Video review tools split into two pricing philosophies: per-seat plans that charge for every member (and sometimes every reviewer), and flat member plans where client reviewers are free. Below is the honest, date-stamped comparison - including our own pricing and where each model costs you more than the headline number.
Prices verified October-November 2026 from each vendor's official pricing page. Plans change; always confirm on the vendor's site before buying. Frooty is our product - we mark our own row clearly and keep the comparison factual.
The pricing table (verified late 2026)
| Tool | Entry paid plan | Free plan | Client reviewers | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame.io (Adobe) | Pro $15/user/mo (up to 5 members); Team $25/user/mo (up to 15) | Yes - 2 members, 2GB | Included but seats are capped per tier | Per-seat, capped |
| Frooty (ours) | Freelancer $2/mo · Studio $39/member/mo (unlimited members) | Yes - 2 members, 5GB, unlimited projects | Always free, unlimited | Flat member fee |
| Vimeo (Review) | Starter $12/mo · Standard $25/mo · Advanced $75/mo (annual billing) | Limited free tier (~1GB) | Bundled in paid plans | Per-seat hosting |
| Wipster | Light $9.95/mo · Team $19.95-$25/user/mo | Trial only | Unlimited on plans | Per-seat (light entry) |
| Dropbox Replay | $10/user/mo annual ($12 monthly) add-on on a Dropbox Plus-or-higher plan | Limited free tier | Bundled | Per-seat add-on |
| Ziflow | Entry ~$249/mo, key features on higher tiers | Trial only | Bundled | Team subscription |
| Filestage | Paid from ~$199/mo | Trial only | Reviewers free (proofing-first) | Team subscription |
Direct head-to-heads with these numbers baked in: Frooty vs Frame.io, Frooty vs Vimeo Review, Frooty vs Wipster, Frooty vs Dropbox Replay, Frooty vs Ziflow, and Frooty vs Filestage.
What the headline price hides
Seat caps turn stakeholders into upsells
A "$15/user" plan that stops at 5 members is not $15 for a five-person agency plus clients - it is $15 until the client's legal reviewer needs access mid-campaign, then a tier jump. Count who needs access at peak (team + active client stakeholders), not headcount today.
Per-reviewer pricing taxes collaboration
Some proofing tools price per active reviewer. For agency work this inverts the value: the whole point of the tool is that five client stakeholders can comment. Every stakeholder becomes a recurring line item you cannot bill for.
Storage is the second bill
Video is heavy. Frame.io's free tier is 2GB - one 4K spot, gone. Vimeo and Dropbox bundles price storage into hosting you may not need. Frooty's free tier is 5GB and Studio carries 2TB plus 1TB per member. Price the plan at your real project sizes, not at the trial.
Annual billing is the default trick
The $12-$75 Vimeo numbers are annual-billing rates; monthly runs higher. Dropbox Replay's $10 is the annual rate ($12 monthly). Whatever tool you pick, compute your real monthly cost at your payment cadence.
Proofing-first vs video-first changes the bill
Ziflow and Filestage are proofing platforms - excellent at multi-format review (PDFs, images, video), priced accordingly at ~$199-$249/mo entry. If you only review video, that breadth is overhead. If you proof everything, it may be worth it. Match the tool to the media mix.
Which model fits which team
- Solo editors and freelancers: free tiers first - Frooty Free (5GB, free reviewers) or Frame.io Free (2GB). The $2 Freelancer tier exists so storage never blocks a paying client job.
- Agencies: flat member fee with free reviewers wins on math - stakeholders scale per campaign. A five-stakeholder client on Frame.io Pro is a seat-cap problem; on Frooty it is $0 extra.
- Marketing/creative teams in one company: per-seat works when "users" = actual editors and review stays internal. The moment external clients review, the per-seat logic bends.
- Enterprise/regulated: custom plans everywhere; the differentiators are storage connect, security reviews, and integrations - not sticker price.
The real cost formula
Annual cost = (seats you pay for × price × 12) + (storage overages) + (the hours your team spends chasing feedback that a frame-accurate review link would have caught). The third term is the one nobody prices - and usually the biggest.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free video review tool?
Yes. Frooty Free (2 members, 5GB, unlimited projects, free client reviewers), Frame.io Free (2 members, 2GB), and limited free tiers on Vimeo and Dropbox Replay. Free plans differ mostly in storage and seat caps - reviewer access is the thing to check.
Is Frame.io free?
Frame.io has a free plan (2 members, 2GB storage). Paid starts at Pro $15/user/month capped at 5 members, then Team $25/user/month capped at 15 - verified late 2026 on frame.io/pricing. Adobe adjusts tiers periodically; verify before committing.
Why do per-seat tools cap members?
Caps push growing teams into higher tiers - it is a packaging decision, not a technical one. If your team plus client stakeholders exceeds the cap mid-project, you upgrade or lock people out. That is the hidden cost of the cheaper-looking per-seat plan.
What does Frooty cost?
Free: $0 (2 members, 5GB, unlimited projects, unlimited free reviewers). Freelancer: $2/month entry tier with a 7-day trial. Studio: $39/member/month (or $380/member/year) with unlimited members, 2TB + 1TB per member, and AI features. Custom plans for larger organizations. Prices verified November 2026.