The Hypothesis Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Hypothesis 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.
Hypothesis
The Insider’s Guide
Social annotation for web pages and PDFs, built for courses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from Hypothesis’s own pages.
Made by Hypothesis · checked Nov 12, 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 Hypothesis’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Hypothesis’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 35 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
Hypothesis lets people highlight and comment directly on web pages, PDFs and other online content, and reply to each other's annotations. It is sold mainly to colleges and universities through LMS integrations, and a free web annotator remains available.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Hypothesis, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Individuals will find the free plan enough; institutions have to talk to sales.
- 1
Best for annotating web pages and readings in a class
Hypothesis lets you highlight and comment on almost any web page, and the free plan covers core annotation and private groups.
- 2
There is a free plan
Free: core annotation and private groups, with self-service support.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web, with a browser extension too.
- 4
Annotate any page
Highlight and comment on online articles, websites, videos and PDFs, and turn annotations into threaded discussions.
- 5
LMS integration
Connects to Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L Brightspace and Sakai through LTI so readings can be set inside a course.
- 6
Private groups
Annotation can be shared inside private groups, which the pricing page lists on the free plan.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 35 of 52
That is against the other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Hypothesis you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Hypothesis at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, Browser extension
- Made by
- Hypothesis, since 2011
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for annotating web pages and readings in a class
Hypothesis lets you highlight and comment on almost any web page, and the free plan covers core annotation and private groups. The paid plans are built for schools and priced per student per year with no figure published, and LMS integration and analytics sit behind them. Individuals will find the free plan enough; institutions have to talk to sales.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | The free plan covers core annotation and private groups. Bronze, Silver and Gold are priced per student per year and no figure is shown, so a school can't compare the cost without asking. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free plan with annotation and private groups, and the listing shows no cap an individual would reach. |
| Features | C | Page annotation, groups, tagging and a Chrome extension. But LMS integration, partner workshops, analytics and auto-grading are not on the free plan. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record. Add the extension or bookmarklet, sign up and start highlighting, with nothing else to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, a Chrome extension and a bookmarklet, with LMS links to Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L Brightspace and Sakai. No phone or desktop apps are listed. |
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 Hypothesis is for
- Fits if you read and mark up web pages alone or in a small private group
- Works for teachers who want students annotating readings inside the LMS
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want paid prices on the page, as none are published for Bronze, Silver or Gold
- Tight if your school has more than 3,000 students, because the paid tiers cap seats at 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 and larger needs a sales call
- Pricey if you need LMS integration or analytics, which are not on the free plan
- Not for you if you want a phone app, as only a browser extension and a bookmarklet are listed
Good to know
Good for
- Instructors who want students to discuss a reading in the text itself
- Researchers and journal clubs annotating papers and open reviews
- Institutions that need annotation inside their LMS
Worth knowing
- No prices are published for Bronze, Silver or Gold; the pricing page says per student per year and points to sales.
- The paid tiers cap user seats at 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000, with a sales contact for anything larger.
- LMS integration, partner workshops and analytics are not on the Free plan.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
4
plans to choose from
Hypothesis has a free plan.
The free plan covers core annotation and private groups.
Free
$0
Core annotation and private groups, with self-service support.
Bronze
Custom
Priced per student per year with no figure shown. LMS integration, up to 1,000 seats, partner workshops, email support.
Silver
Custom
Priced per student per year with no figure shown. Up to 2,000 seats, advanced analytics, auto-grading, Hypothesis Academy.
Gold
Custom
Priced per student per year with no figure shown. Up to 3,000 seats, unlimited training, dedicated CSM, premium support.
The free plan
Free: core annotation and private groups, with self-service support.
Read from web.hypothes.is on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Browser extension
Social annotation for web pages and PDFs, built for courses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, research, highlights.
Page annotation, groups, tagging and a Chrome extension.
- Annotate any page
- Highlight and comment on online articles, websites, videos and PDFs, and turn annotations into threaded discussions.
- LMS integration
- Connects to Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L Brightspace and Sakai through LTI so readings can be set inside a course.
- Private groups
- Annotation can be shared inside private groups, which the pricing page lists on the free plan.
- Tagging other users
- Mention classmates or colleagues in an annotation to notify them and draw them back into the reading.
- Analytics and auto-grading
- Silver and Gold add an LMS reporting dashboard and automatic grading of student annotations.
- Chrome extension and bookmarklet
- The web annotator works through a Chrome extension or bookmarklet in any modern browser released within the last 12 months.
Where it runs
- Web
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Canvas
- Blackboard
- Moodle
- D2L Brightspace
- Sakai
- JSTOR
- VitalSource
Hypothesis is made by Hypothesis, and has been around since 2011.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
35/52
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
Hypothesis's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 35 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 38 of 52) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Hypothesis’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 28 of 52
- AFree plan and trialAbove 38 of 52
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 52
- BEase of useAbove 25 of 52
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 17 of 52
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
To replace Hypothesis you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 35 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade.
What you could make
- Highlights: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Canvas, Blackboard and Moodle among them.
What this rests on. Hypothesis’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
Glasp, Diigo, Readwise, Raindrop.io and Pinboard
The 5 tools Hypothesis is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Glasp
Free plan · from $12.50/mo
Social web highlighter with AI summaries of videos and articles.
- Only Glasp lists iOS and Android apps.
- Hypothesis also covers research.
- Glasp also covers transcription and read later.
- 2.4GPA
Diigo
Free plan · from $40/yr
Bookmarking with highlights and sticky notes on web pages and PDFs.
- Only Diigo lists an iOS app.
- Diigo also covers bookmarks.
- 3.0GPA
Readwise
Free trial · from $5.59/mo
Highlight library with a daily review and a read-later app.
- Hypothesis has a free plan. Readwise does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Readwise lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Hypothesis also covers research.
- 3.2GPA
Raindrop.io
Free plan · from $28/yr
Bookmark manager with collections, tags and highlights.
- Only Raindrop.io lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Hypothesis also covers research.
- Raindrop.io also covers read later and bookmarks.
- 2.2GPA
Pinboard
From $22/yr
Paid bookmarking site with tags, privacy and page archiving.
- Hypothesis has a free plan. Pinboard does not.
- Hypothesis also covers research and highlights.
- Pinboard also covers read later and bookmarks.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Hypothesis free?
Hypothesis has a free plan. Free: core annotation and private groups, with self-service support.
How much does Hypothesis cost?
Hypothesis lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Hypothesis work on?
Hypothesis is available on Web. It also has a browser extension.
Does Hypothesis have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Hypothesis is listed for Web.
Does Hypothesis have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Hypothesis is listed for Web.
Is Hypothesis open source?
Hypothesis is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Hypothesis integrate with?
Hypothesis's listing names Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L Brightspace, Sakai, JSTOR and VitalSource.
Who makes Hypothesis?
Hypothesis is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2011.
What are the alternatives to Hypothesis?
The closest alternatives to Hypothesis in our directory are Glasp, Diigo, Readwise, Raindrop.io and Pinboard.
How does Hypothesis compare with other read-later and bookmark apps?
Hypothesis's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 35 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 12.
Could I make my own version of Hypothesis?
To replace Hypothesis you would be making a library of papers and sources to search.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Hypothesis’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Hypothesis's own pages on 12 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 Hypothesis. Prices change, so check web.hypothes.is before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Hypothesis, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hypothesis
- 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, "Hypothesis: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hypothesis
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hypothesis/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after Hypothesis, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, compared
- FeedFlow Insider's GuideFree, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop3.2 GPA
- Flipboard Insider's GuideFree news aggregator built around topics and shared Magazines3.2 GPA
- Miniflux Insider's GuideMinimalist open-source feed reader, self-hosted or hosted3.2 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 Hypothesis’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. Hypothesis is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Hypothesis. Prices and plans change: check web.hypothes.is before you buy.