notes it is free forever for basic use, with no credit card required to start.
Rayyan features
- Systematic Auto-Resolver: Deduplicate up to 200,000 references in one click using your own protocol.
- ResearchPilot: Get zero-shot relevance ratings, AI analysis, AI review, and automatic data extraction.
- Mobile app: Screen references on the go or offline to use travel time productively.
- Programmable hot keys: Speed up your screening by completing tasks with keyboard shortcuts.
- Data sampling: Create randomized subsets, split workload, and coordinate your review team.
What you can do with Rayyan
- Screen thousands of references for a systematic review in days instead of months.
- Remove duplicate studies from a large dataset before starting full-text review.
- Extract PICO data automatically from included studies to build evidence tables.
- Coordinate a distributed review team with shared decisions and audit trails.
How to get started with Rayyan
- Sign up for a free account on Rayyan's website; no credit card is required.
- Create a new review and import your references from databases or files.
- Use the auto-deduplicator and AI screening tools to prioritize and review records.
Tips for better results with Rayyan
- Start by importing your references and running the Systematic Auto-Resolver to deduplicate up to 200,000 records in one click, using your own protocol to avoid losing unique studies.
- Use Rayyan's programmable hot keys to speed up screening decisions, especially when working through thousands of references, so you can maintain focus and reduce repetitive mouse clicks.
- Leverage ResearchPilot's zero-shot relevance ratings to prioritize your screening order, but always verify its AI suggestions against your inclusion criteria before making final decisions.
- Coordinate your team with Rayyan's data sampling feature to create randomized subsets and divide workload, ensuring each reviewer handles a manageable, transparent portion of the review.
Rayyan pricing
Rayyan has a free way to start, with paid plans for heavier use. Check rayyan.ai for current limits and prices.
What to check before you rely on Rayyan
- Confirm which features are included in the free forever plan, as the website does not specify limits for ResearchPilot or data sampling without a paid subscription.
- Check whether your institution's data privacy policies allow uploading references to a cloud platform, since Rayyan stores your review data on its servers.
- Verify that Rayyan can export your final decisions and audit trails in the format your journal or funder requires, as the site does not list all export options.
Who Rayyan is for
Rayyan suits researchers, academic teams, evidence synthesis specialists and healthcare reviewers. If that is not you, the AI research tools below may fit better.
Similar tools compared with Rayyan
| Tool | What it is | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Rayyan | AI-assisted systematic review platform | Freemium |
| OpenSI | AI model comparison and pricing tool | See website |
| ChatPDF | AI chat and summarizer for PDFs | Freemium |
| Consensus | AI search engine for research papers | See website |
| Scite | AI research assistant with smart citations | Free trial |
Rayyan FAQ
What does Rayyan do?
Rayyan is an AI-assisted platform for systematic reviews and literature reviews. It helps you deduplicate references, screen studies, extract data, and manage your review workflow in one place, with full audit trails.
Is Rayyan free?
Yes, Rayyan offers a free plan that is free forever for basic use, and no credit card is required to start. There are also paid plans, but the website does not list specific pricing details on the homepage.
Who is Rayyan for?
It is built for researchers and teams conducting evidence synthesis, including academic researchers, healthcare reviewers, and organizations like the World Health Organization. It supports individual reviewers and large collaborative teams.
Can I use Rayyan on mobile?
Yes, Rayyan has a mobile app that lets you screen references on the go or offline. This helps you use time productively when you are away from your desk.
Can Rayyan export my screening decisions and data to other tools?
Rayyan lets you export your review data, including screening decisions and extracted data, so you can use it in other software. The website does not list specific export formats or integrations, so check the platform's export options or contact their support for details on what is available.
Does Rayyan work on Windows, Mac, or Linux?
Rayyan works on the web, so you can use it on any device with a browser, including Windows, Mac, or Linux computers. It also has a mobile app for iOS and Android. The website does not mention a dedicated desktop app, so you can rely on the web version for full functionality.
What does the free plan in Rayyan include?
Rayyan is free forever for basic use, with no credit card required to start. The free plan includes core features like reference import, deduplication, screening, and collaboration. Advanced AI features like ResearchPilot may require a paid plan, so check the pricing page for details on what is included.
