# Skim

> Find the five contract clauses most likely to cost you money before you sign

- Category: [Productivity](https://finderatlas.com/categories/productivity)
- Pricing: Paid
- Website: https://askskim.com
- Platforms: Web
- Last updated: 2026-10-29
- FinderAtlas page: https://finderatlas.com/tools/skim

## Overview

Skim is a web tool that reads a document you are about to sign, such as a lease, a contractor quote or a set of terms of service, and returns a short report on the five clauses most likely to cost you money. You upload a PDF (up to 8 MB, first 20,000 characters read) or paste the text, with no account and no prompt writing.

## Key features

- Five red flags
- Plain-English rewrite
- Paste-ready reply
- PDF upload or pasted text
- No account
- Free sample
- One-time pricing

## Pricing

- **Skim Check** ($9/one-time): One payment covering up to 3 documents, no account needed.

## Best for

- Quick pre-signature review of leases, contractor quotes and terms of service, drafting a reply to push back on a clause

## Who uses it

- Renters
- Freelancers
- Small business owners
- Consumers signing contracts

## Strengths

- Simple one-off $9 price covering up to 3 documents, with no subscription
- No account or prompt writing required
- Output includes a rewrite and a ready-to-send reply, not just a list of risks
- Free sample report to judge quality before paying
- Privacy page clearly states what is and is not stored

## Limitations

- Only the first 20,000 characters of a document are analyzed
- Document text goes to xAI, whose retention Skim does not control
- Fixed five-flag output with no follow-up chat
- Operator, company and contact details are not disclosed on the site
- Not legal advice, and no independent reviews found

## Not recommended for

- Anyone needing legal advice
- Long documents beyond the first 20,000 characters
- Confidential documents you do not want processed by xAI

## FinderAtlas editorial scores (out of 10)

- Clause Detection: 7/10
- Output Usefulness: 7.5/10
- Ease of Use: 8.5/10
- Pricing Clarity: 9/10
- Transparency: 6/10

## Alternatives

- [ChatGPT](https://finderatlas.com/tools/chatgpt): OpenAI's AI assistant for writing, research, coding, image generation and voice chat ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/chatgpt-vs-skim))
- [Gamma](https://finderatlas.com/tools/gamma): Generate presentations, documents and websites from a prompt with an AI design partner ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/gamma-vs-skim))
- [Notion AI](https://finderatlas.com/tools/notion-ai): AI agent and writing assistant built into the Notion workspace for docs and databases ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/notion-ai-vs-skim))

## FAQ

**How much does Skim cost?**

$9 USD, paid once through Stripe Checkout, covers up to 3 documents. It is not a monthly subscription.

**Do I need an account?**

No. Skim has no accounts. Stripe collects the card and billing email at checkout.

**Can I see a sample before paying?**

Yes. The site offers a finished sample report at no charge.

**Is Skim legal advice?**

No. The site says Skim is not a lawyer and its output should not be treated as counsel.

**What happens to my document?**

Per its privacy page, an uploaded PDF is not saved and no document database is kept. After payment the text is sent to xAI (api.x.ai) to generate the report, and Skim says it does not control how long xAI retains it.

**Are there file limits?**

PDFs are capped at 8 MB and the first 20,000 characters are read. Scanned PDFs with no readable text are rejected.