I was recently using Markup.io to collect client feedback on my projects, and as many of you know, they recently switched to a single paid plan. The price increase was significant for me. Previously, I was on Markup’s free plan, which allowed up to five active projects. That was perfect because I never had more than five projects needing feedback at the same time.
Would I have paid $19 or even $29 a month for Markup? Absolutely. But now that they’ve raised their pricing beyond that, it no longer made sense for me, considering I only collect feedback on a couple of projects at any given time. This led me on a search for a Markup alternative.
I went down a rabbit hole, testing different options. Here’s what I found, along with the tool I ultimately chose to replace Markup.
Markup.io No Longer Works Without a Paid Plan
When I logged into Markup.io, I was greeted with a screen to start a free trial, and my account was locked. All my past projects were put on hold, and I could no longer use the platform unless I upgraded. That pushed me to explore alternatives.
Alternative Feedback Tools I Considered
Ruttl
Ruttl had some of the most competitive pricing and was the cheapest alternative I found. However, when I tested the platform, I found it a bit buggy and not as intuitive as Markup. The experience wasn’t smooth enough, so I put this one on the back burner.
SureFeedback
SureFeedback works differently because it requires a plugin to be installed as a home base for collecting feedback. I didn’t prefer this approach. I don’t like adding plugins unnecessarily or managing another WordPress install just to use a feedback tool. I also read mixed reviews about SureFeedback not advancing much since it rebranded from Project Huddle.
Webvizio
Webvizio looked robust and had plenty of options, but after trying it, I found it too cluttered. The interface was overwhelming, with too many options to navigate. If I felt overwhelmed, I knew my clients would too, which made this a no-go for me.
Workflow
Workflow caught my attention, and I’m keeping an eye on it for the future. It has a sleek design, but the way it functions didn’t make sense for how I manage projects. Since it was newly launched, I decided to leave it for now and see how it evolves.
My Final Choice: Pastel
The alternative I landed on was Pastel.
Pastel offers a free plan, though it limits how many days you can leave comments open and allows only one user. That made it easy to try out. It had many of the features and simplicity I was looking for—very similar to Markup.
Using Pastel for Feedback
When I logged into Pastel’s dashboard, I immediately liked its simple and clean layout. It closely resembles Markup.
Creating a new project is straightforward:
- Click “Create a New Project.”
- Choose to collect feedback on a website, PDF, image, or email.
- Enter a website URL, and within seconds, it loads into Pastel.
Inside the canvas, the interface is intuitive. Just like Markup, there’s a toggle to switch between browsing and leaving comments.
A Key Feature: Version Control
One of the features I really liked about Pastel is version control. This is something Markup offered on its paid plans, but as a free user, I never got to use it.
As a web designer, I typically offer two rounds of revisions. With Pastel, I can label them clearly:
- Round 1 (initial feedback phase)
- Round 2 (final revision phase)
This makes it easy to track changes and manage client feedback efficiently.
Managing Comments in Pastel
The comments panel allows filtering by:
- Most recent
- Status (open, resolved, etc.)
- Specific versions
Once a comment is addressed, I can mark it as resolved.
Final Thoughts
I haven’t sent Pastel to a client yet, but based on its simplicity and user-friendly interface, I don’t expect any issues compared to Markup.
If you’re looking for a Markup.io alternative, I hope this breakdown helps you decide. I’d love to hear your thoughts on which feedback tool you prefer. Let me know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more updates!
