Best Web Annotation Tools | Annotate, Bookmark & Collaborate

Understanding Web Annotation Tools

If you haven't encountered a 'Web Annotation' service previously, these tools essentially function as advanced bookmarking systems. Typically delivered as a browser extension or bookmarklet, they empower users to add annotations – such as sticky notes and highlights – directly onto webpages and store them online.

These services offer a diverse range of capabilities. These include quickly attaching memos to bookmarks, bookmarking lengthy articles with key passages highlighted, organizing and tagging annotated pages for easy retrieval, and crucially, facilitating the sharing of annotations with colleagues or study groups.

Popular Web Annotation Tools

(1) Diigo

• Allows the addition of notes and in-page highlights.
• Enables storage, tagging, and sharing of webpages, complete with associated notes and highlights, via email, RSS feeds, blogs, or groups.
• Supports the creation of groups for private team collaboration.
• Offers subscription functionality to follow notes tagged with specific keywords.
• Provides a right-click menu option for searching highlighted terms across websites, search engines, and social platforms.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Flock browsers.
• Suitable for collaborative projects.

(2) Stickis

• Facilitates the addition of notes to webpages.
• Allows saving, sharing, and tagging of notes for organization.
• Enables viewing, saving, and commenting on webpage notes created by other users.
• Supports subscription to notes based on tags, webpages, or specific users.
• Offers group creation features.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.
• Suitable for collaborative environments.

(3) SharedCopy

• Permits the addition of notes, in-page highlights, and freehand drawings (lines, circles, squares).
• Stores annotated webpages and allows sharing via a unique URL.
• Provides RSS feed integration for tracking changes to specific pages.
• Integrates with Twitter and BaseCamp for streamlined workflows.
• Compatible with all major web browsers.
• Designed for collaborative use.

(4) Fleck

Features:

• Enables the addition of notes to webpages.
• Allows publishing annotated pages directly to your blog.
• Facilitates sharing annotated webpages with contacts via URL.
• Notes are editable and savable by anyone with the URL.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and through the use of bookmarklets.

(5) MyStickies [NO LONGER WORKS]

Features:

• Supports the addition of notes to webpages.
• Allows storage, tagging, and searching of annotations.
• Compatible with the Firefox web browser.

(6) JKN (discontinued)

Features:

• Allows adding notes to single or multiple webpages.
• Enables the insertion of numbered points within text.
• Supports commenting on and printing annotated webpages.
• Facilitates sharing annotated webpages via URL, email, or blog.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.

(7) TrailFire

• Allows adding notes, referred to as 'trail marks', and saving annotated webpages.
• Enables categorization of annotated webpages into 'Trails'.
• Permits inviting others to view and collaborate on trails in a wiki-style format.
• Supports subscription to specific Trails for updates.
• Compatible with Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.

(8) DrawHere

• Supports adding notes, highlights, and freehand drawings to webpages.
• Allows saving, tagging, and searching of annotations.
• Facilitates sharing annotated webpages via email or embedding in a blog.
• Compatible with all web browsers.

(9) ShiftSpace (no longer available)

• Allows adding notes, highlights, and modifying images and text on webpages.
• Enables saving and sharing annotated/edited pages via RSS feeds.
• Requires Firefox and the Greasemonkey extension.