OpenEvidence vs ClinicalKey (2025): The Synthesiser vs The Library

Last reviewed: 2025-12-19 · Reviewed by

At a Glance

Who is it for?

OpenEvidence:Clinicians

ClinicalKey:Researchers / Academics

Why choose OpenEvidence?

  • **Time Saving**: Reads multiple sources to generate one answer.
  • **Simplicity**: Strips away the noise of academic formatting.
  • **Mobile**: Easier to use on a phone.

Why choose ClinicalKey?

  • **Full Text**: Access to copyright-protected books and journals.
  • **Depth**: Nothing is summarised; you get the raw data.
  • **Assets**: High-resolution images for presentations.

Feature Comparison

CapabilityOpenEvidenceClinicalKey
OutputSummary & CitationsList of Documents
ContentOpen Web / PubMedElsevier Proprietary

In-Depth Analysis

Overview

OpenEvidence acts like a research assistant who reads the papers and tells you the conclusion.

ClinicalKey acts like a librarian who points you to the right shelf. If you want the answer, use OpenEvidence. If you want the book, use ClinicalKey.

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Use-Cases

Quick Clinical Decision

When to choose OpenEvidence

  • **Winner.** Instant answer.

When to choose ClinicalKey

  • Too slow; requires reading chapters.

Preparing a Lecture

When to choose OpenEvidence

  • Good for facts.

When to choose ClinicalKey

  • **Winner.** Essential for finding diagrams and source material.