RevMan

RevMan is Cochrane’s software for writing and analyzing systematic reviews. It suits students, academics and review teams who need structured methods and shared editing. Its integrated analysis and reporting are compelling, but practice-review restrictions and the lack of mobile support can rule it out for some workflows.

Overview

RevMan supports diagnostic test accuracy, intervention, methodology, overview, prognosis, qualitative and flexible reviews. It combines review writing, analysis and visualization, but does not provide a screening workflow. Choose it when your project needs a structured review workspace; look elsewhere if screening must be part of the same tool.

Key features

Authors can edit separate parts of a review simultaneously and see who else is working on it. Ready-made or custom templates, structured headings and Cochrane methodological guidance give collaborators a shared framework. This is useful for teams coordinating a substantial review, though it does not replace a screening tool.

For quantitative work, RevMan supports pairwise meta-analyses, sensitivity and subgroup analyses, and fixed-effects, random-effects, Mantel-Haenszel and inverse-variance models. Built-in forest, SROC and funnel plots, risk-of-bias assessments and PRISMA flow diagrams connect analysis with reporting. That breadth is a strength for reviews needing these methods and outputs, but may be unnecessary for projects focused only on literature discovery or screening.

Study data and references can be imported from Covidence. RIS imports can draw on Crossref, PubMed or CRS. GRADEpro integration is not enabled for non-Cochrane reviews, and Cochrane Library data cannot be downloaded and reused in RevMan; those restrictions matter to authors planning around either workflow.

RevMan Web complies with GDPR for processing personal data of people in the EU, encrypts stored data and uses 256-bit SSL for communications. It is hosted on AWS, with customer data in London and Ireland, and uses Cochrane Account single sign-on with OpenID Connect. After a subscription ends, reviews and their history remain accessible in RevMan for 60 days, so subscribers should plan exports and continuity around that window.

Pricing

RevMan has a free practice-review plan, free Cochrane author access and paid individual and organization subscriptions. A 30-day trial is offered. The practice review costs nothing, but is limited to one person per review, has no data export and is deleted after 30 days. It is suitable for trying the workflow, not for retaining or collaborating on ongoing work.

Cochrane authors working on Cochrane Reviews get free access to RevMan Web. For individual paid use, the student subscription is £80 a year, billed £80.00 + VAT (EU & UK); eligibility is shown after login. The academic plan is £100 a year, billed £100.00 + VAT (EU & UK), with eligibility shown after login. The standard individual subscription is £130 a year, billed £130.00 + VAT (EU & UK). These annual plans suit individuals who need an ongoing review workspace; the lower student and academic prices depend on eligibility.

Organization subscriptions start at £560 for up to 8 users, with price varying by organization type and number of seats. This is the team option for organizations needing multiple accounts, but the starting price is not a fixed quote for every group. The cheaper practice plan gives up collaboration, retention and export, while Cochrane author access is limited to authors working on Cochrane Reviews.

Platforms

RevMan supports Linux, macOS, Windows and the web. RevMan Web supports Chrome, Firefox and newer Edge versions; mobile devices and touchscreen use are not supported. It is therefore a poor fit for reviewers who need to work from phones or tablets. The Knowledge Base directs users who need more help to contact the Cochrane Support Team.

Who it's for

RevMan is best suited to review authors who need structured writing, supported meta-analysis methods and report-ready visualizations, especially when collaborators need to work in parallel. Students and academics may fit the lower-priced individual plans if eligible; organizations can choose a subscription starting at £560 for up to 8 users. It is not the right choice for teams seeking an integrated screening workflow or mobile use.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A broad set of review types and meta-analysis methods supports more than intervention reviews alone.
• Pros: Shared editing, templates and methodological guidance give collaborators a common writing structure.
• Pros: Built-in plots, risk-of-bias assessments and PRISMA flow diagrams bring analysis and reporting into one workspace.
• Cons: The practice plan allows only one person per review, deletes work after 30 days and provides no export.
• Cons: There is no screening workflow, and mobile devices and touchscreen use are unsupported.
• Cons: GRADEpro integration is unavailable for non-Cochrane reviews, and Cochrane Library data cannot be reused in RevMan.

Alternatives

For a free, open-source review tool, ASReview may suit readers who can run it on their own hardware or server; those costs may still apply. Bibliometrix is a free open-source R package with a Biblioshiny web interface, a different option for readers who want that package-based approach.

EviSynth offers free academic access with unlimited collaborators and no subscription. Rayyan may fit teams centered on screening: its free plan allows 3 active reviews and 2 free reviewers, with limited mobile app access.

Elicit is another freemium option for readers seeking research-agent or research-report workflows, with limited usage on its Basic plan. Litmaps has a free plan for basic search, up to 20 inputs and 100 articles, but limits users to one Litmap and offers no collaboration on that plan.

ResearchRabbit may suit readers who want unlimited searches across 310+ million articles and shared collections on its free plan, which allows up to 50 seed articles. Abstrackr is a free option for readers prioritizing no seat limits or usage caps.

Browse Literature Review Software or Systematic Review Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose RevMan if you need a structured review-writing and analysis workspace with collaboration, supported meta-analysis methods and built-in reporting visuals. Its strongest advantage is bringing those review stages together; look elsewhere if you need screening, mobile access, or a practice plan that preserves and exports collaborative work.