We Found the Best Design & Artwork Approval Software for Creatives
Explore our recommendations for the best design and artwork approval software for creative professionals and teams. Compare features, pricing, pros, and cons to make an informed decision.
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Helpful Summary
Overview: We introduce five of the best design and artwork approval tools and cover what makes each stand out, including features, pricing, pros, and cons.
Why you can trust us: Over 10,000 creative professionals, agencies, and brands rely on us to improve their design and artwork approval process with features like comments and annotations, approval statuses, 4K HDR video collaboration, version history, and more.
Why this is important: The right tool can drive productivity and bolster team and client communication to make sure the final output meets or exceeds expectations.
Action points: Our top picks are Picflow, MarkUp.io, GoVisually, ruttl, and Atarim.
Further research: Check out the Picflow Blog for more recommendations and insights into the best platforms to support creatives.
Looking for a Great Design & Artwork Approval Software?
If you work in a visual medium, you know the importance of efficient and effective collaboration.
Clients have high expectations around communication and collaboration during the design process, and it's essential to choose a tool that helps you exceed those expectations. A great design and artwork approval software can streamline your workflow and improve communication with clients.
In this Picflow guide, we’ll guide you through the five best design and artwork approval software on the market. We’ll cover features, pricing, and user reviews to help you make an informed decision.
Let’s get started.
Why Listen To Us?
At Picflow, we’ve helped thousands of modern creative professionals like artists, designers, photographers, and creative directors simplify their design review and approval process.
Our platform is designed to be user-friendly, efficient, and collaborative—and in the process of building it, we’ve tried out a lot of other design approval tools and software. This article is a compilation of our research and experience to help you make an informed decision.
What Is Design and Artwork Approval Software?
Design and artwork approval software (also known as artwork approval software) is an online proofing tool for visual content.
It helps streamline and centralize feedback by capturing it all in one place, allowing users to invite reviewers, use powerful annotation tools to mark changes, and download the approved files—all through one software.
This software is designed to simplify the artwork approval process by providing features like automated approval workflows, version control, seamless collaboration, and a centralized dashboard for comprehensive project management.
Benefits of Using Design and Artwork Approval Software
Streamlines the Approval Process
It enables teams to upload, review, and annotate artwork files, facilitating seamless collaboration and feedback collection, thereby streamlining the approval process.
Centralized Feedback Collection
The software brings all stakeholders together in one platform, avoiding time-consuming and inconvenient review rounds through email and ensuring that the final version goes to print without confusion.
Cost Savings and Brand Consistency
By consistently delivering on-brand content, saving money, and ensuring that the right artwork version goes to print, the software leads to cost savings and maintains brand consistency.
Considerations When Choosing Design and Artwork Approval Software
Ease of Use: The tool should have a user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation, allowing all stakeholders, including non-technical users, to understand and easily navigate the approval process.
Collaboration Features: Look for features that facilitate efficient collaboration, like centralized feedback collection, real-time notifications, and automated compliance checks. Picflow uses 4K HDR video for a more immersive and true-to-life representation of the creative content.
Scalability and Flexibility: Consider the scalability and flexibility of the tool. It should accommodate expanding workflows and adapt to changing requirements as your business evolves.
Cost and Security: Consider the pricing structure of the system, whether it's subscription-based, requires a one-time purchase, or has additional fees for specific functionalities. And evaluate the security measures implemented by the vendor. Picflow safeguards user data and artwork through GDPR compliance.
Our Top 5 Design and Artwork Approval Software
Picflow: Best comprehensive design and artwork approval software.
MarkUp.io: Best for real-time editing.
GoVisually: Best for centralized feedback.
ruttl: Best for reviewing various visual content.
Atarim: Best for creating tasks from comments.
1. Picflow
Picflow is an online gallery and collaboration tool designed for creative photographers, designers, artists, and other creative professionals.
We offer a comprehensive set of design and artwork approval features to help you accelerate your creative workflow. Our advanced proofing tools, centralized feedback, and customizable galleries allow you to give your clients the gift of seamless collaboration and present your designs and artwork in the best possible light.
Standout Features
Gallery Designer: Our image-responsive Gallery Designer offers different layout options, color schemes, styling features, and media embedding options to help you showcase your images, videos, designs, and artwork in a visually appealing way.
Reviews and Approval Tools: We provide flexible review tools like favorites, comments, approvals, labels, and image annotations to help enhance communication and speed up approvals.
Advanced workflow features: You can manage your image assets with review filters, bulk review actions, filename exports, and more to expedite creative workflows, asset sharing, and your approval process.
Collaboration and communication: Experience seamless collaboration with multiple sharing options and granular permissions control. Plus, access real-time communication features for immediate feedback on design and artwork.
Check out Picflow’s Feature Index to learn more about our 60+ workflow-enhancing features.
Pricing
We keep pricing simple and transparent with three plans designed to scale with you:
Free: 2 GB base storage, comments, and annotations
Plus ($12/month): 1 TB add-ons, video upload, and color labels
Pro ($24/month): Watermarking, RAW upload, and version history
Biz ($149/month): Includes 10 members features tailored for teams
We offer a 14-day free trial, a 20% discount when you pay yearly, and special pricing for education and non-profit organizations.
Pros and Cons
Feedback tracking and centralized management
Review filters and image search
Robust annotation and versioning tools
Customizable and fully responsive galleries
Share galleries using a secure link
Unthrottled upload and download speeds
Time-saving features like bulk actions and keyboard shortcuts
Excellent customer service support
Unlimited guests across all plans
Free plan limitations
2. MarkUp.io
MarkUp.io is a visual commenting platform that supports contextual feedback and notifications whenever someone responds to a thread or adds a comment. Their real-time editing feature promotes efficiency, transparency, collaboration, and accountability for a better approval process.
Standout Features
Real-Time Editing: Allows users to control the speed of the video in the preview window, use an easy drag-and-drop feature to upload files, and split the screen to compare unedited and edited versions.
Automated Notifications: Receive notifications regarding reviews and updates to keep updated about the review and approval process status.
Branding Customization: Users can add their company's branding, allowing for a personalized and professional touch to presented designs and artwork.
Pricing
MarkUp.io offers three plans—and you’ll save 14% off when paying annually. They are:
Free: 5 MarkUps, 10 GB storage
Pro ($25/month): 1 workspace, unlimited MarkUps
Enterprise (Custom plan): Unlimited workspaces, priority support
Pros and Cons
30-day free trial on Pro plan
MarkUp Chrome extension
Supports over 30 file types
Complaints of occasional performance issues
3. GoVisually
GoVisually has a centralized system for feedback and approval collection and offers markups, @mentions, revision tracking, and visual notifications. It simplifies the design approval process by allowing everyone to see each other’s feedback, making it easier for client and team alignment and boosting productivity.
Standout Features
Annotate Various File Types: Upload a range of file-types (PNG, JPG, PSD, PDF, and more) and leave comments on any of them.
Easy Revision Management: Minimize versioning mistakes and mix-ups by organizing multiple design revisions in one space.
Adobe Creative Cloud Integrations: GoVisually works seamlessly with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
Pricing
GoVisually offers three plans:
Lite ($49/month): Smart compare revisions, unlimited reviewers/guests
Pro ($99/month): 10 approval checklists with 10 items, automated reminders
Enterprise (custom): Advanced permissions, 24/7 human support
Pros and Cons
Easy drag-and-drop features
Automated notifications
Great support
Uploads can be slow for large files
4. ruttl
ruttl allows creatives to review designs and artwork on live websites, web apps, and design annotations and leave comments—making it easier for team members to make changes. Additionally, ruttl can review videos and illustrations and add comments, providing a versatile platform for reviewing various types of visual content.
Standout Features
Image Feedback Tool: ruttl offers an image feedback tool that lets users upload images and share them for feedback, add comments directly on the image, and highlight specific areas using shapes or free-hand annotations.
Assign & Resolve Comments: Assign comments to project members and discuss and organize feedback for clear accountability and task management during approval.
Guest Commenting: Let your clients get involved with commenting and annotating without signing up for an account.
Pricing
ruttl offers plans under Website, Mobile App, and Customer Feedback. The Image Review feature is a sub-product of the Website Feedback Tool, so here are the Website Feedback Plans:
Free: Static images, unlimited comments
Pro ($4/month/user): 10 minutes of video commenting, dedicated success manager
Team ($30/month/user): 100 GB workspace storage, unlimited attachments in comments
Pros and Cons
Live customer support
Video annotation tool
Third-party integrations
Some users experience initial navigation issues
5. Atarim
Atarim is a design and artwork approval platform that separates communications and tasks based on clients, keeping you organized and minimizing confusion. You can also turn client’s comments into tasks, complete with deadlines, time tracking, and reporting.
Standout Features
Image-Based Collaboration: Allow clients to highlight sections of an image and leave comments on specific areas.
Task Management: Turn client comments into tasks with deadlines, time tracking, and progress reporting.
Centralized Dashboard: View all client activities and tasks in one place, making it easy to manage multiple projects at once.
Pricing
Atarim’s pricing is based on user seats. Here are their starting prices based on one seat and monthly billing:
Starter (free): 1 user, unlimited clients and collaborators
Pro ($35/month + $10/extra user/month): 1 user, approvals, white labeling, Live chat support
Business ($50/month +$15/extra user/month): 1 user, team management and tracking, dedicated workspaces
Enterprise (custom): Custom integrations and features, unlimited projects
Pros and Cons
Task management
Client-focused collaboration
Expensive for small teams
Use Picflow for Effortlessly Design and Artwork Approvals
The tools we’ve discussed in this guide are a great starting point as you look to streamline your approval process, centralize feedback, and enhance collaboration.
At Picflow, we offer designers, artists, photographers, and marketers a beautiful, intuitive tool for efficiently managing and approving artwork. From flexible, customizable galleries to annotations, sharing options, tags, and more—Picflow is the best way to get your work in front of clients and stakeholders.
See for yourself by signing up for a free account today.
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