Freedom251 › Literature Review Software
Open Knowledge Maps
What Open Knowledge Maps is
Open Knowledge Maps is a free web platform that creates AI-driven visual overviews of research topics. It groups publications by topic similarity and labels research areas with relevant concepts, helping researchers, students, and practitioners find resources. The platform says it covers more than 400 million research outputs across disciplines and more than 25 output types, drawing on providers including BASE, ORCID, OpenAIRE, and PubMed. Each map uses the top 100 resources from the selected data source, so relevant work can be absent. Organizations can embed cloud-based Custom Services in discovery systems and limit maps to their own sources; examples include catalogue integrations through OBVSG and SLSP, plus ETH and AUSSDA references. The software is open source and hosted on GitHub. Training materials are available, while supporting memberships add training activities, technical documentation, and support. Membership tiers vary by organization and country-income category.
Who it suits
It suits researchers, students, and practitioners who need visual discovery of literature. Organizations may also use its Custom Services and integrations for source-specific discovery.
What it does well
- Free web access
- Visual topic grouping and concept labels
- Coverage of more than 400 million outputs
- Open-source software hosted on GitHub
- Custom Services can restrict data sources
What to know first
- Maps use only the top 100 resources
- Important resources may be missing
- No systematic review tools
- No collaboration features
Limits
Maps use the top 100 resources from the selected data source, so relevant resources may be missing. The free platform has no other stated usage limit in these facts.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Visionary Membership — high income countries (large organisations) | EUR 10,800 / year · 3 Board of Supporters seats · website listing · logo in select materials | €10,800 a year |
| Visionary Membership — lower & middle income countries | EUR 1,280 / year · 3 Board of Supporters seats · website listing · logo in select materials | €1,280 a year |
| Basic Membership — high income countries (small organisations) | EUR 1,900 / year · 1 Board of Supporters seat · website listing | €1,900 a year |
| Sustaining Membership — high income countries (small organisations) | EUR 2,900 / year · 2 Board of Supporters seats · website listing · logo in select materials | €2,900 a year |
| Basic Membership — high income countries (large organisations) | EUR 3,800 / year · 1 Board of Supporters seat · website listing | €3,800 a year |
| Basic Membership — lower & middle income countries | EUR 480 / year · 1 Board of Supporters seat · website listing | €480 a year |
| Visionary Membership — high income countries (small organisations) | EUR 5,400 / year · 3 Board of Supporters seats · website listing · logo in select materials | €5,400 a year |
| Sustaining Membership — high income countries (large organisations) | EUR 5,800 / year · 2 Board of Supporters seats · website listing · logo in select materials | €5,800 a year |
The first 8 of 9 plans, as openknowledgemaps.org lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word. Every plan
Getting started
- Open the Open Knowledge Maps website in a browser.
- Search for a research topic to create a visual overview.
- Select a data source for the map.
- Organizations can explore embedding cloud-based Custom Services and restricting maps to their own sources.
- Review annual membership tiers if you want supporting membership, training activities, technical documentation, or support.
Verdict
Open Knowledge Maps offers a broad, visual way to explore research literature at no cost. Its 100-resource map limit and lack of collaboration or systematic-review tools should shape expectations.
Questions
Is Open Knowledge Maps free?
Yes. The platform has a free plan. Optional supporting memberships are billed annually.
What does membership cost?
Annual membership prices range from EUR 480 per year to EUR 10,800 per year across the listed country-income and organization-size categories and tiers.
What platforms does it support?
Open Knowledge Maps is listed as a web platform.
Is the software open source?
Yes. The maker says its software is open source and hosted on GitHub.
Which research data providers does it name?
Named providers include BASE, ORCID, OpenAIRE, and PubMed.
What is the main limit on a map?
A map uses the top 100 resources from its selected data source, which may leave out important resources.
Facts from Open Knowledge Maps's own pages
- Audience
- The about page describes the discovery platform as serving researchers, students, and practitioners. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Custom integrations
- Organizations can embed cloud-based Custom Services in discovery systems and restrict maps to their own data sources. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Data processing
- The privacy policy lists Google Drive, MailChimp, Hypothes.is, and PayPal among services used for specified functions. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Data sources
- The maker names BASE, ORCID, OpenAIRE, and PubMed among its data provider integrations. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2015 · openknowledgemaps.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Vienna, Austria · openknowledgemaps.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Integration examples
- The maker describes catalogue integrations through OBVSG and SLSP and cites ETH and AUSSDA examples. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Map limit
- The FAQ says maps use the top 100 resources from the selected data source, which may cause important resources to be missing. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Open source
- The maker says its software is open source and hosted on GitHub. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy and security
- The privacy policy says browser connections to the website and web services are encrypted and routine access logs are deleted after 30 days. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Open Knowledge Maps creates AI-driven visual overviews of research topics to help researchers, students, and practitioners identify relevant resources. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Research coverage
- The site says the platform covers more than 400 million research outputs across disciplines and more than 25 output types. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Support and training
- The maker provides training materials and says supporting membership includes training activities, technical documentation, and support. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Topic maps
- Its pipeline groups publications by topic similarity and labels research areas with relevant concepts. · openknowledgemaps.org, 7 Oct 2026
Where Open Knowledge Maps stands on Freedom251
- Literature Review Software#20 of 28