Compare PDF & Web Highlighter and Todoist: Which Extension is the Best?

With Web Highlights, you can easily highlight text on any website or PDF and create notes. It's free and easy to use without signing up. In our eyes the best online PDF and web highlighter extension.
Todoist is a well-known to-do app with a simple, easy-to-use design. Its browser extension lets you quickly access your to-do list in a nice popup.
Key Features
  • Website Highlighting: Easily highlight text on any website.
  • PDF Highlighting: Mark up both online and local PDFs directly in your browser.
  • Multiple Colors: Use various colors to organize your highlights.
  • Note-Taking: Add notes to your highlights for better context.
  • Bookmarking: Save pages as bookmarks for quick access.
  • Tagging: Organize your highlights and notes with tags.
  • Cross-Device Sync: Sync highlights across devices via cloud.
  • Export Options: Export your highlights to Notion, Obsidian, HTML, Markdown, or as PDFs and HTML files.
  • Reminders: "Snooze" your bookmarks and get reminded about them by email
  • Flashcard learning: Begin a daily review session of your highlights to help move your research into long-term memory using a spaced repetition system.
  • Task Management: Create tasks, subtasks, and projects easily.
  • Integrations: Works with Google Drive, Slack, Zapier, and more.
  • Cross-Platform Support: Available on mobile, desktop, and browser.
  • Natural Language Input: Add tasks using natural language for quick input.
  • Reminders and Due Dates: Set recurring tasks with due dates.
  • Kanban and Calendar Views: Manage tasks in flexible visual layouts.
  • Collaboration Tools: Assign tasks to others and manage shared projects.
Our Rating
9.8
8.9
Total users
112,723
889,191
Total ratings
3,860
52,311
Average rating
4.8 ⭐
4.4 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.80
3.8K+ ratings
100.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.7
4.48
51.3K+ ratings
700.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.7
4.69
67 ratings
11.9K+Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.0
4.0
82 ratings
174.2K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
5.0
5.00
24 ratings
795Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.7
4.63
927 ratings
14.9K+Users
Safari
-
-
Features
9.8

Web Highlights offers a range of features. In addition to its main function of highlighting text on websites and PDFs, it provides much more, making it the ideal tool for learning and self-improvement.

Top Features of Web Highlights

1. Highlighting websites & PDFs:

Highlight text using Web Highlights

Web Highlights excels at one thing better than any other tool we tested—highlighting websites and PDFs.

You don't even need an account. Just visit any site, highlight the text, and a marker icon will appear, letting you choose from different highlight colors.

Once highlighted, your highlights are visible on the website. And the best thing: Your highlights will also be visible on the website if you reload the page.

You not necessarily need the highlighter popup to mark up some text. In general, there are three ways to create a highlight:

  • clicking the highlighter popup
  • right-clicking the selected text
  • using a keyboard shortcut (Mac: ⌥ + S, Windows: ALT + S)

In our tests, we could easily highlight several websites, and those highlights were effortlessly restored when revisiting them. It works seamlessly with both online and local PDFs.

Highlighted website with Web Highlights

All of your highlights are not only visible on the page but also accessible through the sidebar, which gives you a good overview of your highlights made.

This is much like the highlighter sidebar which is common in PDF tools like Acrobat.

Here is how it looks:

Web Highlights Sidebar

The sidebar gives you an outline of your highlights on the current page.

2. Create Notes & Tags:

Taking notes made easy

You can either create tags & notes by using the sidebar or by clicking on a highlight on the page. This will open up a popup allowing you to add tags and notes to a specific highlight.

Any changes you make on the pages are also directly visible in the sidebar. Making it a perfect research tool to work with large articles.

Inside the sidebar you can then find all your highlights and bookmarks listed for the given tag.

3. Web App:

Web Highlights Dashboard

The best thing about Web Highlights is, that it can synchronize all your research to the corresponding web app at app.web-highlights.com.

The web app can be opened in your browser but works perfetly on your phone. If you have opened the website before, you can even access your research when you are offline.

The dashboard of the app shows all of your research in one place in a beautiful overview. You can also filter for specific tags or websites.

4. Save Bookmarks:

How to save bookmarks using Web Highlights

Web Highlights isn't just for highlighting text—it’s also great for saving pages as bookmarks. This way, you can either come back later to continue highlighting or easily find the page again.

5. Email reminders

Setting email reminders with Web Highlights

A standout feature of Web Highlights is its email reminder, which works a lot like "snoozing" emails.

You can set a reminder for a specific date and time by clicking the clock icon on a highlighted page. Web Highlights will then email you the article so you don’t forget to revisit it.

This feature is unique among competitors, and we use it daily to get reminders for websites we need to return to later.

6. Export to Notion, Markdown, and more

Export to Notion

Web Highlights gives you plenty of export options. With the Markdown export, you can easily send your research to any Second Brain or PKM tool you prefer.

On top of that, it directly integrates with Notion and Capacities through full API connections.

For instance, if you're on a highlighted page, just click the three dots in the sidebar and choose "Export to Notion." In seconds, a Notion page will be created. The same process works for Capacities.

9.3

Todoist offers comprehensive functions for task management. Tasks can be prioritized, labeled and filtered.

to dos

Another good feature is that websites can be saved directly as tasks. This can be done via the taskbar button or by right-clicking. In this way, information on a website can be added directly as a task that you want to edit or read up on later.

right click

The extension can also be used to mark tasks directly as completed.

Other features like collaborating on projects and tracking progress with personalized productivity trends add further value.

Some of these advanced features of the application, such as customized templates and advanced reports, are available in the paid plans.

Performance
10

The extension performs seamlessly, allowing you to highlight websites and PDFs without any lag or interruptions.

The full-text search functionality is quick and accurate, enabling you to find your highlights effortlessly. Additionally, the ability to sync your highlights across devices ensures that you can access your research from anywhere, enhancing your productivity.

The best part is that the web app works entirely offline. So, you can access your research from any device, even without an internet connection.

7.3

Most of Todoist's functions worked quickly and without problems in our tests.
The function of connecting the account with the Google Calendar to display your appointments did not work in the test, an error message was displayed. Users also report occasional delays in synchronization in the extension in the reviews.

error
Design
9.9

The design is clean and intuitive, making it easy to get started right away. We loved the customizable highlight colors and the overall look and feel of the sidebar.

What users love most is the intuitive sidebar and the well-organized web app. It’s super easy to navigate and quickly find what you need.

The web app also looks great on mobile devices, making it simple to access the articles you've read on your phone.

9.5

The design is clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate immediately. The interface can also be visually customized to suit your needs, but these are not overdone. The option of color-coded priority levels and project labels also helps with organization.

Value for Money
9.5

Web Highlights can be used for free without signing up, providing access to a wide range of offline features.

To fully enjoy the benefits of Web Highlights, including accessing your highlights and bookmarks from anywhere with automatic cloud-sync, you can upgrade to the PREMIUM or ULTIMATE version of the extension.

The pricing plans are affordable, making it a cost-effective solution for students, researchers, and avid online readers. No other tool gives you this much value for so little cost.

9.0

The functions of the Todoist extension are free of charge. The free functions of the Todoist application should also be sufficient for most users. For users who want to use functions such as reminders or additional view options, the price should also be reasonable. With an annual payment installment, $4 per month is reasonable in our view.

Ease of Use
9.5

We can’t think of a simpler Chrome Extension to start with than this one. The best part? It works seamlessly right out of the box, no account needed.

Installing it is a breeze, and you can easily add the extension to both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Once installed, a highlighter pop-up appears whenever you highlight text on any website. The process is intuitive and easy to grasp.

If you need help, Web Highlights offers plenty of blog posts that guide you through its features.

With so many powerful features, Web Highlights might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but everything falls into place quickly. The tagging system, in particular, is easy to use and much simpler than traditional folders.

That’s why we rate it 9.5 out of 10. It’s extremely user-friendly, though some features might take a little time to fully appreciate.

9.0

In our test, we had no problems with the installation and the first steps. The creation of tasks and overall use is self-explanatory. There are also many instructions and tutorials already available for the tool.
For more experienced users, there are also additional functions in the application that can be used with simple shortcuts.

Security & Privacy
9.9

In the Security & Privacy category, we give Web Highlights a solid 10/10. The fact that you can use this tool offline without needing an account sets it apart from its competitors.

Even if you opt for cloud sync by creating an account, Web Highlights puts data privacy first. Your highlights, notes, and tags are visible only to you by default unless you decide to share them.

Your data isn’t sold to third parties, nor is it used or transferred for anything beyond the extension's core functionality. This dedication to data privacy ensures your information stays secure and confidential.

9.0

Todoist describes its data security in detail in its Privacy Policy. This states that the data is encrypted according to the state of the art and that regular security updates are carried out. The data is stored in the cloud for synchronization; it cannot be stored locally.

Conclusion

We have been using Web Highlights - PDF & Web Highlighter for years and can confidently say it’s a top-notch tool for anyone who spends a lot of time reading online.

Its user-friendly design and powerful features make it a must-have for students, researchers, and professionals alike. The free version is fantastic, but if you need more advanced features, the premium options are well worth the price.

If you’re serious about staying organized while reading online, we highly recommend giving Web Highlights a try.

Todoist is a great option for task management. We really like its simplicity, which is likely why it has become so popular.

While some modern tools may offer more features, Todoist is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a solid, beautifully designed to-do list.

Still, we noticed some performance issues. The extension takes longer to load when working in environments with a bad internet connection. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of, especially if you often work in places with poor internet.

Overall, Todoist is a strong choice for anyone seeking an easy-to-use and powerful task manager, though its speed and offline capabilities could be improved.

If you would like to test Todoist yourself, you can use our code to get the Pro version for 2 months free of charge. https://get.todoist.io/mgs7dk

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between PDF & Web Highlighter and Todoist, PDF & Web Highlighter came out on top, scoring 9.8.

Todoist is the most widely used, with over 889k users and 52k+ reviews, but PDF & Web Highlighter outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings.

Notably, PDF & Web Highlighter has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.83, which supports its strong performance in our review.

There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.8. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.3.
  • Need top performance? PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 10. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.3.
  • Design lovers, take note: PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.5.
  • Want to get the most for your money? PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.
  • If you hate complicated tools, PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Todoist lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.

If you want a quick recommendation, PDF & Web Highlighter is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.