The Drawboard PDF Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Drawboard PDF in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Drawboard PDF
The Insider’s Guide
PDF markup app with pressure-sensitive ink and measurement tools
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among PDF editors, read from Drawboard PDF’s own pages.
Made by Drawboard Pty Ltd · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Drawboard PDF’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Drawboard PDF’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 20 of the 45 other PDF editors we grade
Drawboard PDF is a markup and annotation app for PDFs, aimed at architects, engineers, builders and students who review drawings and documents. The essentials are free, and paid Pro plans add measurement, redaction, OCR and more cloud storage. A separate product, Drawboard Projects, handles team design reviews.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Drawboard PDF, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating is on record, and an app built around pen markup and drawing scales takes a little learning.
- 1
Best for marking up drawings and PDFs with a pen
Drawboard PDF is a markup app for PDFs, aimed at architects, engineers and students, with the essentials free and Pro plans from $83.92 a year.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6.99 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $83.92 per year (Pro Plus).
- 3
There is a free plan
Essential markup tools plus Store+Share with 10 cloud documents (40 MB limit per document) and unlimited contributors.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 5
Pen-style ink and text markup
Pressure-sensitive digital ink, highlight, underline and strikethrough, with touch and stylus support (Surface, Apple Pencil) or a mouse.
- 6
Measurement
Pro tools include calibrated length, rectangular area and polygon area measurements on drawings.
- 7
Store+Share
Upload annotated PDFs to the cloud and mark them up with others in real time. Reviewers do not need a paid plan.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 20 of 45
That is against the other PDF editors we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Drawboard PDF you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Drawboard PDF at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $83.92 per year (Pro Plus)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of any Pro plan; Windows and iOS ask for a credit card up front
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Drawboard Pty Ltd
- Category
- PDF Editors
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 2,028 ratings
The report card
Best for marking up drawings and PDFs with a pen
Drawboard PDF is a markup app for PDFs, aimed at architects, engineers and students, with the essentials free and Pro plans from $83.92 a year. Measurement, redaction, OCR and more storage are on the paid plans, and there is no one-time purchase except a 3-year education offer.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro Plus is $83.92 a year, about $7 a month, which is inside the middle of the PDF category at $7.99. Pro Unlimited is $159.99 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Essential markup tools and 10 cloud documents of up to 40 MB are free for good, which one person can live on. The paid trial is 7 days. |
| Features | C | Ink and text markup, measurement, redaction, OCR, signatures and page tools. It is a markup app, so editing the text of a PDF is not what it is for. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating is on record, and an app built around pen markup and drawing scales takes a little learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and web, with Revit, Procore and Autodesk Forma links, so it covers every device type. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Drawboard PDF is for
- Fits if you mark up plans and drawings with a pen or stylus
- Works for students and site teams who need measurement on a PDF
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free, because it holds 10 cloud documents of 40 MB each
- Watch out: the 7-day Pro trial needs a credit card up front on Windows and iOS
- Pricey if you need Pro Unlimited at $159.99 a year, and everything paid is a subscription
- Skip it if you want to change the text of a PDF, as it is built for markup
- Watch out: Drawboard Projects is a separate team product at $29 to $39 per user a month
Good to know
Good for
- Architects, engineers and builders marking up drawings
- Students and teachers taking handwritten notes on PDFs
- Stylus users on Surface or iPad
Worth knowing
- Paid features are subscription-only; the pricing FAQ says there is no one-time purchase except the 3-year education offer.
- The pricing page shows Pro Plus and Pro Unlimited individual rates only as the usual yearly rates in the education block.
- Drawboard Projects is a separate team product, $29 per user a month (Team) or $39 (Growth), $22.50 and $30.83 billed yearly.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6.99
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Drawboard PDF has a free plan. Paid plans start at $83.92 per year (Pro Plus).
Free
$0
Text review, digital ink, shapes, signatures, bookmarks, search and page insert, rotate and delete.
Pro Plus
$83.92
per user / year, price shown as the usual rate
More tools and cloud space for regular reviewers. Students and educators pay $10 once for 3 years.
Pro Unlimited
$159.99
per user / year, price shown as the usual rate
Unlimited cloud documents. Students and educators pay $20 once for 3 years.
The free plan
Essential markup tools plus Store+Share with 10 cloud documents (40 MB limit per document) and unlimited contributors.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of any Pro plan; Windows and iOS ask for a credit card up front
Read from drawboard.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
3 years of Pro for a one-off $10 or $20
Students, teachers and school staff with a school email pay $10 for Pro Plus or $20 for Pro Unlimited, valid for 3 years, with no renewal.
Stated on drawboard.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
PDF markup app with pressure-sensitive ink and measurement tools. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, documents, file sharing, pDF editing.
Ink and text markup, measurement, redaction, OCR, signatures and page tools.
- Pen-style ink and text markup
- Pressure-sensitive digital ink, highlight, underline and strikethrough, with touch and stylus support (Surface, Apple Pencil) or a mouse.
- Measurement
- Pro tools include calibrated length, rectangular area and polygon area measurements on drawings.
- Store+Share
- Upload annotated PDFs to the cloud and mark them up with others in real time. Reviewers do not need a paid plan.
- Redaction, OCR and signatures
- Pro adds redaction, OCR, unlimited signatures, custom templates and a text review export.
- Page tools
- Insert, rotate and delete pages, merge and split documents, and flatten annotations to export or shrink a file.
- Team licence admin
- An Admin Portal lets a team buy more licences, disable users and manage billing in one place.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Revit
- Procore
- Autodesk Forma
Drawboard PDF is made by Drawboard Pty Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/45
Other PDF editors it is graded above
Drawboard PDF's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 20 of the 45 other PDF editors we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 40 of 45) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $6.99 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $7.99 for the category: 12 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 46 PDF editors we grade, cut by the letter each got. Drawboard PDF’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 45
- BFree plan and trialAbove 35 of 45
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 45
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 45
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 40 of 45
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 32 PDF editors. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Drawboard PDF is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Drawboard PDF you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $83.92 a year.
What you could make
- Documents: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- Hooks into the device itself: Apple Pencil.
What this rests on. Drawboard PDF’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PDF Expert, Xodo, Bluebeam Revu, PDF Annotator and Foxit PDF Editor
The 5 tools Drawboard PDF is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
PDF Expert
Free plan · from $79.99/yr
PDF reader and editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad from Readdle.
- Only Drawboard PDF lists a web app.
- Only Drawboard PDF lists Windows and Android apps.
- Drawboard PDF also covers documents and file sharing.
- 2.2GPA
Xodo
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
PDF tools on web, desktop and mobile, sold separately or as a suite.
- Only Xodo lists a Linux app.
- Xodo can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Drawboard PDF also covers documents and file sharing.
- 2.0GPA
Bluebeam Revu
Free trial · from $260/yr
PDF markup, takeoff and drawing review software for construction.
- Drawboard PDF has a free plan. Bluebeam Revu does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Drawboard PDF lists macOS and Android apps.
- Drawboard PDF also covers documents and file sharing.
- 2.4GPA
PDF Annotator
Free trial · from $79.95 one-time
Windows PDF markup and note-taking app sold as a perpetual license.
- Drawboard PDF has a free plan. PDF Annotator does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Drawboard PDF lists a web app.
- Only Drawboard PDF lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- 2.8GPA
Foxit PDF Editor
Free trial · from $129.99/yr
PDF editor for Windows, Mac and web, yearly or as a one-time license.
- Drawboard PDF has a free plan. Foxit PDF Editor does not, though it has a free trial.
- Foxit PDF Editor can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Drawboard PDF also covers file sharing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Drawboard PDF free?
Drawboard PDF has a free plan. Essential markup tools plus Store+Share with 10 cloud documents (40 MB limit per document) and unlimited contributors.
How much does Drawboard PDF cost?
Drawboard PDF lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Drawboard PDF work on?
Drawboard PDF is available on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Drawboard PDF offer any discounts?
Drawboard PDF publicly lists the following: 3 years of Pro for a one-off $10 or $20.
How is Drawboard PDF rated?
Drawboard PDF's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2,028 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Drawboard PDF have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Drawboard PDF is listed for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Drawboard PDF open source?
Drawboard PDF is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Drawboard PDF integrate with?
Drawboard PDF's listing names Revit, Procore and Autodesk Forma. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Drawboard PDF have a student discount?
3 years of Pro for a one-off $10 or $20. Students, teachers and school staff with a school email pay $10 for Pro Plus or $20 for Pro Unlimited, valid for 3 years, with no renewal.
Does Drawboard PDF have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of any Pro plan; Windows and iOS ask for a credit card up front.
Who makes Drawboard PDF?
Drawboard PDF is made by Drawboard Pty Ltd.
What are the alternatives to Drawboard PDF?
The closest alternatives to Drawboard PDF in our directory are PDF Expert, Xodo, Bluebeam Revu, PDF Annotator and Foxit PDF Editor.
How does Drawboard PDF compare with other PDF editors?
Drawboard PDF's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 20 of the 45 other PDF editors we grade, and level with 10.
Is Drawboard PDF good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Drawboard PDF C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6.99 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $7.99 for the category: 12 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Drawboard PDF?
The plain part of Drawboard PDF you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Drawboard PDF’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Drawboard's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Drawboard Pty Ltd. Prices change, so check drawboard.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Drawboard PDF, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/drawboard-pdf
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Drawboard PDF: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/drawboard-pdf
Know someone choosing between PDF editors?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/drawboard-pdf/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded PDF editors after Drawboard PDF, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- PDF Editors Insider's GuideEvery one of the 46 PDF editors we grade, compared
- PDFgear Insider's GuideFree PDF editor for desktop, mobile and web with an AI copilot3.4 GPA
- Stirling PDF Insider's GuideOpen-source PDF editor you can run on your own machine or server3.2 GPA
- Online2PDF Insider's GuideFree browser tool to convert, merge, edit, compress and unlock PDFs3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Drawboard PDF’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Drawboard PDF is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Drawboard Pty Ltd. Prices and plans change: check drawboard.com before you buy.