Video review is where most production friction concentrates: the notes, the versions, the approvals, and the "which file did you watch?" arguments all happen here. These are the twenty questions editors, producers, and clients ask most often - answered directly, with the Frooty specifics where they are relevant (plan details as of November 2026).
Getting started
What is video review software?
Video review software is a tool for collecting feedback on video in one place: reviewers watch a cut in a browser, leave comments anchored to specific moments, and approve versions - replacing email threads, screen recordings, and filename roulette with a single shared record.
Do clients need an account to review a video?
No. A review link opens the video directly in the browser; the client needs nothing but the URL. That matters, because every extra signup step between a client and the player costs you feedback.
Can reviewers comment from a phone?
Yes. Review links are responsive, so a stakeholder can watch a cut and leave timecoded notes from a phone - which is often where executive reviewers actually are.
What is a review link?
A review link is a shareable URL that opens one video (or one version of it) in a player with commenting enabled. Good review links support access controls - password, expiry date, watermark, download on or off - so sharing stays deliberate.
How much does video review software cost?
Most tools charge per team seat, with a free tier for small projects. Frooty's plans as of November 2026: Free - $0, 5 GB storage, 2 members, unlimited projects, up to 1080p; Studio - $39/month or $380/year, 2 TB storage plus 1 TB per member, unlimited members, original-resolution delivery; Custom for larger teams. Reviewers with links are not billed seats.
Feedback mechanics
Timecoded comments vs frame-accurate comments - what is the difference?
A timecoded comment pins to a second; a frame-accurate comment pins to the exact frame. For pacing notes, seconds are fine. For grade, graphics, and continuity issues at a cut point, frames are the difference between a note you can act on and a note you have to hunt for.
What is an annotation on a video?
An annotation is a drawing placed on a specific frame - a circle around a logo, an arrow at the crop problem. It removes the descriptive middleman: instead of "the thing on the left at 0:41", the reviewer marks the thing.
How specific should client notes be?
Specific enough to act on without a follow-up question. The review tool's job is to make that easy: pausing pins the note to the moment, so specificity stops depending on the reviewer's memory.
What do I do when two reviewers contradict each other?
Both notes are visible threads, so show them to the decision owner and let them pick. The editor should never silently average between a brand note and a legal note.
Can clients see each other's comments?
That depends on the tool. In Frooty, everyone on a review link sees the same thread per video, which surfaces contradictions early - the alternative, private note silos, reliably produces conflicting instructions.
Versions and files
What is a version stack?
A version stack is the ordered history of cuts for one deliverable: v1, v2, v3, each with its own feedback and approval state. Reviewing versions instead of loose files is what makes "which cut is current" a question the system answers for you.
How do reviewers know what changed between versions?
A short change note with each upload ("music swapped, legal line updated at 0:32") plus a side-by-side comparison view. Stakeholders verify their own note was addressed instead of re-reviewing the whole edit.
Can I compare two cuts side by side?
Yes - Frooty supports synchronized side-by-side version comparison, which settles "music A or music B" debates in one watch instead of a meeting.
What resolution should I upload for review?
1080p is usually enough for approval rounds and keeps uploads fast; deliver from the master in your editor. On Frooty, original-resolution delivery is available on Studio; the Free plan caps review uploads at 1080p.
Is there a free plan for small teams?
Yes. Frooty's Free plan is $0 with 5 GB storage, 2 members, unlimited projects, and video review included - enough to run a real two-person workflow with clients, not a trial (as of November 2026).
Approvals and delivery
What counts as an approval?
A named person approving a named version at a recorded time. Anything softer - "they seemed happy on the call" - is a liability. Explicit approval state on the version is the fix.
What is picture lock?
Picture lock is the milestone where the edit's timing is frozen: no more shot changes, so sound, color, and graphics work can proceed against a stable cut. Review tools mark it as a version state rather than a verbal agreement.
How many review rounds should a project have?
Two to three is typical: assembly, fine cut, final. State the round count in the project scope so "one more tiny change" becomes a scoped conversation instead of a fifth round.
How do I protect a cut before release?
Three controls together: watermark the review stream, password the link, set an expiry date - and keep downloads off until approval. The master never leaves the workspace during review rounds.
How are final files delivered after approval?
From the workspace, at original quality, with download controls - so the release is a deliberate act by the owner, not an attachment. See secure video sharing for the full pattern.
Have a question this FAQ did not cover? Explore Frooty's review stack or start with the collaboration features.