Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Underleaf VS Authorea

Compare Underleaf VS Authorea and see what are their differences

Underleaf logo Underleaf

Enhance your academic writing and save hours with Underleaf's AI-powered LaTeX tools.

Authorea logo Authorea

Collaborative platform for research. To write and manage technical documents in one place.
  • Underleaf PDF to LaTeX conversions in seconds
    PDF to LaTeX conversions in seconds //
    2025-12-29
  • Underleaf Convert diagrams to TikZ code in a click
    Convert diagrams to TikZ code in a click //
    2025-12-29

Underleaf is an AI-powered workspace built for researchers, students, and technical writers who work in LaTeX. It helps you move faster from idea to polished document by turning messy inputs into clean, structured LaTeX - without breaking your workflow.

With Underleaf, you can:

  • Convert PDFs to LaTeX (papers, notes, scans)
  • Convert handwritten notes to LaTeX
  • Generate and refine math equations, tables, and LaTeX formatting
  • Create TikZ diagrams from images or natural language descriptions
  • Edit, rewrite, and improve clarity while preserving LaTeX structure
  • Use the Overleaf AI Chrome extension to bring AI assistance directly into your LaTeX editor
  • Authorea Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-10

Underleaf features and specs

  • PDF to LaTeX
    Convert PDFs (papers, notes, scanned documents) into clean, editable LaTeX with high accuracy.
  • Handwritten Notes to LaTeX
    Transform handwritten math and notes into fully formatted LaTeX code.
  • Math & Equation Generation
    Generate, edit, and refine mathematical equations with proper LaTeX syntax.
  • LaTeX Editing & Refinement
    Rewrite, clean up, and improve LaTeX while preserving structure and formatting.
  • TikZ Diagram Generation
    Create TikZ diagrams from text descriptions or images.
  • Overleaf Integration
    Use Underleaf directly inside Overleaf with a browser extension for seamless AI-assisted editing.

Authorea features and specs

  • Collaborative Writing
    Authorea allows multiple authors to collaboratively edit documents in real-time, making it easier for teams to work together effectively.
  • LaTeX Support
    The platform provides robust support for LaTeX, which is particularly beneficial for academics and researchers who need to write complex mathematical formulas.
  • Formatting and Referencing
    Authorea offers automated formatting and referencing tools that help streamline the writing and publication process.
  • Integrated with Data Repositories
    Users can integrate datasets directly into their documents, which is useful for scientific publications requiring data transparency.
  • Export to Multiple Formats
    Documents can be exported into various formats like PDF, Word, and HTML, providing flexibility in how content is shared and published.

Possible disadvantages of Authorea

  • Limited Offline Access
    Authorea requires an internet connection for most collaborative features, which can be a limitation for users needing offline access.
  • Pricing and Plans
    Some features are only available in paid plans, which may not be suitable for users looking for a free solution.
  • Learning Curve
    New users, especially those unfamiliar with LaTeX or collaborative writing tools, may face a learning curve getting started.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues with large documents, which can affect the ease of use during editing and review.
  • Limited Customization
    Customization options for document layout and design might be limited compared to other writing platforms.

Analysis of Underleaf

Overall verdict

  • Underleaf.ai appears to be a niche AI-powered writing/document tool, likely aimed at streamlining LaTeX or academic/technical writing workflows, though independent reviews and widespread user feedback are limited, making it hard to fully verify its effectiveness and reliability.

Why this product is good

  • Offers AI-assisted features that can speed up document creation and editing
  • Targets a specific niche (likely LaTeX or academic writing) that many general tools don't address well
  • May provide templates or automation for technical formatting, saving users time
  • Likely has a modern, user-friendly interface designed for efficiency

Recommended for

  • Students and researchers who frequently write academic papers
  • Professionals working with LaTeX or technical documentation
  • Users seeking AI assistance for structured or formal writing tasks
  • Early adopters willing to try newer, less-established AI writing tools

Underleaf videos

A review of Underleaf.ai, an image-to-math converter #math #latex #mathequations #ai

More videos:

  • Review - Underleaf Review-Was This REALLY Of VALUE At ALL Or NOT ??See(Check Before use)
  • Review - Underleaf | Review | Frog Tree Games | Initial Impressions

Authorea videos

Comparing Authorea, ShareLaTeX and Overleaf for academic writing

More videos:

  • Review - Simple minimal peer review with Authorea Collections
  • Review - A quick introduction to Authorea

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Underleaf and Authorea)
Academic Writing
100 100%
0% 0
Writing
0 0%
100% 100
Education
100 100%
0% 0
Writing Tools
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Underleaf and Authorea.

What makes your product unique?

Underleaf's answer

Underleaf is built specifically for people who write in LaTeX. Unlike generic AI writing tools, it understands mathematical structure, equations, and academic formatting. It can convert PDFs and handwritten notes directly into clean LaTeX, generate TikZ diagrams, and help refine technical writing - all while preserving document structure. Itโ€™s designed to feel like a natural extension of your LaTeX workflow, not a replacement for it.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Underleaf's answer

Most tools treat LaTeX as plain text. Underleaf treats it as a first-class language. Itโ€™s purpose-built for researchers, students, and technical professionals who care about correctness, structure, and reproducibility. With deep support for equations, diagrams, and academic formatting - plus seamless Overleaf integration - Underleaf saves hours without compromising precision or control.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Underleaf's answer

Underleaf is built for professors, researchers, graduate students, and technical professionals who regularly write in LaTeX. This includes people in mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science, and related fields who want to move faster without sacrificing rigor or formatting quality.

What's the story behind your product?

Underleaf's answer

Underleaf was created out of firsthand frustration with how slow and manual academic writing can be. After years of writing papers, notes, and technical documents in LaTeX, the goal became clear: remove the friction without breaking the workflow researchers rely on. Underleaf started as a personal productivity tool and grew into a platform that helps thousands of academics write faster, cleaner, and with more focus on ideas instead of syntax.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Underleaf and Authorea

Underleaf Reviews

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Authorea Reviews

14 BEST LaTeX Editor for Mac & Windows in 2022
Authorea is online LaTeX editor. It allows you to write and publish data with ease. This application supports commenting to discuss the changes in real time.
Source: www.guru99.com
12 Best LaTeX Editors You Should Use
If you are looking for more web-based LaTeX editors, Authorea should be a great option for you. Authorea is a great online LaTeX editor, and possesses many of the great features offered by the previously mentioned tools. Ready-to-use templates, collaboration tools, document revision history, chat feature, auto-creation of references page, easy insertion of images, links,...
Source: beebom.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Underleaf and Authorea, you can also consider the following products

Overleaf - The online platform for scientific writing. Overleaf is free: start writing now with one click. No sign-up required. Great on your iPad.

Bibby AI - The AI LaTeX editor for researchers. Smart citations, AI writing assistant, table generation, paper review, and real-time collaboration.

TeXworks - The TeXworks project is an effort to build a simple TeX front-end program (working environment)...

Accessibility Checker Pro - WordPress accessibility auditing & WCAG testing plugin

Fidus Writer - Fidus Writer is an online collaborative LaTeX editor especially made for academics who need to use...

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