A while ago, I reviewed the online-proofing application, Conceptshare. Recently, I was contacted by the COO of a similar product, Creationflow which offers many of the same features Conceptshare and ProofHQ PLUS the added bonus of project management capabilities.

Hit the jump for my review and some additional screenshots of the product in action.

The video review will be posted over at Mobo Media, Inc.com where you can discovery learn with me as I explore the features of Creationflow!

LOOKS: The very first thing I noticed when I went to the Creationflow site is the aesthetics of it all. The site and proofing software is pretty bare bones and doesn’t provide the eye-candy that other applications provide. This could scare away people who may be turned off by it’s sub-par first impression. We are an aesthetically fixated society and i think that goes for the web as well. This doesn’t mean it is of less quality (which it isn’t) but if you’re looking for flash this may not be up your alley. Don’t give up on it though.

TASKS: The aspect of Creationflow that differentiates itself from the other sites is that along with the ability to edit, comment, annotate, and collaborate with your clients via the web, it also allows for project management capabilities. This is a key feature if you are working with a team as it would give you the ability to assign and track the progress of different tasks all from the comfort of the dashboard. Even as a solo designer, it would give you and the client the added assurance of how the project, and any edits made are coming along. This is a great added value feature that can be passed on to your clients for that extra boost for customer service.

EDITING: The edit screen, where you and the clients can view the work, exchange notes, and even chat in real time is simple and easy to use, and if you’ve used other similar services, you will be very familiar with the workspace. Pretty straight forward. See the work, make the changes, approve or request more changes, discuss, all from the comfort of your desk.

COST: Here comes the kicker: how much does it cost? And the answer is pretty much the same as all of its competitors with the added bonus that you can host this service on your own server which is pretty neat making it your own service rather than hosting it through a third party url. Of the 3 services I reviewed, ProofHQ allowed for the most diverse selection of pricing options ranging from $17/month all the way up to $499/month. This is definitely a great selling point on their point. Creationflow comes in second with 7 different options ranging from $50-$500/month. Conceptshare comes in last with only 3 price points which might be an inconvenience to mid-small companies. All 3 of the services offer trials of varying days.

OVERALL: I’d say that Creationflow ranks right in there with Conceptshare and ProofHQ, especially if you work with multiple people or find that you or your clients need a visual list to keep on top of things, then I would definitely recommend Creationflow. The thing that sells Creationflow to me is the fact that they clearly CARE about feedback. Their COO reached out to me through a google search and email. He was looking for buzz and feedback. He wanted his product to be reviewed for obvious reasons as well as the feedback. When a company cares like this, good things happen.

Aesthetics: 2.5
Usability: 4
Price: 3.5