Guest vs account
Anonymous 24-hour drops, claim flow, and what signed-in accounts unlock.
Last updated May 28, 2026
HTMLDrop supports two publish paths. Both use the same editor — the difference is what happens after Drop It.
Guest drop (no account)
When you publish without signing in:
- You receive a random short slug (for example
/p/abc12345) - The page is live for 24 hours, then automatically deleted
- You get a claim token so you can sign in later and transfer the page to your account
Guest drops are ideal for quick shares, one-off demos, and trying the product before creating an account.
Treat guest page URLs as public. Anyone with the link can view the page until it expires.
Signed-in drop (free account)
When you publish while signed in:
- Pages are permanent (until you delete them)
- You can choose a custom slug (
/p/your-name) - You get version history, analytics, embed snippets, and API access (Pro when billing is enforced)
Sign in with email magic link or GitHub from /login.
Claiming a guest page
If you published as a guest and want to keep the page:
- Sign in or create an account
- Use the claim flow from the publish result or your dashboard
- The page moves to your account with the same slug (when available)
Claim before the 24-hour window ends — expired anonymous pages cannot be recovered.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Guest | Signed in |
|---|---|---|
| Publish without sign-up | Yes | — |
| Link duration | 24 hours | Permanent |
| Custom slug | No | Yes |
| Version history | No | Yes |
| Password protection | No | Pro |
| Analytics | No | Starter+ |
| API access | No | Pro |
During early access, all account features are free. See Plans & limits for future tier details.