Explainpaper for Nonprofits: Decode Complex Research in Seconds
Explainpaper transforms how nonprofits engage with academic research and technical documents. Upload any research paper, highlight confusing jargon or dense passages, and receive instant, simplified explanations powered by GPT-4o. Turn weeks of literature review into days and make evidence-based program design accessible to your entire team.
What It Does
Nonprofit professionals frequently need to understand complex research—whether evaluating program models, justifying evidence-based approaches to funders, or staying current with best practices in public health, education, or social services. But academic papers are notoriously dense, filled with technical jargon, statistical terminology, and discipline-specific language that can make critical insights inaccessible.
Explainpaper solves this problem by acting as your personal research translator. Upload a PDF of any research paper, and when you encounter a confusing passage—a complex statistical method, an unfamiliar theoretical framework, or technical terminology—simply highlight the text. Instantly, Explainpaper provides a clear, simplified explanation in plain language. You control the complexity level, so explanations can be as simple or detailed as you need.
Unlike general AI assistants that may provide generic explanations divorced from context, Explainpaper understands the specific paper you're reading. It uses GPT-4o and context-aware processing to explain concepts in relation to the surrounding arguments, methodology, and research design. You can ask follow-up questions to deepen your understanding, making it feel like you have a knowledgeable researcher sitting beside you, patiently explaining every detail.
The tool also offers auto-generated insights for Pro users—smart outlines that extract key points, show how concepts relate to each other, and provide executive summaries of entire papers. This means even if you don't have time to read a 30-page systematic review, you can quickly understand its conclusions, methodology, and implications for your nonprofit's work.
Best For
Ideal Users & Use Cases
Organization Size
- Small nonprofits without research departments who need to understand evidence-based practices
- Mid-sized organizations designing programs based on academic literature and best-practice models
- International nonprofits reviewing multilingual research from global sources
Best Use Cases
- Grant Writing: Understand and cite peer-reviewed research to strengthen evidence-based program narratives and demonstrate alignment with proven models
- Program Design: Extract insights from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evaluation studies to inform intervention design and theory of change
- Literature Reviews: Speed through dozens of research papers to identify key findings, methodologies, and implications without getting bogged down in jargon
- Professional Development: Help staff understand complex topics in public health, education, psychology, or social work without requiring advanced degrees
- Policy Analysis: Decode academic policy briefs, white papers, and research summaries to inform advocacy and position statements
Who Will Benefit Most
- Grant writers who need to cite current research but lack academic research training
- Program managers designing evidence-based interventions in health, education, or social services
- Executive directors needing to quickly understand research informing strategic decisions
- Policy advocates translating academic research into accessible talking points
Key Features for Nonprofits
Highlight-to-Explain (Unlimited on Free Tier)
The core feature that makes complex research accessible
Simply highlight any confusing sentence, paragraph, or technical term in your uploaded PDF and receive an instant, plain-language explanation. Adjust complexity levels to match your team's expertise—from high-school-level simplicity to graduate-level detail. This feature alone can reduce literature review time by 70% by eliminating the need to constantly Google unfamiliar terminology or re-read dense passages.
Context-Aware Follow-Up Questions
Deepen understanding with interactive dialogue
After receiving an explanation, ask follow-up questions to explore concepts further. "Can you give an example of this in nonprofit settings?" or "How does this relate to trauma-informed care?" The AI maintains context from the paper and previous questions, creating a coherent learning experience that builds understanding progressively.
Full-Paper Summaries (Pro Tier)
Auto-generated insights and executive summaries
Pro users receive smart outlines that extract key findings, methodologies, and conclusions automatically. The AI identifies how concepts relate to each other and highlights the most important takeaways. Perfect for quickly assessing whether a 40-page research paper is relevant to your work before committing time to a full read.
50+ Language Support
Work with international research seamlessly
Upload research papers in any language and receive explanations in your preferred language. This is invaluable for nonprofits working internationally, reviewing global best practices, or serving multilingual communities. Spanish research on immigration? French studies on refugee resettlement? Explainpaper handles them all.
Saved Highlights & Notes (Pro Tier)
Build a knowledge base from your research
Save important explanations and highlights to reference later. This creates a personal research library where you can revisit key insights when writing reports, designing programs, or training staff. Over time, this becomes an institutional knowledge repository capturing your organization's understanding of critical research.
GPT-4o Advanced Models (Pro Tier)
Most accurate explanations for complex concepts
Pro subscribers access the latest GPT-4o models, which provide more nuanced and accurate explanations of highly technical concepts—particularly important when working with statistical methods, advanced research designs, or discipline-specific theoretical frameworks. Free users access capable models, but Pro unlocks the best available AI.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
Consider a small health nonprofit applying for a federal grant to expand mental health services for underserved youth. The grant guidelines emphasize "evidence-based, trauma-informed interventions with demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials." Your program manager finds a promising systematic review from the Journal of Adolescent Health, but it's dense with clinical terminology, statistical jargon, and references to theoretical frameworks she's unfamiliar with.
She uploads the PDF to Explainpaper. When she encounters "cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure-based components showed significant treatment effects (Cohen's d = 0.72, 95% CI [0.58, 0.86]) compared to waitlist controls," she highlights the passage. Explainpaper explains: "This means cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure exercises was significantly more effective than not receiving treatment. The 'effect size' of 0.72 is considered medium-to-large, meaning the treatment made a meaningful difference. The confidence interval tells us we can be 95% certain the true effect falls within this range."
She asks a follow-up: "What are exposure-based components in this context?" Explainpaper responds with a clear explanation of exposure therapy techniques used with trauma-affected youth, citing examples from the paper. Within 20 minutes, she has extracted enough understanding to draft a compelling program narrative citing the research accurately, explaining the theoretical basis of the proposed intervention, and demonstrating evidence-based practice—work that would have taken hours of Googling and re-reading.
The grant application is stronger because it accurately references current research. The program design is better because the manager genuinely understands the evidence base rather than superficially citing it. And the organization has built internal capacity—next time she encounters research on trauma-informed care, she'll have a foundation of knowledge to build on.
Pricing
Free Tier
Generous free plan for occasional research needs
$0/month
- Unlimited highlight explanations
- Ask follow-up questions
- Basic AI models
- 50+ language support
- Free forever—no credit card required
Best for: Small nonprofits with occasional research needs, grant writers who need to understand a few key papers per month, or anyone wanting to try the tool risk-free.
Pro Plan
Advanced features for serious research work
$16/month
- Everything in Free
- Advanced AI models (GPT-4o access)
- Full-paper summaries & smart outlines
- Saved highlights and notes
- Paper-specific Q&A capabilities
Best for: Organizations conducting regular literature reviews, program staff designing evidence-based interventions, or anyone working through multiple research papers weekly.
Free Trial & Money-Back Considerations
Explainpaper's free tier is genuinely useful—not a limited trial but a permanent free option with the core highlight-to-explain feature unlimited. This means you can extensively test the tool before deciding whether Pro features justify the cost. Start with the free tier, and upgrade to Pro only if you find yourself needing auto-summaries or wanting to save highlights for future reference.
Nonprofit Discount Status
No dedicated nonprofit discount program currently available. Explainpaper does not advertise special pricing for nonprofits or educational institutions as of January 2026.
However, the free tier is exceptionally generous—unlimited highlight explanations forever—making it accessible to budget-constrained organizations. For $16/month, the Pro plan is competitively priced compared to similar research tools, and shared logins can spread the cost across team members (though this may violate terms of service—check with Explainpaper for team pricing options).
If your organization needs Pro features but finds the cost prohibitive, consider reaching out to Explainpaper directly to inquire about nonprofit pricing or educational discounts. Some SaaS tools offer discounts upon request even if not publicly advertised.
Learning Curve
Beginner-Friendly: Easy to Start, Simple to Master
Time to First Value: Under 5 Minutes
Upload a PDF, highlight confusing text, receive an explanation. That's it. There's no complex setup, no configuration, no tutorials required. If you can use a web browser and know how to highlight text, you can use Explainpaper immediately. Most users understand the entire interface within their first paper.
Minimal Training Needed
Team members with no technical background can start using Explainpaper productively within minutes. The interface is intuitive: PDF on one side, explanations on the other. The hardest part is knowing which questions to ask—but that improves naturally with use as staff learn what kinds of explanations are most helpful.
Pro Features Are Just As Simple
Upgrading to Pro doesn't introduce complexity. Full-paper summaries appear automatically when you upload a PDF. Saved highlights work like bookmarks. There's no learning curve for advanced features—they simply enhance what you're already doing.
Improvement Over Time
As users become familiar with Explainpaper, they get better at crafting follow-up questions and using explanations to build deeper understanding. But this improvement is gradual and natural—not a prerequisite for using the tool effectively from day one.
Integration & Compatibility
File Format Support
Supported:
- PDF files (primary and only supported format)
Not Supported:
- Word documents (.doc, .docx) - must convert to PDF first
- PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) - must convert to PDF first
- Excel, HTML, Markdown, or other text formats
Platform & Integrations
- Web-Based Platform: Works in any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebooks
- No Mobile Apps: No dedicated iOS or Android applications for offline use
- No Desktop Apps: No downloadable desktop application for offline research
- No Reference Manager Integrations: Unlike competitors like Scholarcy, Explainpaper doesn't integrate with Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote
- No Export Features: Can't export explanations to Markdown, Word, or other formats (you'll need to copy-paste manually)
Data Portability & Workflow Fit
Explainpaper is a standalone tool—it doesn't connect to your CRM, document management system, or knowledge base. This simplicity is a strength (no complex setup) but also a limitation. You'll need to manually copy insights into your grant applications, program documents, or team wiki.
For organizations already using reference managers (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote), Explainpaper won't sync with your library. If workflow integration is critical, consider tools like Scholarcy which offers more robust integrations, or use Explainpaper alongside your existing tools for its unique explanation capabilities.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
- Genuinely Free Core Feature: Unlimited highlight explanations on the free tier—not a limited trial but a permanent, useful free plan
- Extremely Intuitive Interface: Zero learning curve—anyone can start getting value within minutes
- Context-Aware Explanations: Understands the specific paper you're reading, not just generic definitions
- Adjustable Complexity: Tailor explanations from simple to advanced based on your team's expertise
- 50+ Language Support: Work seamlessly with international research in any language
- GPT-4o Access (Pro): State-of-the-art AI models for the most accurate explanations
- No Credit Card for Free Tier: Start using immediately without payment information
Limitations
- PDF Only: No support for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or other document formats—you must convert everything to PDF first
- No Reference Manager Integrations: Doesn't connect to Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote—purely standalone
- No Export Capabilities: Can't export explanations or notes to Markdown, Word, or other formats
- No Mobile or Desktop Apps: Web-only platform—no offline access for fieldwork or low-connectivity environments
- No Citation Management: Doesn't help with bibliography creation or citation formatting
- No Nonprofit Discount: No special pricing for nonprofits or educational institutions
- Cloud-Based Only: All documents processed through cloud servers—not suitable for highly confidential research
Alternatives to Consider
ChatPDF
Versatile document Q&A with multiple file format support
When to choose ChatPDF instead: If you need to work with Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, or other file formats beyond PDF. ChatPDF excels at broad document Q&A and is more flexible for general document analysis. It's better for quickly extracting specific facts and answering targeted questions about any type of document.
When Explainpaper is better: If your primary need is understanding complex academic jargon and technical terminology within research papers. Explainpaper's highlight-to-explain feature is unmatched for clarifying confusing passages and building conceptual understanding of dense academic content.
Pricing comparison: ChatPDF's Plus plan is $5/month (vs. Explainpaper's $16/month Pro), making it more budget-friendly for unlimited document access. However, Explainpaper's free tier with unlimited explanations is more generous than ChatPDF's 50-question limit.
Scholarcy
Comprehensive research tool with reference management integration
When to choose Scholarcy instead: If you need a full-featured research platform with reference manager integrations (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote), literature matrix creation, and export capabilities. Scholarcy is better for managing large literature reviews, organizing citations, and creating bibliographies.
When Explainpaper is better: If you want a simpler, more focused tool specifically for understanding difficult text. Explainpaper's interface is cleaner and easier to learn. It's ideal for occasional research needs where you just want confusing passages explained, not a comprehensive research workflow.
Pricing comparison: Scholarcy Plus starts around $4.99-$9.99/month (pricing varies), making it more affordable than Explainpaper Pro. However, Scholarcy's free tier is more limited (10 summaries total) compared to Explainpaper's unlimited free explanations.
Elicit
AI research assistant for systematic literature reviews
When to choose Elicit instead: If you need to search across millions of papers, extract data systematically, and conduct meta-analyses or systematic reviews. Elicit helps you find relevant research, not just understand what you've already found. It's powerful for discovering evidence across the entire academic literature.
When Explainpaper is better: If you already have specific papers you need to understand. Elicit is about search and discovery; Explainpaper is about comprehension and explanation. If a colleague sent you a research paper and you need to understand its methodology, Explainpaper is the right tool.
Pricing comparison: Elicit's Plus plan is $12/month (cheaper than Explainpaper Pro), but Elicit's free tier is quite limited. The two tools are complementary—Elicit for finding research, Explainpaper for understanding it.
Getting Started
Step 1: Start with the Free Tier
Visit explainpaper.com and create a free account—no credit card required. The free tier gives you unlimited highlight explanations, which is the core feature. Test it with a research paper relevant to your work: a grant-related systematic review, a program evaluation study, or a policy brief. Upload the PDF and start highlighting confusing passages to see how the explanations work.
Spend at least a week using the free tier before upgrading. You may find the core features are all you need, saving your organization $192/year per user. Only upgrade to Pro if you find yourself wishing for full-paper summaries or needing to save highlights regularly.
Step 2: Train Your Team on Effective Question-Asking
The quality of explanations depends on how you use the tool. Teach staff to highlight complete thoughts (full sentences or paragraphs) rather than single words. Encourage follow-up questions to build understanding: "Can you give an example?" or "How does this relate to trauma-informed care?" or "What are the practical implications for nonprofits?"
Create a shared document where team members note particularly useful explanations or effective question strategies. Over time, your organization will develop institutional knowledge about how to extract the most value from research using Explainpaper.
Step 3: Integrate into Your Research Workflow
Identify where Explainpaper fits in your existing processes. For grant writers, make it a standard step when reviewing funder research requirements or evidence-based practice guidelines. For program staff, use it when designing interventions based on academic literature. For executive teams, use it to quickly understand complex research informing strategic decisions.
Since Explainpaper doesn't integrate with other tools, you'll need to manually transfer insights into grant applications, program documents, or knowledge management systems. Create templates or processes for capturing key explanations and ensuring they inform your work products.
Step 4: Evaluate Impact and Consider Pro Upgrade
After 1-2 months of regular use, assess whether Explainpaper is delivering value. Are staff spending less time confused by research? Are grant applications more effectively citing evidence? Is program design more informed by best practices? Track time saved and quality improvements.
If the tool is proving valuable and you find yourself wanting Pro features (full-paper summaries, saved highlights, advanced AI models), upgrade strategically. Consider who on your team would benefit most from Pro access—perhaps just your lead grant writer or research coordinator rather than everyone. At $16/month, even one successful grant application attributed to better research understanding justifies the cost.
Need Help Implementing Explainpaper?
Get expert guidance on integrating research tools into your nonprofit's workflow
While Explainpaper is easy to use, maximizing its impact requires thoughtful integration into your research, grant writing, and program design processes. One Hundred Nights helps nonprofits build research literacy and evidence-based decision-making capacity.
- Train your team on effective research comprehension strategies using AI tools
- Design workflows that integrate research insights into grant writing and program design
- Build organizational capacity for evidence-based practice and continuous learning
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Explainpaper free for nonprofits?
Explainpaper offers a generous free tier that includes unlimited highlight explanations and the ability to ask follow-up questions—enough for most occasional research needs. There's no dedicated nonprofit discount program, but the free tier is genuinely useful. For advanced features like full-paper summaries, saved highlights, and GPT-4o access, the Pro plan is $16/month.
What file formats does Explainpaper support?
Explainpaper only supports PDF files. If you have research papers in Word, PowerPoint, or other formats, you'll need to convert them to PDF first. This is Explainpaper's main limitation compared to tools like ChatPDF that support multiple file types.
How does Explainpaper compare to ChatPDF?
Explainpaper specializes in explaining complex academic jargon and technical concepts within research papers, making it ideal for understanding difficult terminology. ChatPDF excels at broader document Q&A and supports multiple file formats (PDF, Word, PowerPoint). If you primarily work with dense academic papers full of technical language, Explainpaper's highlight-to-explain feature is unmatched. If you need versatile document analysis across file types, ChatPDF is more flexible.
Can Explainpaper work with research papers in languages other than English?
Yes. Explainpaper supports 50+ languages. You can upload a research paper in any language and receive explanations in your preferred language. This is valuable for nonprofits working internationally or reviewing multilingual research literature.
What are the limitations of Explainpaper's free tier?
The free tier offers unlimited highlight explanations and follow-up questions, which is genuinely generous. However, you won't get full-paper summaries, saved highlights, or access to the most advanced GPT-4o models. For most nonprofits doing occasional research, the free tier is sufficient. Organizations conducting extensive literature reviews or systematic research will benefit from the Pro plan.
Is Explainpaper secure for confidential research documents?
Explainpaper processes documents through cloud-based AI models, which means your uploaded PDFs are sent to their servers. For publicly available research papers and academic articles, this is fine. For proprietary research, confidential program evaluations, or sensitive documents, consult your organization's data policies before uploading. Consider alternatives with on-premise options for highly sensitive materials.