The best client approval software in 2026
For approving files, pick a proofing tool: Filestage for mixed media with outside reviewers, Ziflow for high volume, PageProof for a flat team price, GoVisually for small design teams. Planable fits social posts, and Wrike fits teams that want proofing inside a project tool. Unblockd covers the sponsor approvals that aren’t a file, like a scope change, a launch date, or a vendor, on any kind of project.
By the Unblockd team · Prices checked · We make Unblockd, one of the 7 tools below.
On this page
At a glance
- Filestage
- Best forFile reviews across media, with outside reviewers
- Published priceStarter $199 a month
- Free optionFree plan: 1 active project and 5 new files a month
- Ziflow
- Best forHigh-volume proofing for agencies
- Published priceStandard $199, Pro $329 a month, billed annually
- Free optionFree personal plan
- PageProof
- Best forA flat team price with unlimited proofs
- Published priceTeam $249 a month or $2,999 a year; Team Plus $499 a month, flat for the team
- Free optionTrial available; no free plan listed
- Unblockd(ours)
- Best forApprovals that aren’t a file
- Published priceTeam $15 per team member a month. Sponsors are free
- Free optionFree plan: 1 project and up to 3 teammates
- GoVisually
- Best forSmall design teams on a budget
- Published priceLite $16 per user a month (1 to 5 users); Pro $33 per user a month (3-user minimum)
- Free optionFree trial
- Planable
- Best forSocial and content approvals
- Published priceBasic $33 per workspace a month
- Free optionFirst 50 posts free, with no time limit
- Wrike
- Best forProofing inside a full project tool
- Published priceTeam $10, Business $25 per user a month
- Free optionFree plan
| Tool | Best for | Published price | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filestage | File reviews across media, with outside reviewers | Starter $199 a month | Free plan: 1 active project and 5 new files a month |
| Ziflow | High-volume proofing for agencies | Standard $199, Pro $329 a month, billed annually | Free personal plan |
| PageProof | A flat team price with unlimited proofs | Team $249 a month or $2,999 a year; Team Plus $499 a month, flat for the team | Trial available; no free plan listed |
| Unblockd(ours) | Approvals that aren’t a file | Team $15 per team member a month. Sponsors are free | Free plan: 1 project and up to 3 teammates |
| GoVisually | Small design teams on a budget | Lite $16 per user a month (1 to 5 users); Pro $33 per user a month (3-user minimum) | Free trial |
| Planable | Social and content approvals | Basic $33 per workspace a month | First 50 posts free, with no time limit |
| Wrike | Proofing inside a full project tool | Team $10, Business $25 per user a month | Free plan |
How we chose
We grouped tools by what gets approved, since a proofing tool and a decision tool solve different halves of the same problem.
- What’s being approved
- Designs and video need markup on the file. A scope change or a launch date needs a clear question with options. Few tools do both well.
- Friction for the approver
- Sponsors and other approvers outside your team answer faster when they don’t need an account. We checked what each vendor says reviewers need.
- Follow-up when it’s late
- Approvals stall in silence. Reminders and a record of who approved what save the chase.
- Price for your team shape
- Flat team prices, per-user prices, and per-workspace prices favour different teams.
- We read each vendor’s own pricing page and product pages, and wrote down only what they say. Where a page didn’t confirm something, we left it out.
- Prices are the published list prices in US dollars before tax, as of the date at the top. Vendors change them often, so follow the source link before you buy.
- We make Unblockd, and it’s on every list. We placed it where it fits the criteria, and we say plainly where another tool is the better choice.
- Nobody paid to be listed, and there are no affiliate links.
Filestage(the vendor’s site)
Best for: file reviews across media, with outside reviewers.
- Published price
- Starter $199 a month. Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- Free plan: 1 active project and 5 new files a month
Strengths
- Reviewers don’t need an account: they enter an email address to give feedback or approve.
- Handles video, images, designs, documents, websites, interactive HTML, and audio in one place.
Limits
- The free plan allows one active project and 5 new files a month.
- Paid plans start at $199 a month, a step up for a small team.
Pick it if your sponsors review many kinds of files and you want one place for every round of feedback.
Back to the listZiflow(the vendor’s site)
Best for: high-volume proofing for agencies.
- Published price
- Standard $199, Pro $329 a month, billed annually. Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- Free personal plan
Strengths
- Unlimited proofs and unlimited reviewers, inside and outside your organization.
- A free personal plan to try it.
Limits
- Standard is $199 a month, billed annually.
- Built for creative files; decisions about scope or dates need another tool.
Pick it if your team pushes a steady stream of creative assets through review outside the team.
Back to the listPageProof(the vendor’s site)
Best for: a flat team price with unlimited proofs.
- Published price
- Team $249 a month or $2,999 a year; Team Plus $499 a month, flat for the team. Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- Trial available; no free plan listed
Strengths
- Team pricing is flat for the team, with unlimited proofs and storage.
- Team Plus adds single sign-on and more templates.
Limits
- Starts at $249 a month or $2,999 a year.
- A trial, with no free plan on the pricing page.
Pick it if your design or marketing team wants unlimited proofing without counting seats.
Back to the listUnblockdOur product
Best for: approvals that aren’t a file.
- Published price
- Team $15 per team member a month. Sponsors are free. See pricing
- Free option
- Free plan: 1 project and up to 3 teammates
Strengths
- Each approval is one question with the options written out, your recommendation marked, and the date you need it.
- The approver taps an option in the email and confirms. No account or password.
- Reminders go out on their own while an answer waits, and every answer is recorded against the deliverable it frees up.
Limits
- No markup on files: for design or video feedback, pair it with a proofing tool.
Pick it if your work waits on decisions such as a scope change, a launch date, a vendor, or access to a system.
Back to the listGoVisually(the vendor’s site)
Best for: small design teams on a budget.
- Published price
- Lite $16 per user a month (1 to 5 users); Pro $33 per user a month (3-user minimum). Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- Free trial
Strengths
- Lite is $16 per user a month for 1 to 5 users.
- Pro allows unlimited external reviewers and 250 active projects.
Limits
- Lite caps you at 15 active projects and 15 external reviewers.
- Pro needs at least 3 users at $33 each.
Pick it if you’re a small studio that wants proofing without an agency-sized bill.
Back to the listPlanable(the vendor’s site)
Best for: social and content approvals.
- Published price
- Basic $33 per workspace a month. Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- First 50 posts free, with no time limit
Strengths
- Step-by-step approvals for social posts across the major networks.
- Your first 50 posts are free, with no time limit.
Limits
- Priced per workspace at $33 a month, with analytics and inbox as paid add-ons.
- Built for social and content, so project decisions sit elsewhere.
Pick it if most of what gets approved is social content.
Back to the listWrike(the vendor’s site)
Best for: proofing inside a full project tool.
- Published price
- Team $10, Business $25 per user a month. Source, as of October 5, 2026
- Free option
- Free plan
Strengths
- Proofing and approvals sit next to tasks, so feedback lands on the work.
- A free plan, and Team from $10 per user a month.
Limits
- External users take a paid seat, according to Wrike’s pricing page.
- Check which plan includes proofing before you buy: the proofing page doesn’t name one.
Pick it if you already plan in Wrike, or want planning and proofing in one tool.
Back to the listQuestions
- What is the difference between proofing and approval software?
- Proofing tools let reviewers mark up a file: a frame of video, a line of copy, a corner of a design. Approval covers that and the decisions around it. Many teams need a proofing tool for files and a simpler way to get yes or no on everything else.
- How do I get a sponsor to approve faster?
- Ask one question at a time, with the options, your recommendation, a date, and what waiting costs. Then make answering one step. The guide to speeding up approvals walks through it.
- Does a sponsor need an account to approve?
- Not always. Filestage reviewers enter an email address instead of an account, and Unblockd approvers answer from a private link in the email. Wrike, for one, counts external users as paid seats.
- Can one tool handle file proofing and project decisions?
- Wrike has proofing inside a project tool. Most specialist proofing tools focus on files, so teams often pair one with a decision tool like Unblockd.
Sources
Everything this page says about another tool comes from that vendor’s own pages, read on October 5, 2026. Products change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it.
Try it on the project that’s waiting on someone.
Free for your first project. Sponsors never pay.