Table 1. Data input and network plotting functionality from NMA R packages gemtc, pcnetmeta and netmeta.

Tasks	Features	gemtc	pcnetmeta	netmeta
Forms of input data	Arm-level data	✓	✓	✗
	Contrast-level data	✓	✗	✓
	Accepts multi-arm (≥3) trials	✓	✓	✓
Types of outcome data that can be analyzed	Binary	✓	✓	✓
	Count	✓	✗	✓
	Continuous	✓	✗	✓
	Survival	✓	✗	✓
Extracts descriptive measures	Total number of studies	✓	✗	✓
	Total number of multi-arm studies	✓	✗	✓
	Total number of participants	✓	✗	✗
	Total number of treatments	✓	✗	✓
Network plot and options	Network plot	✓	✓	✓
	Add node labels	✓	✓	✓
	Node size reflects network characteristic	✗	✓ User can specify, default by # studies using the treatment	✗
	Edge thickness reflects network characteristic	✗	✓ Number of studies making this comparison	✓ Inverse standard error of aggregated direct treatment effects