Weava Highlighter was once a popular choice, but now it’s filled with ads and has a poor user experience. Better options like Web Highlights do the job better without the hassle.
Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews
Weava Highlighter was once a go-to tool for students, researchers, and professionals looking to streamline their web and PDF highlighting. With 300,000 users and a decent 4.1-star rating, it seems has maintained a loyal following.
However, after testing Weava extensively, we’ve noticed some glaring issues that can’t be ignored. The interface is cluttered with ads, and the overall design feels outdated, making the tool more frustrating than it should be.
Although Weava still offers basic functionality, it’s clear that there are better options available, like Web Highlights, which provides the same features but with a much smoother user experience. In this review, we’ll break down what Weava offers, where it falls short, and why we believe it’s time to consider alternatives.
Weava offers a free version that includes basic features, with the option to upgrade to a premium plan for additional functionality.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Weava Highlighter: PDF & Web earned a score of 7 out of 10 in our tests. This rating suggests a tool that performs adequately but may require improvements in certain areas.
In our review of Weava, we considered the categories Features, Design, Ease of Use, Security & Privacy, Value for Money and Performance. Each category was given equal importance and we'll dive into the details of each in the following section.
Weava offers basic but functional features like web and PDF highlighting, annotations, and folder organization.
The basic functionalities work great but the lack of innovative or advanced functionalities, especially compared to competitors, limits its appeal.
1. Highlight Websites and PDFs
Similar to our favorite highlighter Web Highlights, you can highlight text on any website or PDF. Choose different colors to customize your highlights and make important information stand out.
2. Organize Research into Folders
Weava lets you save your highlights and organize them into folders, making it simple to keep your research organized and find what you need fast.
3. Collaborate with Your Team
Weava allows you to share folders with your team, making collaboration on research projects easy. Everyone can add and view highlights and notes all in one place.
The design is where Weava really struggles. The interface is cluttered with ads, making it not only visually unappealing but also frustrating to use.
Here's a screenshot showing one of their ads taking up nearly half the height of their sidebar:
The overall design feels outdated and lacks the intuitive flow found in other tools. This poor design significantly hampers the user experience.
Weava’s basic highlighting functionality is straightforward, but the poor design and mandatory account creation add unnecessary friction. The ads make navigation cumbersome, and while it’s not difficult to learn, using the tool effectively can be a challenge due to these barriers.
Weava does take steps to protect user data, and their privacy policy is clear about not selling personal information. However, the requirement to create an account and the potential for data collection through ads could be a concern for privacy-conscious users.
The free version of Weava offers basic features, and their premium plan at $3.99/month is priced similarly to competitors.
However, given the ads in the free version and the overall user experience, you can find better value in alternatives that provide more features and a cleaner interface for the same or even lower cost.
Weava performs adequately when it comes to basic highlighting and syncing. However, the overall performance is marred by the intrusive ads and occasional bugs that make the experience less smooth than it should be.
Weava Highlighter may still be a popular choice, but its current state leaves much to be desired. The overwhelming presence of ads and a clunky design significantly detract from the user experience, making it hard to justify its use when other tools offer a more polished and ad-free environment.
If you’re serious about your productivity, it’s worth exploring alternatives like Web Highlights, which delivers all the benefits of Weava without the downsides.
Deals 🔥
Good
In the Features category, Weava has scored a very good 8.5. It offers a solid array of features, though there may be room for a few additional capabilities.
In the Design category, Weava has scored a poor 6. The design may be clunky or unattractive, detracting from overall usability.
In the Ease of Use category, Weava has scored a below-average 6.5. It can be used, but the interface or workflow may be frustrating.
In the Security & Privacy category, Weava has scored an average 7. It offers basic security and privacy features, but may not fully protect against all risks.
In the Value for Money category, Weava has scored a below-average 6.8. It may not offer good value for the money, with better alternatives available.
In the Performance category, Weava has scored a moderate 7. It performs adequately for simple tasks, but may not handle more complex operations well.
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