The best Figma annotation plugins in 2026
Measure is the most-used Figma annotation plugin, with 158K users. It draws redlines for widths, heights and gaps between elements as ordinary layers, so anyone who opens the file can see them.
Top 20 picks
Measure
#1 · 158K users
Quick answer
Our top picks
- #1
Most used
Measure
by Philip
Measure adds redlines for sizes, fills gaps with spacing labels and measures distances between elements. It runs in Figma Design and Dev Mode and is free. It focuses on dimensions, so behaviour notes and accessibility specs need another tool.158K 3.2KFree - #8
Best for accessibility annotations
Include
by Zhang, Darren
Include creates accessibility annotations for landmarks, headings, alt text, reading order and contrast. It suits designers who hand off to developers building to WCAG and want those decisions written down, not guessed. It's free, and with 2K likes against 24K users it's one of the best-liked plugins in this list.24K 1.7KFree - #3
Best for component spec sheets
Specs Classic
by Directed Edges Plugins
Specs Classic generates spec pages for components, instances and frames, covering anatomy, properties and layout and spacing. Design system teams use it to document a whole library consistently. It's a paid subscription, $8 a month in our data, which is worth it only if you document components regularly.136K 5.5KFree + $8/mo
Outside the ranking · Disclosure
The full list
The 20 most-used Figma plugins for annotations
- 01
158K3.2KFree - 02
Redlines
Free · 3.8K likes
141K3.8KFree - 03
Specs Classic
Generate component specs including anatomy, props and layout & spacing
Free + $8/mo · 5.5K likes
136K5.5KFree + $8/mo - 04
DesignDoc [Spectral]: Measures, Annotations, and Handoff
📐 Effortlessly hand off your Figma designs to the development team
Free · 3K likes
132K3KFree - 05
38K1.6KFree - 06
35K485Free - 07
25K125Free - 08
Include
Create a11y annotations including landmarks, headings, alt text, reading order, contrast, and more
Free · 1.7K likes
24K1.7KFree - 09
24K137Free - 10
Measure Tools
Free · 191 likes
17K191Free - 11
17K360Free - 12
16K197Free - 13
8.8K266Free - 14
MockFlow AnnotatePro
Free + paid · 34 likes
6.5K34Free + paid - 15
Annotation Helper
Create annotations with ease for effective collaboration and communication in design.
Free · 104 likes
4.3K104Free - 16
3.9K128Free - 17
Balloon Annotations
Write simple annotations on your designs to better collaborate with your team
Free · 29 likes
3.6K29Free - 18
3.4K10Free - 19
Variant Annotator
Free · 55 likes
3.2K55Free - 20
Design QA: Identify, Annotate and Track
Simplify design QAs with auto annotations and bug tracking
Free · 66 likes
2.1K66Free
Buying guide
What to look for
Figma has native annotations (Shift + T) and saved measurements (Shift + M) in Design and Dev Mode, and they can show live property values. They're a paid-plan feature: adding one needs a Full seat with edit access, and viewing needs a Full or Dev seat. Plugin annotations are canvas layers, so Starter users, View seats and anyone looking at an exported PDF see them too. Our Figma annotations guide covers the native tool in detail.
The catch with plugin annotations is that they don't track the design. A redline drawn at 24px still says 24px after someone changes the padding, so regenerate or delete them before handoff. Accessibility notes are their own niche in this list: Include and Accessibility Assistant cover reading order, headings and alt text, which measurement tools ignore.
- 01
Who needs to see them
If every reader has a Full or Dev seat, native annotations are the better default. If PMs, clients or QA are on Starter or View seats, use a plugin that draws on the canvas.
- 02
Live or static
Native annotation properties update with the layer. Plugin annotations are drawings; check whether the plugin can redraw or update them in one step.
- 03
Types of note
Measurements, free-text notes, numbered callouts and accessibility specs are different jobs. Most plugins do one or two well, so match the plugin to the notes your team actually writes.
- 04
Easy to hide
Annotations clutter screens during review. Plugins that group their layers or place them on a separate layer are easier to hide before a presentation.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Figma have built-in annotations?
Yes. Press Shift + T for the Annotation tool in Design or Dev Mode, attach a note or live properties to a layer, and sort it into a category. Annotations need a paid plan: a Full seat to add them, a Full or Dev seat to view them.
Can people on a free plan see Figma annotations?
Not native ones. Starter users and View or Collab seats don't see them. Annotations drawn by a plugin are regular layers, so everyone with access to the file sees them.
What's the difference between annotations and comments in Figma?
Comments are conversations that get resolved and disappear. Annotations document how something should be built and stay attached to the layer. Use comments for review feedback and annotations for anything a developer needs later.
How do I add sticky notes to a Figma design file?
FigJam has native stickies, but Figma Design doesn't. Plugins like notely and Sticky Notes Kit add sticky-note style layers to design files.
What should accessibility annotations include?
At minimum: heading levels, landmarks, reading and focus order, alt text for images, and labels for icon-only controls. See our accessibility plugins for checkers that pair with annotation tools.
Keep exploring
Related lists and guides
Dev Handoff
developer handoff and Dev Mode
See the top picks
Design Systems
building and maintaining design systems
See the top picks
Flowcharts & User Flows
flowcharts, user flows and connector arrows
See the top picksGuides
- Figma Annotations: How They Work and Who Can See ThemHow Figma annotations work in Design and Dev Mode, which seats can add and view them, how they differ from comments, and when an annotation plugin helps.
- How to add, hide and find comments in FigmaPress C and click to add a comment in Figma, then Enter to post. Shift+C shows or hides comments. Where resolved and missing comments go, and who can comment.
- How to Make Design Specs in FigmaWhat a Figma design spec should include, how to build a component spec template by hand, what Dev Mode already covers, and how to generate specs with Autospec.
- How to Make Flow Arrows in FigmaFigma Design has no connector tool, but you can still draw flow arrows that stick to frames. The native options, the FigJam copy trick, and plugins, explained.