Any screen
becomes a whiteboard.
Write and erase right on top of PPT, PDFs, websites, and code. Your screen stays as it is, and your explanation gets clearer. Start free on Windows and macOS.
$3.99 per month or $24.99 lifetime with one payment.
Basic annotation is free. Teaching tools are Pro.
The free version has no time limits, watermarks, or usage limits.
Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Line, Arrow
Thickness, basic colors and the color picker, undo and redo, and click-through are free in Basic.
Whiteboard, Blackboard Pro
Turn the entire screen into a whiteboard or blackboard with one click and focus on the lesson.
Click-through
Control the app underneath while your annotations stay visible. Return anytime with the global Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut.
Fade Ink Pro
Your strokes gently disappear after the time you set. Annotation keeps flowing without ever reaching for the eraser.
Ghost Mode Pro
Click-through only while you hold a key: advance one slide during annotation, then return instantly.
Quick Save Pro
Save a screen+annotation composite screenshot to a preset folder without prompts. Your class records build up automatically.
Rectangle, Ellipse, Text, Opacity Pro
Rectangles, ellipses, text creation and re-editing, opacity control, and rainbow mode are available in Pro.
Fade Ink
Highlight briefly, then let annotations fade so you spend less time clearing the screen.
Ghost Mode
Click the app underneath only while holding a key, then return to annotation as soon as you let go.
Quick Save
Save combined screen-and-annotation records to a preset folder without choosing a location each time.
Teaching features missing from free tools, plus a lifetime option missing from subscription-only products
TeachPen Basic is free with no sign-up required, and Pro is available as either a monthly subscription or a lifetime license.
| Features | TeachPen | Other subscription tools | General free tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $3.99/month or $24.99 once | Billed every year (subscription only) | Free |
| Account sign-up | Not required | Sign-up required even to try | Not required |
| Classroom use of the free version | ✓ Allowed | Pro required, depending on the product | ✓ |
| Fade Ink, Ghost Mode | ✓ Pro | ✓ Pro (only while subscribed) | - |
| Classroom annotation toolbar | ✓ | ✓ | Hotkey-centric, limited |
| Interface languages | 19 languages | English-centric | English-centric |
| If you stop paying? | Monthly stays active through the paid period; lifetime remains yours | Pro access ends when the paid period ends | - |
Basic is free. Pro is monthly or lifetime.
Start with free basic annotation, then choose Pro when you need teaching tools.
- Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Line, Arrow
- Basic colors, Color picker, Thickness
- Undo and redo, Click-through
- PNG Save, Choose a location every time
- Free v1.x updates
- Pro Features
- All Pro features and updates
- Renews monthly, cancel anytime
- Pro stays active through the paid period after cancellation
- Then automatically switches to Basic
- No password sign-up. One device at a time.
About 6 months of the monthly plan. From month 7, lifetime costs less.
- Rectangle, Ellipse, Text creation and re-editing, Opacity, Rainbow
- Whiteboard and blackboard, Cursor highlight, Saved custom colors
- Fade ink, Ghost mode, Spotlight
- Custom Shortcuts, Object Move, Text Re-editing
- Quick Save, copy to clipboard, composite screenshots
- Free lifetime updates throughout v1.x
- No password sign-up. One device at a time.
Monthly subscriptions and lifetime licenses include the same features and differ only in payment method and usage period.
Free vs Pro
Start with free basic annotation, then choose Pro when you need teaching tools.
| Features | Basic | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Line, Arrow | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thickness, Basic colors, Color picker, Undo/redo, Click-through | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rectangle, Ellipse, Text creation and re-editing, Opacity, Rainbow | - | ✓ |
| Whiteboard / blackboard | - | ✓ |
| Cursor highlight, Saved custom colors | - | ✓ |
| PNG Save | Choose a location every time | Composite, auto-save, copy to clipboard |
| Fade Ink (annotations disappear automatically) | - | ✓ |
| Ghost Mode (hold a key for click-through) | - | ✓ |
| Spotlight (focus light around the cursor) | - | ✓ |
| Custom Shortcuts | Default Shortcuts | Fully customizable |
| Object move (Ctrl+drag), Text re-editing | - | ✓ |
| Per-tool Thickness Presets | - | ✓ (planned) |
Rolling it out to a whole classroom?
Institutions can use volume licensing through annual per-seat quotes.
Edu Annual
Annual per-seat quotes tailored to the number of seats required.
Quotes, Tax Invoices
We support the documents required for institutional purchases. Request them by email.
Contact us
Quotes, Tax Invoices
We support the documents required for institutional purchases. Request them by email.
Send us your organization name and seat count. We will reply by email with a quote and rollout steps.
Every time I needed to draw on the screen mid-lesson, the tools I had fell a little short. With annotation on, I couldn't advance the slide underneath; reaching for the eraser broke my flow; and the features I actually needed sat behind a subscription.
So I built the tool I wanted in class. Ghost Mode and Fade Ink came straight out of those frustrations. And rather than force one way to pay, I offer both a monthly subscription and a lifetime license.
Built by CodeCohort / hello@teachpen.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TeachPen free?
Yes. Basic stays free with no time limit, no watermark, and no sign-up. It includes Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Line, Arrow, color and thickness controls, Undo, Click-through, and PNG export. Teaching tools such as shapes, Text, whiteboard, Fade Ink, and Ghost Mode are in Pro (monthly subscription or lifetime license).
Subscriptions feel like too much?
Choose Pro Monthly or Pro Lifetime. If you do not want a monthly payment, buy the lifetime license once.
Do I need to create an account?
Install and use the free version right away. For Pro, your purchase email is your license. Activate in the app with your email and a 6-digit code. No username, password, or profile is needed.
How many PCs can I use it on?
A personal license can be used on 1 device at a time across Windows and macOS. When you sign in on another device, the previous device is signed out automatically and returns to Basic at its next online check.
Does it work on classroom PCs without internet?
Basic always works without internet. Pro needs internet to activate, and after that it also works offline. If 7 days pass since the last online check, it switches to Basic, but it returns to Pro as soon as you reconnect. A brief internet drop or a server problem during class will not lock it.
How is it different from other annotation tools?
Subscription-based annotation tools often require recurring payments and account registration even for a free trial. TeachPen Basic is free with no sign-up required, while Pro is available as either a monthly subscription or a lifetime license. It also includes teaching features such as fade ink and ghost mode.
Can I use it on a Mac?
Yes. Both Windows 10 (1809 or later, 64-bit) and macOS 13 or later (Apple Silicon) are available as free downloads now. One license lets you switch between both operating systems, with 1 device active at a time.
What happens to my lifetime license if the service shuts down?
If we ever shut down the service, we will make reasonable efforts to distribute an offline build that keeps working without the activation server. This is stated in section 7 of the Terms of Use.
Start free today
Install with no signup, then upgrade to Pro only when you need it.
Free DownloadUse it right after installation. No signup, no email verification.