12 GoVisually alternatives for painless feedback sessions

GoVisually alternatives are easy to find. You just type in “proofing software” on Google, and voila.

The hard part is choosing the right tool for your business needs. For this, you have to research the market, compare the features and pricing of different solutions, and so on.

Fortunately, there’s an easier, less time-consuming way to find the perfect GoVisually alternative for your unique approval workflow: this guide.

We’ve done all the research for you, and we found twelve GoVisually competitors with a lot to offer.

Let’s talk about them!

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is collected from publicly available sources as of this blog post’s publication date, July 20, 2023.

Table of Contents

GoVisually alternatives comparison table

So, you’re on the hunt for a GoVisually alternative, and you need it, like, yesterday? Don’t sweat it!

To help you find a GoVisually alternative fast, we’ve analyzed and compared a bunch of proofing platforms to figure out which one could step into GoVisually’s shoes.

Image Source: Giphy 

The result? A rock-solid list of the twelve best GoVisually alternatives perfect for teams who need to share files and work together on creative projects.

To get on the list, these annotation tools needed to tick a few boxes, like:

  • Letting you add notes to text docs, PDFs, images, videos, and websites
  • Giving you real-time feedback sessions to streamline teamwork and remote collabs
  • Letting you attach files to comments so everyone’s crystal clear on the feedback
  • Sending updates (you can customize) to keep teams and stakeholders in the loop

Plus, we’re gonna chat about each tool’s pricing. 

Let’s get started with the first SaaS on our list, which is totally, randomly picked.

Oh, look, it’s MarkUp.io!

No idea how it got to the top of the list.

GIF Source: Giphy

Tool #1: MarkUp.io

MarkUp.io is on a mission–to shake things up in the world of visual commenting. The platform offers adaptable annotation features that streamline creative workflows, saving precious time for creative teams across various sectors.

And here’s the best part: MarkUp.io lets you share, collect, and organize feedback seamlessly in real time on a variety of file types. That includes live websites, videos, HTML, and even PDF documents. Pretty neat, isn’t it?

MarkUp.io homepage

MarkUp.io is all about simplicity. Our design philosophy keeps the user experience front and center, making giving and receiving feedback on creative work as quick and easy as possible. And it’s all in one place, just a click away. 🙌

Here’s what you can do with MarkUp.io:

  • Whip up web-based versions of your design, text, and video projects (we call them MarkUps) that you can share with anyone
  • Send MarkUps to your team via link or email
  • Leave precise comments with feedback right down to the pixel or frame
  • Use our nifty Loom integration to record video explanations and add them to your comments
  • Markup live websites directly with our handy Chrome extension
  • Set up custom workflows with our Zapier integration
  • Stay in the loop with everything going on during the review process with email notifications

Who’s MarkUp.io best for?

Well, MarkUp.io is a fantastic tool for anyone who needs to proof and approve creative projects. That includes 

  • Marketers
  • Creative agencies
  • Video content creators, editors, and producers
  • Content writers
  • Advertisers
  • QA engineers and devs

Whether you’re a freelancer, a startup, a small business, or a large enterprise, MarkUp.io has something for you!

Key features

Got big ideas brewing? MarkUp.io’s got your back, helping you bridge the gap between your creative concepts and your finished masterpieces with features like

  • Annotations on websites, PDFs, videos, text documents, and images
  • Instant, real-time comments 
  • Drag-and-drop comment attachments, which are supported for file types like JPG, JPEG, PNG, SVG, BMP, etc.
  • Project updates and notifications

Pricing

MarkUp.io is offered across two paid plans as well as a free version.

Image Source: MarkUp.io

The free version gets you one Workspace, five MarkUps, and a generous 10GB of storage. It’s perfect for small teams and freelancers just dipping their toes into the world of proofing software.

Need a little more room to grow? The Pro plan is just $25 a month and offers one Workspace, unlimited MarkUps, a whopping 500GB of storage, the power to manage share links, and Folders. It’s perfect for teams that need a bit more zip and flexibility in their workflow.

We also offer custom Enterprise plans on demand.

Tool #2: Filestage

Filestage is an annotation platform that’s all about speeding up the evaluation and approval of creative deliverables. 

Filestage homepage
Image Source: Filestage

But it’s not just about adding notes to your work. Filestage is packed with collaboration and project management goodies to help your team share, approve, and dish out information quickly.

Best for

Just like other collaboration tools, Filestage is a hit with creative teams working in

  • Marketing
  • Design
  • Web development
  • Advertising

Key features

Filestage comes equipped with

  • Annotations for websites, images, videos, design projects, audio files, and PDFs
  • Heads-up with email and in-app notifications
  • File attachments in comments for clear feedback
  • Unlimited reviewers, because the more the merrier
  • One-click approvals to keep things moving

Pricing

Filestage has four pricing plans to choose from:

  • Free
  • Basic: $49 per month 
  • Professional: $249 per month
  • Enterprise: Price accessible only upon request
Filestage pricing
Image Source: Filestage

Tool #3: Approval Studio

Got a need for speed in your visual artwork review process? Approval Studio could be the cloud-based feedback tool you’ve been looking for.

Image Source: Approval Studio

It’s all about helping creative teams check out and okay their graphics while making collaboration easier with features like

  • A simple dashboard that follows the Kanban method
  • Version comparison mode 
  • Project history and reporting tools
  • An Adobe extension 
  • A PDF to JPG converter
  • Integration into your other business software through its API

Best for

Approval Studio is a real catch for teams of graphic and web designers.

Key features

Here are some of the features you get with Approval Studio:

  • Annotations for graphic files
  • Four different annotation shapes to keep things clear
  • One comment can link to other similar areas 
  • No need to hit refresh for new comments 

 Pricing

Approval Studio has four pricing plans to pick from:

  • Lite: $45 per month; 5 users included
  • Pro: $135 per month; 5 users included
  • Pro XL: $255 per month; 15 users included
  • Enterprise: $5999 per year; up to unlimited users
Approval Studio pricing
Image Source: Approval Studio

Plus, Pro XL and Enterprise users can sign up for product demos.

Tool #4: GoProof

GoProof’s got a buffet of proofing and markup tools that enable creative agencies and organizations to review, share, and collaborate on designs.

GoProof homepage
Image Source: GoProof

Here’s what it brings to the table:

  • Freehand sketches on proofs to get your ideas across
  • Point-and-click and box annotations for pinpoint precision
  • Straight-line measurements across files with the ruler tool
  • Highlight or darken areas on the proof to show where tweaks are needed

Best for

GoProof is a good fit for:

  • Creative marketing teams
  • Design 
  • Print media

Key features

Features in the toolbox include

  • Markup tools for design projects, images, videos, audio files, live web pages, and text docs
  • Notifications and project updates to keep you in the loop
  • Attachments can be added directly to your comments on a proof
  • Hosted on Google Cloud Platform 

Pricing

Unfortunately, you’ve gotta ask GoProof for their pricing. But they do offer free trials and demos to give you a taste. 

Tool #5: Ziflow

Ziflow is an annotation platform used to collect and provide contextual feedback on design projects and other creative deliverables.

Ziflow homepage
Image Source: Ziflow

The platform helps users to:

  • Provide in-depth and helpful remarks using a number of color-coded marking tools (lines, arrows, squares, and ovals)
  • Combine markup tools to provide detailed instruction
  • Verify sizes and spacings with the built-in measurement tool.
  • Speed up decision-making, use threaded remarks, notes, and markups that are all visible in real-time
  • Save a copy of all notes, comments, responses, attachments, and even thumbs-up notations for historical, compliance, or auditing purposes

The platform offers native integrations with a variety of collaboration and messaging tools, including Asana, Jira, Trello, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, etc.

Best for

Ziflow is suitable for agencies, marketers, advertisers, product developers, and other professionals in creative industries that have to review and approve files as part of their daily workflow.

Key features

Ziflow made the cut thanks to features like:

  • Markup tools for video, digital, web, documents, images, audio, banners
  • Clear project visibility
  • Comment attachments
  • Embed review and approval functionality in just a few steps

Pricing

Ziflow comes in three flavors:

  • Personal: $0 – free
  • Business: $40 per user per month
  • Enterprise: pricing on demand
Ziflow pricing
Image Source: Ziflow

Tool #6: ReviewStudio

ReviewStudio is a handy online collaboration software solution that enables professionals to manage and review creative content easily.

ReviewStudio homepage
Image Source: ReviewStudio

On top of proofing tools, it’s also got task management features, project version control, and a beefy API that lets users integrate ReviewStudio into their own software. 

Best for

ReviewStudio is a real winner for creative teams made up of:

  • Video producers
  • Marketers
  • Designers
  • Advertisers

Key features

If you’re looking for a solid GoVisually alternative, ReviewStudio’s got you covered with things like:

  • PDF Proofing with intuitive annotation and markup capabilities
  • Message templates for notifications 
  • Synced review sessions to present and collect feedback in real-time
  • Comment attachments for clear and precise feedback

Pricing

There are four different plans for users to choose from:

  • Pro: $20/mo
  • Team: $65/mo
  • Studio: $140/mo
  • Agency: $280/mo
  • Enterprise: gotta ask them for that one

ReviewStudio doesn’t offer a free version, but you can take it for a spin with a free trial.

ReviewStudio pricing
Image Source: ReviewStudio

Tool #7: QuickReviewer

QuickReviewer is online proofing software for creatives that helps pros in a variety of industries streamline the review and approval of creative content.

Quickreviewer homepage
Image Source: QuickReviewer

What does QuickReviewer support? Glad you asked!

  • Internal and external reviews to cover all your bases
  • Frame-accurate video annotations because precision matters
  • Project progress tracking so you’re always in the know

Best for

Who’s gonna love QuickReviewer? Teams in

  • Video production
  • Advertising
  • Content creation
  • Web design

Key features

What can you do with QuickReviewer? A whole lot!

  • Annotate videos, HTML, PDFs, and images
  • Attach files to your comments
  • Get instant feedback and approval from team members
  • Track and resolve feedback from multiple reviewers quickly

Pricing

Three paid plans are available:

  • Pro: $29/mo
  • Premium: $84/mo
  • Enterprise: available on request

Plus, the platform offers a free version.

Quickreviewer pricing
Image Source: QuickReviewer

Tool #8: Wrike

Wrike is a project management software solution equipped with a collaboration platform featuring flexible file sharing, workflow automation, and design review features.

Wrike homepage
Image Source: Wrike

Its functionality makes it useful for setting up a collaborative digital workspace for remote teams that frequently need to review and approve artwork.

Best for

Freelancers and teams of creative pros can use Wrike to dish out and take feedback on a whole bunch of digital deliverables.

Key features

Wrike comes packed with some pretty neat features, including:

  • Live editor and real-time collaboration tools
  • Ability to attach files directly to your tasks, folders, and projects
  • Annotations for multiple file types (Office files, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc.)
  • Email notifications

Pricing

Wrike offers four different plans to suit every budget:

  • Free version
  • Team: $9.80/mo
  • Business: $24.80/mo
  • Enterprise: available on request
  • Pinnacle: available on request
Wrike pricing
Image Source: Wrike

Tool #9: Pastel

Pastel is an online proofing tool designed with creatives in mind, as it helps collect contextual feedback easier. 

Pastel homepage
Image Source: Pastel

Pastel’s got automation features that let you create review tickets and tasks in collaboration tools like Trello and Asana. 

But that’s not all! You can get super organized with status labels for your tasks. Plus, Pastel lets you edit web copy directly. 

Best for

Pastel is perfect for creative teams with feedback-rich workflows. Designers, marketers, advertisers — you’re all gonna love what Pastel can do.

Key features

Pastel’s got a bunch of useful features, including

  • Annotations for PDFs, live websites, and images
  • Email notifications
  • Comment attachments
  • Real-time feedback

Pricing

Pastel comes in four pricing plans, and every paid plan comes with a 100% free 14-day trial:

  • Free: $0 per month
  • Solo: $24 per month
  • Studio: $83 per month
  • Enterprise: $350 per month
Pastel pricing
Image Source: Pastel

Tool #10: zipBoard

zipBoard is a bug-tracking and visual feedback platform designed with agile teams in mind.

zipBoard homepage
Image Source: zipBoard

This tool helps software devs replicate, document, and manage bugs by capturing screenshots and collecting feedback. 

Best for

zipBoard isn’t just for devs. Designers, testers, project managers, and anyone else in the product development process will find it useful. Plus, it’s even great for e-learning businesses.

Key features

zipBoard’s bug tracking feature stack includes multiple mark-up tools and more, such as:

  • Annotations for SCORM and HTML content, videos, images, PDFs, and live websites
  • Notifications to keep you updated on project progress
  • Comment attachments for detailed feedback
  • Live feedback sessions for real-time collaboration

Pricing

zipBoard offers three paid plans, namely Team, Agency, and Enterprise. You’ll have to drop them a line to get the pricing details.

zipBoard pricing
Image Source: zipBoard

Tool #11: WeAproove+

Say hello to WeApprove+, a cloud-based online proofing solution that’s ace at collecting your contextual feedback on all kinds of creative content.

weAPROOVE homepage
Image Source: WeApprove+

What’s interesting about WeApprove+ is that it’s mobile-friendly and automatically adjusts to smaller screens. No need for a mobile app here!

Best for

WeApprove+ is a good fit for print media, photographers, marketing agencies, and graphic designers.

Key features

WeApprove+ is loaded with features like

  • Real-time feedback for instant collaboration
  • Markup and annotation tools for over 180 file formats (think documents, images, videos, audio files, HTML, and live websites)
  • Notes attachments for clarity
  • Proof progress updates so you’re always in the know

Pricing

There’s a free version plus two paid pricing plans:

  • UnLock Base: $10 per month
  • Only pay for what you need: from $10 per month
weAPROOVE pricing
Image Source: WeApprove+

Tool #12: PageProof

PageProof is a visual feedback platform aiming to make reviewing and approving papers easier. It’s here to help creatives cut down on revisions and speed up their proofing process.

PageProof homepage
Image Source: PageProof

And guess what? PageProof plays nice with tools like Monday.com, Trello, Asana, Basecamp, Canva, a whole bunch of Adobe tools, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

Best for

PageProof is suitable for creative agencies, designers, content creators, and other professionals who frequently need to review and approve creative deliverables. 

Key features

PageProof is packed with awesome features, including:

  • Smart proofing tools for HTML, PDF files, PNG, email templates, prototype designs, Office documents, and more
  • Stay up to speed with the latest comments and make changes in real time
  • Get email notifications to stay in the loop
  • Comment attachments for detailed feedback

 Pricing

PageProof is free to use for reviewers. Teams will pay $199 per month, and Team Plus teams (who need just a smidgen more in terms of features) will fork out $329. 

Enterprise plans? Yep, they’ve got those too, but you’ll need to ask them for pricing.

PageProof pricing
Image Source: PageProof

***

Hopefully, at least one platform from this GoVisually alternatives list has sparked your interest.If you’re thinking what we’re thinking…

Looking for a GoVisually alternative? 

Want creative collaboration that’s hassle-free for your team and stakeholders? Then you’re gonna love MarkUp.io.

You’re just a click away from a review and approval process so frictionless it practically glides! So, why wait? Sign up for a free trial with MarkUp.io, deliver your creative work right on schedule, and experience online proofing that’s as smooth as butter.