Compare PDF & Web Highlighter and Toggl Track: 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.
Toggl Track is a time management tool with strong features, competitive pricing, and user-friendly design. Its seamless integration with platforms like Notion offers many benefits.
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.
  • Time Tracking: Easily track time spent on tasks with a simple start/stop button.
  • Reporting: Generate detailed reports to analyze productivity.
  • Integrations: Connect with over 100 apps for enhanced functionality.
  • Team Management: Collaborate with team members and manage projects efficiently.
Our Rating
9.8
8.3
Total users
112,723
318,492
Total ratings
3,860
1,696
Average rating
4.8 ⭐
3.1 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.80
3.8K+ ratings
100.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.4
2.20
1.5K+ ratings
300.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.7
4.69
67 ratings
11.9K+Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
1.0
1.0
1 ratings
7.0K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
5.0
5.00
24 ratings
795Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.0
4.37
153 ratings
11.5K+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.

9.5

In our tests, Toggle Track was found to have a diverse set of features suitable for both individuals and teams. The time tracking function is straightforward and allows users to start and stop it via a button.

start tracking

We were particularly impressed with how detailed the reporting function is. It gives you detailed insights into your productivity and time management to help you improve your efficiency.
Integrating with other applications, such as Notion or Todoist, is also very useful. This is a particular advantage, as processes from other programs can also be integrated, which is not possible with Toogl Tracker itself.

integration

Finally, it should be emphasized how Toggl specializes in larger teams and companies. With the team management functions, seamless collaboration is possible, where you can always see how much time and effort has already gone into a project.

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.

8.0

In our tests, Toggl Track worked reliably and without any major technical problems on various platforms. However, some users reported occasional synchronization problems when switching between devices in the reviews.
The automatic start of time tracking also worked well, only an automatic stop, e.g. when closing the browser, would be desirable. In our test, the timer continued to run for hours because the task was forgotten to end when the browser was closed.

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.

8.3

The design of Toggl Track with its basic functions is clear and intuitive. The dashboard is well organized and provides quick access to the most important functions. When users get to the advanced features, the design could be a little more self-explanatory. It is currently a little confusing and users have to find their way around first.

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.

8.0

Toggl Track offers a free plan with basic features. If you only want to track your time and only do this on your own, you get a good time-performance ratio here.
However, if you want to use additional functions such as detailed analyses, the premium plans are necessary. For many who only want to use it as a time management tool, the price will probably put them off. If you need and use all the functions, the price-performance ratio with the comprehensive functions and integrations is perfect. For teams and companies, the investment can also be justified by the productivity gains and insights offered.

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.

7.0

The Installation and use of the basic functions are very intuitive. No user should have any problems tracking their times here. However, if users want to use the advanced functions, they will need to think a lot about it and take some time to understand everything. There is still room for improvement here so that every user can use them straight away.

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.

8.7

Toggl Track protects user data with standard encryption to protect information and offers options for two-factor authentication. The data protection guidelines are transparent so that everyone can read how their data is handled. The only point deduction is that it would be desirable to be able to control which data authorizations you want to assign yourself. This is also evident from user reviews.

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.

Toggl Track is a reliable tool for both individuals and teams who want to improve their time management. Its comprehensive functions make it an indispensable tool, especially for advanced users. However, the standard user might be a little overwhelmed at first. While it stands out for its numerous integrations, some users might find the price a little too high. Overall, Toggl Track offers good value for money for anyone who can handle its numerous functions.

Our Recommendation

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

Toggl Track is the most widely used, with over 318k users and 2k+ reviews, but PDF & Web Highlighter outperformed it in our review. User reviews for PDF & Web Highlighter reflect our findings, while we rate Toggl Track higher than users do.

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, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.5.
  • Need top performance? PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 10. On the other hand, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • Design lovers, take note: PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.3.
  • Want to get the most for your money? PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • If you hate complicated tools, PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, PDF & Web Highlighter stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Toggl Track lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7.

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.