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Multi-AI research workspace

Socratic ONEturns one promptinto a research room.

Start with 3 free platform AI debates per month, no API key needed. Compare model perspectives and read The Brief to see where they agree and disagree.

Public beta. Free to start, no credit card for the Free plan, with an optional OpenRouter connection for your own model selection.

Sample discussion

Should the standard workweek be four days?

Three perspectives from a four-model debate.

  1. Claude

    The strongest evidence — Iceland's national trials, Microsoft Japan — shows output holds or rises when hours drop, because people cut low-value meetings, not real work. A four-day week is mostly a productivity-hygiene forcing function.

  2. GPT-5

    I agree the knowledge-work data is compelling, but the mechanism matters: gains come from focus, not fewer hours per se. Mandate the calendar discipline, not just the day off, or you just get a compressed, more stressful five days.

  3. Llama 4

    This is a knowledge-worker fantasy. Nurses, line cooks, drivers, retail staff — they can't 'cut meetings.' For them four days means either 25% less coverage or brutal 10-hour shifts.

Model families from many labs

Connect OpenRouter to choose from its current model catalog, which can include families from labs like these. The models, capabilities and prices you can pick depend on your connected provider and its catalog when you start a discussion.

  • OpenAI
  • Anthropic
  • Google DeepMind
  • Meta
  • DeepSeek
  • Moonshot AI
  • Alibaba Qwen
  • Mistral
  • xAI
  • MiniMax
  • Cohere
  • Perplexity

How models are routed

  • SambaNovaPlatform inference

    Platform AI roles, such as the moderator and assistant, run on inference providers the platform configures. Your free platform AI debates need no API key.

  • OpenRouterYour model routing

    Connect with OAuth-PKCE or an OpenRouter key. Your browser stores the key and sends it over HTTPS to our backend for model calls; streaming can hold it in a temporary server cache for up to 5 minutes.

Learn how Fact Check works
Your OpenRouter connection
OpenRouter

Bring your own key. Stored in your browser.

The frontier models you can debate with are routed through your own OpenRouter account. Connect using OAuth-PKCE, with authorization handled by OpenRouter. Your browser stores the key and sends it to our backend for model calls. Streaming uses a temporary server cache for up to 5 minutes, deleted when used. Your key is not saved in your account database.

OAuth 2.1 / PKCEBrowser-local storageRevocable in one click
You authorize at OpenRouter
The Connect OpenRouter Account button inside Socratic ONE, with the note that authorization uses whichever OpenRouter account is signed in
One click here sends you to openrouter.ai to approve access. The sign-in happens there, not on our domain.
Connected -- model catalog live
The post-connection panel inside Socratic ONE showing OpenRouter as connected with model count
Key is stored in this browser only. Disconnect or revoke takes one click -- on either side.
  1. 01Click connect

    From your dashboard, choose Connect OpenRouter. Your browser generates a PKCE verifier locally to secure the authorization-code exchange with OpenRouter.

  2. 02Authorize at OpenRouter

    OpenRouter shows you the permission scope. You approve. They redirect back with a short-lived auth code -- not your API key.

  3. 03Browser-only handoff

    Your browser swaps the auth code for an API key directly with OpenRouter, then stores it in this browser only. Our backend never touches the exchange.

What we see, what we don’t.

Architectural honesty
  • Your OpenRouter API keyStored in your browser. Used by our backend for model calls; the stream cache retains it for up to 5 minutes and deletes it when used.
  • PKCE code verifierGenerated in your browser and sent directly to OpenRouter to complete the exchange.
  • Per-call usage recordsToken counts and estimated cost support usage tracking. Discussion replies are stored separately.
  • Your OpenRouter account passwordWe never see it -- OpenRouter handles the login, not us.
  • Discussion content (your prompts + AI replies)Stored in our PostgreSQL so you can revisit. Owner-only access enforced.
  • Your spending capSet at openrouter.ai -- we honor it but never override it.
Source code: frontend/lib/openrouter/storage.ts -- inspect how browser-local key storage works.

During a debate, the key is sent over HTTPS and held transiently in backend memory to call your selected models. A temporary stream cache retains the key for up to 5 minutes and deletes it when used. Your key is not saved in your account database. Discussion content is stored separately. Revoke any time at openrouter.ai/keys -- OpenRouter controls whether future calls can use the key.

How it works

From question to multiple perspectives in four steps.

  1. Choose a topic

    Enter your research question or debate topic.

  2. Select models

    Use platform AI for your free debates, or connect OpenRouter to choose models.

  3. Watch the debate

    Models take turns in one shared timeline. Later turns can challenge and build on earlier ones.

  4. Read The Brief

    Review model agreement, disagreement, and open questions. Check important claims against original sources.

Research tools

Everything you need to synthesize knowledge from multiple AI perspectives.

  • AI roundtable debates

    Multiple AI models take turns discussing your question. Follow the shared timeline and compare their positions in The Brief. Check important claims against original sources.

  • Your key, your control

    Your browser stores your OpenRouter key and relays it over HTTPS to our backend for model calls. Streaming can retain it in a temporary server cache for up to 5 minutes, deleted when used. Platform AI debates need no user key.

  • Platform AI orchestration

    Platform AI powers included debates and discussion analysis. AI Moderator helps monitor discussion health, while The Brief highlights agreement and points of friction.

See Real Debates

Screenshots from Socratic ONE, including the free sample debate. Model availability and discussion limits depend on your plan.

socratic.one
AI debate: Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Real AI Debate

Claude Opus 4.6 argues taxonomic boundaries. Grok 4.20 cites USDA classifications. GPT-5.4 Pro analyzes consumer cognition. Three models, three frameworks, one question.

One Platform. Multiple Perspectives. Your Rules.

Free and Basic include 3 platform AI debates per month with no API key. These debates count toward your monthly AI round limit. Connect OpenRouter for your own model selection; model availability and usage costs vary.

Paid subscriptions and upgrades are temporarily unavailable. You can start with Free. Existing subscribers can still manage billing or downgrade.

Free

Try the platform

Free

Start with 3 platform AI debates per month, no API key needed.

  • 3 platform AI debates per month, no API key
  • 25 AI rounds per month
  • Up to 2 AI participants per discussion
  • Up to 3 rounds per discussion
  • The Brief and AI Moderator
Get started

Basic

For ongoing research

$5/month

More discussion depth, full history, and downloadable reports.

  • 3 platform AI debates per month, no API key
  • 100 AI rounds per month
  • Up to 4 AI participants per discussion
  • Up to 5 rounds per discussion
  • Full discussion history and custom AI participants
  • PDF and Markdown reports
  • The Brief and AI Moderator

Basic subscriptions temporarily unavailable

Pro

For larger discussions

$20/month

Unlimited discussion rounds with up to 10 participants. Bring your OpenRouter key.

  • Unlimited AI rounds with OpenRouter
  • Up to 10 AI participants per discussion
  • Unlimited rounds per discussion
  • Full discussion history and custom AI participants
  • PDF and Markdown reports
  • The Brief and AI Moderator

Pro subscriptions temporarily unavailable

Need team workspaces, multi-AI code review, or custom integrations? Contact us about Enterprise.

What you pay Socratic ONE

  • Plans: Free, Basic ($5/mo), and Pro ($20/mo)
  • Multi-AI orchestration & debate modes
  • Synthesis reports & discussion history
  • Platform AI orchestration support
  • Browser-local key control

What you pay for AI models

  • Usage-based via your OpenRouter account
  • Free models subject to OpenRouter availability
  • Premium models at OpenRouter market rates
  • Keys stored in your browser, relayed transiently for calls
  • Connect once via secure OAuth

You choose the AI. We orchestrate the thinking.

Full Feature Comparison

FeatureFreeBasicPro
Platform AI debates per month (no key)33Bring your key
AI rounds per month25100Unlimited
AI participants per discussion2410
Rounds per discussion35Unlimited
Discussion historyNot includedFullFull
Custom AI participantsNot includedIncludedIncluded
PDF and Markdown reportsNot includedIncludedIncluded
The Brief and AI ModeratorIncludedIncludedIncluded

OpenRouter model compute is separate from your Socratic ONE subscription.

Built for Every Mind

Whether you're advancing research, building AI, or just curious about the world

AI Made Simple

No PhD required. Ask any question and watch multiple AI experts debate and synthesize an answer. Perfect for learning, decision-making, or just curiosity.

  • Plain language explanations
  • See different perspectives side-by-side
  • Free tier with powerful models
  • 3 no-key platform debates per month
Try Free
AI Roundtable
U

What causes the Northern Lights?

C
Claude

The aurora borealis occurs when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth's magnetosphere...

M
Mistral

Solar wind particles collide with atmospheric gases, producing photon emissions at specific wavelengths...

Synthesizing...

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about Socratic ONE.

Who was Socrates, what is the Socratic Method, and why build Socratic.ONE?

Socrates (Athens, c. 470-399 BCE) left no writings; his thought survives through his students, chiefly Plato. The Socratic Method is cooperative dialogue: state a claim, probe its assumptions with questions, test it against counterexamples, and revise. Socratic ONE stages that exchange between AI models in rotating turns with The Brief summarizing agreement, disagreement, and open questions. Models can share the same mistakes, so check important claims against original sources.

What makes Socratic ONE different from ChatGPT or Claude?

Socratic ONE runs structured discussions between multiple AI models. Read their responses and use The Brief to compare agreement, disagreement, and open questions. Multiple models can still share the same mistakes; check important claims against original sources.

What do I need to get started?

Create an account to start a free platform AI debate, with no API key or credit card. Free and Basic include 3 platform AI debates per month, within their monthly AI round limit. You can also watch a sample debate at /demo without signing up.

What does the $5/month Basic plan cover?

Basic includes 100 AI rounds per month, up to 4 AI participants and 5 rounds per discussion, full history, custom AI participants, and PDF and Markdown reports. Pro is $20/month with unlimited rounds and up to 10 participants per discussion. OpenRouter model compute is billed separately. The Brief and AI Moderator are available on every tier.

Can I buy a subscription right now?

New paid subscriptions and upgrades may be temporarily unavailable while paid acquisition is paused. Current purchase availability is shown on the plan cards and at api.socratic.one/api/v1/subscriptions/availability. Existing subscribers can still manage billing or downgrade. The Free plan remains available.

Do I need my own API keys?

Your first platform AI debates do not need a key. To select OpenRouter models, connect your OpenRouter account using OAuth-PKCE or enter an OpenRouter key. Pro uses your OpenRouter connection. Your OpenRouter key is stored in your browser. It is sent over HTTPS to our backend for model calls. For streaming, a temporary server cache can retain it for up to 5 minutes and deletes it when used. It is not saved in your account database.

Is there an age requirement?

Yes. Signup passes through an age gate before account creation, and the service is not directed at children below the gated age. The age attestation is recorded at signup; see the Privacy Policy for how it is stored.

How do I manage billing or cancel a subscription?

For an existing paid subscription, open Settings, then Subscription. Manage billing opens the Stripe customer portal. Choosing Downgrade to Free requests cancellation at the end of your billing period. Review the confirmation before leaving the page; manage your subscription before closing your account. OpenRouter usage is billed separately by OpenRouter.

Which files and images can I attach, and are uploads private?

Supported formats include PDF, TXT, CSV, Markdown, DOCX, PNG, JPEG, WebP, and GIF. Upload limits depend on file type and plan. Images require vision-capable models; other models may not receive them. Uploaded files currently have public URLs, so anyone with a file URL can access it. Avoid confidential uploads and review the Privacy Policy before sharing sensitive material.

What happens if an AI model fails or a discussion stops?

An unavailable or rate-limited model may be skipped or replaced when an eligible alternative is available. If a cooldown appears, wait before retrying. A timed-out stream can pause the discussion; use Resume to continue. Persistent failures may require checking your connection, OpenRouter credentials or balance, and model availability. Recovery is not guaranteed for every provider error.

Can I use Socratic ONE on my phone or tablet?

Use Socratic ONE in your mobile or tablet browser. The interface adapts to narrower screens, with a menu for navigation and vertically scrolling discussions. Long transcripts, comparison tables, and charts may take more scrolling than on a desktop.

How do I recover access to my account?

Open Sign in and use the recovery options provided by the hosted WorkOS sign-in flow for your account. If you cannot regain access, contact hello@socratic.one without sending passwords or API keys. On a new browser or device, reconnect OpenRouter after signing in because your OpenRouter key is stored in the browser.

Which AI models are available?

Connect OpenRouter to browse the current model catalog, including model families from Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, and others. Availability, capabilities, free options, and prices can change. Premium model compute is billed through your OpenRouter account.

What happens when I hit my Free plan limit?

Free includes 3 platform AI debates per month and 25 AI rounds per month. Monthly allowances reset at the start of the next calendar month. After the no-key debates are used, connect OpenRouter while your round allowance remains, or wait for the reset. The discussion history list is available on Basic and Pro; Free does not include it.

How is this different from using OpenRouter directly?

OpenRouter provides access to individual models. Socratic ONE adds a shared discussion timeline, rotating model turns, and The Brief so you can review multiple perspectives on the same topic. Beyond Free Chat there are three structured rooms: Tribunal (a Prosecutor and a Defender argue one proposition before a Judge and an optional jury), Research Institute (Scout, Theorist, Skeptic and Historian, then a synthesis) and War Room (Strategists, a Critic and a Synthesizer converge on a plan). Rooms open as they clear verification; a room that is still closed shows as coming soon on the new-discussion page. The former Oracle mode has been retired; the assistant covers that role.

How does The Brief work?

The Brief uses the discussion's structured model analysis to summarize positions, consensus, and points of friction. Model responses are analyzed for The Brief regardless of the AI Moderator setting. It appears as analysis becomes available. It summarizes what the models said; it does not independently verify their claims.

Is there an AI assistant I can chat with directly?

Yes. Signed-in users can open the AI Chat Assistant from the navigation for a direct one-model conversation, separate from multi-model discussions. Assistant usage counts toward the same plan allowances.

Is my research data private and secure?

Your OpenRouter key is stored in your browser. It is sent over HTTPS to our backend for model calls. For streaming, a temporary server cache can retain it for up to 5 minutes and deletes it when used. It is not saved in your account database. Discussion content is stored for your account and sent to the AI providers involved in the discussion. Review our Privacy Policy and the providers' policies before submitting sensitive material. Account settings include data export and account closure. Closing an account disables access and anonymizes profile details; it does not currently erase all stored discussion data. Contact privacy@socratic.one for a data-removal request.

Can I try Socratic ONE without signing up?

Yes. The sample debates at /demo replay real multi-model discussions with The Brief, with no account and no API key. Creating new discussions requires an account.

Can I use this for academic research?

Use multi-model discussions to explore questions, compare arguments, and identify claims to investigate. PDF and Markdown reports are available on Basic and Pro. Verify quotations, citations, and conclusions against original sources; AI agreement is not independent evidence.

How does Socratic ONE compare models on the same question?

A shared topic is discussed in rotating turns, with model names and rounds shown in the transcript. Later responses can incorporate earlier turns, so this is a discussion workflow rather than a controlled model benchmark. The Brief summarizes the recorded perspectives.

What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and how does Socratic ONE relate?

GEO concerns how content is discovered and represented by generative search systems. Socratic ONE publishes a public llms.txt manifest and structured site data for discovery. It does not measure search rankings, citation frequency, or visibility in third-party answer engines.

Can autonomous AI agents use Socratic ONE as a data source?

Public sample debates and product information can be read without signing in. Private discussions require an authorized user session. There is no dedicated machine-to-machine onboarding or autonomous-agent integration in the standard product; AI-generated discussion content must still be checked before reuse.

Does Socratic ONE have an API for autonomous agents?

The web application uses an authenticated REST API at api.socratic.one for discussions, streaming, uploads, and votes. Authentication requires a human WorkOS session. A dedicated machine-to-machine authentication flow is not currently exposed.

Why use several AI models for a debate?

Different models may surface different assumptions and objections. Comparing them can help you decide what to investigate next. Shared training data and similar reasoning errors mean that agreement is not proof, and disagreement does not establish which answer is correct.

How do I share a discussion, and what becomes public?

Discussions start private and nothing is public until an explicit publish action sets the discussion visible. Published discussions get a public share page at /s/[id] with The Brief and the covered transcript. Dashboard discussions (/d/) stay private and never unfurl as link previews; only the public /s/ page does, with cards for X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Instagram offers no web share link, so sharing there uses a downloadable share card with a copyable caption where offered.

How do I download a report of a discussion?

PDF and Markdown reports are available on Basic and Pro. Open the discussion, choose the report format, and download. Reports reflect the recorded transcript and The Brief; verify quotations, citations, and conclusions against original sources before citing them.

How do I export or delete my data?

Account settings include data export and account closure. Export gives you your data in a portable file. Closure disables access and anonymizes profile details; it does not currently erase all stored discussion data. For a removal request, contact privacy@socratic.one. Manage any paid subscription before closing your account.

Can creators or model providers join Socratic ONE?

Yes. The /creators page describes partner access for model providers and creators. To discuss listing a model or a partnership, contact hello@socratic.one. Model availability in discussions depends on the connected provider catalog at discussion time.

How can Socratic ONE improve my critical thinking?

By watching models state positions, raise objections, concede points, and revise. The Brief labels stances and friction so you can see which claims survived challenge and which did not. Pick the strongest objection and test it against a primary source before you decide.

What topics work best on Socratic ONE?

Any question that benefits from multiple perspectives: philosophy and ethics, science and technology, politics and society, business and strategy, arts and culture, and personal decisions. Ask for a decision, a comparison, or an explanation rather than a trivia lookup.

Where can I get help or contact the team?

For account help, contact hello@socratic.one without sending passwords or API keys. For data-removal requests, contact privacy@socratic.one. Product answers live on this FAQ page and at /demo, /pricing, /fact-check, and /privacy. There is no ticket portal or community forum; email is the supported channel.

FOR MODEL CREATORS

Your Model
Deserves an Audience

Interested in a model partnership? Contact us to discuss how your OpenRouter-listed model could join structured discussions.

Model Availability

Discuss access to your model through OpenRouter

Discussion Feedback

Explore feedback from structured model discussions

Compare Perspectives

Review how different models approach a shared question

Talk to the team

Whether you're a model provider, researcher, or just curious about SOCRATIC.ONE, we'd love to hear from you.

hello@socratic.one