Petal

Free plan ExtensionWeb

What Petal is

Petal is an academic research assistant and reference manager available on the web and as a browser extension. It helps users narrow literature reviews and compare studies, while providing a library to upload and organize PDFs with collections, metadata, and tags. Shared workspaces support group projects, co-authored papers, and reviews. AI tools include translation, summaries, explanations, key-point extraction, question and search-term suggestions, and conversational queries. The citation generator can copy citations or export them to BibTeX or Word; references can be imported using identifiers such as DOI, PMID, ArXivID, ISBN, ISSN, and EAN, or captured from URLs. Petal lists browser add-ins for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, plus a Word add-in for references and bibliographies. The free plan has 1 GB of cloud storage, one seat, three guests, 400 AI credits, two collections, and three annotations per document; it does not include citation export. Paid plans are listed from $4.99/user/mo (annual). Petal lists no mobile apps.

Who it suits

Petal is aimed at academic researchers who organize PDF literature, compare studies, and produce citations. Shared workspaces also suit groups working on papers or reviews.

What it does well

Organizes PDFs with collections, metadata, and tags.
Shared workspaces support group research.
AI tools include translation and key-point extraction.
Imports references by multiple identifiers and URLs.
Word add-in supports references and bibliographies.

What to know first

Free plan limits storage to 1 GB.
Free plan excludes citation export.
No mobile apps are listed.
Free plan allows only three annotations per document.

Limits

The Free plan includes 1 GB of cloud storage, one seat, three guests, 400 AI credits, two collections, and three annotations per document. It excludes citation export. Plus lists 2 GB of storage and 400 AI credits per month, with no multi-document chat or AI Create.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	$0 /mo · 1 GB cloud storage · 1 seat · 3 guests · 400 AI credits · 2 collections · 3 annotations per document · citation export not included	Free
Premium	$25.49 /mo · 25 GB cloud storage · 1 seat · 3 guests · 2,000 AI credits/month · unlimited collections and annotations · priority support	$25.49 a month
Plus	$2.55* /mo; page also lists $2.99 with .edu account and $4.99 otherwise · 2 GB cloud storage · 1 seat · 3 guests · 400 AI credits/month · unlimited collections and annotations · no multi-doc chat or AI Create	$2.55 a month
Advanced	$8.49* /mo; page also lists $9.99 with .edu account and $13.99 otherwise · 10 GB cloud storage · 1 seat · 3 guests · 1,200 AI credits/month · unlimited collections and annotations · priority support	$8.49 a month

As petal.org lists them, read 2 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Petal website or use its browser extension.
Create a research library by uploading PDF documents.
Organize documents with collections, metadata, and tags.
Import references by identifier or capture metadata from URLs.
Choose a plan based on storage, AI credits, and collaboration needs.
Use the browser importer or Word add-in for references and bibliographies.

Verdict

Petal combines PDF organization, research assistance, and citation tools for academic work. Check the free-plan limits and the listed annual paid pricing against your storage and export needs.

Questions

Is Petal free?

Yes. Its Free plan is listed as free and includes 1 GB of storage, one seat, three guests, and 400 AI credits.

What do paid plans cost?

Paid plans are listed from $4.99/user/mo annually. The Plus plan is also listed at $2.55 a month, with separate page prices of $2.99 with an .edu account and $4.99 otherwise.

Which platforms does Petal support?

Petal is available on the web and as a browser extension. Browser importer add-ins are listed for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari; no mobile apps are listed.

Can Petal export citations?

Citation export is not included in the Free plan. The citation generator can copy citations or export them as BibTeX or Word.

Who makes Petal?

Petal's site identifies Paladin Max, Inc. as the company. It gives a Walnut Creek, California mailing address.

Can teams collaborate in Petal?

Yes. Shared workspaces support group projects, co-authored papers, and reviews.

Facts from Petal's own pages

AI tools: Petal lists translation, summarization, explanation, question and search-term suggestions, key-point extraction, and conversational AI. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Browser and Word add-ins: The product page lists web importer add-ins for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, plus a Word add-in for inserting references and generating bibliographies. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Citation styles: The citation generator supports over 10,000 citation styles and can copy citations or export them as BibTeX or Word. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Collaboration: Shared workspaces support collaboration on group projects, co-authored papers, and reviews. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Company: Petal's site identifies the company as Paladin Max, Inc. and gives a Walnut Creek, California mailing address. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Founded: 2021 · petal.org, 23 Sept 2026
Free-plan limits: The Free plan includes 1 GB cloud storage, one seat, three guests, 400 AI credits, two collections, and three annotations per document. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Headquarters: Walnut Creek, California, United States · petal.org, 23 Sept 2026
Intended users: Petal says it was created to serve academia and names research institutes, universities, and large organizations as enterprise-license prospects. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Privacy and security: Petal's privacy policy says user information is primarily stored on servers in Oregon, describes encryption and access controls, and says the company was in the process of seeking ISO 27001 certification when the policy took effect. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Reference imports: Petal says it can import by DOI, PMID, ArXivID, ISBN, ISSN, and EAN lookup and capture metadata from URLs. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Research assistant: Petal describes itself as an AI-powered research assistant for academia that helps narrow literature reviews and compare studies. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Research library: Users can upload, store, and access PDF documents and organize them with collections, metadata, and tags. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026
Support: The FAQ says Petal generally responds to customer support requests within 30 minutes. · petal.org, 2 Oct 2026