Skip the PDF download-and-upload loop
Instead of saving a paper to your desktop and uploading it to a third-party viewer, stay directly on arXiv HTML, PubMed Central, IEEE, or your documentation tab.
Explainpaper alternative that works on any webpage, docs, and code—not just uploaded PDFs.
Explainpaper popularized highlighting confusing sentences in academic PDFs. Vezz me brings that exact highlight-to-explain workflow to every live webpage in Chrome and Firefox.
Best fit
Best fit for researchers, students, and engineers who want Explainpaper's highlight workflow without having to download and upload PDFs into a separate web app.
Step-by-step workflow
How to run this workflow in place.
Highlight the confusing sentence or equation
Select the exact passage on the live webpage and press Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac).
Ask follow-ups beside the source
Switch between undergraduate, graduate, or ELI5 explanations right on screen.
Key details
Why this approach works better than switching tabs.
Comparison Matrix
Vezz me vs Explainpaper
Comparing a universal in-browser overlay with a dedicated PDF upload web app.
| Dimension | Vezz me | Explainpaper |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Directly on any live webpage (arXiv HTML, PubMed, GitHub, docs, news) | Uploaded PDF documents inside the Explainpaper web app |
| Workflow steps | Highlight text on page -> press Ctrl+Shift+X -> read answer beside source | Download PDF -> open Explainpaper -> upload file -> highlight text |
| Custom prompts | Full custom system prompts + 1-click JSON preset import/export | Preset explanation levels (e.g., 5-year-old, undergrad, expert) |
| Pricing | Free (10 answers/mo), Pro at $12/month | Free basic tier + paid Plus/Pro subscriptions |
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about explainpaper alternative.
Can Vezz me explain passages at different difficulty levels like Explainpaper?
Yes. You can either ask 'Explain this at an undergraduate level' in the panel, or load our 'ELI5 + Real Technical Mapping' preset to get both an intuitive analogy and exact technical term mapping.
How do I read arXiv papers in HTML so Vezz me works on them?
On almost any modern arXiv abstract page, click 'HTML (experimental)' in the right-hand sidebar (or change `/abs/` to `/html/` in the URL). The paper opens as a clean HTML webpage where Vezz me can explain any equation or paragraph on screen.
Related workflows & guides
Explore connected pages.
Ready to try this workflow on your own reading?
Install Vezz me free, highlight text on any webpage, and press your customizable shortcut (default: Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac) to get an answer right beside the source.
