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AI Resource Hub

NotebookLM

by Google

AI research notebook grounded in the sources you upload.

Free plan

Overview

NotebookLM is Google's AI notebook. You add your own sources, such as PDFs, Google Docs, websites and YouTube videos, and it answers questions using only those sources, with citations.

What it does

NotebookLM summarises your sources, answers questions with citations back to specific passages, creates study guides and briefing documents, and generates podcast-style Audio Overviews.

Main features

  • Answers grounded in your sources
  • Citations to exact passages
  • Audio Overviews
  • Study guides, FAQs and timelines
  • Mind maps

Pricing

Free with a Google account. Higher limits come with Google's paid AI plans and some Workspace plans.

Prices vary by country, currency and billing period and change often, so we don't quote figures. See current prices on the official pricing page.

Strengths and limitations

Our view — editorial assessment, not a claim by the developer.

Advantages

  • Works from your materials, reducing made-up answers
  • Excellent for studying
  • Free

Limitations

  • Limited to the sources you add
  • Audio summaries can oversimplify
  • Source limits per notebook

Best for

  • Students revising
  • Researchers with many PDFs
  • Professionals preparing briefings

Alternatives to NotebookLM

Claude

Anthropic

AI assistant known for long documents, careful writing and coding help.

  • Analysis of long PDFs and documents
  • Projects for organising files and instructions
  • Artifacts for documents, code and interactive pages
Free plan
Read reviewOfficial site (opens in a new tab)

NotebookLM FAQs

Is NotebookLM free?

Yes, with a Google account. Paid Google AI plans raise limits.

What are Audio Overviews?

AI-generated, podcast-style discussions of your sources that you can listen to.

Learn more