Filestage vs Frame.io

Pick the right review and approval tool based on your team’s use case and budget. No laundry list of random product features, we promise.

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Filestage

Filestage is a versatile online proofing tool for teams producing high volumes of content. Its clear approval workflows, powerful version management, and client-friendly interface are ideal for brands and agencies that need clarity across every stage of the creative process.

Frame.io

Frame.io is a video-first review platform with excellent Adobe integrations and time-coded commenting. It’s a solid fit for post-production teams, but lacks the flexibility, file support, and client-friendly experience needed for multi-format creative projects.

Compare Filestage and Frame.io side-by-side

  • Pricing
  • Usability
  • Collaboration
  • Automation
  • File management
  • Compliance

Pricing

Filestage offers transparent, flat-rate pricing with unlimited reviewers on every plan. This makes it easy to scale without surprise costs. 



Frame.io has a tiered pricing model that charges extra for collaborators. User reviews report that Frame.io’s pricing is unclear and it’s hard to cancel your subscription.

frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • $15/ member/ month + tax
    Starting price
    $109/ month
  • 5
    Users
    Unlimited
  • 30 days
    Free trial
    30 days
  • 2 TB
    Storage
    1 TB

Usability and accessibility

Frame.io has incredible features for filmmakers or production teams, like Camera-to-Cloud (C2C) technology. But its UI can feel overwhelming to non-editors.



Filestage is designed to be simple for creative teams, clients, and external collaborators. The set-up is fast and efficient.

User reviews say Frame.io’s customer support is slow and unhelpful.

See Filestage in action
frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • Simple UI
  • Responsive support
  • 4
    Capterra logo Ease of deployment
    5
  • 4.4
    Capterra logo Ease of use
    4.7

Collaboration and feedback

Both platforms offer real-time notifications, in-context annotations, and comment threads for fast collaboration. You can also customize what files reviewers can access.



But Filestage is a better choice if you collaborate with multiple external stakeholders. External users can upload files directly for review and engage in feedback cycles without an account.

frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • Custom reviewer roles
  • Private team collaboration
  • External uploads
  • 4
    Capterra logo Communication management
    4.8

Task automation and integration

Filestage’s custom workflows and advanced automations save your team time on repetitive tasks. 



Frame.io offers a solid API and third-party integrations, but its workflow automation is limited without external workarounds. Features like auto-reminders and flexible approval stages are only partially supported. This can slow your team down.

See Filestage integrations
frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • Workflow automation
  • Integrations
  • Automated status updates
  • Project templates

File management and approval process

Frame.io is a strong choice for video approvals, but it has limited support for other file types. Filestage is a better option if you need to review multiple file formats like video, documents, live websites, and images.

Filestage also outperforms in file transfer and version control capabilities.

frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • Supports live websites
  • Status indicators
  • 1
    Capterra logo File transfer
    5
  • 4.2
    Capterra logo Version control
    4.8

Compliance and data security

Both Filestage and Frame.io offer comprehensive security and reporting to help your team meet strict compliance requirements.

They both excel if you need identity verification and audit trails to support regulatory requirements like FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and GDPR.

frame.io logo
Filestage logo
  • Detailed reporting
  • ISO 27001:2022 certified
  • Access control for sensitive files
  • Data encryption and secure storage

Trusted by 20,000+ people from top brands and agencies

Johannes Morath

Manager Marketing Projects, Kärcher

Since rolling out Filestage, we’ve saved 100s of hours on our artwork reviews

Filestage gives our suppliers and agencies a centralized platform to submit creative assets for feedback and approval. This helps us deliver content at speed and scale.

See all success stories
Karina Berner

Karina Berner

Creative Production Specialist, Sartorius

Filestage saves our company a huge amount of time

Instead of writing detailed instructions over email, reviewers can just click on a file to add comments in context. This makes everything faster – from giving feedback, to managing the process, to making edits before sharing the next version.

See all success stories
Zsolt Arnodi

Zsolt Arnodi

Digital Communication Specialist, B. Braun

Our review turnaround time has significantly improved

Filestage helps us reduce long email threads and revision loops by working more interactively and collaboratively.

See all success stories
Naeran Rubio

Naeran Rubio

Associate Director of Content & Communications, Sharp

The process has become much more automated and simple

There have been quite a few instances where we were able to go back to something someone said in Filestage and make a correction that perhaps was missed, so the tool has proven to be very useful.

See all success stories

Angelika Schneider

Executive Creative Direction Motion Design, Sixt

Filestage has simplified the approval process for us and the departments we are working with

It is now much easier for us to process the collected feedback since we can access all the information in a single place.

See all success stories

It’s time to reframe your workflow

Frame.io’s expensive pricing plans, limited file types, and slow support could leave your team feeling frustrated.

Surprise fees that sink your scaling plans
Unexpected collaborator fees and tiered plans make it tough to scale.

All video, no versatility
You need a tool that can handle every marketing asset in your arsenal.

Support that leaves you buffering
Slow response times can make the onboarding process a slog.

Why Filestage is the #1 Frame.io alternative

Here’s why 20,000+ people from top brands and agencies choose Filestage as their official online proofing software.

Track the progress of your project in your online proofing tool

Approvals that match the way you work

Save time chasing approvals by creating a clear path from first draft to final sign-off.

Filestage’s custom workflows keep creative feedback flowing in the right order. You can easily set review steps and assign the right stakeholders. Or speed things up with project templates.

version management in the project dashboard

Find every version in seconds

Version one in an email. Version four in Slack. Sound familiar? With Filestage, every file version is stacked neatly in your project dashboard. That means less time wasted searching for the latest version and hours back in your week.

Just ask Kärcher, who saves hundreds of hours on marketing reviews with Filestage.

manage multiple file types in one project

Review every file type in one place

Review videos, images, documents, and live websites in the same workflow. No switching tools or chasing scattered creative feedback across platforms.

Everything’s reviewed in one place, so your team saves time and stays aligned.

Upload file to project

Client-ready from day one

Filestage’s simple interface makes it easy for clients to jump in and start reviewing assets from the first click.

External collaborators don’t need an account to upload files or give feedback. All they need is a link and they can start reviewing content in minutes. That means faster approvals and happier stakeholders.

Connect Filestage with your favorite apps

Automate your workflow with our native and custom Zapier integrations.

Project management

Assign review tasks to your teammates and track file statuses in your project management tool.

Asana, Slack, Trello, Jira, Click-Up, Basecamp logos

Messenger

Share files, comments, and review decisions in your favorite channels and spaces.

Slack, MS teams, discord logos

Content creation

Upload files and see comments in your content creation tools, so you can iterate and get approval faster.

Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, Indesign logos

And many more!

Create custom integrations in Zapier, turn marketing request forms into projects, and more.

Zapier, Drive, Dropbox, Excel, Jotform logos

FAQs

What’s the best alternative to Frame.io?

Filestage is one of the best Frame.io alternatives if you need a versatile review tool that covers all types of marketing assets. Filestage’s simple UI, flexible file support, and quick set-up is perfect for teams that work with multiple external stakeholders. Anyone can easily jump in and review assets with just a link (no account necessary). With features like password-protection and team-only comments, you have full control over who can access files or see feedback comments.

What’s the difference between Filestage and Frame.io?

Both Filestage and Frame.io are leading review tools with robust video proofing features. The biggest difference is the use case. Frame.io is an excellent choice for filmmakers and production teams embedded in the Adobe ecosystem. But while it offers advanced video review features, it’s not the best solution if you need an all-round proofing tool. Filestage handles multiples file types like video, documents, live websites, and images, making it a more flexible platform for marketing teams and agencies working on different content formats.

Who is Filestage for?

Filestage is for teams who produce high volumes of creative assets and have multiple stakeholders in the review process. That includes busy marketing teams and agencies looking for a faster way to review content. Filestage’s simple UI and flexible file support make it a great option if your team collaborates with third-party stakeholders. The transparent, flat-rate pricing plans make it easy to scale Filestage with your content production.

Is Filestage easy to use?

Yes, Filestage is very easy for internal teams and external stakeholders to use. Our customers often report 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 Frame.io is also an intuitive tool, it scores lower in Capterra’s “Ease of Use” category.

How do the pricing models for Filestage and Frame.io compare?

Filestage offers transparent, flat-rate pricing, starting from $109/month with unlimited users and 1 TB of storage. Frame.io starts from $15/member/month plus tax, and comes with five users and 2 TB of storage. But you have to pay more for additional collaborators, which can quickly become expensive if you have complex review workflows with multiple stakeholders.

What are common user complaints for Filestage and Frame.io?

Frame.io users highlight issues with unclear pricing, slow response times from customer support, and long onboarding cycles. Filestage users report the lack of a dedicated mobile app as a weakness with the platform. Some users who need very advanced video proofing tools may also find Filestage doesn’t cover their needs.

Can I review any file type with Filestage?

Yes you can review a wide range of file types, including videos, images, documents, and live websites in Filestage. You can also integrate the platform with third-party apps for a smoother review experience. While Frame.io supports some other file types like images and documents, it’s mainly focused on video content. As a result, it may not be the best proofing tool to cover your needs if you produce multiple types of marketing assets.

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