Direct comparison
ORCID Vs Scopus Author Id: Key Differences & Comparison | CASRAI
ORCID and the Scopus Author ID are both persistent identifiers for researchers, but they are governed differently. ORCID is an open, researcher-controlled identifier that works across publishers and systems; the Scopus Author ID is assigned algorithmically by Elsevier and is scoped to the Scopus database.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | ORCID iD | Scopus Author ID |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | ORCID (independent not-for-profit) | Elsevier |
| How it is created | Self-registered by the researcher | Assigned automatically by an algorithm |
| Who controls it | The researcher controls the record | Elsevier generates it; corrections can be requested |
| Scope | Cross-publisher, cross-system, global | Scoped to the Scopus database |
| Openness | Open infrastructure; researcher sets visibility | Proprietary, within a subscription database |
| Cost | Free to register and use | Underlying database requires a subscription |
| Main purpose | Connect a researcher to all their contributions | Disambiguate authors within Scopus indexing |
| Interoperability | Designed to link with many systems and IDs | Can be linked to an ORCID iD |
| Persistence | Persistent and portable across a career | Persistent within Scopus; may need merging if split |
Common questions
FAQ
Can I have both?+
Yes — most researchers do. You register and control a single ORCID iD, while Scopus may automatically generate a Scopus Author ID for you from your indexed publications. You can link the two so that your Scopus record connects to your ORCID profile.
Why is researcher control important?+
Because ORCID is self-registered and researcher-controlled, you decide what is connected to your record and what is visible, and the identifier follows you across publishers, funders, and institutions. The Scopus Author ID is assigned by Elsevier’s algorithms and lives within Scopus, so you have less direct control and a narrower scope.
Which should I use when asked for an identifier?+
ORCID is the broadly adopted standard for researcher identification across publishers, funders, and institutions, so it is usually the right answer when a system asks for a persistent author identifier. A Scopus Author ID is useful specifically within Scopus-based searching and reporting; the two are complementary and can be linked.
Going deeper
