Collaboration is the key to creating great video content. Whether you’re collaborating with a wider team of producers, directors, and designers, or if you’re just a solo filmmaker taking feedback from a client, the collaborative process is all part of creating videos. In the busy world of remote working, Frame.io is invaluable in providing people the opportunity to give specific detailed feedback to a video, down to the frame. But is it the only option? There are plenty of Frame.io alternatives out there to check out, so here are 14 of the top-rated options to check out and choose from.
Summary
Part 1: 2020’s Top 14 Frame.io Alternatives to Choose From
Video Review and Collaboration Tools
1. Motion Array’s Review
Motion Array’s Review has been specifically designed with real-time remote feedback in mind. Easily include your own custom branded logo and domain to your project link so your customers see your business up front and center. The notes are frame accurate and the system works seamlessly on mobile, too.
Pricing starts at just $29.99 a month for 250GB of storage, and Review is included in every Motion Array premium subscription, so users get access to endless motion graphics templates, stock footage, sound effects, and title packs as well.
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2. Wipster
Wipster’s goal is to make the feedback process as simple as possible and do away with endless messy email threads. Online sharing, real-time reviewing, and high-quality asset delivery make this an all-in-one client collaboration tool. Start with $25 a month for 250GB of storage.
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3. Vimeo
Vimeo has had a reliable video feedback tool as part of its premium features for a while now and is still one of the leading Frame.io competitors. Anyone can add timecode notes and respond to comments directly inside the video, and clients don’t even need to sign up. Previous versions always get saved so you can never lose data, and you can send the final file to clients in no time. Start off with £16 a month and 1TB of footage per year. It’s a great video player for sharing your final products, too.
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4. Techsmith Video Review
Do away with endless, vague email threads thanks to Techsmith’s ability to annotate frames with comments, lines, and arrows. £174.53 per year gives you the ability to manage up to 25 video projects.
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5. Screenlight
Screenlight is designed for client feedback, speeding up the review process to get your projects completed as fast as possible. Kick things off with a free plan that gives you 1GB of storage for a single project, great for students and freelancers. When you’re ready for the Professional plan, it will cost $9 a month per user for up to 25 users and 50GB of storage per user.
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6. Ftrack
Browser-based review platform Ftrack boasts an impressive array of clients using it for large projects such as episodic TV and feature films. Replace tangled email threads with centralized comments and annotations. It’s secure, mobile-friendly, and comes with 250GB of storage. Pricing starts at $10 per month per user.
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7. SyncSketch
Real-time collaboration tool SyncSketch works seamlessly with both videos and images, making this great for designers as well as video editors. The software puts a particular emphasis on schools, instructors, and students making it great for remote learning. There’s a free ‘light’ version for occasional use, or pay $8 a month per team member for 50GB of storage.
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8. Ashore
This online proofing tool is designed for everyone. If you’re any kind of designer looking to publish anything – videos, white papers, stills, posters – Ashore provides real-time review and instant feedback. Ideal for both freelancers and creative agencies. There’s a limited free version that includes an Ashore watermark, or it’s $25 a month for the upgraded version.
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9. Shotgun
Shotgun, the video review software from Autodesk, is used by a wide range of high profile production companies. Designed for use on desktop, browser, or mobile devices, it offers secure, real-time collaborative feedback tools. It integrates with everything you might find yourself using, like Adobe Photoshop, Maya, Unity, and plenty more, and pricing starts from $30 a month per account.
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10. Cage
Cage is designed for agencies, designers, and in-house teams. This collaboration tool is perfect for team feedback and client feedback and supports over 150 file types to annotate. The free plan has 2GB of storage for one user, or you can bump it up to 500GB of storage for $8 a month.
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Other Review and Collaboration Tools
11. Ziflow
Using Ziflow instead of paper or emails will speed up the workflow and creative feedback process massively. All assets can be centralized, and the software automates laborious tasks like converting file types so that you can focus on what’s important: collaborative reviews and a quick workflow. The basic plan offers 5GB of storage for $9 per user per month.
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12. Filestage
Videos, images and documents can all be reviewed using Filestage. Add comments, tag colleagues, and track the progress of your projects through the real-time review process. Much like many of these Frame.io alternatives, the goal is to get rid of long email threads. Pricing starts at $89 a month for small teams with 50GB of storage.
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13. Aproove
Agencies, videographers, and photographers are the target market of this real-time review system. Being able to work with multiple file types and secure cloud storage are the key benefits of Aproove. Pricing starts at €79 a month for 10GB of secure storage.
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14. Celtx
As well as a program for writing screenplays, Celtx has also introduced features designed to take your script to the screen. Storyboards, script breakdowns, shot lists and schedules all work together to keep your project moving on time and in budget. Unlock all the video production features for $10 per month.
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Part 2: Tips on Selecting a Frame.io Alternative
With so many options, how do you choose one? Where do you begin? They all have their own pros and cons so the first thing you need to do is sit down carefully and assess the value of each one. Many of them offer free trials so try and get familiar with a few of them before settling on one.
Implementation
Not everyone can work with every system. Some clients may have restricted internet usage, or prefer access to a mobile device on the move. The rule of thumb is to make it as easy as possible for everyone involved. Clients won’t like having to sign up for an account or log in – they’ll want to just open up the link and get started.
Cost
It seems simple, but many platforms have hidden fees. Check the fine print and make sure the cost of the software fits within your project budget. Which pricing plan will you need? Check your requirements as some of the cheaper plans across different platforms will restrict features.
Improvements
What will it add? Think carefully about why you want to switch review services. Does going through the complexity of changing up an entire system add enough of an improvement for it to be worth it?
Support
Finally, is your system futureproof? Will it allow your team and your business to grow in the future? You don’t want to switch review platforms every time your situation changes. Consider the support that the platform offers, and if it is appropriate for your usage.
If you’re struggling with Frame.io or find that it isn’t up to your requirements, there are plenty of Frame.io alternatives to choose from. Many offer similar features, with real-time video review and collaborative tools being common across them, but check out all 14 of the options above to see what each one has to offer. Finally, think carefully about why you want to change, and make sure the platform you choose offers everything you need.
