Last updated 08-09-2026
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Connected Papers
Connected Papers helps researchers explore academic literature through visual similarity graphs instead of citation trees. Enter a paper DOI, arXiv link, PubMed URL, or title and the site builds a force-directed map of closely related work. Each graph analyzes about 50,000 papers and surfaces the few dozen with the strongest bibliographic connections to your origin paper.
Unlike citation indexes that only link direct references, Connected Papers clusters papers by co-citation and bibliographic coupling, so related studies can sit side by side even when they never cite each other. The layout pushes dissimilar work away and highlights the shortest similarity path back to your seed paper. That visual approach makes it easier to spot seminal papers and emerging trends than scrolling flat result lists.
Grad students, thesis writers, and applied scientists use it to skim new fields, catch papers they missed, and build bibliographies from a shortlist of must-include references. The free tier covers casual exploration, while premium plans remove the monthly graph cap for heavy literature reviews.
Each graph analyzes about 50,000 papers and selects the strongest matches to your origin paper
Build graphs from a DOI, arXiv URL, PubMed link, or paper title search
Similarity ranking uses co-citation and bibliographic coupling, not just direct citations
Free plan includes 5 graphs per month with multi-origin graphs, saved papers, and graph history
Premium Academic plan is $6 per month billed at $72 annually for unlimited graphs
Paper data comes from the Semantic Scholar corpus covering hundreds of millions of publications
Visual similarity graphs surface related papers that never cite each other directly.
Free tier includes full features with 5 graphs per month.
Accepts DOI, arXiv, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar title searches.
Premium plans unlock unlimited graphs for heavy literature reviews.
Free accounts cap at 5 graphs per month.
Business premium costs $20 per month for commercial users.
Graph quality depends on Semantic Scholar coverage for your field.
What is Connected Papers?
Connected Papers is a visual research tool that maps academic papers by similarity. You enter one paper and Connected Papers builds a graph of related studies clustered by shared citations and references rather than a traditional citation tree.
How many graphs can I build for free on Connected Papers?
Connected Papers gives free accounts 5 graphs per month with every feature included. Researchers who need more than 5 graphs can upgrade to Academic or Business premium plans for unlimited monthly graphs.
How does Connected Papers find related papers?
Connected Papers scans about 50,000 papers per graph and ranks similarity using co-citation and bibliographic coupling. A force-directed layout clusters related work and highlights the shortest path from each node back to your origin paper.
What identifiers can I use to start a Connected Papers graph?
Connected Papers accepts paper DOIs, arXiv URLs, PubMed links, and title searches from Semantic Scholar. You can also open example graphs on the homepage to explore a field before searching your own paper.
How much does Connected Papers premium cost?
Connected Papers Academic premium is $6 per month billed at $72 annually for unlimited graphs. The Business plan is $20 per month billed at $240 annually for commercial use. Group seat pricing follows the same per-seat rates.
Where does Connected Papers get its paper data?
Connected Papers connects to the Semantic Scholar Paper Corpus, which indexes hundreds of millions of published papers across scientific fields. The database is licensed under ODC-BY and powers the similarity search behind each graph.
Can I get a scholarship for Connected Papers premium?
Yes. Connected Papers offers a scholarship program for researchers who cannot afford premium. Email [email protected] with your situation and the team may provide a discounted or free premium plan.