Side-by-side comparison · Presentations & Docs
ChatPDF vs Gemini in Google Workspace vs Napkin AI
Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.
Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.
At a glance
Pick it if: Anyone who needs quick answers from a PDF, like a manual, report or contract, without reading the whole thing.
Pick it if: Teams already on Google Workspace who want AI help without adding another tool.
Pick it if: Marketers, consultants and business owners who want clear visuals for slides, posts and reports without opening a design tool.
Overview
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | Upload a PDF and ask it questions, with answers that point to the page they came from. | Drafts, summarises and tidies up inside Docs, Slides, Sheets and Gmail, where you work. | Turns your text into clean diagrams, flowcharts and charts for slides and posts. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | $0 | A$9.90/user/mo on a 1-year commitment | $0 |
| Free plan | Yes | No | Yes |
| Works with Claude Code | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.3Winner |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | No |
| Desktop app | Yes | No | No |
| Browser extension | No | – | – |
| API access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Teams & business | |||
| Team workspace | No | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise plan or SSO | – | Yes | Yes |
| Connects to other apps | No | Yes | No |
| Open source or self-hosted | No | No | No |
| AI abilities | |||
| Works with your files | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Understands images | – | Yes | – |
| Makes images | No | Yes | Yes |
| Makes video | No | Yes | No |
| Writes code | No | Yes | No |
| Runs agents or automations | No | Yes | No |
| Learns your brand or style | – | No | Yes |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | – |
| Capabilities score | 5/ 17 | 12/ 17 | 7/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | Free $0 The occasional document. | Business Starter A$9.90/user/mo on a 1-year commitment Tiny teams who mainly want email and basic Gemini chat. | Free $0 Trying it and the odd visual. |
PlusOur pick About $19.99/mo, cheaper billed yearly People who read lots of documents. | Business StandardOur pick A$19.80/user/mo on a 1-year commitment Most small businesses that want AI in their documents. | PlusOur pick $12/mo, or $9/mo billed yearly People making visuals every week. | |
Business Plus A$30.90/user/mo on a 1-year commitment Teams needing more storage, Vault and tighter device control. | Pro $30/mo, or $22/mo billed yearly Heavy users and brand-conscious teams. | ||
Enterprise Custom Large organisations with compliance requirements. | Enterprise Custom Larger organisations. | ||
| Which plan to pick | Free is fine for a document or two a day. Before paying for Plus, try NotebookLM, which is free, or use Claude or ChatGPT if you already pay for one. | Business Standard is the plan to be on. Starter is cheap but leaves out Gemini in Docs, Sheets and Slides, which is the whole point. Only move to Plus if you need Vault or the extra storage, not for the AI. | Free is enough to see if it fits how you work. If you'll put visuals in client decks, Plus removes the branding and adds PowerPoint export for $9 a month on yearly billing. Pro is for people who need custom fonts or lots of credits. |
Key features
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
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Pros and cons
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
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Who each one is for
| Attribute | ChatPDF | Gemini in Google Workspace | Napkin AI |
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Questions people ask
Which is better, ChatPDF, Gemini in Google Workspace or Napkin AI?
Napkin AI scores highest overall in our ratings (ChatPDF 3.9/5, Gemini in Google Workspace 4.0/5 and Napkin AI 4.3/5). ChatPDF is best for quick questions about a single PDF and summarising reports and manuals. Gemini in Google Workspace is best for drafting and rewriting in Docs and summarising long email threads. Napkin AI is best for diagrams for slide decks and visuals for LinkedIn and blog posts.
Which is cheaper, ChatPDF, Gemini in Google Workspace or Napkin AI?
ChatPDF: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0. Gemini in Google Workspace: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at A$9.90/user/mo on a 1-year commitment. Napkin AI: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0.
Which is easier to use, ChatPDF, Gemini in Google Workspace or Napkin AI?
ChatPDF rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Anyone who needs quick answers from a PDF, like a manual, report or contract, without reading the whole thing.
How we compare
Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.
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