The creative workflow process made simple
Loop in the right stakeholders at the right time to keep projects on track and avoid last-minute rushes.
StreamWork’s creative approval software takes the process out of review and approval so you can focus on what really matters: your creative output.
A creative approval workflow tailored to your needs
Choose the number of approval stages and reviewers, then let StreamWork take care of the rest.
Stay on track with due dates and approval status. Define approval deadlines for each stage of your creative workflow process—no matter if you’re collecting input from copy, design, legal or your client.
Review and approval made easy
Effortlessly track and implement client feedback and approvals on creative files regardless of version number. Reviewers open a quick link to view the creative, leave their feedback directly on the file, then decide if it’s approved or if changes are required.
Deliver brand compliance consistently
Stay on brand every time with StreamWork’s creative approval software. Content goes through predefined stages, allowing each team to check deliverables against the brand style guide.
7 Best Approval Software for Marketing and Creative Teams
Investing in the best approval software for content marketing teams is not just about meeting today’s needs; it’s about securing a prosperous future for your agency. Efficiency gains, better communication, and improved client satisfaction are just a few of the long-term benefits involved with adopting the best creative approval software.
David Pondell
9
min read
Jul 2, 2024
What is Creative Approval Software?
Life in an agency is no walk in the park. You're racing against tight deadlines to deliver stellar creative content, juggling internal and external teams, and striving to keep your clients happy and informed. Despite everything you’re handling at once, seeing everything come together flawlessly at the end can make all the hustle worth it—especially if you get to celebrate all the hard work over a margarita.
If you’re finding you or your team are spending too much time on the review and approval process, you owe it to yourself to find technologies that can help you free up time. One way to save time is by evaluating creative approval software, or tools that manage the lifecycle of creative assets from initial concept to final approval. Different from enterprise resource management (ERP) platforms like Workamajig, catch-all project management platforms like Asana, or agency time-tracking software like Hive, creative approval software is laser-focused on the collection of stakeholder feedback across versions, enabling teams to upload, share, review, and approve creative content in a single spot.
In the dynamic world of agencies, where various stakeholders and clients need to see progress, leave comments, and approve stages, the best approval workflow software can be a game-changer. Creative approval software platforms streamline the complex process of moving creative projects from start to finish. These tools not only help in maintaining workflow efficiency but also ensure timely feedback, reducing the chances of errors or last-minute changes. And the best part? The best approval software platforms plug right into your existing tools so you can supercharge your existing workflow.
The Benefits of Creative Approval Software
The primary reason creative approval software is essential is that it offers a structured process for managing creative tasks, providing a seamless flow so that everyone who needs to have a say remains aligned with the project goals and timelines.
With features like automated approval stages and externally shareable links for creative feedback and approval, you can maintain high standards and exceed client expectations—making your agency more effective and competitive.
The Best Creative Approval Software for Creative Teams
Choosing the best content approval software is critical as it will help you streamline workflows, enhance team productivity, and ensure that creative content is up to the mark before going live. Check out the complete list of top creative workflow platforms below so that you can understand each software’s benefits and drawbacks and choose the tool that will work best for your team.
1. StreamWork
StreamWork is designed to cater to the intricate needs of agencies and marketing teams, and sets itself apart as a full-suite creative workflow with a customizable review and approval process, collaboration tools, and real-time feedback capabilities. Individual freelancers to large institutions with thousands of users rely on StreamWork to simplify the way they work. Users highlight that the solution is a highly-intuitive and easy-to-use creative workflow management product with full project management capabilities, robust integrations, and powerful creative approval chains. StreamWork offers a free plan, and paid plans starting at $23 per user/ per month.
2. Wrike
Wrike is a task management, enterprise resource management, and customer relationship management platform. It includes features like task assignment, real-time collaboration, and in-depth analytics. Wrike is a solid fit for teams looking for a robust solution to replace or kickstart their agency set-up. With its ticketing based approach, teams often leverage an internal project manager to implement and run Wrike. Creative approvals are one of many features available in Wrike, versus its core focus. Users say Wrike has powerful features and custom reports but some say the software is complex and the interface feels cluttered. Wrike’s Business plan starts at $24.80 per user, per month.
3. Workfront
Founded in 2001, Workfront is an incumbent in the project management space and is a credible option for agencies needing to focus heavily on managing complex project workflows. It boasts detailed reporting and resource management, helping agencies track progress, deadlines, and team performance. While approval workflows are not the central focus of Workfront, they are an option within the platform. Users say Workfront integrates well with other tools but that the platform has a steep learning curve and can be overly complex for new users. Workfront pricing is available via their sales team.
4. Filestage
Filestage offers an organized platform for discussing and approving creative content. Its strength lies in its efficiency, offering a transparent process for reviewing creative content at various stages of development. Somewhat similar in appearance to a Trello board, Filestage focuses on content review with limited approval workflow functionality. Users like Filetage's feedback tools but believe it lacks customization options to cater to varied project requirements. Filestage pricing varies, with their most popular plan costing $249/month.
5. Ziflow
Ziflow is a dedicated creative review and approval tool for artwork and content proofing. It provides feedback and annotation offerings but lacks collaborative project management and campaign management functionalities. Users share that while Ziflow offers a wide range of features, the platform interface can be clunky and can involve a learning curve to get started. Ziflow pricing varies, with their most popular Pro plan costing $399 per month.
6. GoVisually
GoVisually boosts a simple interface for artwork and proof feedback. Its interface allows for simple mark-up of files and a single view of proof status. GoVisually falls short in that it doesn’t offer collaborative project management functionality, so while it’s easy to share out files for review, collaboration permissions and controls within the platform are limited. GoVisually offers basic approval functionality without the option to set-up workflows or chains of reviews. GoVisually’s Pro plan is available for $40 per user, per month.
7. Markup.io
Markup.io allows you to upload a creative file, drop in comments and share for review. Their interface is simple and straightforward, and a solid fit for individual freelancers or small teams. Markup.io’s features are limited in that they do not offer approval workflows, campaign management or project management. Markup.io’s paid plans start at $25 per month.
By leveraging any of these top creative review platforms, agencies can enhance their creative workflows while ensuring that projects are completed on time and to the highest quality standards. The right tool not only improves efficiency but also fosters a collaborative environment where creativity can truly flourish.