PDF Pals
PDF Pals — ChatPDF on Mac lets you chat with any PDF on your Mac. Native macOS app with powerful OCR, no file size limits, and privacy-friendly local storage.
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What is PDF Pals?
PDF Pals is a native macOS application that allows users to instantly chat with any PDF document on their Mac without uploading files to the cloud. The tool uses AI powered by OpenAI's GPT technology to help users gain insights from their documents by simply opening a PDF and asking questions. It features a powerful OCR engine that enables it to handle scanned PDFs and complex forms effectively.
Key features include no file size limitations, local document processing with a privacy-friendly approach where data stays on your Mac, support for multiple API providers (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI Service, and OpenRouter), built-in sensitive data redaction that automatically detects and redacts email addresses, phone numbers, and credit card numbers, and the ability to chat with multiple PDF documents simultaneously. The app uses macOS's native UI rather than being an Electron app, making it fast and lightweight.
PDF Pals is designed for researchers and academics who need to extract information from research papers and e-books, legal professionals who review case files and contracts, software developers learning from technical documentation, and anyone who regularly works with PDF documents and wants to save time reading them.
The tool requires a macOS device (Ventura 13 or later), an OpenAI API key or OpenAI-compatible service, and an internet connection to communicate with OpenAI's servers for generating responses.
PDF Pals pricing
Pricing model: Paid
PDF Pals offers a free trial for download. The main pricing is a perpetual Pro License where you pay once and use the tool forever. One license key allows indefinite use of the current app version. The license includes one year of free updates. If you don't renew after one year, you can continue using your last version indefinitely. AppStore subscription option also available. University customers with university email can get 50% off for Pro License. 14-day refund policy available for Pro License customers if not satisfied.
PDF Pals pros
- Native macOS app - not a 500MB Electron app
- No file size limitations for PDF uploads
- Documents stay locally on your Mac - no cloud uploading
- Powerful OCR engine for scanned PDFs and complex forms
- Supports multiple API providers: OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, OpenRouter
- Built-in sensitive data redaction for emails, phone numbers, credit cards
- API key stored securely in Apple Keychain with industry encryption
- No in-app analytics or tracking
- Chat with multiple PDF documents simultaneously
- Local SQLite database for easy backup
- Customizable API endpoint to proxy server
- Automatic language matching - responds in same language as questions
- Open-source embedding model - document processing costs nothing
- Perpetual license - use indefinitely after one purchase
- GPT-4 support if API key has GPT-4 access
- 14-day refund policy for Pro License customers
- 50% discount for university customers with Pro License
- One year of free updates included with license
PDF Pals cons
- Only available for macOS - no Windows or Linux support yet
- Requires macOS Ventura 13 or later
- Must purchase your own OpenAI API key - not included
- Requires internet connection for AI responses
- Only supports PDF documents - no other file types yet
- No mobile app available
- No free tier - only free trial available
- License renewal needed after one year for continued updates
Frequently asked questions about PDF Pals
How do I start using PDF Pals?
After setting your API key, PDF Pals is ready to help with any PDF document. Simply open your document with PDF Pals and start asking questions. It involves two steps: document ingestion and similarity search. During ingestion, relevant documents are provided to the model as training data. In similarity search, the model compares your query with the learned representation of documents to retrieve relevant information.
What API providers does PDF Pals support?
PDF Pals supports multiple API providers: OpenAI, Azure OpenAI Service, and OpenRouter. You can also customize the API endpoint to your proxy server if needed.
Is PDF Pals private and secure?
Yes. PDF Pals does not store or analyze the content you type. Your documents are not uploaded to any server. Your OpenAI API key is securely stored in the Apple Keychain with industry standard encryption. There is no analytic tracking within the app. All data is kept locally on your machine. PDF Pals also includes built-in data detection that automatically redacts sensitive data like email addresses, phone numbers, and credit card numbers.
Does PDF Pals work with scanned PDF documents?
Yes, PDF Pals employs Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to enhance its understanding and processing of scanned PDF documents. The powerful OCR engine enables it to handle scanned PDFs and complex forms effectively.
Can I change the output language of responses?
Absolutely. You are free to switch the output language at any point during the conversation. As a default setting, PDF Pals will always respond in the same language as your questions.
What document types can I chat with?
You can only chat with PDF documents at the moment. PDF Pals plans to support more document types in the future.
Can I chat with multiple PDF documents at once?
Yes, it's really simple to chat with multiple documents with PDF Pals. Simply select your PDFs and then choose to open with PDF Pals. You can select multiple PDFs simultaneously.
What do I need to use PDF Pals?
You need: 1) A macOS device compatible with macOS Ventura 13 or later, 2) An OpenAI API key or OpenAI-compatible service, and 3) An internet connection since PDF Pals communicates with OpenAI's servers to generate responses.
Is PDF Pals available on Windows or Linux?
At this time, PDF Pals is exclusively available for macOS. The developers are evaluating user needs and may consider expanding to Windows or Linux in the future. Users can vote for this feature request at pdfpals.canny.io.
How does the license work and is there a refund policy?
The license is perpetual - one license key allows you to use the current app version indefinitely. You are eligible for one year of free updates. If you don't renew after one year, you can continue using your last version forever. Yes, there is a 14-day refund policy for Pro License customers if you're not satisfied. Send refund requests to [email protected]. University customers get 50% off with university email for Pro License.