Reviewer vs Pastel: 2026 Comparison

Detailed Breakdown

Reviewer and Pastel often show up in the same comparison searches, but they solve fundamentally different problems. Pastel is a website feedback tool that captures live sites and lets reviewers comment directly on web pages. Reviewer is an image and video feedback tool that handles static assets like design mockups, photos, and video content.

Understanding which problem you are solving will make this an easy choice.

Core Focus: Websites vs. Images

Pastel captures a snapshot of a live website and lets reviewers click on elements to leave comments. This is useful for web development teams gathering feedback on staging sites, landing pages, or web app interfaces. Reviewers interact with an actual representation of the site.

Reviewer works with uploaded files. You upload images or videos, share a link, and reviewers annotate directly on the visual. This is designed for designers, photographers, and agencies who need feedback on static creative assets before they go live.

If your primary workflow involves reviewing live websites, Pastel is built for that. If your workflow involves reviewing design files, photos, or video, Reviewer is the right tool.

Image Annotations

Reviewer provides full visual annotation tools including pin comments, arrows, and rectangles. Reviewers can mark up specific areas of an image with precision. Pastel has some image support but its annotation tools are designed around web page elements rather than uploaded static images.

For image-heavy workflows like brand reviews, packaging feedback, or collecting client approvals, Reviewer’s annotation tools are more purpose-built.

Video Feedback

Reviewer supports video feedback with frame-specific timestamped comments. Reviewers can pause at any point and leave contextual notes tied to that exact moment. Pastel does not support video feedback at all since its focus is live web pages.

If video review is part of your workflow, Reviewer is the clear choice between the two.

A/B Comparison Mode

Reviewer’s A/B comparison mode lets you upload multiple design variations and have reviewers vote on their preferences. This is valuable during early design phases when you are presenting direction options to stakeholders.

Pastel does not have a comparison mode since it is not designed for choosing between static design options.

Approval Workflows

Reviewer includes a dedicated design approval workflow where reviewers approve or reject each asset. It is clear and binary. Pastel offers basic task tracking to mark comments as resolved, but it is not structured around formal approvals in the same way.

Access and Signup

A major difference is reviewer access. With Reviewer, you share a private link and reviewers participate immediately with no account needed. This makes it easy to get fast feedback from clients who do not want another login.

Pastel requires reviewers to access a shared canvas link. While the free tier allows guest commenting, paid features require accounts.

Pricing Comparison

Reviewer: Free. All features, no limits, no credit card. No signup required for reviewers.

Pastel: Free tier with limited projects. Paid plans range from $24 to $39/month. The free plan works for trying it out, but active teams will hit the limits quickly.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Reviewer if:

• You need feedback on images, design mockups, or video content
• You want a completely free tool with no limits
• Your reviewers should not need to create accounts
• You want A/B comparison for design variations
• You need formal approval workflows for creative assets

Choose Pastel if:

• You need feedback on live websites or staging sites
• Your workflow is web development focused
• You want to capture full-page website screenshots for review
• You need to comment on interactive web elements

Use both if:

• You design first in static mockups (Reviewer) and then review the live implementation (Pastel)

Many design and development teams find these tools complementary rather than competing. For the design feedback phase, Reviewer handles the creative review. For the development review phase, Pastel handles the website audit.