Whatletter

WhatLetter is an AI document translator and explainer for people who struggle with paperwork in a language they don't read well. It is aimed especially at immigrant families and seniors. You take a photo of a letter or document, and WhatLetter translates it, explains what it means and answers questions about it in your chosen language. The goal is to remove language barriers around everyday paperwork.

How it works

You snap or scan any document, and WhatLetter gives you an instant interpretation. PDF documents are supported too. You then choose your preferred language and chat with the assistant, which explains the content and answers follow-up questions, such as what a letter is asking you to do or which deadline applies. The app supports more than 30 languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Farsi, Filipino, Hausa, Hindi, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese, and invites users to request missing ones.

Use cases

Typical uses include personal documents such as medical records, prescriptions, bills, bank statements and legal forms. Travellers can translate guides, menus, signs and schedules in real time. Businesses can translate contracts, manuals and marketing materials. It can also summarise complex or technical material, such as research papers and financial reports. WhatsApp and Telegram integration is listed as coming soon.

Privacy

WhatLetter says it does not save the images you provide on its servers. Chat history is kept only for your own reference and is not shared with or accessed by third parties.

Pricing

The free plan lets you translate up to three documents and hold up to three chat sessions a month. WhatLetter Plus costs $1.99 a month, or less with yearly billing, which saves 16%. It includes unlimited document translations and chats, and access to all supported languages.

Things to consider

AI explanations are a helpful first step, but for legal, immigration, medical or financial letters with serious consequences, users should confirm the meaning with the issuing organisation, a professional or a qualified interpreter before acting. Photo quality affects accuracy, so it's worth capturing documents in good light and in full.

The interface is designed to be simple enough for people who aren't comfortable with technology, which matters for its intended audience. Family members can also use it to help relatives understand letters from schools, doctors or government offices.