DistillBrief review
A focused PDF summarizer with OCR, document chat, exports, and a clear $9 Pro plan.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
DistillBrief is a browser-based PDF summarization product for individuals and teams reviewing business, technical, research, and other lengthy documents. It accepts digital, scanned, and image-based PDFs, extracts text, applies OCR where needed, and produces AI-generated briefs with key points. Users can also export summaries and extracted text, save extraction history when signed in, and ask follow-up questions about uploaded documents. Its focus is document review rather than general-purpose summarization across multiple content formats.
The pricing structure is straightforward. The Free plan includes 5 PDF briefs per month, OCR for scanned PDFs up to 10 pages, saved history when signed in, and exports for summaries and text. Pro costs $9 per month with monthly billing and adds unlimited PDF briefs, OCR for scanned PDFs up to 25 pages, saved extraction history, professional export formatting, and unlimited chat subject to fair use. The most meaningful paid upgrade is the move from a limited allowance to unlimited briefs, while the larger OCR page allowance is relevant for longer scanned documents.
DistillBrief fits readers whose source material is primarily stored in PDFs, especially research and technical documents that may require OCR before summarization. Its saved history, exports, and document-specific chat support a repeat review workflow. The product is available on the web, with Stripe and OpenAI listed as integrations. It is less suitable for users who need webpage or transcript summarization, a browser extension, a public API, or broader platform support. Choose it for focused PDF extraction and briefing; consider an alternative if your workflow depends on content beyond uploaded PDF files.
DistillBrief pros and cons
- Where it wins
- OCR handles scanned and image-based PDFs
- Exports summaries and extracted text
- Follow-up chat supports document questions
- Where it doesn't
- Web-only access limits platform flexibility
- Free OCR covers scanned PDFs up to 10 pages
- No documented webpage, transcript, or public API support
DistillBrief fact sheet, pricing and score →
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