Instant Markup
Everything about speed-first PDF annotation, Day Pass vs subscriptions, large-document rules, exports, and cloud saves.
Instant Markup is a speed-first annotation tool for PDFs and images (PNG, JPEG) built around a draw → speak → done flow. You draw on the document, a comment box opens automatically, your voice is recorded and transcribed, and the comment is saved with page, position, and timestamps. You can export a marked-up PDF or a CSV of all comments.
You can upload and annotate PDFs, PNGs, and JPEGs. Regardless of the input format, your annotated documents will be exported as a professional PDF report with all your markings and comments included.
Instant Markup is tuned for lawyers, screenwriters, editors, teachers, students, agents, managers, and researchers who need fast markup without heavy UI. It emphasizes minimal toolbars, low friction on trackpads/styluses/touch, and clear separation between rendering and annotation layers.
Free users can keep up to 3 documents at a time, each stored for 3 days. They can fully annotate the first 3 pages and see blurred previews for the rest. Exports include only those annotated pages (watermarked) and CSV rows from those pages. Delete a file to free a slot, or upgrade to keep documents longer.
The paywall appears when you try to annotate page 4+, export the full PDF, save to cloud, upload a file over 100 pages, or use advanced tools as they launch. Locked pages briefly show your stroke then fade out to remind you to upgrade.
The Day Pass ($2) unlocks all pages for one document for 24 hours. You can annotate and export the full PDF and CSV for that file. Cloud saving is limited to that document only; additional documents still follow free limits. The pass is tied to the document ID and shows a countdown while active.
Pro Monthly ($3/month) unlocks unlimited pages across all documents, cloud saves, multiple stored projects, and advanced tools as they release. It supports large documents up to 500 pages and renews automatically with a grace period for billing issues.
Annual ($30/year) includes the same benefits as Pro Monthly—unlimited pages, cloud saves, large-document support, and advanced tools—at a discounted yearly price.
Files over 100 pages can be uploaded by anyone, but annotating beyond page 3 requires a subscription (Pro Monthly or Annual). Storage and processing for large files are included only for subscribers; Day Pass is not intended for the large-document tier.
Free exports include only the annotated first 3 pages with a watermark, plus CSV rows from those pages. Day Pass exports the full PDF and CSV for the unlocked document. Pro Monthly and Annual export the full PDF and CSV across all documents with no watermark.
Cloud saves are for paying subscribers. Free users work in session-only storage. Day Pass users can save the unlocked document only; additional documents remain free-limited. Subscribers can store documents, vector strokes, audio snippets (if captured), transcripts, and coordinates for all projects.
After you finish a stroke, a comment box appears and the microphone opens immediately. When you stop speaking, the audio is transcribed to text and saved with the annotation. This keeps the workflow hands-light: draw, speak, and move on.
Instant Markup stores pointer and annotation data efficiently. Free-user files are temporary and deleted after 3 days. Day Pass files are retained for 7 days. Subscribers get persistent storage. Large-file storage is reserved for subscribers to control costs.
After 24 hours, the unlocked document returns to free limits. You keep any exports you already downloaded. Cloud storage for that document is no longer guaranteed unless you upgrade to Pro or Annual.
Yes. Instant Markup is designed for trackpads, styluses, and touchscreens. Blurred previews, zoom, and scrolling remain smooth even when pages are locked, and the annotation overlay stays distinct from the document layer.
Upgrade to remove the 3-page limit, export full PDFs/CSVs, and unlock cloud saves. Use a Day Pass for a one-off urgent document. Choose Pro Monthly or Annual for recurring reviews, large documents, and multi-project storage.