Is MarkLayer a free Pastel alternative?

Yes. MarkLayer covers the core visual-feedback use case for free, with no sign-up and no project limits. It does not replicate Pastel's agency workflow features.

Does MarkLayer support real-time collaboration like Pastel?

Yes. MarkLayer has live cursors and instant annotation sync via WebSockets, the same way Pastel does.

Can I switch from Pastel to MarkLayer?

If your team uses Pastel only for ad-hoc visual comments, MarkLayer is a drop-in replacement. If you depend on Pastel's project workspaces or integrations, you'll lose those.

Is MarkLayer self-hostable?

Yes. MarkLayer is open source and runs on Cloudflare Workers, D1, and Durable Objects. You can fork the repo and deploy your own instance.

MarkLayer vs Pastel

Bottom line: Choose MarkLayer if you want unlimited free visual feedback with no account and open-source code you can self-host. Choose Pastel if you run an agency that needs branded review canvases, integrations with Slack/Trello/Asana/Jira, and a paid SaaS workflow.

By Vadym Rusin · Last updated: April 2026

MarkLayer and Pastel both let you annotate live websites and share feedback via a link. The trade-off: Pastel is a polished, paid platform optimized for agency-client workflows; MarkLayer is a free, open-source Chrome extension built for fast, sign-up-free visual feedback.

At a glance

Feature	MarkLayer	Pastel
Price	Free, no tiers	Paid (subscription) with free trial
Sign-up required	No	Yes
Works on live websites	Yes	Yes
Real-time live cursors	Yes	Yes
Drawing tools	Freehand, shapes, arrows, lines	Pin comments + draw tools
Recipient install	Not required	Not required
Project workspaces	No. Link-based, ephemeral	Yes. Persistent canvases per project
Integrations	Open source. Extend yourself	Slack, Trello, Asana, Jira, Zapier
Open source	Yes	No
Best for	Lightweight, friction-free feedback	Agencies running client review cycles

About Pastel

Pastel is a paid visual feedback platform built for design agencies and client review workflows.

About MarkLayer

MarkLayer is a free, open-source Chrome extension that lets you annotate any live webpage with drawings, comments, arrows, and highlights, then share a single link so anyone can view the annotations without installing anything. There is no account, no paywall, and no trial period.

When to choose MarkLayer

You want zero cost and zero sign-up friction.
You need ad-hoc feedback, not a persistent project workspace.
You prefer open source.
You collaborate occasionally rather than running a continuous review pipeline.

When to choose Pastel

You run an agency or studio with recurring client review cycles.
You need persistent project canvases, version history, and approvals.
You depend on Slack, Trello, or Jira integrations to feed feedback into your stack.
You need brand-customized share pages for client-facing reviews.

Frequently asked questions

Is MarkLayer a free Pastel alternative?: Yes. MarkLayer covers the core visual-feedback use case for free, with no sign-up and no project limits. It does not replicate Pastel's agency workflow features.
Does MarkLayer support real-time collaboration like Pastel?: Yes. MarkLayer has live cursors and instant annotation sync via WebSockets, the same way Pastel does.
Can I switch from Pastel to MarkLayer?: If your team uses Pastel only for ad-hoc visual comments, MarkLayer is a drop-in replacement. If you depend on Pastel's project workspaces or integrations, you'll lose those.
Is MarkLayer self-hostable?: Yes. MarkLayer is open source and runs on Cloudflare Workers, D1, and Durable Objects. You can fork the repo and deploy your own instance.

Related comparisons

Free Pastel alternatives MarkLayer vs Markup.io MarkLayer vs BugHerd MarkLayer vs AnnotateWeb MarkLayer vs Jam.dev MarkLayer vs Marker.io MarkLayer vs Userback MarkLayer vs Ruttl MarkLayer vs Loom MarkLayer vs Hypothesis

Try MarkLayer

MarkLayer is free, requires no sign-up, and works on any webpage. Recipients of your share links don't need to install anything.

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