Explainpaper

Explainpaper helps you read research papers with AI explanations, follow-up questions, and summaries. Free plan, Zotero import, Pro and Teams available.

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Overview

Explainpaper is a web app for reading research papers with AI assistance. Its main workflow is straightforward: upload a paper, highlight a confusing section, and get a simple explanation of the selected text.

The product is aimed at people who want to move through dense academic writing faster without skipping the technical detail. The source material shows support for follow-up questions, Zotero library import, and a Pro tier with Math Explain, saved highlights, and full-paper summaries.

Key features

Highlight-based explanations

Upload a paper, highlight confusing text, and get instant plain-language explanations for dense sections.

Paper Q&A

Ask follow-up questions about the paper to clarify concepts or passages as you read.

Zotero import

Import your Zotero library from the Free plan and work from an existing research collection.

Math and figure explanations

Pro includes Math Explain for formulas and figures, helping with sections that mix text, notation, and visuals.

Paper summaries

Pro can generate summaries for the entire paper so you can scan the main points faster.

Saved reading notes

Saved highlights and explanations are available on Pro, supporting revisiting annotated papers later.

Common use cases

Reading dense papers
A researcher can upload a paper, highlight dense sections, and get immediate clarification on terminology, methods, or claims.
Studying unfamiliar material
A student can ask follow-up questions while reading to check understanding before moving to the next section.
Understanding math and figures
Someone working through notation-heavy papers can use Pro’s Math Explain to interpret formulas and figures.
Scanning papers quickly
A reviewer or analyst can generate a full-paper summary in Pro to get the overall argument before reading deeply.
Using a Zotero library
A user managing references in Zotero can import their library and work from an existing paper collection.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Simple reading workflow centered on highlighting confusing passages.
Supports follow-up questions while reading a paper.
Free plan is available indefinitely.
Pro adds paper-level summaries and math/figure explanations.
Zotero library import is available on the Free plan.

Cons

The source only confirms Zotero import; it does not document other integrations or connected apps.
Several advanced capabilities are limited to Pro, including Math Explain, summaries, and saved highlights.

FAQ

How does Explainpaper work?

Explainpaper lets you upload a research paper and highlight confusing text to get simple explanations. The pricing page also says you can ask follow-up questions about the paper.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The pricing page says the Free plan includes unlimited highlight explanations, follow-up questions, and Zotero library import.

What does the Pro plan add?

The Pro plan includes explanations for math formulas and figures with Math Explain, summaries for the entire paper, and saved highlights and explanations.

Can I import papers from Zotero?

The pricing page says you can import your Zotero library, which suggests Zotero-based paper workflows are supported.

How is billing handled?

All plans are billed securely through Stripe, and the fulfillment policy says subscriptions activate immediately after payment.