Drawboard PDF

Drawboard PDF is a lightweight productivity tool that enables users to take full control over their PDF files and enhance them with built-in tools for annotation.



Optimized from the ground up to work perfectly with touch-based Windows hardware (such as touch-equipped laptops and tablets), this application manages to impress even business users who require a large number of advanced tools to make any app suitable for their daily workflow.

Since this paid application aims to satisfy both home and business users, it is not strange to see that Drawboard PDF can do almost anything imaginable with PDF documents.

It can reproduce all types of PDF files with 1:1 accuracy, and unlock powerful editing tools to copy and extract data from other Windows apps, annotate, draw shapes, save changes, and provide an easy procedure for sharing changes with other users.

However, because of the large number of tools and services that are offered, some users will have to spend some time learning how to take full advantage of this app.



But once this is done, it can indeed become the one and only PDF management app for even the most demanding users, such as architects and designers who often handle and annotate a large number of PDF files per day.

The best and most engaging feature of this software is its touch-friendly interface that can masterfully handle both finger and stylus inputs.

Many tools of the app are optimized for easy access while in touch mode, enabling users to very quickly manipulate PDF files, annotate and highlight, copy and delete data, write and erase whatever they want, add sticky notes, and of course, draw in freehand or add predetermined shapes.

Once finished with editing, the entire PDF can be “flattened” into a new PDF file that is ready for sharing.

While the interface of the app is streamlined for fast and easy access to all of its tools, some UI elements can prevent users from drawing and annotating across the entire document’s surface. In some rare cases, the app can also experience stuttering, hanging, and even crashing.

The app is still in development, with many fixed and new features expected to be added over time.

Drawboard PDF is a premium app that is primarily focused on delivering a wide array of tools to experienced and demanding users and is specially optimized for touch-friendly devices.



The app is optimized for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

What's new in the latest version

• Color Picker Feature: Now available on Web, Windows, and iOS, allowing users to choose from a wider range of colors, enter HEX codes, or capture colors directly from documents.
• HEX Code Support: Users can input exact HEX values to apply precise colors to annotations and tools.
• Eyedropper Tool: Enables instant color selection by picking any color from the PDF or screen and applying it directly.

Note: Drawboard PDF no longer updates or supports Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 versions of the application. It will natively support Windows 11.

Features and Highlights

• Enjoy smooth, natural inking with a pen or active stylus—feels like real ink. Customize stroke, pressure sensitivity, and color settings.
• Switch between stylus/pen and finger touch for effortless PDF annotations.
• Comprehensive text review tools include freehand highlighter, text highlighter, underline, strikeout, and squiggly markups on PDFs.
• Insert shapes like cloud, rectangle, ellipse, line, arrow, polygon, and polyline on PDFs. Add images and photos from your camera as well.
• Add signatures, notes, images, and text for versatile PDF content creation.
• Create new blank PDFs with customizable size, color, orientation, and page count. Manage pages by inserting, rotating, and deleting them.
• Utilize features like PDF bookmarks, printing, searching, markup history, and sharing.
• Flatten all annotations in PDFs for a clean, finalized look.
• Open, review, mark up, and save multiple large PDF documents simultaneously.
• Edit, annotate, ink, and draw on PDFs with full control over annotation colors, widths, and opacity settings.
• Choose from multiple document layouts and viewing modes, including night mode.
• Store and Share: Access PDFs in the cloud for real-time sharing with your team.
• Document Builder: Merge, reorder, and organize PDF documents efficiently.
• Calibrated Annotation: Calibrate documents to scale and add precise linear and area measurements.
• Protractor Tool: Measure ink angles accurately—compatible with Surface Dial.
• Grid and Line Templates: Choose from various grid and line overlays to improve markup precision.
• Engineering Line Styles: Apply dotted and dashed lines to your PDFs.
• Color Picker: Select custom colors for annotations that fit your workflow.
• Text Review Export: Save text-based annotations as .txt or .csv files.
• Callouts: Highlight areas in need of review with attention-grabbing callouts.

FAQs

What is Drawboard PDF used for?
Drawboard PDF is a PDF annotation and editing tool designed for Windows devices. It focuses on markup features such as highlighting, drawing, note-taking, and document reviewing, especially with touchscreens and stylus input.

Is Drawboard PDF free to use?
Drawboard PDF offers a free version with basic annotation tools, while advanced features such as cloud sync, advanced editing, and additional tools are available through a paid subscription.

Does Drawboard PDF support stylus input?
Yes. One of its key strengths is optimized support for stylus and touch devices, making it ideal for tablets and 2-in-1 laptops where users can write or draw directly on PDFs.

Can Drawboard PDF edit PDF content?
It focuses mainly on annotation rather than full PDF editing. While it allows adding notes and markup, more advanced editing (like modifying original text or structure) may be limited compared to full PDF editors.

Is Drawboard PDF still relevant in 2026?
Yes. In 2026, Drawboard PDF remains a popular choice for students, professionals, and designers who need a clean and efficient tool for annotating and reviewing PDF documents.

PRO toolset

• Document Builder - Merge, re-order, and arrange PDF documents
• Calibrated Annotation - Calibrate your document to scale and add linear and area measurements
• Protractor - Measure and rule ink at precise angles - compatible with Surface Dial
• Grid and Line Templates & Overlays - Select from a range of grids and lines to enhance the precision of your markups
• Engineering Line Styles - Create dotted and dashed lines on your PDFs

Alternatives

If you are looking for Drawboard PDF alternatives, we recommend downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader.

Why free? All the essentials of this program are free to use with no commitment and no ads.

Pricing

Basic - Free (for personal use)

• Drawboard app access
• Limited Live sync documents
• Basic support

Pro Lite - $5.99 / month 

Everything in Basic, plus:

• Android app
• Pressure-sensitive ink
• Ink to line
• Ink to shape
• Calligraphy pen
• 50K credits/mo Drawboard AI
• Hyperlink
• Signatures unlimited
• Audio Notes
• Color picker
• Fonts
• Templates & Overlays
• Favorites bar unlimited
• Up to 70mb/doc Document conversion
• Document builder
• Premium support

Pro Plus - $9.99 / month 

Everything in Pro Lite, plus:

• 50 docs Live sync documents
• Email upload
• 150K credits/mo Drawboard AI
• Callouts
• Digital protractor
• Line styles
• Measurement tools
• Snapshot
• Mark-up library
• Arrange
• Align
• Flip
• Redaction
• Content snapping
• Ruler
• OCR
• Hatch Patterns
• Custom keyboard shortcuts
• Multi-window
• Up to 200mb/doc Document conversion
• Export text review
• Advanced Annotation History
• Admin portal

Pro Unlimited - $18.99 / month

Everything in Pro Plus, plus:

• Unlimited Live sync documents
• 600K credits/mo Drawboard AI
• Up to 1 GB/doc Document conversion
• MS Teams integration
• Dedicated account manager
• Projects offer
• Single sign-on
• App distribution methods

DrawboardPDF Enterprise - Contact for price

Everything in Pro Unlimited, plus:

• Drawboard PDF Enterprise is designed for highly collaborative teams
• Enables real-time team markup with live synchronization
• Allows you to manage users and track annotations
• Provides a customizable workspace tailored to your team’s workflow
• Grants full access to advanced PDF tools for all collaborators
• Includes unlimited storage for all documents and projects
• Access your files across any platform and device, anywhere

PROS

• Intuitive user interface
• Advanced annotation tools
• Real-time collaboration
• Smooth PDF editing
• Cloud storage integration

CONS

• Limited free version features
• Subscription required for PRO
• No OCR for text recognition
• Limited file export options