# Consensus vs Gemini Notebook

> Consensus: Search peer-reviewed research and get cited, evidence-based answers in seconds
> Gemini Notebook: Google's Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, answers questions and builds summaries from your own sources

- Consensus profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/consensus
- Gemini Notebook profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/notebooklm
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/consensus-vs-notebooklm
- Last reviewed: November 2026

## Verdict

Consensus is listed under Education & Research and Gemini Notebook under AI Assistants. Gemini Notebook scores higher in FinderAtlas's editorial review (8.7 vs 8.0 out of 10), led by value for money. Both have a free plan or trial. Only Gemini Notebook is available on iOS.

### Choose Consensus if

- You want a tool built for quick literature scans, finding citable peer-reviewed sources, checking what the evidence says on a yes/no question.
- Every answer links back to cited peer-reviewed papers.
- Consensus Meter gives a quick view of agreement on yes/no questions.

### Choose Gemini Notebook if

- You want a tool built for summarizing and questioning your own documents.
- Answers cite the uploaded sources, so claims can be checked against the original text.
- Free Standard tier with 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook.

## Pricing

| | Consensus | Gemini Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | Consensus | Gemini Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Search and Deep Search | Yes | Not listed |
| Consensus Meter | Yes | Not listed |
| Study Snapshots | Yes | Not listed |
| Ask Paper | Yes | Not listed |
| Threads | Yes | Not listed |
| Medical Mode | Yes | Not listed |
| Citation Graph | Yes | Not listed |
| Citation Export and Collections | Yes | Not listed |
| Source-grounded chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Audio Overviews | Not listed | Yes |
| Video Overviews | Not listed | Yes |
| Study tools | Not listed | Yes |
| Reports, slide decks and infographics | Not listed | Yes |
| Multiple source types | Not listed | Yes |
| Cloud computer | Not listed | Yes |
| Gemini app sync | Not listed | Yes |
| Sharing and public notebooks | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | Consensus | Gemini Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | No | No |
| macOS | No | No |
| iOS | No | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | No | No |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## Consensus strengths

- Every answer links back to cited peer-reviewed papers
- Consensus Meter gives a quick view of agreement on yes/no questions
- Export to RIS, BibTeX and CSV fits existing reference workflows
- Medical Mode narrows results to top medical journals and clinical guidelines
- Free search available without payment
- Stated use by students at over 10,000 universities (company claim)

## Consensus limitations

- Deep reviews are capped (3/month free, 15 on Pro), so heavy literature reviews need the $65 Deep plan
- Corpus size claims differ across the company's own pages (200M+ vs 400M+)
- Focused on academic literature, so it is not a general-purpose assistant

## Gemini Notebook strengths

- Answers cite the uploaded sources, so claims can be checked against the original text
- Free Standard tier with 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook
- Wide range of outputs, including Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes and slide decks
- Accepts PDFs, websites, YouTube videos, audio files, Google Docs and Google Slides
- Available on web, iOS and Android, and synced with the Gemini app

## Gemini Notebook limitations

- Works from the sources you add and is not built for live web news search
- Higher limits require a Google AI subscription; Ultra starts at $99.99 per month
- The cloud computer for code execution started with Ultra and Workspace AI Ultra Access customers, with Pro rollout still described as upcoming
- No public API for the consumer product, and the renamed brand can make older guides and app listings confusing

## FAQ

**Is Consensus better than Gemini Notebook?**

It depends on your workflow. Consensus is built for quick literature scans, finding citable peer-reviewed sources, checking what the evidence says on a yes/no question. Gemini Notebook is built for summarizing and questioning your own documents.

**What are the key feature differences between Consensus and Gemini Notebook?**

Consensus: Search peer-reviewed research and get cited, evidence-based answers in seconds. Gemini Notebook: Google's Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, answers questions and builds summaries from your own sources.

**Does Consensus or Gemini Notebook have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. Consensus is freemium and Gemini Notebook is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, Consensus or Gemini Notebook?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.