Choose an online proofing replacement by what your team sends for sign-off most: video, live websites, static designs or a mix of marketing content. Most review tools specialise in one of those. Shortlist the group that matches your work, then send one real campaign through each trial with an outside reviewer who has no account.
Before you compare a single tool, list the file types your team sends for sign-off. Ziflow is built for high-volume reviews across many file types, while most of the alternatives below are specialists, so that list decides which group you should look at. Here are eight, in no particular order.
What are you sending for sign-off?
- Mostly video. You need frame-accurate comments and a way to compare versions, or editors end up guessing which second a note refers to.
- Mostly websites. You need reviewers to click on the live page itself, because screenshots go stale the moment a developer pushes a change.
- Mostly static designs and PDFs. A simple annotation tool's often enough, and anything heavier slows people down.
- A mix of marketing content. You need approvals across social posts, files and web content, with a clear record of who signed off.
Most teams have one dominant answer. If yours is a real mix, don't worry: skip to the last group below, which is built for exactly that.
Specialists by file type
Video. Wipster and Krock focus on video. The first is built for sharing video projects and collecting notes from editors, clients and stakeholders. The second offers frame-accurate comments, version comparisons and approvals.
Live websites. Pastel, Ruttl and BugHerd collect feedback on live websites. The first is an annotation tool built for fast visual feedback that, per the vendor, also works on PDFs and images. The second also handles design reviews and bug reports across apps. The third turns each client comment into a task for your developers.
Static designs and documents. MarkUp is for annotating screenshots, PDFs and designs with your team, which covers a lot of everyday creative sign-off. If that's most of your work, you won't need anything heavier.
Marketing approvals and all-round review. Gain centres on marketing approvals, covering social posts, files and web content, and keeps a record of each sign-off. Frame.io is the broadest option here, putting files, feedback and people in one workspace for creative teams.
Eight review and proofing tools
In alphabetical order, one line each, so the order isn't a ranking.
BugHerd
Best for: Web teams and agencies whose clients need to point, click and comment on a live site, with each comment turned into a task.
Frame.io
Best for: Creative teams wanting files, feedback and people together in one secure workspace, which the vendor pitches as one platform for all creative work.
Gain
Best for: Marketing teams and agencies approving social posts, files and web content, with the vendor saying anything that needs sign-off belongs there.
Krock
Best for: Video producers needing frame-accurate comments, version comparisons and approvals, with the vendor saying reviewers are unlimited.
MarkUp
Best for: Design and content teams that want to annotate screenshots, PDFs and designs, then share them for review with a comment or two.
Pastel
Best for: Anyone collecting visual feedback directly on live websites, with reviewers annotating the page itself rather than a screenshot.
Ruttl
Best for: Designers and developers reviewing design and content and reporting bugs on websites, apps, PDFs and images; the vendor says it plugs into WordPress and Shopify.
Wipster
Best for: Video teams sharing projects with editors, clients and stakeholders who want feedback gathered in one place instead of chased by email.
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Side by side: what each tool reviews
| Tool | Reviews | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| BugHerd | Website feedback tool | Client comments on live sites, turned into tasks |
| Frame.io | Creative review platform | Files, feedback and people in one workspace |
| Gain | Content approval software | Marketing approvals with a record of sign-off |
| Krock | Video review software | Frame-accurate video comments and version comparisons |
| MarkUp | Visual feedback tool | Annotating screenshots, PDFs and designs |
| Pastel | Website annotation tool | Visual feedback directly on live websites |
| Ruttl | Design feedback tool | Design reviews and bug reports across sites and apps |
| Wipster | Video review and approval | Gathering video feedback from editors and clients |
Advice for creative and marketing teams
Match the tool to what you review most, not to everything you might ever review. A video team will get more from a video specialist than from a broad platform, and a web agency will save hours with a tool that sits on top of live pages.
If you send a real mix every week, such as videos, banners, landing pages and PDFs, a broader tool or a marketing approvals platform makes more sense, because juggling three specialist tools means three logins for every client. Keep project tasks out of it if you've already got a project tool you like.
For the wider workflow, see my guide to creative project management tools and my list of project tools for creative agencies.
The outside reviewer test
Send one real campaign through each trial with an outside reviewer who has no account. That's the moment most review tools are judged by your clients, and it's the one demos skip.
Watch three things. Can the reviewer open the file without signing up? Can they leave a comment on the exact frame, element or line they mean? And when they approve, does your team see a clear record of who approved what, and when?
If any of those needs a help article, your clients will email their feedback instead, and you'll be back to copying notes out of inboxes.
Do you make an online proofing or creative review tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
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Frequently asked questions
What is online proofing software?
It lets reviewers comment directly on a file, such as a video, design, PDF or web page, and approve it. Comments are pinned to the exact spot, versions can be compared, and sign-off is recorded.
Can clients review without creating an account?
Many review tools offer share links for guest reviewers, but the details vary. Test it in a trial with someone who isn't on your team before you commit.
Do I need a separate tool for video review?
If video is a large share of your work, a video specialist with frame-accurate comments and version comparisons is usually easier. If video's occasional, a broader review tool will probably do.
What's the difference between proofing and website feedback tools?
Proofing tools handle files such as videos, images and PDFs. Website feedback tools sit on top of a live or staging site, so reviewers can click on the exact element they mean.
Why does an approval record matter?
It shows who approved what and when, which settles disputes and helps in regulated fields. Requirements vary by industry, so check what your sector's regulator expects.
