Scopus

Elsevier

What it is

Scopus is an abstract and citation database for locating research, identifying experts, and analyzing scholarly output. Its product page lists more than 100 million records across academic journals, preprints, books, and conference proceedings. Search tools help users find sources, examine trends, and identify potential collaborators. Author Profiles show research output, impact, and collaborators, while metrics cover journals, articles, authors, and institutions, including CiteScore, SNIP, SJR, PlumX, and h-index. Users can analyze, compare, and export output at individual or institutional levels. Scopus with AI adds referenced topic summaries, expanded summaries, conversational follow-up, foundational documents, concept maps, emerging themes, and Deep Research reports. These summaries use Scopus metadata, abstracts, and author profiles, with coverage starting in 2003. APIs provide metadata, abstracts, and citation data to subscribing institutions under stated policies. A free preview is available; full access is sold through organization subscriptions.

For and against

For

Covers journals, preprints, books, and proceedings
Provides author and institutional metrics
AI adds referenced summaries and research reports
Supports analysis, comparison, and export
Offers APIs for subscribing institutions

Against

Full access requires organization subscription
API access is limited to subscribing institutions
AI summary coverage starts at 2003

The verdict

Scopus combines broad scholarly coverage with citation metrics, profiles, analytics, and AI-assisted summaries. Its subscription model and institutional API conditions matter for individual users.

Who it suits

Scopus is aimed at researchers, educators, students, librarians, and higher-education administrators. It suits users needing literature search, author information, metrics, or institutional analysis.

Plans and prices

Scopus Preview

Free

Free preview access; full Scopus access is sold by organization subscription

Read 8 Oct 2026 · elsevier.com

Scopus organization subscription

Priced on request

Available for organization subscription access only; contact Elsevier for subscription options

Read 8 Oct 2026 · elsevier.com

Every plan, in full

On the record

AI content scope: Scopus with AI summaries use Scopus metadata, abstracts, and author profiles, and summary coverage starts at 2003.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
AI privacy: Elsevier says Scopus with AI adheres to GDPR and that queries passed to ChatGPT hosted on Microsoft Azure will not be stored or used to train or improve ChatGPT.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Analytics: Scopus lets users analyze, compare, and export research output at individual or institutional levels.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
API access: Scopus APIs provide metadata, abstracts, and citation data to Scopus-subscribing academic institutions, including for research portals and institutional systems such as Pure and Digital Commons.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
API policy: Elsevier ties API use to specific use cases and policies, and says other uses may require approval.dev.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Audience: Elsevier describes Scopus as serving researchers, educators, students, librarians, and administrators in higher education.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Author profiles: Scopus Author Profiles show research output, impact, and collaborators, and are automatically populated with the latest insights.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Content coverage: Scopus includes academic journals, preprints, books, and conference proceedings, with more than 100 million records listed on its product page.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Content review: Scopus content is curated by an independent international Content Selection and Advisory Board.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Metrics: Scopus offers journal, article, author, and institutional metrics, including CiteScore, SNIP, SJR, PlumX, and h-index.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Product: Scopus is an abstract and citation database for finding relevant research, identifying experts, and gaining insights with metrics and analytical tools.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Research search: Scopus search tools help users discover sources, identify research trends, and find potential collaborators.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Scopus with AI: Scopus with AI provides referenced topic summaries, expanded summaries, conversational follow-up, foundational documents, concept maps, emerging themes, and Deep Research reports.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026
Support: The product page links to a Scopus Support Center and the Author Profile Wizard for author-profile corrections.elsevier.com · read 8 Oct 2026