What are Markup Tools?

Markup or drawing tools are software platforms or browser-based solutions that allow users to visually annotate, comment, and review digital content such as websites, PDF files, images, design mockups, Figma files, etc. These tools streamline feedback, clarify bug reports, and organize review cycles between agencies, dev teams, and clients, turning a messy feedback process into clarity.

Website-specific markup tools enable direct, in-context annotations right on live web pages, automatically capturing technical data to simplify developer fixes. Design and PDF markup tools focus on enhancing creative workflows, ensuring compliance, and facilitating document reviews.

Types of Markup Tools by Use Case

Website

Best for real-time website feedback, bug reporting, and client communication.

• Platforms like BugHerd allow users to pin comments or annotate directly in the browser. They excel in capturing browser details, device information, and turning every piece of feedback into assigned tasks for dev teams. Unlike general tools for annotating screenshots, these specialize in live web context and technical reporting.

PDF Markup & Annotation

Best for document review, legal workflows, and regulated environments.

• Adobe Acrobat and Foxit lead this category with support for adding comments, highlights, signatures, and collaborative review rounds. Essential for teams working in legal, finance, or documentation-heavy industries.

Image & Design Markup

Best for creative teams, designers, and collaborative mockup reviews.

• Markup.io, Figma, and Ziflow integrate with design platforms, supporting layered annotations, artboard management, and team feedback cycles.

Video Markup

Best for multimedia reviews, agencies working on video content.

• Frame.io and Filestage are comment tools that enable frame-by-frame commenting, time-coded annotations, and collaborative video feedback.

Free vs Paid Markup

Best for individual users, students, or small projects.

• AnnotateWeb and Diigo offer free website annotation with basic functionality. Free tiers often lack key features such as integrations, team management, and workflow automation. Agencies and serious teams see strong ROI from paid tools that eliminate manual steps, organize feedback, and reduce revision cycles.

Top 15 Markup Tools

1. BugHerd: Best for Website Feedback, Bug Reporting & Client Communication

BugHerd transforms busy feedback cycles into structured, visual tasks. Designed for agencies and dev teams, it’s the only tool focused entirely on the website process, making getting client feedback on websites ridiculously easy.  

Point-and-click website feedback

Users (web developers, web designers, clients, testers, etc) can use the arrow icon to click directly on any element of a live or staging website and drop a pin/comment (like sticky notes on a page).   More on website markups

Document, design & PDF markups

BugHerd also supports review of prototypes, PDFs, images, and design files, so QA and feedback isn’t limited to just live webpages.  Providing feedback on designs, images and documents

Video feedback

Create walkthroughs to give feedback and report bugs on websites with BugHerd’s video feedback. It’s the easy way to leave feedback on multi-step interactions, animations, and anything else that’s difficult-to-describe with written words alone.  Capturing feedback via video with BugHerd

Automatic metadata capture

When feedback is submitted, BugHerd automatically captures relevant technical details: browser type/version, operating system, screen resolution, element selector, URL, etc. This gives developers the context they need without having to ask follow-up questions.   How BugHerd captures metadata

Built-in Kanban-style task board

Feedback is automatically converted into tasks on a board view where you can easily assign, prioritize, and action each task. Users receive notifications via messages. This makes QA cycles more visible and manageable for teams.  Easy task tracking with BugHerd

BugHerd Two-way integrations

BugHerd integrates with tools your team already uses (e.g., Jira, Trello, Asana, Slack, GitHub). This ensures feedback flows into existing workflows rather than requiring duplication.  See all BugHerd integrations

Guest/client friendly feedback

Non-technical clients or stakeholders don’t need to set up a log in or intall anything. They can provide feedback easily via a share link.   More on no client login

Public feedback widget

Beyond invited users, you can enable a public widget so that website visitors (or live users) can submit feedback or bug reports directly on the site. This supports ongoing QA/monitoring post-launch.    Capturing feedback from all website visitors

Pricing

BugHerd plans start at $42/month for up to 5 members, including unlimited projects and unlimited guests.  All plans include a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.  

2. Usersnap

Usersnap provides good bug reporting for development and product teams' processes, supports micro-surveys, and integrates with Jira, Slack, and Zendesk.

• Visual feedback capture – Users can take annotated screenshots or record videos directly on your website to show exactly where and what the issue is
• Automatic technical data – Every report includes browser, OS, screen size, URL, and console logs
• Workflow integrations – Connects with tools like Jira, Slack, Azure DevOps, and Trello

Usersnap offers several paid tiers starting at $99/month for the “Startup” plan, and scales up to a custom-priced “Enterprise” tier for large organisations. A free trial is available.

3. Marker.io

Visual website feedback and bug-reporting tool that allows clients, testers and team members to submit annotated screenshots directly from your site.

• Website feedback widget & browser extension – Users can report issues by clicking a widget or using a browser extension, capture screenshots, annotate them.
• Integrations with other tools – Feedback can be sent straight into tools like Jira, Trello, Asana, GitHub, ClickUp etc.
• Session Replay & Guest-Portal for Clients – You can view what the reporter did before submitting (session replay) and enable clients to report or follow issues without needing an account in your internal system.

Plans start at $39 per month (billed annually) for the Starter tier (up to 3 seats). A 15-day free trial is available for all plans.

4. Adobe Acrobat

Robust PDF annotation, digital signatures with pencil tool, team review, and compliance processes.

• Edit, organize & annotate – Edit text and images within PDFs, reorder pages, rotate or delete pages, add comments, highlights and review feedback.
• PDF creation & conversion – Convert files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images and web pages into high-quality PDFs, and export PDFs back into editable formats.
• Collaboration & AI-assisted insights – Work across devices with shared reviews, versioning and comments; plus use the built-in AI Assistant and “PDF Spaces” to summarise documents, ask questions and generate insights.

The 'Standard' individual plan starts at $12.99 per month and the “Pro” individual plan at $19.99 per month.  A free 7-day trial is available for Acrobat Pro.

5. Markup.io

Markup.io includes a creative team focus, image annotation, design, and artboards.

• Supports 30+ file types – Works with websites, images, PDFs, videos and many other formats in a single platform.
• Visual annotations & contextual feedback – Users can drop pins, draw or comment directly on assets, and each feedback includes a screenshot or context for clarity.
• Guest/reviewer access without full accounts – You can invite clients or stakeholders as guests to review and comment without requiring them to register and install apps.

The entry-level Pro plan is priced at $79/month - includes unlimited users, unlimited mark-ups and a 30-day free trial.

6. Pastel

Pastel is simple feedback for design/web teams, browser-based pins, and integrates with Slack.

• Live website annotation – Users can leave comments pinned to specific elements on any live website, making feedback contextual and precise.
• Support for diverse assets (PDFs, images, uploads) – Upload and mark up PDFs, design mock-ups, images, and other files beyond just websites.
• Integrations with PM/workflow tools – Connect comments and feedback to tools like Trello, Jira, Asana or export tasks to streamline your review-to-task process.

Paid plans start at $35/month for 2 users and $119/month for 5 users. All paid plans come with a free 14 day trial. Pastel also offers a free forever plan but it is limited to one user, and one project.

7. Filestage

Handles feedback on PDFs, images, videos, and documents.

• Visual annotations & feedback – Reviewers can comment, draw or mark up content directly on files (e.g., design, video, PDF) to provide clear, precise feedback.
• Version control & comparison – Filestage tracks versions of a file, allows side-by-side comparisons of different iterations, and maintains an audit trail of changes.
• Integrations & automation – The platform integrates with tools like Slack, Asana, Google Drive, Zapier and more, enabling automated workflows.

Filestage offers a Free plan which supports up to 2 active projects.  Paid plans start at $109/month and a 30-day free trial is available.

8. Figma
Real-time collaboration, design annotation, powerful integration ecosystem.

• Real-time collaboration & cloud-based editing – Multiple team members can edit the same file at once, view live changes, comment and give feedback without version conflicts.
• ‍Prototyping & interactive design – Link frames, define animations/transitions, preview designs interactively (including on mobile), enabling realistic workflows from wireframe to prototype.
• Developer hand-off & inspect mode – Developers can inspect design files, access code snippets, download assets, and see component details directly.

Figma offers a free (Starter) plan good for those working on personal projects and who need basic design, presentation, and brainstorming tools.  Paid plans begin at $12-16 per editor per month.

9. Ziflow

Approvals, annotation, and version control for agencies & creative teams.

• Multi-Asset Support & Visual Markup – Review and annotate images, videos, live URLs, documents and other file types.
• Automated Workflows & Routing – Set up custom review stages and automation so assets go through predefined steps, reviewers get notifications, and no approval step is missed.
• Version Control & Proof Comparison – Track versions of assets, compare changes side-by-side, and ensure all stakeholders are working on the correct iteration.

Ziflow offers a forever free plan for up to 2 users and 1 project. Paid plans start at $199/month for  up to 15 users, and a free 14-day trial is available for all users.

10. Markup Hero

Easy screenshot attachments/comments, Chrome extension.

• Screenshot + scrolling screenshot capture & annotation – Capture a screen, an entire webpage via scrolling, or upload an image/PDF; then annotate with text, arrows, shapes, highlights and other markup tools.
• Upload & annotate diverse file types – Beyond screenshots, you can upload images, multi-page PDFs or files and annotate them directly in Markup Hero.
• Cross-platform and integrations – Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome; integrates with Google Drive, Slack, Notion, etc.

Markup Hero offers a free plan but it is limited to 1 user and 25 saved markups. Plan prices start at $5 per month per user.  

11. AnnotateWeb

Lightweight website markup and no registration required to attach basic annotations. Limited team features.

• Annotation tools on live webpages – Includes drawing tools (highlighter, lines, circles, squares), text annotations and multiple colour options for marking up any webpage.
• Real-time collaboration and link sharing – Share a unique URL with collaborators who can join in real-time without logging in; annotate together on the same webpage session.
• Export to PNG – Save your annotated webpage (visible area or entire page) as a PNG image for offline sharing or documentation.
• No sign-up required & works across devices – Users can start annotating immediately without creating an account; URLs work on all devices and browsers.

12. Frame.io

Time-coded annotations, video collaboration, and Adobe Premiere integration.

1. Review & approval tools
   Frame.io allows reviewers to leave frame-accurate or range-based comments on videos and mark up images or documents with annotations, ensuring extremely clear feedback. Frame.io
2. Centralised asset & workflow management
   Upload, organise and share creative files in a structured cloud workspace; use metadata, collections, tags and custom fields to manage projects efficiently.
3. Branded sharing & secure links
   Create client-friendly share links with custom branding, set permissions, expiration dates, disable downloads, and enable viewing across devices—all while maintaining enterprise-level security.
4. Enterprise-grade security & integrations
   Supports SOC-2, ISO-27001, TPN accreditation; offers SAML/SSO, forensic watermarking, and integrates with production/creative tools (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid, Final Cut Pro).

13. Atarim

Visual feedback attachments for WP sites, team chat, and integration with project management tools.

• Visual commenting on live websites & designs – Users can click directly on any element of a live website or design asset to leave a comment, turning feedback into actionable tasks.
• Screenshots & annotations automatically captured – Each comment can automatically generate a screenshot with the exact state of the element.
• Task management & Kanban boards – Feedback is converted into tasks which can be assigned, tracked in Kanban/Inbox views, prioritized and managed through to completion.
• Integrations & workflow automation – Atarim connects with tools like Jira, Trello, Slack, Asana, ClickUp and supports automations.

14. Foxit PDF File Editor

Powerful PDF annotation, affordable, supports attaching team reviews.

• Advanced PDF Editing & Conversion – Allows users to edit paragraphs, images and layout in PDFs like a word-processor, merge/split files, convert to/from other formats.
• Annotation, Commenting & Collaboration Tools – Reviewers can annotate, highlight, comment on PDFs; supports sharing and collaboration across devices and platforms.
• Security, OCR & Compliance Features – Offers encryption, redaction, PDF/A compliance, and OCR for scanned documents.
• Cloud, Platform Integration & Workflow Automation – Integrates with cloud services, works across Windows, macOS, mobile; supports document workflows and connects with enterprise systems.

15. Diigo

Web/highlighting/bookmarking, good for personal annotation, limited for teams.

• Webpage annotation & highlighting – Users can highlight text in multiple colours, add sticky notes to specific parts of webpages or freely position them, and these annotations stay linked to the original page.
• Bookmarking, tagging & organised library – Save web pages, tag them for categorisation, build lists or folders, and access your library from any device.
• Archiving & full-text search – Diigo allows users to archive web pages (including versions), so even if the original content disappears the copy remains searchable by full-text, tags, highlights or notes.
• Collaborative groups & sharing – Users can share collections, annotations and bookmarks with groups, set privacy levels (public/private), and collaborate on research or information-gathering projects.

Top 15 Markup Tools Comparison Table (2025 Edition)

Free Markup Tools - Are They Worth It?

Free tools like AnnotateWeb and Diigo are suitable for small projects and individual use, but lack the advanced features, such as team management, integrations, and automatic bug tracking, that agencies and development teams need. Pastel offers a restricted free tier, which is a good starting point, but it limits collaboration as teams grow. As projects become more complex, paid solutions become essential for quality assurance and rapid turnaround.

Best free options reviewed

• AnnotateWeb: Lightweight, no registration, ideal for quick markup.
• Diigo: Great for solo researchers, limited for large teams.
• Pastel (free tier): Solid for freelancers or small teams road-testing website feedback.

Limitations of free tools

Free tiers often:

• Cap team size
• Limit the number of markups per month
• Block integrations with project management software
• Lack of reporting, notifications, and audit trails

Final Verdict: Which Markup Tool Should You Choose to Save Time & Provide Feedback?

In 2025, markup tools are essential for fast, visual collaboration across websites, PDFs, and design assets. They eliminate messy email chains, speed up feedback, and help teams deliver projects with clarity and precision. BugHerd leads the pack for website QA and client feedback, while tools like Filestage, Ziflow, and Adobe Acrobat excel in creative and document reviews. Whether you’re a designer, developer, or project manager, the right markup tool transforms feedback into actionable tasks - helping teams work smarter, communicate clearly, and produce higher-quality results in less time.

• For Website Projects: BugHerd (best), Marker.io, Usersnap
• For PDF Documents: Adobe Acrobat, Foxit PDF Editor
• For Design Collaboration: Figma, Markup.io
• For Video Feedback: Frame.io, Filestage
• For Free Options: AnnotateWeb, Diigo (with limitations)
• For Budget Under $50: Pastel, Marker.io Starter, Foxit

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between markup tools for websites vs PDFs?

Website tools annotate live web pages and capture technical data; PDF tools focus on document annotation, collaboration, and compliance.

Which markup tool is best for agencies?

BugHerd for websites, and Filestage for teams requiring multi-format review.

Are there free markup tools that work well?

AnnotateWeb and Diigo serve basic needs well; for teams, paid upgrades are recommended for full features.

What are the best affordable markup tools under $30?

Pastel (limited free), Foxit PDF Editor; suitable for small teams and document-focused work. However, you must note that these tools come from limitations.

How do markup tools integrate with project management?

Most top tools offer direct integration with Jira, Trello, Asana, ClickUp, and Slack for seamless workflow.

Can non-technical users use markup tools easily?

BugHerd, Pastel, and Markup.io are built for simplicity, offering feedback via point-and-click interfaces with no logins required.

What's the difference between BugHerd and Usersnap?

BugHerd is website-focused and client-friendly; Usersnap covers a wider range of file types and supports surveys.

Do markup tools work on mobile devices?

Most leading tools now offer mobile annotation through browser extensions or dedicated apps.

Which markup tools integrate with Figma?

Figma, Markup.io, Filestage, and Ziflow offer compatible integrations for design teams.

Are there open-source annotation tools?

Diigo is a rare open-source choice, but it lacks advanced team features; most agencies opt for proprietary platforms.

How secure are markup tools for client data?

Paid platforms offer security features such as role-based access, encryption, and activity logging.

Can markup tools capture technical browser information?

BugHerd and Marker.io automate this process with every annotation, making it key for rapid development.

What markup tools are best for video feedback?

Frame.io (the best) and Filestage (supporting multiple formats) are market leaders, offering time-coded annotations.

What's the ROI of using a markup tool vs email feedback?

Agencies report doubling the speed of feedback, increasing client satisfaction, and dramatically reducing errors and confusion.

Ready to Transform Your Feedback Workflow Review Process?

Ditch confusing email chains and switch to effortless, visual markup. Try BugHerd today, sign up for your free trial or book a 1:1 demo with our experts, and see how quickly client chaos turns into clarity.