Lila Sciences vs Recursion
Which Drug Discovery AI tool is better in 2026?
Lila Sciences
Building scientific superintelligence and autonomous AI labs for life, chemical and materials sciences.
Recursion
Pioneering AI-driven solutions in drug discovery to radically improve lives.
Side-by-side
Lila Sciences is the more established option (raised $550M); pricing is comparable on both sides.
| Metric | Lila Sciences | Recursion |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | Building scientific superintelligence and autonomous AI labs for life, chemical and materials sciences. | Pioneering AI-driven solutions in drug discovery to radically improve lives. |
| Foundedi | 2023 | 2013🏆 |
| HQi | Cambridge, US | Salt Lake City, US |
| Employeesi | 201-500 | 501-1000🏆 |
| Neuron scorei | 76🏆 | 67 |
| Total fundingi | $550M🏆 | $500M |
| Latest roundi | Series A Extension · Oct 2025 | IPO · Apr 2021 |
| Valuationi | $1.3B | $2B🏆 |
| Cheapest paid plani | — | Pricing not disclosed |
| Free plani | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✗ |
| Top tier pricei | Enterprise Solutions · Contact sales | Pricing not disclosed |
| Pricing summaryi | 1 published plans | Enterprise · Contact sales |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for Lila Sciences and Recursion.
| Capability | Lila Sciences | Recursion |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✗ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | — | — |
| Free plan | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✗ | ✗ |
🟢 Strengths of Lila Sciences
- Has raised more capital ($550M vs $500M)
- Higher Neuron score (76 vs 67)
- Newer company (2023)
🔵 Strengths of Recursion
- More mature (2013)
Which should you choose?
Choose Recursion if price matters most — it starts at Enterprise · Contact sales, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both Drug Discovery tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Lila Sciences if you want the most established option — it has raised $550M, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
Frequently asked questions
Lila Sciences vs Recursion — which is better?
It depends on your priority. Lila Sciences has raised more capital and is the more established option; Recursion has broader feature depth. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Lila Sciences cheaper than Recursion?
No — Recursion's cheapest paid plan is Enterprise · Contact sales, while Lila Sciences's is Enterprise · Contact sales.
Do Lila Sciences and Recursion offer free plans?
Lila Sciences: Paid only. Recursion: Paid only.
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