Explainpaper

Free

A better way to read academic papers. Upload a paper, highlight confusing text, get an explanation.

FreeFree tier

Type

Open Source

Visit Website GitHub (40 stars)

LinksX

About Explainpaper

Explainpaper is a web-based tool that helps researchers and students read academic papers faster by providing instant AI-powered explanations. Users can upload a paper (PDF) and highlight any confusing text, receiving simple, context-aware explanations in their preferred language. The tool also offers a chat feature to ask questions about the paper, generate summaries, and auto-extract key insights. With adjustable complexity levels and support for over 50 languages, Explainpaper acts like a personal expert sitting beside the reader. A free tier is available with basic AI models, while a Pro plan ($16/month) unlocks advanced models, math formula explanation, full-paper summaries, and saved highlights.

Key Features

In-Context Explanations: Highlight any confusing sentence and get simple explanations in your language, with adjustable complexity from beginner to expert.

50+ language support for explanations.

Chat with Your Paper: Ask questions about the paper and get accurate, context-aware answers; cite specific sections, ask follow-ups, and summarize findings.

Auto-Generated Insights: Instantly view paper structure, key findings, and concept relationships without reading everything.

Import Zotero library for easy access to your research.

Math Explain (Pro): Explain math formulas and figures.

Save highlights and explanations (Pro).

Generate full-paper summaries (Pro).

Pros & Cons

Pros

Saves significant time in reading and understanding academic papers.
Provides instant, simple explanations for confusing jargon and concepts.
Context-aware explanations that understand the full paper, not just isolated sentences.
Supports adjustable complexity (beginner to expert) and 50+ languages.
Free tier with unlimited highlight explanations and follow-up questions.
Chat feature allows deep diving into paper content with accurate answers.

Cons

Free tier uses basic AI models; advanced features (full summaries, math explain) require Pro subscription ($16/month).
Only supports PDF upload; other document formats not mentioned.
Relies on internet connectivity and AI, which may occasionally produce imperfect explanations.
No mobile app; web-based only.

Best For

Reading and comprehending complex academic research papers quickly.Studying machine learning, AI, or other technical fields with dense jargon.Conducting literature reviews and extracting key points from multiple papers.Non-native English speakers understanding papers in their own language.Students and researchers who want to dive deeper into specific sections of a paper.

FAQ

How does Explainpaper work?

Upload a research paper (PDF) to the platform. Highlight any confusing text, and the tool uses an AI model (LLM) to generate a simple, context-aware explanation in your chosen language. You can also chat with the paper to ask questions and get answers based on its content.

Is there a free version?

Yes, Explainpaper offers a free tier ($0/month) that includes unlimited highlight explanations, follow-up questions, Zotero import, and basic AI models. The Pro plan ($16/month) adds advanced AI models, math explain, full-paper summaries, and more.

What languages are supported?

Explainpaper supports over 50 languages. You can get explanations in your native language regardless of the paper's original language.

Can I ask questions about the paper?

Yes, the 'Chat with Your Paper' feature allows you to ask questions and get accurate answers based on the actual content of the paper. You can also cite specific sections and ask follow-up questions.