Annotone vs. Filepass

Looking for a Filepass alternative?

Switch to Annotone to share feedback on audio without uploading your files to the cloud and paying for another storage subscription.

Download Annotone See the comparison

A blazing-fast, local-first alternative to Filepass

Annotone gives you the convenience of sharing timestamped notes on audio, without the subscription lock-in and Internet dependence.

Annotone Filepass
Comment on timestamps & ranges ✓ ✓
Compare multiple takes side by side ✓ ✕
Rate and flag recordings ✓ ✕
Local-first: your audio is never uploaded ✓ ✕
Notes save as plain text (readable without the app) ✓ ✕
Works fully offline ✓ ✕
One-time purchase ✓ ✕
Keep your notes even after you cancel ✓ ✕
Blazing-fast, zero-dependency GUI ✓ ✕

Where Annotone pulls ahead of Filepass

Three things Filepass just doesn't do.

Your files stay on your device

Tools like Filepass upload your audio files to their servers before anyone can comment on it. Annotone reads files straight off your disk, so nothing you record ever leaves your machine.

See how it works →

Built by & for music professionals

Tailor-made to make creative work a breeze: with ratings, flags, and a dedicated "Chooser" mode for reviewing takes + convenient keyboard shortcuts for seamless rapid-fire notetaking. We use Annotone daily for our own audio work.

Try Chooser mode →

Notes anyone can open

Your comments are saved to a plain text file that anyone can open in Notepad and still easily read. Cloud applications hold your notes and files hostage. With Annotone, you work lives on your device, not locked in the cloud.

Compare pricing →
// zero leak risk

You shouldn't have to rent access to your notes

Filepass (and basically every similar tool) requires you to upload your audio file lives to someone else's server first just to get feedback. For unreleased music, stems, or anything under NDA, that's a real security compromise you're forced to accept. Annotone takes a more boring approach on purpose: your audio files remains on your device, notes are stored as plaintext files, and the software you buy is yours for life.

// the difference

A different approach to privacy, storage, and speed

Filepass

CPU-heavy, slow web app: Filepass has no dedicated mobile app, so mobile listening and project access still happen through a web browser.

Annotone

Lightning-fast desktop app: Built for performance and speed. Local native Windows application coded in Rust with zero external dependencies. Tuned for rapid notetaking across tens to hundreds of tracks with low latency.

Filepass

Rent access to your own notes: Filepass bills monthly, which is fine right up until you stop paying and lose access to your work. Deleting an old revision also deletes the comments attached to it.

Annotone

Own your work, zero lock-in: Annotone is a one-time purchase. The app is yours for life and your notes are saved locally on your device as plain text files. Anyone can read your notes in Notepad.

Filepass

Bulky enterprise software: Filepass bundles audio review with client payments, download gates, branding, upload portals, and an embeddable portfolio player.

Annotone

Built by and for music producers: Purpose-built for the moment you need to narrow down from twelve takes. Thoughtful features like star ratings and status flag, filters, and time sync make reviewing faster.

Filepass

Growing pains: Timestamped notes cannot be transferred directly into a DAW marker list, leaving you to move between the browser and your session manually.

Annotone

Designed to minimize clicks: Thoughtful interface design and keyboard shortcuts make adding notes and reviewing audio smoother and faster than you ever thought possible.

Buy once, use forever

Three months of Filepass Part-Time = a lifetime Annotone license

LIFETIME LICENSE
Launch special
$49
Ends Jan 2027 • $67 reg price
Yours forever, bug fixes and patches included.
  • ✓ Unlimited files & annotations
  • ✓ No uploads, zero leak risk
  • ✓ Works offline, always
  • ✓ Plain text, no lock-in
  • ✓ All patches included
  • ✓ No subscription, ever
vs. $228–$468/yr for Filepass
✕ Heavy web app
✕ File upload required
✕ Cancel = lose access
✕ Storage limits
See the full Annotone vs. Filepass comparison →

Frequently asked questions

Can I import my existing Filepass comments?
Not automatically today. Export your Filepass comments and you can reformat them into an Annotone notes file, which is plain SRT-style text.
Does my audio ever get uploaded?
No. Annotone only reads and writes files that are already on your computer. Nothing is sent to a server, ever.
What happens if the person I'm working with doesn't have Annotone?
Your annotations are saved as plain text, so they can still open and edit the notes using an ordinary text editor. Or send them a password-protected review link they can open in their browser without installing Annotone. You can share the audio using whatever file-sharing method you already use.
Do my collaborators need to buy Annotone?
Not to read or edit the notes you send them. Annotone saves annotations in a human-readable format that can be opened without the app. They can also open a password-protected review link in their browser without installing Annotone. If they want to use Annotone itself to review and annotate audio, they'll need a license.
Is there a free trial?
Annotone is a one-time purchase for a perpetual license, no subscription to cancel. Watch the demo to see how it fits your workflow before deciding.

Ready to stop paying monthly for feedback?

Download Annotone today, and it's yours for life. Share feedback on audio files securely and quickly.

Download Annotone