When it comes to website annotation tools, the ability to draw, highlight, and add markup comments directly on a webpage is crucial. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. To find the perfect fit for your company, consider these key factors:
- Need to annotate a live, or someone else's, website? This matters because you might not have access to insert script tags. In such cases, you'll need a tool that uses a browser extension or a proxy solution for annotation.
- Browser Extension or not? While Chrome extensions are handy for internal team use, they're not ideal when working with clients. Asking clients to install extensions can be a hard sell. Plus, extensions limit you to desktop browsers, leaving out crucial mobile device feedback.
- Collaboration features: Remember, annotation is just the first step. Can your team and clients discuss the feedback within the tool? Look for features that support ongoing conversations, reducing the need to revert to email chains.
- Integration with project management tools: Nobody wants to juggle multiple platforms. Opt for a tool that integrates with your existing project management software. This allows seamless transfer of feedback into your workflow, eliminating the need to switch contexts between regular tasks and feedback management.
Below, we'll dive into 7 different website annotation tools, starting with our own solution, Feedbucket. For each tool, we'll explore their strengths, limitations, pricing structures, and key features.
1. Feedbucket
Feedbucket was born from our experiences as web agency owners. We intimately understand the challenges agencies face when reviewing websites with team members and clients. That's why we've built a tool laser-focused on solving these specific pain points.
At its core, Feedbucket is a website annotation tool. It allows your team members and clients to provide high-quality feedback directly on the website, without the need for extensions or leaving the page.
Our focus on web agencies has been resonating with the community. In a recent discussion in "The Admin Bar," a popular Facebook group for WordPress agencies, Feedbucket garnered significant attention. One agency owner shared their experience:
We've been using Feedbucket since for a while and had no issues. It connects to many PM tools (we use ClickUp) and has two way sync so if you close a ticket in ClickUp it resolve it in Feedbucket. It's a great selling tool also - prospects live when I demo that we have a tool they can use to submit things to us from their website and it lands straight into our support queue.
Installing Feedbucket on any website is straightforward. You simply add a script tag, similar to how you'd install Google Analytics. For WordPress sites, we offer a plugin for those who prefer that method.
You can leverage Feedbucket throughout the entire client project lifecycle:
- During initial development, use it for internal feedback between team members.
- On the staging site, gather feedback from clients and other stakeholders.
- Even after the site goes live, Feedbucket can be used by limiting it to logged-in users or triggering it with a secret query string.
This approach allows you to collect and organize annotated website feedback at all stages of the project, from initial development to post-launch maintenance.
Annotate website: Point, click, feedback delivered
Feedbucket transforms your website into an interactive canvas for feedback. Once installed, you're equipped with a robust set of annotation tools right at your fingertips. Noticed that slightly off-center logo? The pen, rectangle, and arrow tools let you highlight issues with precision. Found something that needs tweaking? Simply drop a pin, add your comment, and send it off - all without ever leaving the page.
But Feedbucket goes beyond just capturing comments. When feedback is submitted, it automatically gathers crucial details that developers crave. We're talking page URLs, browser information, operating system, device type, and even console logs. This means no more back-and-forth emails asking what browser your client was using. And we all know - happy developers equal a happy life.
Mobile feedback? It's just as smooth. Grab your phone, navigate to the site, and start annotating. Feedbucket works effectively across all devices, ensuring a consistent experience whether you're at your desk or on the go.
Collaboration: Where feedback meets teamwork
Let's face it, submitting good and understandable feedback is just the first step. What happens when your team needs to chime in or your client remembers that crucial detail they forgot to mention? Enter Feedbucket's guest portal.
This portal gives you a bird's-eye view of all feedback and tasks, right there on the website. No need for your clients to remember another URL or login - it's all accessible from where they're already reviewing their site.
Want to add a tag? Attach a file? Update the status? Leave a comment? It's all there, making collaboration efficient and straightforward for everyone involved. We've designed it to be intuitive, so your team and clients can focus on what matters: providing clear, actionable feedback.
You might notice in the video below that there's a pin placed on the website where feedback has been submitted. This visual cue helps everyone easily spot where input has already been given, reducing duplicates and keeping the review process organized.
By centralizing feedback in this way, Feedbucket aims to create a hub for effective communication. It's about bringing all that feedback scattered across numerous emails into one organized space. For web agencies, this can mean less time searching through inboxes and more time addressing client needs. For clients, it offers the convenience of collaborating directly on their website without the need to learn another tool.
2-way integrations: Keep working in your existing tools
Now, I can almost hear you thinking, "But we already use (insert your favorite project management tool here)! We can't be going to the staging sites all the time to collaborate." Well, good news - Feedbucket is designed to work alongside your existing tools.
Most agencies already rely on project management tools like Asana, ClickUp, or Jira. That's why one of Feedbucket's core features is its integration with these platforms. We've found that having regular tasks in one tool and feedback in another often leads to confusion, missed feedback, and a lot of context switching for your team.
For each Feedbucket project, you can specify where the feedback should be directed. For instance, you might want it to create tasks in your Asana project "Client X's Awesome Website" with a status of "New Feedback".
When feedback is submitted through Feedbucket, all the relevant details and the annotated screenshot are automatically attached to the task in your chosen project management tool. This eliminates the need for manual task creation or information hunting. Comments from the guest portal sync over too, helping to keep all communications in one place.
The key here is that this place is the tool you and your team are already familiar with. This approach allows you to manage website feedback without disrupting your existing workflow or requiring your team to constantly switch between different platforms.
The annotated feedback from Feedbucket created in Asana with all details. Asana is just an example. There are lots of other other integrations.
Getting the annotated website feedback into your project management tool is a great start, but what happens next? What if your team needs to ask a follow-up question? Or when you've successfully completed a task? Do you then have to go back to the website to update the status?
The answer is no, and that's where the magic of 2-way integration comes in.
This means your team can manage all aspects of feedback directly from the tools they're already using every day. No more juggling between platforms or losing context in the process.
Need to ask your client a question? Just prefix your comment with @feedbucket in your PM tool, and it'll sync over to Feedbucket and send your client a notification. No need to switch tools or send separate emails.
And of course, if you don't prefix the comment, it won't sync over. This means your team can still keep internal discussions about the task within the project management tool, maintaining privacy when needed.
Your team can handle all feedback from within your existing tools.
Comments, status, and even tags syncs back to Feedbucket.
Completed the feedback? Just mark the feedback as complete as you would any other task and it will automatically close in Feedbucket as well and notify your client.
To recap: Feedbucket sends all the annotated feedback into your existing tools as tasks. Your team can then manage the feedback from inside your tools as well. No need to drastically change your workflow. Just better feedback management.
Feedbucket pricing
- Pro Plan: Priced at $39 per month, the Pro Plan allows you to use Feedbucket on unlimited projects and gather unlimited feedback, making it easy to collect and organize annotated website feedback within your existing tools.
- Business Plan: Available for $89 per month, the Business Plan offers additional features such as console recording, custom branding with your own colors and logo, and several advanced functionalities.
Start collecting and organizing website feedback today with Feedbuckets full-featured, 14-day free trial - No credit card required
2. MarkUp.io
Need to annotate a live website or one you don't control? Markup.io might be just the tool you're looking for.
Here's how it works: MarkUp.io uses proxy technology. You input any URL into their system, and it generates a shareable link where anyone can annotate that website. No installation required. Pretty convenient, right?
At first glance, it seems ideal. No need to fiddle with script tags or bother your dev team. But if you're running an agency, there are a few things to consider.
For starters, MarkUp.io has limitations when it comes to sites protected by Basic Auth. You know those staging sites we all use? Unfortunately, it can't grab screenshots of those. This could be a significant drawback if it's a key part of your workflow.
And let's talk mobile for a second. We've all experienced the difference between a site on a desktop's mobile emulator and an actual mobile device. Unfortunately, MarkUp.io doesn't allow you to submit feedback on real mobile devices. This means you might miss out on some crucial aspects of the mobile user experience.
While MarkUp.io offers a solution for annotating websites you don't control, it's worth considering these aspects. The tool's strengths lie in its ease of use for live sites, but its limitations with staging sites and real mobile devices might impact certain workflows. As always in web development, the key is to evaluate how a tool fits into your specific processes and client needs.
MarkUp.io Pricing
MarkUp.io has a free version, but it's quite basic. For business use, you'll likely need the Pro plan at $29 a month. This makes MarkUp.io one of the more affordable website feedback tools if you're okay with its downsides.
Considering MarkUp.io? Check out our MarkUp.io Alternatives page before making your decision.
3. Markup Hero
Need to quickly annotate a website and share it with a colleague? Markup Hero, a Chrome extension, might be just what you need.
Here's how it works: Install the Markup Hero extension, annotate any website, and generate a shareable link for collaboration. No complex setup required. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
At first glance, it seems like a perfect solution. But if you're working with clients, there are a few things to keep in mind.
For starters, Markup Hero is a browser extension, which means asking clients to download and install it. You know how tricky that can be, right? More often than not, you might find yourself back to using good old email for feedback.
And let's talk about device compatibility. Browser extensions typically work only on desktops. In our world of smartphones and tablets, this limitation could be a significant drawback for comprehensive website reviews.
That said, for internal team use or quick annotations, Markup Hero shines. It's straightforward, fast, and can significantly streamline your team's review process. While Markup Hero offers a handy solution for quick, internal website annotations, it's worth considering these limitations. As with any tool in web development, the key is to evaluate how well it fits into your specific workflow and client interaction needs. It might be just the thing for rapid internal feedback, but may not be ideal for all client-facing situations.
4. Marker.io
Looking for a tool that bridges the gap between website feedback and bug reporting? Marker.io might be the solution you're after.
Marker.io offers two installation options: adding a script tag to your site or using a Chrome extension. This flexibility allows for different implementation approaches based on your needs.
Where Marker.io truly excels is in internal QA feedback, particularly when it comes to reporting bugs to your development team. Its standout feature is session replay, which captures the 30 seconds before a bug report is submitted. For developers, this provides invaluable context, potentially reducing "Can't reproduce" responses and improving the debugging process.
However, when it comes to client feedback, Marker.io presents a slight challenge. Clients need to create an account and access a separate guest portal to collaborate on feedback. This additional step might not align with all client workflows.
When considering Marker.io, weigh its strong internal QA capabilities against your client interaction needs. It might be an excellent fit for teams focused on thorough bug tracking and internal quality assurance, while those prioritizing seamless client feedback might need to explore additional options.
Marker.io Pricing
Marker.io offers three pricing plans, from $59 to $399 per month. The Starter Plan, at $59 a month, includes all the basic tools for managing client feedback. If you need more features like session replay and console log tracking, the Team plan at $149 a month includes these extras.
Considering Marker.io? Check out our Marker.io Alternatives page before making your decision.
5. BugHerd
BugHerd offers flexibility in its installation, similar to some other tools in this space. You can either add it to your website using a JavaScript snippet or utilize a Chrome extension, allowing you to choose the method that best fits your workflow.
BugHerd provides all the standard tools you'd expect for submitting annotated website feedback directly from the site. This includes the ability to markup the page using pens, rectangles, and other common annotation features to emphasize your points.
However, when considering BugHerd for your agency or established workflow, there are a couple of points to keep in mind. First, BugHerd has some limitations when it comes to integrations. The tool prefers users to work within its own Kanban board, which might not align well if you're already using another project management tool.
Additionally, pricing is a factor to consider. BugHerd comes with a higher price point compared to some alternatives in the market. It's approximately three times the cost of Feedbucket and double that of Marker.io for a similar feature set.
BugHerd Pricing
BugHerd offers four pricing plans, ranging from $39 to $229 per month. To avoid needing your clients to download a browser extension and to get built-in integrations, you need the Premium plan at $129 a month.
Considering BugHerd? Check out our BugHerd Alternatives page before making your decision.
6. FileStage
I know this post is about annotating websites and FileStage can do that too. But, it can also annotate a lot of other file types like for example videos, PDFs, etc.
For agencies primarily focused on website feedback and design image annotation, FileStage's broader capabilities might be more than you need. However, if your work involves reviewing various file types, FileStage could be a good fit.
It's worth noting that FileStage's approach to website annotation has some limitations. The process requires importing the website into FileStage first, then using a Chrome extension to add comments. This multi-step process may not be as easy to use as some dedicated website annotation tools.
When it comes to integrations, FileStage offers fewer options compared to some other tools, particularly with common project management platforms. Its connections seem more geared towards design and creative workflows.
Ultimately, FileStage's suitability depends on your specific needs. If you're looking exclusively for website feedback tools, there may be more specialized options to consider. But if you regularly work with multiple file types beyond just websites, FileStage's range of capabilities could make it a valuable tool for your team.
Filestage Pricing
Filestage offers a free plan that could be suitable for business use. It supports all file types but limits you to 2 projects and 2 reviewer groups. For more serious business needs, you'll likely need their Basic plan, which costs €59 a month.
7. Pastel
Pastel offers a website annotation solution similar to MarkUp.io, allowing you to annotate any website without installation requirements.
The process works like this: you add a link to Pastel, which then generates a shareable link. This link leads to a proxy version of the website, essentially creating a shell around it. This approach allows for feedback submission on websites you don't even control.
For agencies, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. Clients need to navigate to a separate website to submit their feedback, which might interrupt their usual workflow. Similarly, team members must access a different platform to manage feedback, potentially leading to increased context switching.
One important aspect to note is Pastel's 72-hour commenting window on their basic plan. For many agencies, this timeframe may be too short for full client feedback. To extend this window, you'd need to opt for their pricier plan at $99 a month, which might be relatively expensive compared to other tools in the market.
Ultimately, while Pastel offers a good annotation experience and valuable version tracking, its separate platform approach and potential pricing constraints are factors to consider when evaluating its fit for your agency's specific needs and workflow.
Pastel Pricing
Pastel has a free tier, but it's only suitable for hobby use. The paid plans range from $29 to $350 per month. Because of the 72-hour commenting window, you'll likely need their Studio plan at $99 a month.
Considering Pastel? Check out our Pastel Alternatives page before making your decision.
Above we went through 7 website annotation tools to use when you're reviewing websites.
I recommend you try Feedbucket's free 14-day trial for serveral reasons, including:
- It's built by people who've run a web agency, and is laser-focused on fixing that specific problem.
- It's very easy to use for clients since there's no extensions that needs to be downloaded or accounts to be created.
- It fits right in with the project management tools you're already using. This means no new logins for your team; they can handle feedback where they're already at.
Are you ready to let Feedbucket take your website feedback process to the next level? Start your free 14-day trial.
