Explainpaper
Upload a research paper, highlight difficult text, and get a simpler explanation grounded in the document context.
About Explainpaper
Explainpaper helps readers get through dense research papers without leaving the document. Upload a paper, highlight a difficult passage, and it returns a simpler explanation based on the surrounding text. Readers can choose a beginner or expert explanation level, work in more than 50 languages, ask follow-up questions, and jump to relevant sections. Generated outlines and findings are useful for a first pass before close reading. The Free plan costs $0 per month and includes unlimited highlight explanations, follow-up questions, Zotero library import, and basic AI models. Pro costs $16 per month. It adds advanced models, whole-paper summaries, saved highlights and explanations, paper questions, and Math Explain for formulas and figures. The seven-day Pro trial requires a card on file. Teams includes Pro features, team management, priority support, and volume discounts through contact pricing. The product fits readers who lose time to jargon or unfamiliar concepts. Its answers can speed up interpretation, though important claims still need to be checked against the paper.
Best for
Best use cases
While reading a difficult paragraph, highlight the passage and request an explanation at a suitable complexity level.
At the start of a literature review, inspect the generated outline and findings before reading selected sections closely.
When a formula or figure blocks progress, use Pro Math Explain and continue with follow-up questions about the paper.
Compare before choosing
The Free plan suits passage-level explanations, while Pro adds advanced models, summaries, saved work, and Math Explain.
Explainpaper keeps explanations tied to an uploaded paper, which is more focused than asking a general chatbot without the document context.
Teams includes Pro capabilities plus administration and support, but buyers must request pricing rather than seeing a fixed rate.
Features
Clarify dense passages
Highlight jargon-heavy sentences and receive a simpler explanation that considers the full paper context.
Question a paper
Ask follow-up questions, locate relevant sections, and get quick summaries of findings while reading.
Review structure and findings
Use generated outlines, key-point extraction, and concept relationships to orient yourself before close reading.
Pros
- The $0 plan includes unlimited highlight explanations and follow-up questions, lowering the cost of regular use.
- Context-aware explanations and section citations keep questions connected to the paper being read.
- Support for more than 50 languages and adjustable complexity makes explanations usable across skill levels.
Cons
- The most capable AI models, whole-paper summaries, saved work, and Math Explain require the $16 monthly Pro plan.
- The seven-day Pro trial requires a card on file, which adds a commitment step before testing paid features.
- Teams pricing is not fixed publicly, so organizations need a sales conversation before comparing total cost.
Pricing Plans
Free
- Unlimited highlight explanations
- Ask follow-up questions
- Import your Zotero library
- Powered by basic AI models
Pro
- Explain formulas and figures with Math Explain
- Powered by advanced AI models
- Generate summaries for the entire paper
- Save highlights and explanations
- Ask questions about your paper
Teams
- Everything in Pro
- Team management
- Priority support
- Volume discounts
* Pricing information is for reference only. Please refer to the latest announcement on Explainpaper's official website.