OpenAlex
7.9#2 in academic research databasesFrom $5,000 a yearFree planWebAPIExtensionLinux
VisitOpenAlex vs The Lens
What both publish
| Fact | OpenAlex | The Lens |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | OpenAlex's transparency page says Impactstory incorporated in North Carolina in 2012. | The Lens says it launched in 2001, while its predecessor Patent Lens work began in 1999. |
| Organization | OpenAlex is operated by a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all code is open source. | The Lens became a wholly owned subsidiary of SPIE in 2026, operating as The Lens Limited, a non-profit based in Australia. |
| Support | Member includes community support, Member+ includes ticket-based help for critical API bugs, and Partner includes full ticket-based support for API and data issues. | The Lens lists [email protected] and [email protected] as contact emails and provides a support request form. |
OpenAlex plans
- FreeFree
- Pay as you go$1, paid once
- Member$5,000 a year
- Member+$10,000 a year
- Partner$20,000 a year
The Lens plans
- Academic / non-commercial accessPriced on request
- Individual commercial use$1,000 a year
- Academic WorkspaceFree
- Anonymous accessFree
- API TrialFree
- Individual Professional Workspace$1,000 a year
Pick OpenAlex if…
OpenAlex suits researchers and developers who need a broad research catalog, API access, or bulk data downloads. Teams using its unsanitized external text fields should follow its guidance to escape output and apply OWASP XSS-prevention practices.
Pick The Lens if…
The Lens suits researchers and other users searching scholarly works, patents, or their citation connections. Its free academic workspace is for academic non-commercial research, while commercial users need appropriate permissions.