kitio.aiMoonlight vs Explainpaper
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 a month, against $16 for Explainpaper.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Inline explanations
- Translation
- Section summaries
- Citation previews
- Chrome extension
- Highlight to explain
- Paper-grounded chat
- Auto outlines
- Equation explanations
- PDF upload
| Feature | Moonlight | Explainpaper |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AI reading companion that explains and translates research papers | Highlight confusing text in a paper and get a plain explanation |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $16/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Corca | Explainpaper |
| Based in | South Korea | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 a month, against $16 for Explainpaper.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Unlimited document access
- AI features for 3 papers/week
Pro
$12/mo
- Unlimited interactive AI features
- Infographic explanations
- Selected advanced AI models
Premium
$59/mo
- Everything in Pro
- Unlimited access to all AI models
- Chat support
Enterprise
Contact sales
- For 30+ seats
- University partnerships
3 plans
Free
Free
- Unlimited highlight explanations
- Follow-up questions
- Zotero import
- Basic AI models
Pro
$16/mo
- Explain graphs, figures, equations
- Advanced AI models
- Automatic paper outlines
- 7-day free trial
Teams
Contact sales
- Everything in Pro
- Team management
- Priority support
- Volume discounts
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Moonlight
- Reads papers in place
- Strong translation help
- Free plan available
- Focused on reading only
- Paid plan for heavy use
Explainpaper
- Very easy to use
- Good for unfamiliar fields
- Free tier available
- One paper at a time
- No library features
Which one should you choose?
Choose Moonlight if you want:
- Reads papers in place
- Strong translation help
- Free plan available
Watch out: focused on reading only.
Choose Explainpaper if you want:
- Very easy to use
- Good for unfamiliar fields
- Free tier available
Watch out: one paper at a time.
Moonlight vs Explainpaper FAQ
What is the difference between Moonlight and Explainpaper?
Moonlight: AI reading companion that explains and translates research papers. Explainpaper: Highlight confusing text in a paper and get a plain explanation. Both are research & search tools.
Is Moonlight or Explainpaper cheaper?
Moonlight has the lower starting price: about $12 a month, against $16 for Explainpaper.
Do Moonlight and Explainpaper have free plans?
Moonlight: Yes. Explainpaper: Yes.
Who makes Moonlight?
Moonlight is made by Corca, based in South Korea.
Who makes Explainpaper?
Explainpaper is made by Explainpaper.
Which should I choose, Moonlight or Explainpaper?
Choose Moonlight if you value reads papers in place and strong translation help. Choose Explainpaper if you value very easy to use and good for unfamiliar fields.