Ruttl
Live website feedback with inline CSS and content editing. The closest Pastel peer, with the addition of real-time collaboration and developer-tool integrations.
Aligno vs Ruttl →Fair Comparison
Aligno vs Pastel
Two website review tools that both load the live page through a proxy, with no script on the site and no client login.
The difference is what happens after the comments. Does an earlier version show the page as it was or the page as it is today, can you hand the client a PDF of the sign-off, and does the bill grow per seat or stay flat for the agency?
Product details last reviewed July 2026. This page quotes no prices on purpose; see each vendor's own pricing page for current rates.
How the products differ
Pastel is a website-first review tool. It loads the live page through its own proxy, the same approach Aligno uses, so reviewers comment without a script on the site or an extension in the browser. It also documents review flows for PDFs and image files, and its help pages describe review completion states such as approve and request changes.
Aligno reviews the same live page the same way, and both tools keep versions of a review. Where they differ is what an older version shows. Pastel's help center is explicit that a canvas is not a snapshot or a copy of your website: the live page is displayed and updates when the site changes, so the comments on an earlier version still sit on today's page. Aligno stores a screenshot of each page your client commented on, per version, so those comments and the sign-off stay on the page as it was.
The second difference is the sign-off document. Both tools record an Approve or Request Changes decision per version, and Pastel exports comments to CSV and to tools like Trello, Asana, and Jira. Aligno exports the comments and the decision history as a CSV and as a client-ready PDF you can put in the project file. The third is the bill: Aligno is one flat price for the agency with team seats included, where Pastel's plans include a set number of users and extra seats are paid add-ons.
Side-by-Side View
This table summarizes publicly visible positioning and product scope.
Both tools support collecting visual feedback from clients. The key difference is workflow emphasis and how teams run review rounds.
Category
Aligno
Pastel
Core focus
Client sign-off on live websites, with a record
Visual review for websites, PDFs, and image files
Content support
Images, PDFs, videos, and live webpages
Live websites plus PDFs, image files, and video
Annotation types
Pins plus box, arrow, and freehand markup on every plan
Pinned comments on pages and files
How the live site loads
Proxy: no script on the site, no extension, any URL
Proxy: no script on the site, no extension, any URL
Client access model
Share link, so clients review and approve without an account
Share link; guests enter a name and email to comment, no account created
Earlier versions
Versions per site; each commented page keeps a screenshot as it was
Unlimited versions per canvas; the page underneath stays live (not a snapshot, per Pastel's help center)
Explicit approval states
Approve / Request Changes on every version
Approve / Request Changes available in review workflow
Free plan
One live website, unlimited pages and reviewers, no card
One active canvas at a time; a three-day commenting window per canvas
Approval record
Timestamped sign-off tied to a version; CSV and client-ready PDF export on Pro
Approve / Request Changes per version with approval history; CSV and integration export of comments
Best fit
Web agencies with ongoing client sites who need the sign-off on record
Teams focused on live website annotation and quick iteration
Pricing model
Flat per agency, monthly or annual; clients and reviewers never count, team seats included
Seat-based plans with a set number of users; extra users are paid add-ons
For current rates, see Pastel's plans page and Aligno's pricing page. Aligno's price is one flat amount for the agency whatever the number of client sites or reviewers.
Other Pastel alternatives worth comparing
If Pastel isn't the right fit, the tools below each bring a different emphasis to client feedback and website review, from inline editing to multi-format proofing to developer bug tracking. Each link goes to a focused side-by-side comparison.
Markup.io
Broad multi-format review covering websites, images, PDFs, and video with 30+ file types. Heavier than Pastel, and it no longer has a free plan.
Aligno vs Markup.io →BugHerd
Visual bug tracking on live websites with automatic technical metadata. Better when website feedback needs to flow into a developer ticket queue.
Aligno vs BugHerd →GoVisually
Creative proofing with version comparison and approval rounds. A stronger fit when the workflow involves image- and video-heavy creative deliverables alongside websites.
Aligno vs GoVisually →Want the full field? See all design feedback tool alternatives compared.
Where Pastel can be stronger
- Purpose-built for live website review, with an annotation experience tuned for clicking directly on rendered pages.
- Reviews the live site through a proxy, like Aligno, so it can open a site the reviewer does not control with nothing to install. Unlimited versions, approvals, and video review are on every plan, including Free.
- Exports comments to Trello, Asana, Jira, Monday, a webhook, and Zapier, which suits teams that turn feedback into tickets.
- Clean interface for non-technical reviewers who are primarily annotating live marketing sites.
Where Aligno can be stronger
- Earlier versions keep a screenshot of each page your client commented on. When the site changes, last month's comments still point at last month's page instead of sitting on the live one.
- A client-ready PDF sign-off document, plus a CSV of the comments and decision history, on Pro and Studio. That is what you hand over when a scope question comes up after handoff.
- One flat price for the agency. Reviewers never count, and your own team is included: up to 3 seats on Pro, 10 on Studio.
- Free plan with no credit card, no trial clock, and no expiry on comments: one live website, unlimited pages and reviewers.
- Markup goes beyond pins. Add box, arrow, or freehand annotations on images, PDFs, video, and live webpages, on every plan including Free.
- Export comments and the sign-off record to CSV or a client-ready PDF on Pro and Studio.
- Custom branding on Pro and Studio. Add your own logo and hide Aligno branding on client pages, and invite up to 3 teammates on Pro or 10 on Studio.
Frequently asked questions
Does Aligno have a free plan?
Yes. The Aligno free plan covers one live website with unlimited pages and reviewers, with no credit card and no time limit on the comments. Pastel's free plan allows one active canvas at a time, and each canvas has a three-day commenting window after which new comments stop.
Do my clients need to create an account?
No. Clients open a share link, comment on the live page, and approve without creating an account. Pastel works much the same way: guests enter a name and email to comment and no account is created, so this is not where the two differ.
Does Aligno review live websites the same way Pastel does?
Yes. Both tools load the live page through their own proxy, so there is no script to add to the site and no extension for the reviewer, and both can open a site you do not control. Both also keep versions. The difference is what an older version shows. Pastel's help center says a canvas is not a snapshot or a copy of your website and updates when the site changes, so an earlier version's comments still sit on today's page. Aligno stores a screenshot of each page your client commented on, per version, so those comments and the sign-off stay on the page as it was.
What's the difference between feedback and approval?
Feedback collects opinions. Approval creates a decision record. Both tools record an Approve or Request Changes decision per version. In Aligno that record, together with the comments, exports on Pro and Studio as a CSV or a client-ready PDF sign-off document you can put in the project file. Pastel exports comments to CSV and to integrations such as Trello, Asana, and Jira; we found no PDF sign-off document in its documentation.
Product details may change over time. Always review official vendor pages before making a purchase decision.
Source pages used for this comparison: Pastel homepage, Pastel plans, Pastel approve / request changes documentation, Pastel versions documentation, Pastel export documentation, Pastel website review (proxy, not a snapshot), Aligno docs, Aligno pricing.
Related pages: Design feedback tool, Client approval software, Markup.io alternative comparison, See all design feedback tool alternatives.
Free to try — no credit card
Clients never pay or sign in
One share link, no account
Explicit approval on every version
Run the same client site through both
The fastest way to choose fairly is running the same review on each tool, then changing the page and seeing where the comments end up. Aligno's free plan takes minutes to set up.