Explain PDF in plain language
Explain PDF in plain language gives you a readable version of a contract, bill, letter or paper.
Updated
How it works
Add the document
Open the tool (it may ask you to sign in) and drop in one text PDF: a contract, bill, letter or paper.
Run Explain
The cost is shown first. You get what the document is, what it asks of you, the numbers and dates, and what to check.
Check it against the file
Open the pages behind each number and date. Ask follow-ups about anything you don't follow.
What do I get back?
A structured reading in everyday words. First, what kind of document it is. Then what it asks of you: pay, sign, reply, do nothing. Then the numbers and dates that matter, and a short list of things worth checking before you act.
Say you have a 12-page lease (an example). You'd expect the rent, the deposit, the notice period and the clauses about repairs pulled to the top, in plain sentences. The legalese stays in the file. For a full walkthrough, see understand a contract with AI.
Questions to ask next
List every amount I might have to pay, when it's due, and what happens if I'm late.
Use the tool aboveHow can I cancel or leave this agreement, how much notice is needed, and are there fees?
Use the tool aboveWhich clauses are unusual or one-sided? Quote each one and say why it stands out.
Use the tool aboveWhat does this letter want me to do, by when, and what if I ignore it?
Use the tool aboveExplain the method and the main result as if I had no background in the field.
Use the tool aboveIs this legal or medical advice?
No. It's a plain-language reading of the text, nothing more. For anything with real consequences, such as signing a contract, a deadline, a dispute, a diagnosis or a treatment decision, talk to a lawyer or a doctor, and take the original document with you.
What it will not do
- It can't read a scanned letter or a photo of a bill. No text layer means "No text found".
- It won't tell you whether to sign, pay or sue.
- It can misread a clause or a figure, so the numbers it lists are a lead, not a ruling.
- A locked PDF has to be unlocked before you upload it. We can't remove passwords.
What does it cost, and what leaves my device?
Explain runs on Claude Haiku 4.5 at 5 Gems per message. Follow-ups cost the same, because the whole file goes again each time. See pricing.
The PDF is uploaded to the model provider you picked. Think before you send a document with private details. If only a few pages matter, cut them out first with the split tool, which stays on your device.
Questions about Explain PDF in plain language
Can AI explain a contract to me?
It can give you a plain-language reading: what the contract is, what it asks of you, the money and the dates. It can't give legal advice. For a contract that matters, show it to a lawyer.
When should I see a professional instead?
Before signing something binding, when a deadline or a dispute is involved, or when a medical document affects a treatment choice. Use the explanation to prepare questions, then ask the lawyer or doctor.
Does it work on a photo of a letter?
No. It needs a text layer, and there's no OCR. A photo or scan returns "No text found". Ask the sender for a digital copy, or use a PDF you can select text in.
How is Explain different from Summarize?
Summarize shortens the text. Explain tells you what the document is, what it wants from you, which numbers and dates matter and what to double-check. It suits documents you must act on.
Can I trust the dates and amounts it gives?
Verify them. Ask for the page, open it, and read the line yourself. A model can misread a figure, and with money or deadlines at stake that check is the point.