Compare
StiqNote vs Pastel
Pastel is a clean, simple review tool for agencies. It loads your site through its own proxy, so clients comment with just a link, and it has client approvals, deadlines and reminders on every plan. It also reviews PDFs, images, videos and emails.
StiqNote is a Chrome extension for reviewing websites with pins that stay on the element, bug reports with logs and a replay, and integrations that sync both ways.
Here's how they compare on 30 September 2026. Pastel's details come from its own plans page and help center, listed at the bottom.
Choose Pastel if…
- Approvals matter even on a small budget. Pastel has approvals, feedback deadlines, reminders and pausing comments on every plan, including Free. StiqNote's sign-off is on Agency.
- You review more than websites. Pastel handles PDFs, images, video files and marketing emails. StiqNote only does web pages.
- You want a responsive preview. Pastel shows mobile, tablet and desktop views in its tester. StiqNote records the size each comment was made at, but has no preview.
- You need single sign-on. SAML is on Pastel Enterprise. StiqNote has no SSO.
Choose StiqNote if…
- Your developers fix bugs from the feedback. StiqNote Pro attaches console errors, network requests and a replay of the last 3 minutes. Pastel captures browser, OS and screen details, but no logs or replay.
- You work in GitHub, Linear or Slack. StiqNote connects to all three natively, plus Jira and Asana, with status synced both ways. Pastel doesn't list GitHub or Linear, reaches Slack through Zapier, and exports to Jira one way.
- You're more than 2 people. Pastel Pro stops at 2 users, so a team of 3 needs Team at $119 a month. StiqNote Pro covers 5 people for $29.
- You want to record your screen. StiqNote records the tab with your voice, up to 5 minutes. Pastel reviews uploaded videos but has no recorder.
- Your designers suggest changes. Suggest an edit changes text, colour and spacing on the page and hands over the CSS.
- Clients review with your brand. StiqNote Agency shows your logo, colour and name. We didn't find branding options on Pastel's plans page.
- You need to review staging or localhost. Your team comments on any page Chrome opens, including those behind a login.
Features compared
| StiqNote | Pastel | |
|---|---|---|
| Comments pinned on the live page | Yes | Yes, through Pastel's proxy |
| Clients comment with nothing to install | Yes, through a guest link | Yes, with a name and email |
| Browser extension | Chrome, Edge, Brave | Chrome, for sites behind a VPN or firewall |
| Screenshot annotation | Every plan | Screenshots with comments; drawing tools not confirmed |
| Screen recording | Pro, up to 5 minutes | No recorder; video file review |
| Session replay | Pro, last 3 minutes | No |
| Console and network logs | Pro | No |
| Suggest text and CSS edits | Pro | Not found |
| Client approvals | Agency, per page, with review rounds | Every plan, per version |
| Deadlines and reminders | Due dates on every plan; round reminders on Agency | Every plan |
| Pause comments | Agency | Yes |
| PDF, image, video, email review | No | Yes |
| GitHub, Linear | Pro, two-way | Not found |
| Jira, Asana | Pro, two-way | Team plan, one-way export |
| Slack | Pro | Through Zapier |
| Webhooks | Pro | Team plan (export) |
| Public API | Pro | No public docs found |
| MCP server | Pro | Yes (plan not stated) |
| Private comments | Every plan | Yes |
| Your branding | Agency | Not found |
| SSO | No | Enterprise |
| CSV export | Every plan | Every plan |
| Free plan | 3 members, unlimited guests | 1 user, 1 canvas |
Price by team size
Per month, in US dollars, excluding tax. Monthly billing first, yearly billing in brackets. For each team size we show two prices:
- List price: the cheapest plan that fits that many people.
- Like for like: the cheapest plan that fits and has what StiqNote Pro includes: console and network logs or a session replay, Jira or Linear, and private comments.
| Team | StiqNote | Pastel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 people | List price | Free $0 | Team $119 ($99) |
| Like for like | Pro $29 ($24) | Not available: no logs or replay. Team $119 ($99) has a one-way Jira export | |
| 5 people | List price | Pro $29 ($24) | Team $119 ($99) |
| Like for like | Pro $29 ($24) | Not available. Team $119 ($99), without logs or replay | |
| 10 people | List price | Pro with 5 extra: $59 ($49) | Team with 5 extra: $239 ($219) |
| Like for like | Pro with 5 extra: $59 ($49) | Not available. Team $239 ($219), without logs or replay | |
| 20 people | List price | Agency $69 ($55) | Team with 15 extra: $479 ($459) |
| Like for like | Agency $69 ($55) | Not available. Team $479 ($459), without logs or replay |
With StiqNote Agency's client features (your branding and client sign-off):
| Team | StiqNote | Pastel |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | Agency $69 ($55) | Team with 5 extra: $239 ($219) has approvals; we didn't find branding |
| 20 people | Agency $69 ($55) | Team with 15 extra: $479 ($459), same as above |
Pastel Pro ($35, or $29 yearly) fits 2 users and 3 canvases. Team starts at 5 users, with $24 per extra user on monthly and yearly billing. Enterprise starts at $450 a month for 10 users. Both have unlimited guests and a 14-day trial with no card.
In short: for 3 people or more, StiqNote costs less on either price. Pastel has approvals on every plan, even Free for 1 user, so a solo reviewer who only needs sign-off pays less on Pastel.
How to switch
There's no importer from Pastel. What works:
Export your comments as CSV from Pastel (every plan) to keep a record.
Finish open canvases in Pastel, and start new sites in StiqNote.
Send clients a guest link. It works much like a Pastel link: any browser, sign in with an email code.
On Agency, start a review round for approvals, as you did with Pastel's approvals.
Questions
Does StiqNote have approvals like Pastel?
Yes, on the Agency plan: review rounds where each client approves pages or asks for changes, with reminders, pauses and a history. Pastel includes approvals on every plan.
Is StiqNote cheaper than Pastel?
For teams of 3 or more, yes. At 5 people, StiqNote Pro is $29 and Pastel Team is $119. With approvals, StiqNote Agency is $69. For 1 or 2 people who only need approvals, Pastel Free or Pro costs less.
Sources
Every fact about another product on this page comes from these pages, read on 30 September 2026.
- usepastel.com/plans
- usepastel.com
- usepastel.com/agents
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/5961534-differences-between-team-users-versus-guest-reviewers
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/8168731-pastel-chrome-extension
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/12084757-review-videos-in-pastel
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/2434705-customizable-webhook-integration-powered-by-pastel
- help.usepastel.com/en/collections/1169728-integrations
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/8174528-zapier-integration-export-pastel-comments-to-thousands-of-apps
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/2411486-jira-integration-powered-by-pastel
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/16399713-connect-your-ai-agent-to-pastel-mcp-server
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/5899720-approvals-for-pastel-canvases-finish-review-button
- help.usepastel.com/en/articles/5007954-private-comments
Spotted something out of date? Email support@stiqnote.com and we'll fix it.
Try StiqNote next to Pastel
Free for 3 people. 14 days of Agency, no card.