Ask a document questions
You type your question, and ChatPDF answers in a few seconds from the text of the document. The document and the chat stay side by side.
AI tools · Research
ChatPDF pricing, use cases, and first steps
ChatPDF is a website where you upload a document, then ask it questions as in a conversation. The document appears on the left, the chat on the right. Each answer shows the pages it came from: one click, and the document scrolls to the right passage. It reads PDFs, and also Word, PowerPoint, and text files.
ChatPDF has a free plan. The recommended plan to start with: Free, $0. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
ChatPDFDrop in a PDF, ask your questions, and it shows you the page- Vendor
- ChatPDF (Germany)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Recommended plan
- Free, $0
- Page checked on
- October 3, 2026
What ChatPDF does
Who it’s for: anyone who gets long documents to read fast: contracts, reports, specifications, studies, manuals.
Clickable page references
Each answer shows the pages it used. Click a reference and the document scrolls to the exact passage. You check it in two seconds.
Summarize a document
ChatPDF produces a summary of the document as soon as you ask. You can set the format: five points, a paragraph, a table.
Also
- Question several files at once
- Read a document in another language
- Share a document and its chat
- “YouTube Chat”: question a video
- “AI Slides,” “Research,” and the other tools
ChatPDF pricing
We did not find the price of the Plus plan on any public page of the site: check the amount shown before you subscribe.
| Plan | Price | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Free Recommended to start | $0 | Reading a document now and then |
| ChatPDF Plus | Price not published | Reading documents every day |
What the free plan includes
2 documents analyzed per day, with no account. A free account adds history and conversations across several documents. YouTube videos and presentations also have a limit per day.
Nova’s advice
Stay on the free plan: two documents per day are enough for most employees. Before paying for Plus, check whether your usual assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) already reads your PDFs: it often does.
A first try, in 3 minutes
Your data. Documents are encrypted and private by default, but the site does not clearly say whether they are used to improve the service.
What it does less well
- The free plan stops at 2 documents per day.
- It can misread a passage or miss an exception. Always click the cited page before reusing a piece of information, especially a number or a date.
Question a long document in three minutesChatPDF- Choose a document with no sensitive information: a public report, a manual, terms and conditions.
- Open chatpdf.com and drag the file into the drop zone.
- The document appears on one side, the chat on the other. Paste the prompt below into the message box.
- Read the answer. Click a cited page number: the document scrolls to the passage.
- Check that the passage really says what the answer claims. Then ask a more specific question.
The prompt to copy
Summarize this document in five points. For each point, give the page. End with the three pieces of information a reader in a hurry must not miss.
Alternatives to ChatPDF
Gemini Notebook
For working on a set of documents over time, with audio summaries.
Claude
Also reads your PDFs, then writes the memo, email, or table that follows from them.
ChatGPT
If you already use it: attach the PDF to the conversation, with no extra tool.
Adobe Acrobat (AI Assistant)
If your PDFs already live in Acrobat: its assistant answers right inside the reader.
Frequently asked questions about ChatPDF
How much does ChatPDF cost?
Free: $0; ChatPDF Plus: price not published. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
Can you use ChatPDF for free?
Yes. 2 documents analyzed per day, with no account. A free account adds history and conversations across several documents. YouTube videos and presentations also have a limit per day.
What happens to my data with ChatPDF?
Documents are encrypted and private by default, but the site does not clearly say whether they are used to improve the service.
What are the alternatives to ChatPDF?
Gemini Notebook: For working on a set of documents over time, with audio summaries. Claude: Also reads your PDFs, then writes the memo, email, or table that follows from them. ChatGPT: If you already use it: attach the PDF to the conversation, with no extra tool. Adobe Acrobat (AI Assistant): If your PDFs already live in Acrobat: its assistant answers right inside the reader.
Official pages consulted
Page checked on October 3, 2026. Brands are named to identify the tools. No affiliation.