Product
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about reading, note-taking, uploads, exports, plans, and support.
These answers cover the most common questions about getting started with Anota.
What is Anota?
Anota is a web-based PDF reader with a notes column beside every page. Highlight a passage, tag it as an Insight, Inquiry, Action or General note, and every note stays linked to the exact spot it came from. Everything you capture also flows into a scrollable feed of your own ideas, and a built-in AI assistant can explain, challenge or expand any passage you select.
How much does Anota cost?
Anota has three plans. Free covers 5 PDFs and 3 AI queries a day. Student is $4.99/month or $39/year for 50 PDFs and 15 AI queries a day. Pro is $7.99/month or $69/year for unlimited PDFs and 30 AI queries a day. Taxes are added at checkout.
Is Anota free to start?
Yes. The free plan covers 5 PDFs, highlights, notes, Markdown export and 3 AI queries a day, with no time limit and no card needed. Upgrade to Student or Pro when you need more PDFs or AI queries.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Anota runs in your browser on desktop and tablet — no download required. Open it in a modern browser, sign in, and your library, highlights and notes are ready. On a phone you can browse and review your notes; the side-by-side reader opens on tablets and desktops.
How do I take notes on a PDF in Anota?
Open a PDF from your library, select a passage and pick a tag: Insight, Inquiry, Action or General. The highlight is saved and a note opens in the notes column beside the page, where you write your thought. Every note stays linked to its passage, so one click takes you back to it.
What do the note tags mean?
Anota has four note tags. Insight (✦) marks an idea worth keeping. Inquiry (?) marks a question to follow up. Action (→) marks something to do. General (—) is for everything else. Each tag has its own colour and symbol, and you can filter your notes by tag.
What is the notes feed?
The notes feed is every highlight and note you capture, collected into one scrollable stream of cards. Instead of scrolling someone else's content, you scroll your own ideas. Filter it by book or by tag, or just drift through what you have been thinking.
What can the AI assistant do?
Select any passage and choose one of five modes: Explain, Deep Dive, Give Example, Help Retain or Challenge. The answer streams in beside the text and is saved, so revisiting it is instant. Free includes 3 AI queries a day, Student 15 and Pro 30. A query that returns no answer is not counted.
Which AI model does Anota use?
Anota's AI assistant runs on Google's Gemini models, called from our servers rather than your browser. Only the passage you select is sent to the model provider to generate the answer, not your library. The free plan uses gemini-2.5-flash-lite; Student and Pro use gemini-3.1-flash-lite.
Can I export my notes?
Yes. Every plan can export notes as Markdown. Export them from the Notes page, grouped by document. Markdown is plain text, so your notes open in Obsidian, Notion, any text editor or another notes app without a converter.
Where are my PDFs stored?
Anota is local-first: your PDFs open from your device and are backed up to your private account, so your library is there wherever you sign in. Backups go to private storage that only your account can read. You can delete a document, or your whole account and its data, at any time.
Does Anota work offline?
Partly. Anota is a web app and doesn't install for offline use, so you need a connection to open it. Once a document is open you can keep reading, highlighting and writing notes if your connection drops: changes save on your device first and sync to your account when you are back online.
How many PDFs can I upload?
The free plan holds 5 PDFs, Student holds 50, and Pro has no limit. If you downgrade, nothing is deleted: your library stays readable, and you can add new PDFs again once you are under your plan's limit or upgrade.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. You can cancel a paid plan at any time from the billing section of your account page. Paid features normally stay on until the end of the current billing period, then you move to the free plan with your library intact. Billing questions and refund requests go to billing@anota.in.
Is my data sold or used for ads?
No. We do not sell your data, and we do not share it with third parties for advertising. Product analytics run only after you accept cookies, and passages you send to the AI assistant are processed by our model provider to generate your answer.
How do I delete my account?
Sign in, open Account from the navigation, scroll to Delete Account and confirm. Deletion is permanent and removes your PDFs, highlights, notes and reading history. If you cannot sign in, email support@anota.in from the account's address. Full steps: https://anota.in/delete-account.
- Product support: email support@anota.in with your account email and a short description of the issue.
- Billing: email billing@anota.in for receipts, cancellations, duplicate charges, or refund requests.
- Partnerships: growth@anota.in. Press: press@anota.in.