Approval Studio vs Filestage
Approval Studio
approval.studio
Filestage
filestage.ioSide by side
| Figure | Approval Studio | Filestage |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $60/mo | €199/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Design Proofing Software | 8.6 (#4) | 8.3 (#6) |
| Spec score · Video Review Software | 8.6 (#9) | 8.3 (#12) |
| Spec score · Online Proofing Software | 8.5 (#7) | 8.3 (#10) |
| Headquarters | Wilmington, Delaware, USA | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Integrations | The maker lists integrations and tools including Slack, Shopify, Zapier, Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, REST API, GraphQL API, and an MCP server. | Listed integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, monday.com, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Figma, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Zapier. |
| Intended users | The maker says it developed the design review tool for creative teams and small and medium businesses, and describes use by freelancers, agencies, and international enterprises. | Filestage presents use cases for marketing, creative, production, and compliance teams, including agencies, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and enterprise organizations. |
| Support | The security page says support is available 24/7 by chat and email; plan details list email support on Lite and Pro, 24/7 live chat on Pro XL, and a dedicated phone line on Enterprise. | The pricing page lists email and in-app chat plus a 24/7 help center, and Enterprise includes premium support and a dedicated Customer Success Manager. |
Plans
Approval Studio
- LITE$60 a month
- PRO$160 a month
- PRO XL$300 a month
- ENTERPRISEPriced on request
Filestage
- FreeFree
- Starter€199 a month
- Business€329 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Approval Studio
Approval Studio is an online proofing tool for reviewing graphic files and handling design approvals. Reviewers can annotate assets, compare versions in four modes, attach files to comments, and review videos and web pages. Workflow tools include project history, Kanban stages, notifications, file versioning, PDF reports, and automation. Listed integrations include Slack, Shopify, Zapier, Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, REST and GraphQL APIs, and an MCP server. Users can sign in with an internal account or Google or OKTA single sign-on. The maker says data is stored in controlled facilities in the Netherlands and confidential data is encrypted in transit. Approval Studio offers iOS and Android apps for project management, artwork review, workflows, notifications, and cross-device syncing. Its Adobe extension supports Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign 2020 or later on macOS and Windows, requires a stable internet connection, and needs a Pro or Enterprise account. Lite costs $60 a month; Pro costs $160 a month; Pro XL costs $300 a month. A 14-day trial is listed.
Filestage
Filestage is a web and API platform for reviewing files and managing content approvals. It brings comments, annotations, version comparisons, approvals, and change requests into review workflows. Supported content includes videos, images, designs, documents, websites, interactive HTML, and audio. Review Agents can check grammar, spelling, brand assets, forbidden terms, compliance issues, and barcodes or QR codes. Integrations listed include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, monday.com, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Figma, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Zapier. Approval workflows, unlimited version history, role permissions, guest comment-only access, and audit logs are listed. Filestage states that it is GDPR compliant and holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type II, and CSA STAR Level One credentials. It describes AWS EU hosting, TLS 1.2 and 1.3 in transit, and AES 256 encryption at rest. A free plan allows one active project and five new files monthly. Paid plans start at €199 a month, with a 14-day trial.