With over 4.3 billion results on Google for “design tools”, it’s no surprise that it can be challenging to identify which one is best for your own needs. Some software is more comprehensive than others, some tools are better for certain design purposes, and some tools are used more commonly than others in the industry.
Design and visual feedback tools can help agencies reduce the risk of miscommunication with clients and can play a critical role in optimizing workflows. In this article, we’re going to discuss the 7 best design feedback tools that you can use today.
What are Design Feedback Tools?
As the name suggests, design feedback tools can be used by designers to get feedback from clients about initial designs, such as a wireframe.
Clients often have suggestions about tweaking the design, and using a feedback tool can go a long way in making sure that both the client and the designer are on the same page.
There are several advantages to using design feedback tools. Firstly, they can help you save time. In the past, getting feedback on your work could be a very time-consuming process.
You would have to send your work to each client and then wait for them to get back to you with their thoughts. With design feedback tools, you can gather their feedback, including direct comments, for each of the deliverables.
Secondly, design feedback tools can help you get clarity on what exactly the client is looking for. In many cases, clients require really specific edits on different pages, and with a dedicated design feedback tool, it’s much easier to know precisely what they require.
The 7 Best Design Feedback Tools
Here are the 7 best design feedback tools that you can use in 2022.
1. Atarim
Atarim is one of the most popular design feedback tools. Created primarily for digital agencies and freelancers that specialize in web development and design, Atarim can be installed on a client’s website (as a nifty WordPress plugin).
This allows clients to specify what they want to change, using the plugin to easily and quickly take screenshots of each page that they wish to change and then allowing them to add comments in specific locations on that screenshot. These screenshots also include important data such as the browser and screen size used.
All updates can be viewed by designers in the Agency Dashboard, which can be used as a project management tool. With Atarim, designers don’t need to worry about using tools such as Asana or Trello – they can use simple Kanban boards in Atarim to manage workflows.
Team members can sign up for tasks, change their statuses as each task progresses, and even communicate internally to gain feedback on designs before they’re sent to the client.
Key Features
- Free version available
- A dedicated team that regularly adds new features
- Time and team tracking options to manage tasks efficiently
- Simplify client communication by getting exact feedback on specific pages
- Get information about what the client sees, including browser and screen size/resolution
2. ProofHub
ProofHub is a dedicated project management tool that offers you complete control and visibility over your projects. It helps simplify and streamline your workflows, helping agencies save precious time.
ProofHub lets clients access designs and leave their feedback, all within the tool, and it also supports a real-time chat function that lets you communicate with clients directly.
ProofHub also has a mobile application available, so even if you’re not on your computer, it’s easy to get client approvals or review their feedback. From consolidated task views to reviewing progress using lists or even Gantt charts, ProofHub is an excellent work management tool for designers.
Key Features
- Excellent team collaboration features with custom user roles
- Time tracking options available
- Chat messaging function
- Comprehensive reporting module
3. InVision
InVision is another very popular design feedback tool that’s used by some of the heavy-hitters in the industry. Used primarily for wireframes and prototypes, designers often prefer using InVision to create mockups and get feedback from clients.
InVision allows designers to share their work with team members for feedback and collaboration and also provides tools for prototyping, version control, and project management.
You can create clickable prototypes using real interactions and animations, so you can get an idea of how your users will interact with your site before you even start coding.
InVision also offers built-in version control, so you can keep track of changes made to your design over time and roll back to previous versions if necessary.
Key Features
- Hundreds of built-in templates
- Integrations available for apps like Figma and Adobe XD
- Sharing projects is very easy
- In-built reporting tools
4. Bounce
Bounce is a very simple design feedback tool that lets you upload images, annotate them, and share (or receive) feedback. Arguably the main reason why so many designers prefer using Bounce is that it’s completely free to use.
However, in order to get the best out of it, you’ll want to consider upgrading to its Pro Suite to access the full set of features.
The thing about Bounce is that you just upload an image, and it creates a unique link. You can send this link to your clients and get their feedback. Since there’s no app to download, it’s all very lightweight and easy to execute.
Key Features
- Very basic functionality to help gather feedback
- Free version is fairly decent
- Suitable for getting feedback from smaller clients
5. Diigo
Diigo is a social bookmarking website that allows users to save, share, and manage their bookmarks. It also allows users to highlight and annotate web pages.
Diigo is slightly different from some of the other tools on this list, especially since it doesn’t have any project management capabilities. However, its social bookmarking features can be used conveniently for annotating screenshots and getting feedback.
There’s a basic free version available, though it’s riddled with ads. The paid version includes some team collaboration features and removes all advertising.
Key Features
- Suitable for one-off projects
- Very simple UX
- Basic annotation features
6. Droplr
Droplr is a file-sharing service that makes it easy to share your designs with anyone, even if they don’t have a Droplr account. All you need is a link, and they can quickly review designs and leave their feedback.
Droplr is primarily a screen sharing and recording service, though it’s generally quite versatile. For instance, when you take screenshots, you can easily annotate them, leave your comments, or even highlight certain areas.
The image editor lets you add different shapes, such as arrows, to attract attention to specific parts of the screenshot. It’s a fairly lightweight tool that works really well, though you should know it doesn’t have any project management features.
Key Features
- Link shortener and lightweight file upload module
- Integrations available for popular apps like Slack
- Analytics available for images and shared files
7. Notable
Notable is quite different from the other design feedback tools on our list. It’s a Markdown-based app that lets you create portable attachments with feedback or suggestions included.
This is great for exchanging designs with clients and getting their thoughts on it. You can add explanations or provide clarity to clients on certain topics. Since it uses Markdown, it’s a bit more text-heavy, but it allows you to provide lots of supplemental information with each design.
And Notable is completely free to use on the desktop. It’s very lightweight, and you can choose to download a dedicated app or work through the browser. If you need a nifty app for taking notes and sharing suggestions, Notable can be just what you need.
Key Features
- Uses Markdown
- Very lightweight app
- Simple, clutter-free interface
Getting Clear Feedback Is Critical to Removing Bottlenecks
Many developers find it difficult to get clear feedback from their clients. This prolongs completion times and has the potential to cut into your revenue. With a tool like Atarim, you can easily manage tasks, get clearer feedback, and simplify workflows, ultimately improving productivity and team performance.
