Bottom line: For client feedback, MarkLayer eliminates the onboarding step entirely. Clients click a link and see the annotated draft in any browser. No account, no install, no per-seat licensing. Free for every engagement. Open source means it passes most security reviews on the client side.
Asking a client to install a Chrome extension to review your work is friction you can't afford. With MarkLayer, you install the extension, annotate the staging site, and send the client a link. They open it in any browser, see your draft with your notes on top, and reply in the same thread. No account, no install, no onboarding.
The problem
Client review usually means PDFs of screenshots with arrows in Preview, or signing the client up for yet another platform. Both are slow, and clients hate both. Feedback gets emailed back instead of staying with the project.
Why MarkLayer fits agencies, freelancers, and client-facing teams
Clients view annotations and reply in their browser. No install.
Free means you can use it for every client engagement without per-seat math.
Live cursors enable real-time review calls without screen-sharing.
Open source. Defensible to security-conscious enterprise clients.
No account also means no GDPR/PII headache for casual reviewers.
How it works
1. Open the staging URL. Load your in-progress site in Chrome.
2. Activate MarkLayer. Click the extension icon to start annotating.
3. Walk through the work. Annotate sections you want feedback on, or pin questions for the client to answer.
4. Send one link. Click "Share". Copy the link and email or Slack it to the client.
5. Review live or async. Client opens the link in any browser. Either jump on a call with live cursors or let them comment async.
Frequently asked questions
Will my client need to sign up for anything?
No. Recipients of the share link open the annotated page directly in their browser. No account, no install, nothing to configure.
Can clients add their own annotations?
Clients can reply to threaded comments without installing anything. To create new drawings or arrows, they'd need the extension. Most clients only need to comment.
How long do shared links stay live?
Annotations stay accessible while they're being used. Inactive annotations are eventually cleaned up. See the Privacy page for current retention rules.
Is this safe for confidential client work?
Annotations are private until you share the link. There is no public feed. The share link itself is the access mechanism, so share it carefully. For maximum control, MarkLayer is open source and can be self-hosted.