Layerdock vs Pastel
Pastel if you are a solo designer on straightforward projects and want the simplest setup. Layerdock if you run several clients at once or need technical context.
Layerdock
Free to start
Free forever, no card. Pro is $19/mo per workspace, with unlimited client reviewers on every plan.
Pastel
from $35/mo
Pro: 2 users, 3 canvases. Free: 1 user, 1 active canvas
Install
Nothing
Layerdock reviews a live site from a link. No extension for reviewers, and a snippet only for private staging.
Free forever, no card. Clients just open the link, nothing to install.
How this comparison was made
Both sets of prices were read off each vendor’s own pricing page on , not from a directory or another roundup, which are routinely months stale.
Layerdock makes one of these two tools. The section naming where Pastel is the better choice is real, not a softened weakness. If it fits your work better, buy it.
Pastel vs Layerdock at a glance
| Pastel | Layerdock | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 1 user, 1 active canvas | Free forever, no card |
| Entry price | $35/mo ($29 annually) | $19/mo |
| Limits at entry | 2 users, 3 canvases | 7 members, 5 docks |
| Free plan | 1 user, 1 active canvas | 3 seats, 2 docks, 35 pins/mo |
| Team tier | $119/mo ($99 annually), 5 users | Agency $69/mo ($59 annually) |
| Console + network | No | Agency |
| Reviewers | Unlimited | Unlimited |
LayerdockPastel is the simplest tool in this group and that is the point of it. You paste a URL, share a link, and reviewers comment without creating an account.
The limits are where it pinches. Three canvases on Pro go quickly for an agency with several clients at once, and Team pricing climbs per user. Layerdock prices the workspace and lets you have more docks for less, adding console and network capture (read on Agency).
When Layerdock is the better choice
- $19/mo against $35/mo at entry, and 5 docks on Pro against Pastel’s 3 canvases.
- Console errors and failed network requests on every pin. Pastel captures none.
- Per-workspace pricing. Pastel Team is $119/mo starting at 5 users, then $24 per extra user.
When Pastel is the better choice
- The lowest-friction setup here: paste a URL, share a link, reviewers comment without an account.
- Unlimited reviewers on every tier, the free tier included.
- Each comment records screen resolution and browser automatically.
Try Layerdock alongside Pastel
Paste your site, send one review link, and see which fits your team. The Free plan costs nothing.
Free forever, no card. Clients just open the link, nothing to install.
Everything in Layerdock, in one place
Pin it on the live page
Reviewers click any element on the real site and leave a comment. Nothing to install.
Draw and annotate
Mark up a screenshot with arrows and shapes so the change is obvious.
Record the problem
Screen recordings attach to the pin, so nobody has to explain it twice.
Console and network context
Every pin carries the errors and failed requests behind it for your developers.
Inspect the element
See the exact element, its styles and its accessibility details from the pin.
Hand it to your AI agent
Connect over MCP so your coding agent reads the feedback and fixes it.
How it works
1. Capture
Paste your site URL into a dock.
2. Share
Send the link. Clients need no account.
3. See
Every pin lands in one place, with context.
Layerdock pricing
Free
$0
Free forever, no card. Pins on the live site, unlimited client reviewers, one client share link.
Pro
$19/mo
Pro: per workspace, unlimited reviewers, 5 docks
Agency
$69/mo
Agency ($59/mo billed yearly): unlimited docks, console + network diagnostics
Console and network diagnostics are on the Agency plan, not the entry plan. Compare that tier, not the headline price, if diagnostics are what you are buying. See full pricing.
Not just us: the whole shortlist
This page argues one tool against another. If you have decided to leave Pastel but not what to move to, Pastel alternatives ranks the realistic options by verified entry price, including the ones cheaper than us. Choosing by the job instead? The client feedback tools for web development guide sorts them by job.
Common questions
Is Pastel cheaper than Layerdock?
No. Pastel starts at $35/mo ($29 annually) against Layerdock at $19/mo. Its free tier (1 user, 1 active canvas) is the only cheaper route, and Layerdock has a free plan too.
Review the live site, with nothing to install
Paste a URL, share the link, and your client pins comments on the real page. Plans start free.
Other comparisons
Layerdock vs BugHerd
BugHerd from $50/mo
Layerdock vs Marker.io
Marker.io from $39/mo
Layerdock vs MarkUp.io
MarkUp.io from $79/mo
Layerdock vs Userback
Userback from $49/mo
Layerdock vs Huddlekit
Huddlekit from $16/mo
Layerdock vs Ybug
Ybug from €13/mo
Layerdock vs Jam.dev
Jam.dev from $14/creator/mo
Layerdock vs Ruttl
Ruttl from $18/user/mo
Layerdock vs SureFeedback
SureFeedback from $25/mo
Layerdock vs PageProofer
PageProofer from $39/mo
Layerdock vs Feedbucket
Feedbucket from $49/mo
Layerdock vs Bird Eats Bug
Bird Eats Bug from $50/mo
Layerdock vs Atarim
Atarim from $67/mo
Layerdock vs zipBoard
zipBoard from $99/mo
Layerdock vs Usersnap
Usersnap from €49/mo
Want the whole category rather than one head-to-head? Compare 17 website feedback tools, read what a dock is, or go straight to pricing.