Highlights vs Anchor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Highlights
This app is a fast and lightweight PDF reader designed for research. It allows users to read, highlight, and annotate documents, and then extract this information into organized notes. Advanced features include table data extraction, text recognition, and smart copying of annotations into various formats.
- Read and browse PDF documents
- Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text
- Add comments and sticky notes
- Extract annotations into organized notes
- Convert table data and recognize text
- Smart copy annotations to various formats (CSV, BibTex)
- Lookup citation metadata and DOI links
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"... an app that students, academics, and anyone who does substantial amounts of PDF-based research should try" - Macstories.net "It’s the novel approach to PDF annotation that makes this app a cut above the rest"- TapSmart.com *** "App of the Day" - App Store, US *** USE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FREE Highlights is a fast and lightweight PDF reader (under 10MB) packed with features to help you do your best research. Free users have access to standard PDF reader features including document browsing, reading and annotating. There are NO ADS, time limits or tracking. READ PDF DOCUMENTS • Open PDF documents from anywhere • Browse files using the familiar document browser • Open PDFs in Single Page or Two Page scroll mode • Double tap to Smart Zoom in on a paragraph or figure • Scrub smoothly to the desired page • Search the entire document in an instant • Navigate using any connected keyboard or mouse STORE YOUR FILES WHERE YOU WANT • Full support for "Open In Place" lets you make edits to the file where it is • Access your files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or Box using the document browser • Or keep them privately on device only HIGHLIGHT AND ANNOTATE FASTER • Select text with your finger, Apple Pencil or mouse pointer • Highlight, underline, strikethrough text and make image selections • Add comments to annotations or as individual sticky notes • Annotate with fewer taps using context aware popovers • Default annotation colors prevents you from having to repeatedly setting the color for the same type of annotation every time TURN ANNOTATIONS INTO NOTES • As you markup text and images the contents are extracted and sorted into notes • Customize the formatting and contents of your notes • Sort the annotations chronologically or create your own color coding EXTRACT TABLE DATA AND RECOGNIZE TEXT • Convert images containing text or tables to actual text and tables using machine learning - letting you get to the underlying data with a single tap SMART COPY Copy annotations to the desired format with one tap: • Text markup as text • Image selections as images • Tables as CSV • Citations as BibTex LOOKUP CITATIONS • Highlights will fetch DOI-links and metadata • Markup any reference and tap the link icon to look it up • If you have read the work already or have it in your reference manager library, Highlights will link you to it EXPORT ANYWHERE • Save or share your notes as portable files: Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, WebArchive or PDF • Share them to your favorite notes app: Apple Notes, Bear, Craft, Evernote, DEVONThink, Keep It, MindNode, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research or Ulysses • Or send them to a colleague via mail. It's your notes, you decide where they go MUCH MORE • Dark mode • Multi-window support on iPadOS • Keyboard shortcuts and navigation • Support for system Copy and Undo gestures • Alternative app icons • Custom accent colors • Apple Pencil double-tap gestures • Power annotation tools For a full list of features see: highlightsapp.net/features HIGHLIGHTS PRO The Highlights Pro subscription unlocks advanced features on your iPhone, iPad and Mac: • Export options for other apps and easily editable formats • Extract information using table and text recognition • Customize accent colors and alternative app icons • Power annotation tools • Citation lookups • Smart Copy Highlights Pro includes a 14-day free trial. You can cancel your subscription at any time. The subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off within 24-hour prior to the end of of the current period. Payments will be charged to your iTunes account and your account will be charged within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. For more information about Highlights Pro: highlightsapp.net/pro Privacy Policy: highlightsapp.net/privacy Terms of Use: highlightsapp.net/terms
Anchor
This app helps you transform intentions into consistent action by building simple habits and focusing on daily progress. It utilizes a unique framework to guide users from goals to daily routines with gentle reminders and progress tracking.
- Create and track daily habits
- Set simple goals and break them into actions
- Receive gentle reminders
- Daily check-ins for momentum
- Visualize progress over time
- Utilizes the A.R.C.H.E.R framework
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Anchor helps you turn intentions into action. Build simple habits, stay focused on what matters, and make steady progress every day. Anchor is guided by the A.R.C.H.E.R framework, a practical structure to help you move from intention to consistent action across your personal goals and daily routines. What you can do with Anchor Create and track daily habits Set simple goals and break them into small actions Get gentle reminders to stay on track Check in daily to build momentum See your progress over time Built around the A.R.C.H.E.R framework Anchor uses the A.R.C.H.E.R framework to provide a clear structure for daily progress, helping you focus on the right actions at the right time without overwhelm. Designed to keep you moving Anchor is intentionally simple. No noise, no complicated setup—just the essentials to help you show up every day. Who it’s for Anyone building new habits People who want more focus and structure Those who prefer a clean, minimal app for daily progress Privacy Your data stays on your device. We don’t sell your data or show ads. Start small. Stay consistent. Build momentum with Anchor.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Anchor at 5.0 against Highlights's 4.5. Anchor also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). Highlights's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Highlights sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Anchor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Anchor holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Highlights has 1.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Highlights ships an update fortnightly, Anchor daily. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Highlights | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (1.6K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonas Myren Ribe | Aavishkar Paranjape |
Customer experience
Highlights
Anchor
Bugs and requests
Highlights
Reported bugs
5 issues- Highlights and annotations randomly disappearing
- Text selection issues, especially with footnotes
- Compatibility problems with certain PDF files
- Syncing issues across devices
- Export functionality not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Add handwriting and freeform annotation support
- Implement a table of contents or bookmarking feature
- Allow editing of notes directly in the app
- Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Improve search capabilities with visual results and navigation
Anchor
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Highlights
- Highlights Pro: Monthly$4.991 Month
- Highlights Pro14 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Highlights Pro: Legacy Upgrade1 Year trial$29.991 Year
Anchor
- Anchor Lifetime$4.99









