Alex RaineyAlex is an experienced CTO and founder who largely focuses on all the technical areas of My AskAI, from AI Engineering, Technical Product Management and overall Platform Development.
Table of Contents
- What Is ChatGPT’s PDF Feature?
- Why Look for ChatGPT’s Chat With PDF Alternatives?
- Unreliable Performance
- Slow Response Times
- Cost
- Limited Integration and Support
- What to Look For When Choosing ChatGPT PDF Alternatives
- Top AI Tools for Chatting with PDFs
- 1. My AskAI
- Key Features
- Pricing
- Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- 2. ChatDoc
- Key Features
- Pricing
- Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- 3. ChatPDF
- Key Features
- Pricing
- Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- 4. Unriddle
- Key Features
- Pricing
- Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- 5. PDF.ai
- Key Features
- Pricing
- Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- Conclusion
Created time
Nov 23, 2023 10:43 AM
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Nov 23, 2023
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we-found-the-top-alternatives-to-chatgpt-for-chatting-with-pdfs
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ChatGPT has taken the world by storm thanks to an impressive set of use cases. Well, it recently got another—ChatGPT can now analyze uploaded documents and use the information within to answer specific questions that are beyond its training data.
Though ChatGPT’s dominance in the AI chatbot landscape might lead some to believe that it's the first and only option, the truth is that there are plenty of alternatives to ChatGPT for PDF conversations.
So, if you’re searching for an alternative—something more straightforward, quicker, and easier on your wallet—you’re in the right place. In this article from My AskAI, we explore six of the top alternatives to ChatGPT for PDF conversations.
Let’s get started!
What Is ChatGPT’s PDF Feature?
Imagine you’re tasked with finding a very specific piece of information in a very long, complicated document. You don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, so you can’t Ctrl + F your way to an answer. You could read through the whole thing manually, but that would take hours.
ChatGPT’s chat PDF feature (and alternatives like My AskAI) give you a third option—ask the document directly.
This feature works by allowing users to upload documents through the ChatGPT interface. The AI then analyzes the document so that it can respond to natural language questions about the contents within. Users can then ask questions, get clarifications, or extract, analyze, and visually represent the information within—including graphs and charts.
Now, let’s quickly cover a few of the main reasons why ChatGPT isn’t suitable for everyone.
Why Look for ChatGPT’s Chat With PDF Alternatives?
Unreliable Performance
While ChatGPT’s Chat with PDF feature (currently in beta) promises conversational interactions with documents, it’s not without its challenges. Some users found the tool produced inaccuracies and errors that can be problematic, especially in professional settings.
Slow Response Times
Speed is another critical factor. ChatGPT may lag, particularly with complex or lengthy PDFs. This slow response time hampers productivity, making users wish for a quicker alternative that matches their needs.
Cost
The Chat with PDF feature is only available to Pro subscribers and incurs significant charges per API call. This exclusivity and expense (especially for a feature still in development) has led to disappointment among users.
Limited Integration and Support
ChatGPT’s integration capabilities with various tools and platforms might not meet everyone’s needs. Access to its API, for example, is restricted and currently available only through a waitlist.
Alternatives like My AskAI offer extensive integration options spanning popular platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Drive. This makes it a much more versatile and user-friendly choice.
What to Look For When Choosing ChatGPT PDF Alternatives
When looking at other alternatives, there are several things to consider:
- Interactive Performance: Look for an AI tool that excels in understanding and responding to the context and subtleties of your conversations, ensuring maximum effectiveness.
- Data Protection and Confidentiality: Given the potential sensitivity of PDF documents, your chosen platform needs to possess reliable security measures – guaranteeing first-rate data protection, encryption, and secure storage methods.
- Adaptive Learning: Opt for an AI that evolves with every interaction, becoming smarter and more attuned to your needs.
- Support Multiple File Types: Make sure your platform isn’t limited to PDFs. For example, My AskAI broadens its scope by supporting web pages, Word docs, and TXT files.
- Global Language Support: Look for a platform that breaks language barriers, offering translation and multilingual support, thus enhancing its global applicability.
- Simplicity: The interface should be intuitively designed, making it accessible and easy to use for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise.
Top AI Tools for Chatting with PDFs
Searching for top-notch AI PDF readers? Look no further. Here’s a rundown of the top five choices that will revolutionize your PDF interactions.
But first, here’s a quick overview of the platforms we’ll be covering:
- My AskAI
- ChatDOC
- ChatPDF
- Unriddle
- PDF.ai
Let’s dive in!
1. My AskAI
My AskAI is changing the way users interact with documents.
Our AI-powered platform lets users create a custom AI assistant in just two minutes by uploading documents, connecting document services like Notion and Google Docs, or linking entire websites. Users can personalize the bot’s response style and personality, securing accurate answers to their queries.
Unlike ChatGPT, which can’t access private company content or data, My AskAI intimately understands your business by integrating with your internal and external documentation to provide tailored answers to specific questions.
Key Features
- Chat With Files (and Websites): Upload PDFs, CSV files, websites, and other documents (TXT, DOC, DOCX, etc.) to the assistant through our drag-and-drop interface.
- Intelligent Search: Use natural language questions to find answers quickly and accurately.
- Reliable Citations: Easily track down sources to verify the accuracy of a response using linked sources.
- Integrations: Connect with Notion and Google Docs for easy document uploads. Link Slack, WhatsApp, and Messenger to ask questions on the go.
- Customizable AI: Create and personalize your AI assistant for specific company needs by altering the response style, personality, and tone.
- Comprehensive Summarization: Features the ability to summarize entire documents into concise summaries.
- Widely Adopted: Employees at companies like Microsoft, Revolut, and Amazon have joined the 43,000+ users relying on My AskAI to enhance their document interactions.
Pricing
My AskAI has a free Starter plan that supports one chatbot and up to 50 questions per month.
Paid plans include Hobby ($13.30/mo), Pro ($66/mo), and Beast ($666/mo). Higher tier plans offer advanced capacities for creating AskAIs, adding training content, and asking questions. All plans come with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons gathered from Capterra.
Pros
- Easy learning curve
- Extensive customization
- Personalization
- Exceptional search feature
- Free forever plan
Cons
- Free plan limited to one chatbot
2. ChatDoc
ChatDOC harnesses the power of ChatGPT to serve as an impressive AI-driven file-reading assistant.
ChatDOC provides an innovative approach to document interaction, enabling users to engage with various formats, including PDFs, DOCs, and web pages. This tool utilizes AI to summarize lengthy documents, clarify complex topics, and rapidly locate key info.
Key Features
- Wide Format Support: Capable of handling diverse formats like PDFs, websites, and scanned documents.
- Advanced AI Chat: Offers a sophisticated AI chat box for engaging, human-like interactions that can address document-related queries.
- Interactive Document Analysis: Enables selection of specific sections for targeted AI-assisted questioning and answers.
- Reference and Citation Tools: Provides on-page references and footnotes, guiding users directly to the sections interpreted by the AI.
Pricing
ChatDOC’s Early-Bird Special provides significant discounts, featuring a free plan with basic access and a Pro plan at $5.99/30 days for extensive file and question capacity, including access to multiple formats and beta features.
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons gathered from Product Hunt.
Pros
- Quick reading efficiency
- Trustworthy AI responses
- User-friendly
- Facilitates academic research
Cons
- Expensive
- Limited document handling
3. ChatPDF
ChatPDF is an AI-driven tool that simplifies PDF interactions.
ChatPDF functions like a personal assistant for reading, summarizing, and answering queries about any PDF document. Whether research papers, legal contracts, or financial reports, users can upload their PDFs and ask direct questions, receiving prompt and concise responses.
Key Features
- PDF Upload and Retrieval: ChatPDF enables users to upload PDFs from their devices or retrieve them online via URLs.
- User-Friendly Chat Interface: The platform boasts an intuitive chat interface, allowing users to easily interact with PDFs.
- Guided Prompts: ChatPDF offers helpful prompts, guiding individuals in asking effective questions.
- Contextual AI Responses: The AI provides detailed, context-specific responses rather than generic answers.
Pricing
ChatPDF includes a free plan that allows two PDFs per day, with a limit of 120 pages each. For unlimited PDF access, limitless questions, and increased page and file size limits, users can upgrade to the Plus plan.
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons gathered from Product Hunt.
Pros
- Enhances daily workflow
- Useful for fact-checking
- User-friendly
Cons
- Limited free access
- Needs extra prompting
- Embedding capability
4. Unriddle
Unriddle is a dynamic AI-driven research assistant designed to uncover data.
Leveraging advanced AI technologies like natural language processing and machine learning, Unriddle efficiently extracts and organizes data from various sources, including documents, websites, and more.
Key Features
- Document Summarization: It adeptly generates concise summaries of various document types, like PDFs, Word files, and web pages.
- Groups together: The tool skillfully identifies people, places, and organizations from documents.
- Relationship Extraction: Unriddle can outline relationships between different subjects within documents.
- Knowledge Graph Construction: The tool creates intricate knowledge graphs from documents.
Pricing
Unriddle’s pricing includes a Free plan with ten monthly credits and paid plans like Pro at $20/month and Premium at $50/month, offering more credits and features. The Team plan at $200/month provides unlimited credits.
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons gathered from Product Hunt.
Pros
- Effective AI note-taking
- Works with encrypted PDFs
Cons
- Limiting formatting options
- Lack of migration tools
5. PDF.ai
PDF.ai is a user-friendly AI tool designed for effortless and efficient interactions with documents.
It stands out with its emphasis on natural, conversation-like interactions and the convenience of Chrome extensions. With PDF.ai, you can communicate with the tool, and it responds in a streamlined manner.
Key Features
- Chat Interface: Enables natural language interactions with PDF documents.
- Prompts: Provides questions and commands for effective document interaction.
- Reliable Responses: Information is traceable to document sources, ensuring reliability.
- Chrome Extension: Conveniently access PDF.ai directly from your browser.
Pricing
PDF.ai offers pricing plans to cater to different needs, ranging from a free Hobby plan to the Pro, Ultimate, and Enterprise plans with varying features and capabilities.
Pros and Cons
Pros and cons gathered from Product Hunt.
Pros
- Clean design
- Great Chrome Extension
- Decent free plan
Cons
- Unreliable and inaccurate results
- Struggles with large docs
Conclusion
ChatGPT is a powerful tool—and its new chat PDF feature is a welcome addition. That said, there are plenty of alternatives that offer more polished document interactions and additional features at lower price points.
At My AskAI, we let individuals and businesses build custom AI chatbots in minutes by linking data sources defining the chatbots response style. Use your My AskAI to analyze reports, detect trends, and gain insights quickly.
Give it a try for free today!
Written by
Alex Rainey
Alex is an experienced CTO and founder who largely focuses on all the technical areas of My AskAI, from AI Engineering, Technical Product Management and overall Platform Development.
