<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026"
  xmlns:ffd="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ffd/2026"
  xmlns:iso4217="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
    <link:schemaRef
      xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ffd/2026/ffd-2026.xsd"
      xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="rc">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001098972</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-08-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-08-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="offrl_1">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001098972</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:typedMember dimension="ffd:OfferingAxis">
                    <dei:lineNo>1</dei:lineNo>
                </xbrldi:typedMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-08-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-08-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="offrl_2">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001098972</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:typedMember dimension="ffd:OfferingAxis">
                    <dei:lineNo>2</dei:lineNo>
                </xbrldi:typedMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-08-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-08-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <unit id="USD">
        <measure>iso4217:USD</measure>
    </unit>
    <unit id="pure">
        <measure>pure</measure>
    </unit>
    <unit id="Shares">
        <measure>shares</measure>
    </unit>
    <ffd:FormTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-189">S-8</ffd:FormTp>
    <ffd:SubmissnTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-190">S-8</ffd:SubmissnTp>
    <ffd:FeeExhibitTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-191">EX-FILING FEES</ffd:FeeExhibitTp>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey contextRef="rc" id="ixv-192">0001098972</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName contextRef="rc" id="ixv-193">AGENUS INC</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <ffd:OfferingTableNa contextRef="rc" id="hiddenrcOfferingTableNa" xsi:nil="true"/>
    <ffd:OffsetTableNa contextRef="rc" id="hiddenrcOffsetTableNa">N/A</ffd:OffsetTableNa>
    <ffd:PrevslyPdFlg contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-196">false</ffd:PrevslyPdFlg>
    <ffd:PrevslyPdFlg contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-197">false</ffd:PrevslyPdFlg>
    <ffd:FormTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-231">S-8</ffd:FormTp>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName contextRef="rc" id="ixv-232">AGENUS INC</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTp contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-233">Equity</ffd:OfferingSctyTp>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTitl contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-234">Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</ffd:OfferingSctyTitl>
    <ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-235">true</ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg>
    <ffd:AmtSctiesRegd
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="0"
      id="ixv-236"
      unitRef="Shares">5000000</ffd:AmtSctiesRegd>
    <ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-237"
      unitRef="USD">8.11</ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty>
    <ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-238"
      unitRef="USD">40550000.00</ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric>
    <ffd:FeeRate
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="7"
      id="ixv-239"
      unitRef="pure">0.0001381</ffd:FeeRate>
    <ffd:FeeAmt
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-240"
      unitRef="USD">5599.95</ffd:FeeAmt>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTp contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-241">Equity</ffd:OfferingSctyTp>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTitl contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-242">Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</ffd:OfferingSctyTitl>
    <ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-243">true</ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg>
    <ffd:AmtSctiesRegd
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="0"
      id="ixv-244"
      unitRef="Shares">50000</ffd:AmtSctiesRegd>
    <ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-245"
      unitRef="USD">8.11</ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty>
    <ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-246"
      unitRef="USD">405500.00</ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric>
    <ffd:FeeRate
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="7"
      id="ixv-247"
      unitRef="pure">0.0001381</ffd:FeeRate>
    <ffd:FeeAmt
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-248"
      unitRef="USD">56.00</ffd:FeeAmt>
    <ffd:TtlOfferingAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-249" unitRef="USD">40955500.00</ffd:TtlOfferingAmt>
    <ffd:TtlFeeAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-250" unitRef="USD">5655.95</ffd:TtlFeeAmt>
    <ffd:TtlOffsetAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-251" unitRef="USD">0.00</ffd:TtlOffsetAmt>
    <ffd:NetFeeAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-252" unitRef="USD">5655.95</ffd:NetFeeAmt>
    <ffd:OfferingNote contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-253">(1) Represents an additional 5,000,000 shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the registrant's Amended and Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as approved by the registrant's stockholders on June 16, 2026. (3) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on the basis of the average of the high and low sales prices of the registrant's common stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market on August 5, 2026 ($8.52 and $7.69, respectively). (4) Calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act at the fee rate of $138.10 per $1,000,000 of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.</ffd:OfferingNote>
    <ffd:OfferingNote contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-254">(2) Represents an additional 50,000 shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the registrant's 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as approved by the registrant's stockholders on June 16, 2026. (3) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on the basis of the average of the high and low sales prices of the registrant's common stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market on August 5, 2026 ($8.52 and $7.69, respectively). (4) Calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act at the fee rate of $138.10 per $1,000,000 of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price. </ffd:OfferingNote>
</xbrl>
