dotts vs Perusall
dotts
dotts.se
Perusall
perusall.comSide by side
| Figure | dotts | Perusall |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Web Annotation Tools | 8.1 (#9) | 7.9 (#14) |
| Audience | The terms say the service is primarily aimed at entrepreneurs, and the product FAQ describes it as a tool for freelance web designers and small teams. | Perusall describes its platform for instructors and students, and says it can be used in seminars of 12 or lectures of 800 across disciplines. |
| Headquarters | Vlotho, Germany | The site lists its address as 2028 E Ben White Blvd, Suite 240-4400, Austin, TX 78741. |
| Purpose | dotts is a visual client feedback tool for freelance web designers and small teams, collecting pinned comments on websites, PDFs, and images. | Perusall is a social learning platform that turns course content into collaborative conversations and aims to improve learning outcomes through engagement and collaboration. |
| Support | The pricing section says support usually responds within one business day; the free Testing plan lists basic support and Pro lists priority support. | Perusall describes its customer support as human support from its US-based team; Premium institutional licenses include expedited support. |
Plans
Perusall
- Free course creationFree
- Student platform access fee$5, paid once
- Institutional licensePrice not published
In their own words
dotts
dotts is a web-based client feedback tool for freelance web designers and small teams. It collects pinned comments on live websites, PDFs, and images, with clients able to leave feedback through a shared review link without an account, login, or installation. A sidebar gathers comments so users can navigate to them, resolve them, edit them, or delete them. Uploads can be JPEG, PNG, SVG, WebP, PDF, or HEIC, and users can also review live website URLs. Comments support attachments, emoji reactions, and mentions, and can show device, browser, and screen-size context. dotts says it works with publicly accessible Squarespace, Webflow, Wix, and Framer sites without a plugin or integration. Its doby AI MCP server connects with Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex to read open comments and resolve them while changes are made. The free Testing plan allows up to three projects and unlimited reviewers. Pro costs $15 a month or $150 per year.
Perusall
Perusall is a web-based social learning platform where instructors and students discuss course materials collaboratively. Instructors can use catalog books, PDFs, EPUBs, Google Docs and Slides, PowerPoint slides, Canvas pages, videos, podcasts, images, and web pages. Participants comment, ask questions, reply, upvote, tag classmates, and use emojis or GIFs in synchronous or asynchronous activities. Perusall AI can suggest discussion prompts and quiz questions from course content. Instructors can auto-grade engagement against up to seven criteria and view confusion reports and discussion summaries. Integrations are documented for Canvas, Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Moodle, and Sakai, including roster, group, and gradebook connections. The service supports LTI 1.3 and LTI 1.1, with existing LTI 1.1 integrations scheduled to stop being supported on January 1, 2027. Perusall states that data is encrypted in transit and at rest, undergoes regular security testing, and complies with SOC 2, FERPA, GDPR, and PIPEDA. A free course-creation plan is available; eligible courses may involve student access fees.