SpatialRead FAQs

SpatialRead is a nonlinear research paper reading desktop application. It combines an infinite spatial canvas with AI-powered insights, allowing you to highlight text, create visual connections, and understand complex topics with the help of AI. (more)

SpatialRead is designed to be intuitive. Apart from a one-time 5 minute setup of connecting AI models, SpatialRead is easy to use. You can simply upload a research paper, highlight text, and click 'Explain' to get AI insights. The visual interface makes it easy to see connections between ideas, and there are helpful tooltips throughout the app. (more)

If you read a lot of research papers SpatialRead can help you understand them faster. Many students use it to teach themselves concepts in a paper while more seasoned academics use it to understand papers outside their main domain. (more)

All features in SpatialRead are completely free to use with local self-hosted models via Ollama. Purchasing a lifetime license gives you access to Cloud model and LM Studio integration. Cloud models are generally smarter and have a better response quality than smaller local models but if you have a good machine, you can use larger local models for better responses. (more)

Cloud model's costs vary by usage and model choice. Let's walk through an example of what costs could look like.

The average research paper is 20 pages long. Cloud models typically compress PDFs resulting in around 250 tokens per page. This means a 20 page PDF would be around 5000 input tokens. A response is typically 200 output tokens. If you use a model like Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite, which costs $0.10 per 1M input tokens and $0.40 per 1M output tokens, that would cost $0.0005 + $0.00008 = $0.00058/chat. Assuming you ask 50 questions a day, that's $0.029/day. That adds up to just $0.87/month. If you use one of the smartest and most expensive models, like GPT 5.1 Thinking ($1.25/$10 per 1M tokens), you could see your costs rise to $12.50/month.

Most services charge a flat $10-30/month fee and generally provide access to cheap models but the advantage of Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK) is that you only pay for what you use. (more)

Yes! We offer a 20% student discount for verified students. To apply, please email us at [email protected] with a valid student ID or proof of enrollment. We'll review your request and get back to you with discount details. (more)

You can create your own API keys from AI providers like OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, or Perplexity and plug them into SpatialRead. Using your own keys means you have complete control over your data and costs and only pay for the AI usage you actually consume. This is in contrast to subscription payment models where you pay a flat monthly fee irrespective of your actual usage.
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