02
The comparison
Honter vs Filestage at a glance
Honter | Filestage | |
|---|---|---|
Built for | Client review for studios, agencies and freelancers | Multi-stage proofing for marketing and compliance teams |
Free plan | Yes, 6 projects | Yes, 1 active project and 5 new files a month |
Paid plans | Pro, $19.99 a month | Starter $199 a month billed yearly, Business $329 a month |
How clients see the work | In context: feeds, an inbox, a browser frame, true-size banners | A file viewer with annotations |
Client sign-in | None, just a name | None, a name and email |
Approvals | You mark a project approved when the client signs off | Reviewers approve or request changes, in stages with due dates |
AI | Six AI reviewers on every plan | Review Agents for compliance checks on the Business plan |
Version comparison | Version picker | Side-by-side and text compare on paid plans |
Integrations | Figma plugin | Slack, Teams, Asana, Adobe CC, Zapier, Make |
Where Honter is the better fit
A tenth of the price
Filestage’s paid plans start at $199 a month on yearly billing. Honter Pro is $19.99 a month, billed monthly, with unlimited projects. For a studio or a freelancer, that difference decides whether a review tool is worth it at all.
Context instead of a file viewer
Filestage shows each file as a file. Honter shows social ads in a feed, emails in an inbox, web designs in a browser frame and banners at true size, so clients react to what their customers will see.
AI on every plan
Filestage’s Review Agents check for compliance issues like forbidden terms and missing labels, on its Business plan. Honter’s AI reviewers focus on how the work will land: the weakest point, confusing language and how the reader will react. They’re included on every plan, Free included.
Nothing for clients to learn
Clients open the link, type their name and comment. There are no reviewer groups to set up or roles to explain.
Where Filestage is the better fit
Formal approvals. Reviewers approve or request changes in sequential stages, with due dates and reminders. In Honter, you mark a project approved yourself.
Compliance. Review Agents check forbidden terms, grammar, barcodes and labelling rules.
Comparing versions. Side-by-side and automatic text compare show exactly what changed.
More file types and integrations. Live websites, HTML5 banners and audio, plus Slack, Teams, Asana and Adobe CC.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Filestage if approvals pass through several teams, such as brand, legal and regulatory, and you need a record of who approved what.
Choose Honter if you work directly with clients and want them to see the work in context and give clear feedback, at a price a small team can justify.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Filestage?
Yes. Honter has a free plan with 6 projects and a Pro plan at $19.99 a month with unlimited projects.
Does Honter have approval workflows?
Honter tracks every project through Draft, Sent for review, In revision and Approved, and moves it along as your client opens and comments. You mark the final approval. There are no multi-stage reviewer groups.
Do clients need an account?
No. In Honter, clients add their name and start commenting.
