Annotate Patent Figures
with Purpose-Built Tools.
Patent figure annotation software for adding reference numbers, managing labels, and exporting annotated patent drawings as PDFs.
7-day free trial · No credit card required
Reference Lists
Place a callout in two clicks. Import your reference list from CSV or Excel and number an entire figure set in one pass.
Accurate
Straight, curved, or S-curved leader lines with precision controls. Adjust callout placement and review the result before export.
Multi-Page Support
Keep reference numbers consistent across every sheet. Duplicate, reorder, and manage full figure sets in one project.
Custom Endpoints
Arrow, dot, or none. Mix and match leader line endings throughout your drawings.
Export Ready
Export an annotated PDF, then review the drawing and applicable filing requirements before submission.
Encrypted connections
Private file storage and encrypted connections.
Learn how Annotra protects your projects
How It Works
Powerful Tools.Simple Process.
Import your drawings, place reference callouts, and export an annotated PDF for review—all in one workflow.
- 01
Import
Upload your patent drawings in PDF format, import your .csv or .xls file of reference numbers or add them on the spot.
- 02
Annotate
Place numbered callouts in two clicks. Leader lines draw themselves, then dial in curves, endpoint styles, and text to match your standards.
- 03
Export
Download publication-ready, annotated PDFs — flattened and ready for review, or editable so you can come back to them.
Watch this brief video introduction
See how reference numbers and leader lines are added to a PDF drawing in Annotra.
Quick Highlights
See It Done in Seconds
Six short clips covering the moves you will use on every job — from first upload to a finished, annotated sheet.
Built for Patent Professionals
- Built by Patent Professionals
- Designed by a senior patent illustrator for real-world patent workflows.
- Fast and Intuitive
- Place reference numbers and leader lines with purpose-built controls.
- Private file storage
- Stored files use access controls and encrypted connections. See our security guide for details.
- PDF export
- Export annotated drawings for review before filing.
Why Annotra
Choose the right tool for the work.
| Annotra | Adobe Illustrator | AutoCAD | Outsourced drafting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for patent annotation | Purpose-built | General illustration | General CAD | Varies by vendor |
| Annotation workflow | Built in | Manual setup | Manual setup | Usually included |
| Workflow timing | Work in your browser | Work in your editor | Work in your CAD tool | Agree with provider |
| Team Collaboration | Optional Add-on | Depends on workflow | Depends on workflow | Through the vendor |
| Drawing flowcharts | Built-in diagram editor | General drawing tools | CAD drawing tools | Confirm scope with provider |
| Primary purpose | Figure annotation | Vector illustration | CAD drafting | Professional drawing services |
| Cost | $19.99/month or $199.99/year | Check current Adobe plans | Check current Autodesk plans | Project-specific quote |
Annotra supports annotation; professional illustration services create the underlying drawings. Choose based on the work you need.
Provider pricing, collaboration options, and included revisions vary. Compare current plans and written project quotes.
Pricing
Simple, transparent pricing.
Free Trial
Freefor 7 days
Full access. No credit card. Exported PDFs carry a watermark.
- Every Pro feature unlocked
- Unlimited projects and figures
- Unlimited reference callouts
- Exports carry a watermark until you subscribe
Pro Monthly
$19.99per month
Cancel anytime.
- No watermark on exported PDFs
- Unlimited projects and figures
- CSV and Excel reference import
- Custom endpoints and leader lines
- Editable and flattened PDF export
- Built-in diagram editor for flowcharts
- Add up to 3 collaborators, $5/mo add-on
- Email support
Pro Yearly
$16.67per month, billed yearly
$199.99 billed annually (approximately $16.67/month).
- Everything in Pro Monthly
- Save approximately 17% versus monthly
- Priority support
- Early access to new features
Try everything free for 7 days. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Private file storage and encrypted connections.
Clear information about how your drawings are stored, shared, and handled.
Learn how Annotra protects your projectsHTTPS connections
Connections to the application and its hosted storage use HTTPS.
Checked PDF access
The PDF download endpoint checks ownership or accepted collaboration before issuing a temporary link. Treat that link as confidential while it is valid.
Deletion requests
Contact support@annotra.com for account and data-deletion requests. Backup retention and active-file deletion are separate processes.
Browser-based workflow
Use an up-to-date desktop browser. No desktop application installation is required.
Tools for your patent figure workflow
Your reference list, not retyped
Import the numerals and descriptions you already have from CSV or Excel, then drag each one onto the drawing. Placed numbers are marked off as you go.
No leader lines drawn by hand
Click where the number goes, click what it points at, and the line is drawn. No pen tool, no aligning a text box afterwards.
One numeral, every figure
Duplicate a callout to another page, or to all of them at once, and it keeps its number. 100 stays 100 across the whole set.
Text-size warnings
Flags small annotation text and relative figure/page-number sizes. Review actual character height and filing requirements in the exported PDF.
Move the drawing, not the callouts
Shift-drag to reposition imported artwork and Ctrl-drag to scale it. Your callouts and figure numbers stay exactly where you put them.
Bring in whoever you need
Invite an illustrator, an attorney or a colleague onto a project. They work on the same figures without a subscription of their own.
Diagram Editor
Flowcharts and schematics, drawn in place.
Some figures are diagrams rather than drawings. The editor opens over the page you are already working on, so a flowchart or schematic gets drawn where it belongs - no second application, and no importing a flat picture of it back in.
Shapes, arrows and freehand
Rectangles, diamonds, ellipses, connectors, lines and a pencil, plus text with its own font, size, weight and solid or dashed styling.
Aligned to the page
Margin guides stay visible while you draw, and the align controls place the finished diagram on the sheet instead of leaving you to eyeball it.
Applied into the figure
Apply to Page writes the diagram into the page itself, so it exports with everything else rather than arriving as a separate attachment.
Still editable later
Reopen a diagram you have already applied and carry on. It does not flatten on the first save.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is Annotra?
Annotra is browser-based software for adding reference numbers, leader lines, figure labels and other annotations to patent drawings, managing multi-page figure projects, and exporting the finished figures as PDF.
Who is Annotra for?
Annotra is built for patent professionals, including patent illustrators, patent attorneys and agents, IP teams, and inventors who prepare or review patent figures.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Annotra runs in a web browser. There is no desktop application or plugin to install.
Can I import a reference numeral list from CSV or Excel?
Yes. Annotra imports two-column reference lists from CSV, XLSX, or XLS files. You can then place the imported numbers on a drawing and see where each reference has been used.
Can one reference number stay consistent across multiple patent figures?
Yes. A callout can be duplicated to another page or to every other page, and each copy keeps the same reference number.
What drawing and reference-list file types does Annotra support?
Annotra accepts PDF drawings. Reference lists can be imported from CSV, XLSX, or XLS files.
What can Annotra export?
Annotra exports completed figure sets as PDF. A flattened export bakes annotations into the PDF; an editable export keeps annotations as separate layers for later work in compatible PDF software.
Can I draw a flowchart or schematic in Annotra?
Yes. Annotra includes a diagram editor with shapes, arrows, connectors, text, and freehand drawing. A diagram is applied to the figure page and can be reopened for editing later.
Can I work on an Annotra project with an illustrator or attorney?
Yes. The $5 per month collaboration add-on supports up to three collaborators across an account's projects. Collaborators are invited by email and do not need their own paid Annotra subscription.
How long is the Annotra free trial?
The free trial lasts seven days, includes all Pro features, and does not require a credit card. PDFs exported during the trial carry a watermark until the account subscribes.
How much does Annotra cost?
Annotra Pro costs $19.99 per month, or $199.99 billed annually (approximately $16.67 per month). A collaboration add-on for up to three collaborators costs $5 per month.
The founder story
Built around the work of a patent illustrator.
Michael Williams
Founder of Annotra and American Patent Drawings
Michael Williams is a patent illustrator and the founder of American Patent Drawings (APD), his patent illustration company. He built Annotra from that hands-on experience to bring reference numbers, leader lines, figure labels, and PDF export into one focused workflow. Annotra is built by a patent drawing professional who understands the work firsthand.
Annotra is an early-stage product and brand of Design Serious LLC, based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Ready to Annotate Your Patent Figures?
Try it on your next set of drawings.
7-day free trial · No credit card required