Perusall
Perusall is a web-based tool for annotating documents and reviewing them collaboratively.
What Perusall is
Perusall is a web-based tool for annotating documents and reviewing them collaboratively. It supports both annotation modes and both document types listed for the service. Guest access lets people participate without requiring every reader to be a regular account holder. When a review is complete, users can export work as PDF, Microsoft Word, spreadsheets, downloadable comments, or documents with comments embedded. Perusall has a free plan, so readers can start without a listed subscription charge. The service was founded in 2015 and is based in Austin, Texas. Its combination of shared review, guest participation, and several export formats makes it relevant to groups that need to discuss documents and retain the resulting comments. Access is through the web; no other platform is listed.
Good
- Free plan is available.
- Supports collaborative review.
- Guest access is available.
- Exports to PDF, Word, and spreadsheets.
- Exports documents with embedded comments.
Watch out
- Listed platform is web only.
Who it suits
Perusall suits groups that want to annotate documents together, including reviews with guest participants. It may also fit readers who need to export comments or annotated documents in several formats.
Verdict
Perusall brings document annotation, collaborative review, guest access, and multiple export formats into a web service. Its free plan may suit groups looking for a no-cost starting point.
Plans and prices
From Perusall's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free course creation | Free | Instructor course creation · Course-specific student access costs may apply · Free to start; eligible new courses may require a student platform fee unless covered by an institutional license, book adoption, or waiver. |
| Student platform access fee | $5, paid once | Individual student access · Instructor may exempt students or apply for a course-wide waiver · Instructors choose $5, $10, $15, $20, or $25 per student for eligible new courses; a 14-day grace period applies. |
| Institutional license | — | Basic or Premium · Premium includes guaranteed platform performance, expedited support, training, a customized interface, and an administrator dashboard · Annual license; pricing by contacting Perusall. |
The facts
Each one read from Perusall's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI prompts
- Perusall AI can suggest discussion prompts and quiz questions based on course content.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Assessment
- Instructors can auto-grade engagement on up to seven criteria and access student confusion reports and discussion summaries.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Audience
- Perusall describes its platform for instructors and students, and says it can be used in seminars of 12 or lectures of 800 across disciplines.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Compliance and privacy
- Perusall states it complies with SOC 2, FERPA, GDPR, and PIPEDA, and says it does not sell user data or ad space.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Course materials
- Instructors can use catalog books, PDFs, EPUBs, Google Docs and Slides, PowerPoint slides, Canvas pages, videos, podcasts, images, and web pages.checked 9 Oct 2026
- LMS integrations
- Perusall documents integrations for Canvas, Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Moodle, and Sakai, including roster and group sync and gradebook integration features.checked 9 Oct 2026
- LTI support
- Perusall is certified for LTI 1.3 and LTI 1.1; it says it will stop supporting existing LTI 1.1 integrations on January 1, 2027.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Perusall is a social learning platform that turns course content into collaborative conversations and aims to improve learning outcomes through engagement and collaboration.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security
- Perusall says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and its system undergoes regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Social learning
- Students can comment, ask questions, reply, upvote, tag classmates, use emojis and GIFs, and participate synchronously or asynchronously.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- Perusall describes its customer support as human support from its US-based team; Premium institutional licenses include expedited support.checked 9 Oct 2026
The company
- Company history
- Perusall says it began after a four-year research project at Harvard and built the business in 2015.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Company ownership
- Perusall says it has no investors and is independently owned by educators.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2015checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- The site lists its address as 2028 E Ben White Blvd, Suite 240-4400, Austin, TX 78741.checked 9 Oct 2026
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