Creative teams know the pain: feedback scattered across Slack, endless "final_final_v7" files, and approvals that stall launches. This chaos leads to a predictable outcome—when feedback lives everywhere and ownership is unclear, rework piles up and deadlines slip. The right creative approval software solves this by centralizing feedback, clarifying ownership, and creating a clear path from draft to approved, reusable asset.

This guide spotlights the top creative approval software tools, each matched to the type of team and workflow they serve best. You'll find quick comparisons, real-world examples, and advice for folding approvals into a broader creative operations process.

Here's a quick at-a-glance comparison:

Let's break down each tool and how it fits into modern creative approval workflows.

Air is more than a proofing tool—it's a creative operations platform where assets move from early ideas to final deliverables in one visual workspace. In-house brand teams, marketing teams scaling content volume, and any group needing both approvals and asset governance will find Air especially useful.

Key Features:

• Visual annotation: Pin comments directly on images or video timelines, resolve threads, and keep decisions attached to the file.

• Version stacking: Group all iterations together, making the approved file obvious and reducing time spent searching by up to 70%.

• Custom fields & Kanban project management: Move assets through stages with clear owners and automated notifications, reducing delays by up to 40%.

• External sharing: Share review links with stakeholders and set permissions so you never lose control of your assets.

• AI-powered search: Find assets instantly using natural language or visual cues, not just filenames.

• Facial and object recognition: Auto-tag people and branded products for faster sorting and retrieval.

• Library segmentation: Partition content into segmented libraries for different brands or campaigns.

• Edit mode: Make quick edits right in the browser—crop, resize, or remove backgrounds.

• Slack integration: Get instant notifications for uploads, comments, and approvals.

• Proxy generation: Smooth playback and review for large video files.

Limitations: G2 reviewers have suggested that while edit mode is helpful for quick image editing, it wouldn’t suit users looking for deeper editing needs in-platform.

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Here's a recent review: "I find Air's visual display of files particularly nice as it makes it easy to pick the file I need. This feature is quite valuable to me because it enhances my ability to efficiently organize and locate my files. Additionally, I appreciate that setting up Air was very easy, which made the transition to using this product smooth for my team."

Pricing:

• Free plan available

• Creator: from $10/month

• Pro: from $500/month

• Business: from $900/month

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See Air's pricing page for details.

Image source: Frame.io

Frame.io is built for video teams who need precise, frame-accurate feedback and fast collaboration. It's a favorite for post-production, where multiple stakeholders review cuts of brand campaigns or social content.

Key Features:

• Frame-accurate comments: Leave notes at exact moments on the video timeline.

• Video playback review: Watch, pause, and comment without downloading files.

• Collaboration for editors and producers: Multiple users can review and approve in real time.

• Version management: Compare different cuts side by side.

• Mobile app: Review and approve on the go.

• Secure sharing: Password-protected links for external reviewers.

• Adobe Premiere integration: Seamless workflow for editors.

• Notifications: Real-time alerts for new comments or approvals.

• Status tracking: See which cuts are approved or need changes.

• File uploads: Handle large video files with ease.

Limitations: G2 reviewers have suggested that the platform often struggles with integration issues and customization options—which leads to complications during their workflows.

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Here's a recent review: "What I appreciate most is how effortless it is to get feedback on videos. I no longer have to deal with sending large attachments or waiting for people to figure out where to leave their comments, since they can just add their notes directly on the video timeline. This makes editing so much easier."

Pricing:

• Free plan available

• Pro: $15/month or from $156/year

• Team: $25/month or from $265/year

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See Frame.io's pricing page for details.

Image source: Filestage

Filestage is a structured proofing tool designed for teams that need to collect feedback and approvals across marketing file types. It focuses on compliance and audit trails. It's a strong fit for marketing teams routing assets like PDF brochures through brand and legal review.

Key Features:

• Multi-step reviews: Route files through multiple approval stages (creative, brand, and legal, for example).

• Clear approval steps: See exactly who's approved what and what's still pending.

• Stakeholder-friendly review links: External reviewers don't need to create accounts.

• Visual annotation: Mark up PDFs, images, and videos directly.

• Automated reminders: Nudge reviewers to keep projects moving.

• Version control: Track every change and keep a full history.

• Audit trails: Downloadable logs for compliance.

• Integrations: Connect with Slack, Asana, and other tools.

• Bulk actions: Approve or reject multiple files at once.

• Custom branding: White-label the review portal.

Limitations: G2 reviewers have mentioned that Filestage has a steep learning curve and that training is required to make the most out of the platform.

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Here's a recent review: "What I particularly like about Filestage.io is the ability to leave comments directly at specific points in videos. This significantly simplifies the revision process, as I, as an editor, can work step by step from one point to the next without losing track. The visual highlighting of the marked spots ensures that no comment is overlooked."

Pricing:

• Free plan available

• Basic: $109/month

• Professional: $299/month

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See Filestage's pricing page for details.

Image source: Ziflow

Ziflow is built for large, distributed teams that need formal, multi-stage approval workflows and strict governance. It's often used by regulated industries where traceable approvals and permissions are critical.

Key Features:

• Complex routing: Build multi-stage, conditional approval chains.

• Granular permissions: Control who can view, comment, or approve at each stage.

• Audit-friendly processes: Full logs for compliance and reporting.

• Automated reminders: Keep reviews on schedule.

• Version comparison: See changes between iterations.

• Bulk review: Approve or reject files in batches.

• Custom branding: Tailor the review portal to your organization.

• Integration ecosystem: Connect with Slack, Adobe, and project management tools.

• Real-time dashboards: Monitor project status and bottlenecks.

• Secure external sharing: Share with clients or partners without losing control.

Limitations: G2 reviewers have said they find the commenting system confusing due to outdated comments on previous versions, making it difficult to sift through feedback.

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Here's a recent review: "I love how Ziflow immediately made our internal proofing process at Ideal Cabinetry more efficient from day one. The platform's intuitive design significantly eased the training process for our employees, making it straightforward to onboard the entire team. I appreciate that Ziflow effectively streamlines decision-making delays by allowing us to monitor project progress in real-time."

Pricing:

• Free plan available

• Standard: from $199/month

• Pro: from $329/month

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See Ziflow's pricing page for details.

Image source: GoVisually

GoVisually is a lightweight, easy-to-adopt tool for small teams that need straightforward proofing for design assets. It's ideal for brand teams approving social ads or landing page mockups.

Key Features:

• Simple markup and approvals: Annotate and approve files with minimal clicks.

• Fast adoption: Intuitive interface for quick onboarding.

• Adobe integration: Connect directly with Creative Cloud.

• Hide comments: Control visibility for internal vs. external reviews.

• Version management: Keep all iterations in one place.

• Unlimited reviewers: No extra cost for external feedback.

• Mobile-friendly: Review and approve on any device.

• Custom branding: White-label the review portal.

• Bulk upload: Add multiple files at once.

• Activity tracking: See who's viewed or commented.

Limitations: Some G2 reviews have suggested that GoVisually could improve its customer service communications. 

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Here's a recent review: "The integration with Adobe is fantastic and the ability to hide comments on reviews instead of multiple versions of the same file for internal v external."

Pricing:

• Free trial available

• Lite: from $16/month

• Pro: from $33/month

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See GoVisually's pricing page for details.

Image source: Aproove

Aproove is a workflow automation platform for enterprise teams that need to orchestrate approvals across creative, marketing, and compliance. It's built for global marketing teams routing campaign assets through multiple departments before launch.

Key Features:

• Automated workflow routing: Move assets through complex, multi-step approval chains.

• Cross-functional approval chains: Involve marketing, legal, and compliance teams.

• Compliance tracking: Full audit trails for regulated industries.

• Custom dashboards: Monitor project status and bottlenecks.

• Role-based permissions: Control access at every stage.

• Bulk actions: Approve or reject multiple files at once.

• Visual annotation: Mark up images, PDFs, and videos.

• Integration ecosystem: Connect with DAMs, project management, and creative tools.

• Reporting: Export logs for audits or management.

• Custom branding: Tailor the interface to your organization.

Limitations: While there are only two G2 reviews, one user has suggested that while Aproove is highly configurable, it needs training to properly make use of the software.

G2 Rating: 4/5

Here's a recent review: "Aproove has a very strong asset review and online proofing interface. Aproove unites all tasks into a single interface and provides our teams with the tools needed to get the task done. This can save our teams time and reduces the number of platforms required for project management and work completion."

Pricing:

• Custom pricing available through a demo call.

See Aproove’s demo page for details.

Image source: PageProof

PageProof is a visual proofing tool built for creative teams that need fast, collaborative feedback on designs, PDFs, and web pages. Design agencies often use it to route website mockups through client review cycles with clear approval sign-off.

Key Features:

• Live website proofing: Review and annotate live web pages.

• Side-by-side version comparison: Spot changes between iterations.

• Annotation tools: Pinpoint feedback on designs, PDFs, and web content.

• Approval workflows: Track sign-off and status at every stage.

• Text selection/editing: Suggest edits directly in proofs.

• Custom workflows: Tailor review steps to your process.

• Automated reminders: Keep projects moving.

• Integration ecosystem: Connect with Adobe, Slack, and other tools.

• Custom branding: White-label the review portal.

• Reporting: Export logs for audits or management.

Limitations: G2 reviewers have suggested that they experience issues with uploading and document handling, or general platform instability that affect productivity.

G2 Rating: 4.8/5

Here's a recent review: "I use PageProof for reviewing everything, and it makes it easy and intuitive to proofread projects, like print jobs or website edits. I love the custom workflows that allow our team's internal proofing process to happen seamlessly ahead of client reviews. I also appreciate that I can send a client a PageProof of their website to mark up edits, and the ability to select text and edit it within the proof comment is extremely helpful."

Pricing:

• Free trial available

• Team: $249/month or $2,499/year

• Team Plus: $399/month or $3,999/year

• Enterprise: Custom quote

See PageProof's pricing page for details.

Approvals shouldn't be the finish line—they're just the beginning of an asset's useful life. Once approved, work needs to be easy to find, safe to reuse, and clearly current.

That's where Air's approach differs. Approval decisions stay attached to assets, so context never gets lost. Version stacking prevents outdated files from slipping through, grouping every iteration together so the approved file is always obvious. From there, flexible libraries make approved work instantly discoverable and ready to reuse.

Take Bandit Running, a fast-growing apparel brand that used Air as their race day content engine for NYC's wildest road race. They centralized all race-day photos and videos in Air, routed them through approvals, and made the best content instantly reusable for marketing and social—all without the usual post-event scramble. See their story in this customer video:

With Air, creative teams spend less time hunting for files and more time doing what they do best—creating. Every asset is easy to find, every version is clear, and every approval decision stays attached to the work itself. 

Start a free trial to see how Air can streamline your creative approvals from first draft to final delivery.

What features matter most in approval software for creative teams?

Look for visual annotation, version control, automated notifications, and clear approval status. Integrations with your creative stack also keep feedback organized and projects moving.

How do you handle external client approvals without forcing logins?

Most leading tools offer secure, shareable links that let external reviewers comment and approve without creating an account. You can control permissions and track activity for compliance.

What integrations should creative approval software support (Adobe, Slack, Asana/Jira, Drive/Box)?

Key integrations include Adobe Creative Cloud for design workflows, Slack for notifications, and project management tools like Asana or Jira. Cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive or Box keep your workflow seamless.

How does Air help centralize feedback and reduce review cycles?

Air consolidates all feedback and approvals in one visual workspace. It attaches comments to specific assets and uses automated notifications to keep everyone on track. This reduces back-and-forth and shortens review cycles.

How does Air handle version control for creative approvals?

Air uses version stacking, grouping all iterations of an asset together. This makes it clear which file is approved and prevents outdated versions from being used or shared.

Can Air support multi-stage approvals with clear ownership and due dates?

Yes. Air's custom fields and Kanban project management let you set up multi-stage approvals, assign owners, and track due dates. Automated notifications and status updates keep everyone accountable.