Filestage is an online proofing platform designed for brands and agencies. The intuitive UI, enterprise-ready security features, and advanced workflow options make it ideal for teams managing high volumes of creative assets.
Approval Studio is a Kanban-style online proofing platform with basic built-in task assignment tools. It’s ideal for small design teams, but lacks the security, integrations, and advanced collaboration features larger teams need.
Approval Studio’s entry-level plan is cheaper than Filestage’s, but it restricts you to just five users.
Filestage offers unlimited team members, making it a better choice if you collaborate with multiple stakeholders (internal and external).
Filestage also provides more storage, ideal if your team creates a high volume of creative campaigns.
Approval Studio users find the interface complicated and glitchy. They also report a steep learning curve when setting up the first approval email with clients.
Filestage’s intuitive UI makes this process easy, increasing adoption rates.
With Filestage, external reviewers can upload files for review – a must if you work with freelancers. This feature isn’t available in Approval Studio’s entry-level plan.
See Filestage in action
Ease of useBoth proofing tools support feedback on video, documents, design files, and rich media.
But Filestage takes the lead with real-time updates, keeping everyone up to speed and on the same page.
Filestage notifies reviewers when you mention them for faster and more efficient collaboration. Approval Studio locks this feature behind higher pricing tiers.
Real-time updates Collaboration toolsFilestage’s advanced task automation features and extensive integrations help you to speed up approvals.
While Approval Studio covers the basics, its notification system and custom workflows offer less flexibility.
Users find Approval Studio’s small number of third-party integrations limiting.
See Filestage integrationsBoth proofing tools simplify file sharing and creative approvals. But Filestage is ideal for teams that need advanced file management and version comparison.
Approval Studio is more suitable for straightforward workflows but lacks the full visibility and control over the review process that Filestage offers.
File sharing Version controlFilestage’s enterprise-grade security and reporting make it ideal for teams with strict compliance requirements.
Unlike Approval Studio, Filestage is certified against ISO 27001:2022.
Filestage also offers identity verification and audit trails to support regulatory requirements like FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and GDPR.
Approval Studio’s limited integrations, security, and file sharing capabilities could grind your review process to a halt.
Integrations that don’t connect
Limited third-party integrations keep your workflows siloed. And your approval processes inefficient.
File sharing that can’t keep up
Clunky file sharing drags your team down, making feedback cycles slow. And review processes a headache.
Security that leaves you guessing
Without advanced compliance features, your sensitive files and audit trails may not meet your organization’s standards.
Here are just four reasons why 20,000+ people from top brands and agencies choose Filestage as their official online proofing software.
Filestage has helped big brands like Kärcher cut approval rounds by up to 36% and save $79,000 in time. That’s an ROI of 320%.
See how much you can save with our free ROI calculator.
You can set up Filestage in minutes and start saving time right away. Unlike Approval Studio, Filestage’s dashboard is intuitive enough for anyone to jump in and use from day one.
No learning curve. No frustrated stakeholders. Just high adoption rates and faster review processes.
Build custom workflows that match your real approval steps without compromising. With Filestage, you can set up custom reviewer groups, automate tasks, and track every asset from V1 to approved. All in one dashboard.
Unlike other online proofing tools, we adapt to your workflows. So every project flows exactly the way you want.
Filestage is certified against ISO 27001:2022 so you can collaborate on creative campaigns with confidence.
Our platform offers both identity verification and audit trails to support regulatory requirements like FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and GDPR.
Automate your workflow with our native and custom Zapier integrations.
Assign review tasks to your teammates and track file statuses in your project management tool.
Share files, comments, and review decisions in your favorite channels and spaces.
Upload files and see comments in your content creation tools, so you can iterate and get approval faster.
Create custom integrations in Zapier, turn marketing request forms into projects, and more.
What’s the best alternative to Approval Studio?
Filestage is one of the best Approval Studio alternatives because it offers a more intuitive dashboard, advanced file sharing and version management, and enterprise-ready security features. While Approval Studio covers the basics for smaller design teams, Filestage is a great alternative for larger agencies and brands that manage high volumes of creative campaigns.
What’s the difference between Filestage and Approval Studio?
Both Filestage and Approval Studio are excellent proofing and annotation solutions. The biggest difference is the use case. Filestage is ideal for agencies and brands that need an intuitive tool to manage complex review workflows. The simple UI and setup allows you to onboard stakeholders in minutes with next to no learning curve. You can then build custom workflows that align with complex approval processes, collaborate securely, and include multiple external users in the review process. While Filestage focuses on big-picture collaboration to scale campaign reviews, Approval Studio offers features like a barcode scanner, on-screen ruler, and spellchecker which are ideal for design teams.
Who is Filestage for?
Filestage is designed for teams who produce high volumes of creative assets and have multiple stakeholders in the review process. That includes brands and agencies struggling to manage approval processes with multiple stakeholders. Filestage’s simple UI, enterprise-level security features, and collaboration tools for external reviewers make it an ideal choice for agencies or brands that collaborate with third-party creative teams. Approval Studio’s entry-level plan offers limited users, security features, and integrations, making it less ideal for larger teams. Since its entry-level plan doesn’t facilitate external uploads, Approval Studio is more suitable for internal reviews within small teams.
Is Filestage easy to use?
Yes, Filestage is very easy to use – stakeholders can jump in and review assets without any learning curve. Our customers often highlight the high adoption rates as a main benefit of our platform. We’re the proud winners of G2’s “Easiest Admin”, “Most Implementable” (Enterprise), and “Highest User Adoption” (Enterprise) awards. While Approval Studio is also easy to use, it scores lower in Capterra’s “Ease of Use” category.
How do the pricing models for Filestage and Approval Studio compare?
Both Filestage and Approval Studio offer accessible pricing plans to suit different budgets. While Approval Studio’s entry-level plan is cheaper at $55/month, it’s limited to just five users and 5 GB of storage. As a result, it may not cover the needs of larger-scale operations or teams with multiple stakeholders. It’s important to point out that this plan also prohibits external uploads, so this could be an issue if your team works with clients or external stakeholders. While Filestage’s entry-level plan is more expensive at $109/month, it includes unlimited users and 1 TB of storage.
What are common user complaints for Filestage and Approval Studio?
Approval Studio users highlight issues with the interface, a lack of third-party integrations, and limited users in the entry-level plans. Filestage users report the lack of a dedicated mobile app as a weakness with the platform.
Can I review any file type with Filestage?
Yes you can review a wide range of file types, including documents, videos, live websites, and multimedia in Filestage. You can also integrate the platform with an extensive list of third-party apps for a better review experience. While Approval Studio also supports multiple file types, users find the lack of third-party integrations limiting.
