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ChatPDF
chatpdf.com
What it is
ChatPDF lets users summarize documents and ask questions about their contents using conversational AI. Answers include citations that point to references in a PDF, and users can organize files in folders or discuss multiple PDFs in one conversation. It accepts PDFs in any language and supports conversations in any language; listed file types also include Word, PowerPoint, Markdown and text. Sharing links can be created, with access permissions managed or revoked. ChatPDF says documents are encrypted during transfer and storage and can be deleted by the user. Queries are routed dynamically between GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini. The service works in a browser on any device and is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. Its backend API accepts uploaded PDFs or public URLs and lets users query them to build custom PDF chatbots. The API documentation limits each PDF to 2,000 pages or 32 MB and describes the chat API as stateless. The Free plan costs nothing and allows two documents per day.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- ChatPDF lets users upload documents and ask conversational questions, summaries, and extraction requests about their contents.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Purpose
- ChatPDF lets users summarize PDFs and ask questions about them using conversational AI.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Intended users
- The site presents ChatPDF for researchers, students, and professionals working with documents such as papers, contracts, and reports.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API
- The backend API supports uploading PDFs or adding them from public URLs, then querying them to build custom PDF chatbots.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Security
- The site says documents are encrypted during transfer and storage, and can be deleted by the user.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- AI model routing
- The website says queries are dynamically routed between GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- AI models
- The site says queries are dynamically routed between GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- AI Writer
- AI Writer can draft cite-ready text from uploaded PDFs or public sources and export to Word or Markdown.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API conversation behavior
- API chat requests are stateless, allow up to six messages, and older messages are dropped above 2,500 OpenAI tokens.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API features
- The API supports streaming responses, page references, and deletion of one or more sources.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API ingestion
- The API accepts a public PDF URL or a file upload and also supports PDFs uploaded through the website.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API limits
- API documentation limits each PDF to 2,000 pages or 32 MB.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- API purpose
- The backend API supports programmatic PDF ingestion, extraction, and custom chatbot creation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Chrome extension privacy claim
- The Chrome listing says documents stay in the user’s Google account and are not saved in the add-on owner’s database or shared with others.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chromewebstore.google.com
- Citations
- Built-in citations link answers to PDF references.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Cited answers
- Responses can include citations linked to source pages in the uploaded document.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Company founding
- LinkedIn lists ChatPDF as founded in 2023.Read 15 Oct 2026 · de.linkedin.com
- Company headquarters and size
- LinkedIn lists Berlin headquarters and 2–10 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · de.linkedin.com
- Company legal name
- Crunchbase identifies the legal name as ChatPDF GmbH and the founder as Mathis Lichtenberger.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
- Contact
- The site lists [email protected] as its contact email.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Desktop app
- The homepage includes a link labeled Desktop app to download.chatpdf.com.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Device access
- The website says the service works on desktop, tablet, and phone browsers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Funding disclosure
- Crunchbase shows no readable funding amount and displays obfuscated funding-event entries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
- Languages
- ChatPDF accepts PDFs in any language and can chat in any language.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Limit: Capterra scope
- Capterra reviewers cited file-size and file-type limits, limited features, and occasional misunderstanding of document information.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Limit: G2 accuracy and scans
- G2 reviewers reported inaccurate information and difficulty with poorly scanned documents.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Limit: Google Play glitches
- A September 2026 Google Play reviewer reported recurring app glitches requiring force-closing and reopening.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Limit: iPad text tools
- An Apple reviewer said the iPad app lacked the desktop text-selection actions for explaining, summarizing, or rewriting highlighted passages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
- Limit: Trustpilot billing and reliability
- Negative Trustpilot reviews alleged subscription charges after cancellation, failed uploads, consumed free upload credits, document-order problems, and weak support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Multi-file chat
- Users can place multiple PDFs in folders and question them together in one conversation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Multiple files
- Users can organize files in folders and chat with multiple PDFs in one conversation.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- OCR
- The iOS listing says the app extracts text from scanned documents and images through OCR.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
- Other formats
- The site says it supports PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Markdown, and text files.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Praise: Capterra usability
- Capterra reviewers described the service as simple and useful for talking to PDFs and uploading large files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Praise: G2 speed
- A G2 reviewer said ChatPDF made finding specific information roughly ten times faster.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Praise: Trustpilot usefulness
- Positive Trustpilot reviewers praised fast answers, citations, multi-document chats, study help, and free functionality.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Rating on Apple App Store
- 4.5 out of 5 from 85 ratings.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
- Rating on Capterra
- 4.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Rating on Chrome Web Store
- 4.4 out of 5 from 25 ratings.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chromewebstore.google.com
- Rating on G2
- 4.3 out of 5 from 2 reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Rating on GetApp
- 4.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Rating on Google Play
- 4.6 out of 5 from 6.71K reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Rating on Software Advice
- 4.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
- Rating on Trustpilot
- 3.6 out of 5 from 9 reviews.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Related tools
- The homepage links to AI Writer, AI Detector, YouTube Chat, Research, Flashcards, and Slides tools.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Security statement
- The website says transfers use SSL, stored documents remain encrypted, and its storage provider is SOC 2 Type II certified.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Sharing
- Users can generate links to share PDFs and manage or revoke access permissions.Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Sharing controls
- Users can create secure share links, manage access, and revoke sharing permissions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Side-by-side view
- The interface keeps the document and chat visible together and links answers to original content.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Supported formats
- The website lists PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Markdown, and text files as supported formats.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
- Translation
- ChatPDF offers PDF translation and says documents and chats can use different languages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
Plans and prices
Free Free 2 documents/day · free plan Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
Free Free 2 documents per day · no account required to start · saved history and multi-document chats require free account Read 15 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
ChatPDF Plus monthly $14.99 a month Monthly Plus Subscription Unlimited document analysis (plan description) Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
ChatPDF Plus yearly $89.99 a year ChatPDF Yearly Plus Plan Unlimited document analysis (plan description) Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
ChatPDF Plus Priced on request Unlimited document analysis · advanced features Read 5 Oct 2026 · chatpdf.com
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Answers link to PDF references with citations
- Multiple PDFs can be discussed in one conversation
- Accepts documents in any language
- Sharing access can be managed or revoked
- Free plan is free
Limits
- Free plan allows two documents per day
- API PDFs are limited to 2,000 pages or 32 MB
- Chat API is stateless
Who it suits
ChatPDF is aimed at researchers, students and professionals working with documents such as papers, contracts and reports. Its multiple-file conversations, citations and API may suit people who need to query document collections or build PDF chatbots.
ChatPDF in depth
Read the full write-up
Overview
ChatPDF is a conversational document tool for people who want to summarize files and ask questions about their contents. It is best suited to students, researchers and professionals who work with papers, contracts or reports. Its document-grounded answers are useful, but the free allowance is small for ongoing work.
Key features
Answers include citations to PDF references, giving readers a route back to the material behind a response. That helps with checking claims, though the citation is a pointer, not a substitute for reading the passage yourself. ChatPDF routes queries between GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini, and can summarize webpages and transcripts as well as uploaded files.
Folders and conversations that include multiple PDFs support keeping related material together and asking questions across it. The service accepts PDFs in any language and can chat in any language; it also supports Word, PowerPoint, Markdown and text files. This range is useful for varied document workflows, though the API is specifically described for PDF uploads or public-URL PDFs.
Users can create share links and manage or revoke access permissions. ChatPDF says files are encrypted in transit and at rest and can be deleted by the user. These are practical controls for document sharing, but do not by themselves establish that the service meets any particular confidentiality requirement.
The API can be used to build custom PDF chatbots by uploading a file or adding one from a public URL, then querying it. Its documented ceiling of 2,000 pages or 32 MB per PDF may rule out especially large files, and its stateless chat design means an integrating application must account for conversation state rather than expect the API to retain it.
Pricing
The Free plan costs nothing and allows two documents per day. That is enough for occasional reading, but a low ceiling for students or professionals routinely processing more material. The ChatPDF Plus plan offers unlimited document analysis and advanced features, but has custom pricing. It is the more plausible fit for regular use; the plan details given do not establish which advanced features are included.
ChatPDF is freemium, with API access and file upload. The free allowance is per day, not an unlimited route into the full service, so frequent users should weigh Plus against their expected document volume before committing.
Platforms
ChatPDF supports web, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux. The service says it works on any device with a web browser, while API access supports integrations beyond the browser interface.
Who it's for
Choose ChatPDF if your work centers on asking questions across documents and you value answers linked to PDF references, multilingual input and multi-file conversations. It is less compelling for heavy daily use if the free cap is sufficient only for a small reading queue, or for API projects whose files exceed the documented limits or need server-side conversation state.
Pros and cons
Pro: Citations connect answers to PDF references, making it easier to verify responses against source material.
Pro: Multiple-file conversations, folders and broad file and language support accommodate mixed document collections.
Pro: Share permissions can be managed or revoked, and users can delete encrypted documents.
Con: The free plan stops at two documents a day, which constrains regular document analysis.
Con: API files are capped at 2,000 pages or 32 MB, and stateless chats require integrators to manage state.
Con: Plus pricing is custom, making its cost harder to compare in advance.
Alternatives
For a direct PDF-chat alternative, AskYourPDF has a free plan and a Premium plan at $11.99 a year, with a stated 2,500-page document limit, 31 MB upload cap and 50 documents per day. Consider it if those daily and per-document allowances better match your workload.
Scholarcy is another freemium option, with a free article summarizer limited to 10 summaries and one-at-a-time flashcard exports. It is a fit to consider when that summary-and-flashcard workflow suits you better. For a different source type, Podwise is a freemium podcast tool whose Standard plan is $9.90 a month and includes 20 AI processing credits monthly, podcast Q&A, clips and translation, plus RSS and audio uploads.
SciSummary is paid, with no free plan, but offers a seven-day free trial with 30,000 words, five figures analyzed and 100 chat messages; it may suit readers seeking an article-focused trial. genei combines webpage and PDF import with summarization, and its freemium offering includes a Chrome extension for one-click webpage summaries; consider it for browser-led research.
Humata offers a free tier for one user and 60 pages monthly, with a Team plan at $49 per user per month for 10 users and 5,000 pages monthly. It may be a better fit for teams that need a defined seat and page allowance. Eightify is a paid option with a free trial and monthly or annual Pro plans, for readers considering a different summarization tool.
Kagi Summarize has no free plan, but its trial includes 100 total searches and 100 AI interactions with standard models. Consider it if that search-and-interaction trial is more relevant to your evaluation. Browse AI PDF Assistants, AI PDF Tools or Text Summarization Software for more options.
Verdict
ChatPDF is a strong fit for readers who want multilingual, multi-file document conversations with answers they can trace to PDF references. Its format breadth and sharing controls add useful flexibility. Look elsewhere if two documents a day is too restrictive, if API state management or file ceilings are a problem, or if you need a clearly priced paid tier before choosing.
Verdict
ChatPDF combines document summaries and questions with cited answers, file organization and multiple-file conversations. The free plan is limited to two documents daily, and API users should note the file limits and stateless chat design.
Where Specifiction places it
- Text Summarization Software#2 of 249.4
- AI PDF Tools#3 of 309.3
- AI PDF Assistants#3 of 279.3
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