HopBack is an alternative to Pastel (usepastel.com) for website and design feedback. The two are close in spirit: both review live websites, images, PDFs and video with pinned comments from clients who need no account. HopBack adds numbered revision rounds with carry-forward, Compare, a finish-review lock, and it counts active reviews generously (10 on Starter, 30 on Studio) rather than capping Pro at three canvases. Plans start at $19 a month with unlimited reviewers.
PastelPastel is a good tool, and the one we would point to if HopBack did not exist. It has a free plan (one canvas), approvals, deadlines and reminders on every plan including free, a responsive tester, CSV export, and project management integrations on Team via Trello, Asana, Jira, ClickUp, Monday and Zapier. Its Pro plan includes 100 GB of video storage.
Pastel Pro is $35 a month for three canvases. Three open projects, then archive one to start another. HopBack Starter is $19 for 10 active reviews and Studio $49 for 30.
Pastel has no concept of a round. HopBack has Round 1 of 3 on the review, unresolved comments carrying forward, resolved ones staying behind, and Compare side by side. Round one can be a PDF concept and round two the staging link, under the same link.
Pastel has approvals. HopBack adds the finish-review lock, so the feedback cannot be reworded after work has started, and records approval with a name and a time.
Both tools pin to the element. Pastel locks each comment to the screen size it was left at and snaps the view back to that width when you select it. HopBack keeps the pin on the element as you switch between desktop, tablet and mobile.
Pastel is website-first with file support. HopBack treats a packaging flat or a brochure spread as a first-class review, so a client learns one tool from the logo to the launch.
HopBack posts to Slack and Microsoft Teams on Studio and Agency without Zapier.
| HopBack | Pastel | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 14-day Studio trial, no card | Free: 1 user, 1 canvas |
| Entry | Starter $19/mo ($16 annual), 2 seats, 10 active reviews, 25 GB | Pro $35/mo ($29 annual), 2 users, 3 canvases, 100 GB |
| Middle | Studio $49/mo ($41 annual), 5 seats, 30 active reviews, 100 GB, video, reminders, Slack and Teams | Team $119/mo ($99 annual), 5 users, unlimited canvases, 500 GB, PM integrations |
| Top | Agency $99/mo ($82 annual), 12 seats, unlimited reviews, 500 GB, MCP | Enterprise $450/mo, 10+ users, SSO |
| Extra user | $6/mo | $24/mo (Team) |
| Client reviewers | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Prices and features checked on 1 November 2026 against Pastel's pricing page. If something has changed, tell us and we will fix it.
Pastel figures from usepastel.com/plans, checked 11 September 2026.
Pastel→HopBackStart your next project in HopBack. There is no import, and you do not need one: paste the URL or upload the file, set the rounds, send the link. Finished Pastel projects can stay where they are.
One review item, the same as one HopBack: a website, PDF, image or video. Pastel Pro includes three at a time.
No. Every account starts with 14 days of Studio with no card.
No. Both let reviewers comment from a link. HopBack asks for a name only.
Yes. Approvals with a locked record on every plan, and automated reminders on Studio and Agency.
Free, then Pro $35 a month ($29 annual), Team $119 ($99 annual), Enterprise $450. Checked 11 September 2026.