Content:

1. Why Client Collaboration Software Matters
2. How to Choose Client Collaboration Software
3. What to Look for in a Client Collaboration Tool
4. Types of Client Collaboration Tools
5. The Best Client Collaboration Tools for 2026
6. Client Collaboration Software Comparison Table
7. The Right Client Collaboration Software for Modern Teams

Why Client Collaboration Software Matters

"Client collaboration tools are essential for streamlining project management, communication, and teamwork between companies and customers, offering platforms for smooth communication, file sharing, task management, and more." - Client Collaboration Software, Cone

Picture this.

You’re managing client projects across three websites, a few landing pages, and a bunch of design assets. You’re:

• juggling multiple tools (email, spreadsheets, chat, video calls, PM tools)
• chasing clients for approvals
• trying to track project progress across a dozen tabs
• stuck in constant back and forth and endless email threads

By the end of the week, your team is burnt out, and your client still doesn’t feel “on the same page”.

That’s exactly the kind of pain client collaboration software is built to solve.

Instead of clients emailing vague comments, client collaboration tools give you:

• one shared place for feedback, tasks, and files
• clear visibility of project progress for both your team and your client
• proper project tracking and task management instead of manually updating spreadsheets

For agencies, in-house web teams, freelancers, content creators, course developers, etc, working with mutual action plans, collaboration software isn’t 'nice to have' anymore; it’s how you keep projects on track and profitable; and it's also how you keep your clients happy.

How to Choose Client Collaboration Software

Different teams need different things from a client collaboration tool. The right fit depends on:

• What you’re collaborating on
  • Websites, apps, or digital products
  • Documents, proposals, creative assets
  • Ongoing retainers vs one-off projects
• Who’s involved
  • Designers, developers, PMs, content, QA
  • Non-technical clients or stakeholders
  • External partners or vendors
• How complex your projects are
  • Simple brochure sites vs complex projects with many dependencies
  • Small teams vs cross-functional teams spread over multiple regions
• Team size
  • For complex projects, larger teams may need robust platforms with advanced features

Broadly, here’s what client collaboration software can help you do:

• Review websites and digital assets with visual collaboration (pin feedback directly on the page, image, or Figma frame)
• Assign tasks, track progress, and manage tasks from one shared board
• Share files and documents without creating 20 different versions
• Keep client communication transparent with comments, @mentions, and team chat
• Give clients a clear view of project work and status, so they always know what’s happening

If your goal is to reduce the manual processes, repetitive tasks and chaos around client interactions, picking the right collaboration software is one of the highest-leverage changes you can make.

What to Look for in a Client Collaboration Tool

When you’re comparing customer collaboration tools or team collaboration tools, these are the key features to keep an eye on.

1. Simple, intuitive interface

If your tool isn’t easy to use, clients won’t touch it.

Look for a user friendly interface where:

• clients and stakeholders can give feedback with minimal effort
• non-technical users can click around and “just get it”
• your entire team can work without training manuals

Review sites often highlight this as a major plus for BugHerd. For example, Geekflare calls out its “user-friendly interface” and visual approach as a big win for agencies.

2. Clear task & project management

Good client collaboration isn’t just about chatting; it’s about managing projects.

Look for tools that support:

• task management and task assignment
• flexible task statuses (eg. To Do, In Progress, In Review, Done)
• basic project planning and resource allocation
• the ability to track progress at both task and project level

Tools with built-in boards (or strong integrations to project management software) help you move straight from feedback to action.

3. Real-time collaboration & visibility

Clients feel better when they can see project progress in real time.

Helpful features include:

• real time collaboration on comments and edits
• client-friendly views (like simple client portals or read-only boards)
• @mentions so the right team members see the right issue
• clear, shared context that keeps everyone on the same page

4. Strong collaboration features (not just chat)

You don’t just need another chat app.

Great collaboration software gives you:

• structured team collaboration and client collaboration in the same place
• comment threads tied to work items, pages, or designs
• the ability to streamline communication instead of adding noise

Think: less “Did you see my email?” and more “Everything’s on the board.”

5. File & document sharing

If you’re dealing with content, contracts, and creative assets, you’ll want:

• frictionless file sharing
• document management and version history
• easy document sharing links for clients
• support for PDFs, images, videos, and design files

You can still use Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar, but integrating your file sharing with your collaboration workflow means less “Which version is this?” time.

6. Permissions, security & branding

Working with multiple clients means you’ll want:

• user permissions so clients only see their own work
• the ability to invite clients and limit what they can edit
• sometimes, custom branding like using your own logo or domain
• for larger orgs, options like highly customizable platform plans and custom pricing

If you’re an agency, this is what helps your collaboration tool feel like an extension of your service, not a random app you bolted on.

Types of Client Collaboration Tools

Client collaboration doesn’t happen in just one type of software. Most teams use a stack of tools that work together. Here are the main categories:

1. Visual website & client collaboration tools

These tools focus on visual collaboration for websites, web apps, and design assets:

• Clients click directly on the page to leave feedback
• The tool captures screenshots and technical info
• Feedback becomes actionable tasks on a board

BugHerd sits squarely in this category: it lets clients point, click, and comment on live sites, capturing everything your team needs to fix the issue.

2. Project management & team collaboration tools

Think: project management plus team collaboration tools.

Platforms like Asana, monday.com, Zoho Projects, ClickUp, Trello and others help you:

• plan workloads and deadlines
• assign tasks across teams
• visualize dependencies for complex projects

3. Communication tools

These tools help you talk — fast:

• team chat (Slack, MS Teams)
• video calls (Zoom, MS Teams)

They’re perfect for standups, “quick question” threads, and live working sessions. But on their own, they’re not enough to manage client work end-to-end.

4. File sharing & document-first tools

These are your online collaboration tools for content and documents:

• Google Workspace, Dropbox, Notion

They shine at document sharing, comments in docs, and pre built templates — but you’ll usually combine them with more focused client collaboration software for website and design feedback.

Here are the Best Client Collaboration Tools for 2026

Let’s look at some of the best online collaboration tools you can use with clients, starting with the ones built specifically for web and digital projects.

We’ll break them into four categories:

1. Visual client collaboration & website feedback
2. Project management & client portal platforms
3. Communication & team collaboration tools
4. File sharing & document-centred tools

Category 1:  Visual client collaboration & website feedback tools

1. BugHerd

Reviews: 4.8/5.0 (G2)

BugHerd is the client collaboration tool for agencies and web teams who want easy, visual feedback on websites and digital assets.

Clients just point, click and comment on a live site; BugHerd grabs a screenshot, captures technical details (browser, OS, screen size, URL, etc) and turns that into a task on a Kanban board for your team.

Because feedback is pinned exactly where it belongs, both your team and your clients are on the same page.

“Love the ease in which our clients can give feedback on our websites and request revisions.” - Anonymous G2 BugHerd review

Key Features of BugHerd:

Point-and-click bug reporting

BugHerd is the easiest bug reporting tool to use!  Clients and stakeholders simply use the arrow icon to click directly on any element of a live or staging website, and drop a pin/comment (like sticky notes on a page). No login required.  

Video feedback via BugHerd

BugHerd lets you expand how you provide input on web pages and report bugs, by enabling you to create a recorded video along with audio.  It’s the easy way to leave feedback on multi-step interactions, animations, and anything else that’s difficult-to-describe with written words alone.

Automatic capture of user tech details

When an issue is reported, BugHerd automatically captures user technical details: browser type/version, operating system, screen resolution, element selector, URL, etc. This gives developers the context they need without having to ask follow-up questions.

Task tracking

Each bug report is automatically converted into a task on a Kanban board that lets you drag and drop cards, and where you can easily prioritize and delegate a bug by assigning a person; and get email notifications when a bug's status changes. This makes QA cycles more visible and manageable. BugHerd also keeps clients updated by by allowing them access to the task board (you determine the level of access), for real time visibility, especially on critical issues.

BugHerd two-way integrations

BugHerd has deep two-way integrations with all project management tools such as Jira, ClickUp, monday.com, Asana, Trello, and more; as well as supporting integrations with collaboration tools like Slack & Microsoft Teams, and developer tools like GitHub. BugHerd also has a fully featured API and Webhook support enabling custom integrations with any application.

BugHerd Pricing

BugHerd pricing starts at $42/month for up to 5 members, including unlimited projects and unlimited guests.  All plans include a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.  

If your work revolves around websites, creative assets, or digital products, BugHerd is a strong go-to tool to anchor your customer collaboration process.

“BugHerd made our projects more efficient and easier to manage. It saved time and money, and removed a huge source of frustration for both our team and our clients. - Dave Eddy, Redback Solutions

2. MarkUp.io

Reviews: 4.7/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of MarkUp.io: Visual feedback and content-review tool for websites, images, PDFs, and videos.  Enables contextual, pinned comments and easy client collaboration.  

MarkUp.io is more limited than BugHerd when it comes to richer task management, integrations, and client workflow, but it still counts as a useful collaboration tool for basic reviews.

Pricing:  Plans start at $79/month for unlimited users.  A 30-day free trial is available.

3. Pastel

Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Pastel: For marketing and design teams who want a drag-and-drop visual feedback tool. Pastel focuses on quick website and design reviews.

Pricing : Pastel offers a free forever plan but it's quite limited as it's only for 1 user and 1 active canvas. Paid plans start at $35/month for 2 users and 3 active canvases.  A free trial is available.

4. Ruttl

Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Ruttl: Good for teams who want visual feedback on web designs. Offers website and video commenting, plus options like version comparison.

Pricing: A free plan is available but it's limited to 5 users and only 1 project. Paid plans start at $12/user/month for up to 3 projects.
‍

Category 2: Project management & client portal platforms

5. Asana

Reviews: 4.4/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Asana: For cross-functional teams who want structured projects and automation. Offers powerful task and project tracking; timelines, workload, and resource allocation views;  and automation for routine tasks.

Pricing: A free plan is available but it's limited to 2 users.  Paid plans start at around $9/user/month.

6. monday.com

Reviews: 4.7/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of monday.com: Visual project management for agencies and growing teams.  Offers flexible boards for managing projects, dashboards that show project progress at a glance, support for sales pipelines, marketing campaigns, and operations

Pricing: A free forever plan is available but it's limited to 2 users.  Paid plans start at around $22/user/month.

7. ClickUp

Reviews: 4.7/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of ClickUp: For teams who want an all-in-one collaboration software with a lot of depth.

ClickUp brings together tasks, docs, and goals; dashboards and workload views; custom workflows and advanced automation

ClickUp is powerful but can be a bit intense for non-technical clients. It works well when your internal team lives there and you connect tools like BugHerd so clients can give feedback in a simpler way.

Pricing: A free forever plan is available but has limitations.  Paid plans start at around $10/user/month.

8. Trello

Reviews: 4.4/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Trello:  For teams who want a simple, visual project management tool. Trello uses boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks visually. It’s easy to learn and works well for basic task tracking and team collaboration, but lacks deeper project management features.

Pricing: A free plan is available but has limitations.  Paid plans start at around $6/user/month.

9. Zoho Projects

Reviews: 4.3/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Zoho Projects: For teams who already use Zoho or want a robust PM tool at good value. Zoho Projects offers Gantt charts, issue tracking and time logs, and multiple project views

If you’re looking for strong project management software with integrations into the wider Zoho suite (including finance and CRM), Zoho Projects is worth a look.

Pricing: A free plan is available for up to 5 users (limited features).  Paid plans start at around $8/user/month.
‍

Category 3. Communication & team collaboration tools

10. Slack

Reviews: 4.5/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Slack: Day-to-day team collaboration and quick conversations. Slack gives you channels for projects, clients, and topics; file and link sharing; basic workflows and automation.

It’s excellent as a “live layer” on top of your structured tools, but you don’t want your entire client collaboration process living in Slack messages.

Pricing: A free forever plan is available (limited features).  Paid plans start at around $9/user/month.

11. Microsoft Teams

Reviews: 4.4/5.0 (G2)

Highlight of Microsoft Teams: Perfect for organizations already deep in Microsoft 365.  MS Teams combines team chat, video calls and meetings, as well as file sharing via SharePoint/OneDrive.

You can also plug in apps and tabs, making it easier for internal teams to keep everything inside the Microsoft environment while still using dedicated customer collaboration tools for website and design feedback.

Pricing: MS Teams is free for individuals (one user), with Business plans starting at $4/user/month when billed annually under the Microsoft Teams Essentials plan.  A free 30-day trial is available.

12. Zoom

Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Zoom: Live working sessions and workshops with clients.

Zoom is simple, stable, and familiar to most clients. Use it for:

• kickoff meetings and scoping
• design walkthroughs and UAT sessions
• screen-shares to walk through mutual action plans or project updates

Pricing: A Basic Zoom plan is free and offers users 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants, and other collaboration features. Paid plans start at around $25.99/user/month.
‍

Category 4. File sharing & document-centered tools

13. Google Workspace

Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Google Workspace: Collaborative docs, sheets, and slide decks.  Users can co-edit documents in real time, store and share documents with clients. use pre built templates for proposals and reports.

On its own Google Workspace is not a full client collaboration platform for websites, but it integrates nicely with tools like BugHerd and your project management stack.

Pricing: The Starter Plan costs around $10/user/month for 30GB, moving up to around $20/user/month for 2TB.  Google Workspace offers a 30-day free trial.

14. Notion

Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)

Highlights of Notion: Knowledge bases, client hubs, and structured documentation.  Notion offers a lightweight client portal, documents and tasks in one space, a hub for managing ideas, notes, and briefs.

It shines when you want highly structured information and custom workflows in one place, but you’ll still want dedicated tools for visual web feedback and QA.

Pricing:  Notion offers a free plan for individuals with basic features.  Paid plans start at $12/month/member for small teams and professionals to work together.

15. Dropbox

Reviews: 4.4/5.0 (G2)

Best for: File storage and document sharing.

Highlights of Dropbox:  Cloud-based file storage tool that lets teams store, share, and collaborate on documents and assets. It supports shared folders, version history, and easy link sharing, and integrates with common workplace tools.

Pricing:
A Basic free plan is available with limited storage. Paid plans start at around $9.99/month for one person, with team plans starting at approximately $15/user/month.

Client Collaboration Software Comparison Table

The Right Client Collaboration Software for Modern Teams

If your team is still handling client collaboration through endless email threads, spreadsheets, screenshots, and different tools, it’s a sign that your current setup isn’t supporting the way modern teams work.

Today’s best online collaboration tools cover a range of needs, from project management software that supports project planning, task management, task assignment, and resource allocation; to document sharing and file sharing tools that help manage content, contracts, and shared assets. Team collaboration tools, client portals, team chat, video calls, and real time collaboration features all play a role in keeping both your team and your clients on the same page and improving the overall client experience.

While many online collaboration tools are great for managing projects, assigning tasks, tracking project progress, and supporting internal collaboration efforts, they often fall short when it comes to collecting and managing website feedback.

This is where BugHerd stands out as the right client collaboration tool. As a visual client collaboration software, BugHerd makes it easy to invite clients, gather contextual feedback with minimal effort, and turn that feedback into actionable tasks.

With a user friendly interface and intuitive interface, it supports seamless collaboration between the entire team and clients, whether you’re working with small teams, large organizations, or client-facing groups. BugHerd centralizes feedback, streamlines communication, reduces repetitive tasks, and helps teams track progress and manage tasks without switching between multiple tools.

If you’re looking to improve customer collaboration, simplify client communication, and bring clarity to how you manage website feedback, BugHerd can become your go-to tool. Start a free BugHerd trial or book a demo to see how visual collaboration and smarter client collaboration software can transform the way you work with clients and deliver projects.

"I have been using BugHerd for many years and it is simply the best. All of my clients love it and it has simplified the website review process so much. I don't know what I would do without this tool. It is amazing." - Lee, Agency Owner/Founder in US

‍

Frequently Asked Questions

What is client collaboration software?

Client collaboration software is a type of collaboration software that helps teams work directly with clients in a shared space. It supports client communication, task management, project tracking, document sharing, and feedback collection so both your team and your clients can stay on the same page throughout a project. Unlike internal-only team collaboration tools, client collaboration software is designed to include external stakeholders and streamline client interactions.

What is client collaboration?

Client collaboration is the process of working with clients throughout a project, rather than only sharing updates at the end. It involves ongoing communication, feedback, and alignment on goals, timelines, and deliverables. Strong client collaboration helps improve client relationships, reduce misunderstandings, and ensure project work stays aligned with expectations.

How is client collaboration software different from team collaboration tools?

Team collaboration tools are built primarily for internal use and focus on how team members communicate and manage work together. Client collaboration software includes similar features but also supports client portals, user permissions, and workflows that make it easy to invite clients into the process without overwhelming them. This makes client collaboration tools better suited for managing client work and external feedback.

Why do teams struggle with client collaboration?

Teams often struggle with client collaboration because feedback and communication are spread across multiple tools. Emails, chat apps, shared documents, and screenshots create manual processes, endless email threads, and constant back and forth. This makes it harder to manage tasks, track project progress, and keep the entire team aligned, especially on complex projects.

What are the most common client collaboration tools for web projects?

For web design and development, common client collaboration tools include BugHerd, Figma, InVision, ClickUp, and SmartTask. Many teams also use project management software like Zoho Projects or other online collaboration tools alongside document sharing and file sharing platforms. Each tool serves a different purpose, which is why teams often combine multiple tools.

Why is visual collaboration important for website feedback?

Visual collaboration allows clients to leave feedback directly on a website or digital asset, instead of describing issues in text-only messages. This makes feedback clearer, reduces follow-up questions, and speeds up task assignment. Visual collaboration is especially helpful for managing website feedback, QA, and UAT because it removes guesswork and improves collaboration efforts.

What is the best client collaboration software for website feedback?

There are many customer collaboration tools available, but for website feedback, BugHerd stands out as the right client collaboration tool. BugHerd lets clients click directly on a page to leave contextual feedback, which is automatically turned into tasks your team can manage. This makes it easier to track progress, manage tasks, and deliver projects without juggling multiple tools.

How does client collaboration software support project management?

Client collaboration software supports project management by connecting feedback, communication, and task management in one place. Instead of moving information between different tools, teams can assign tasks, update task statuses, and track project progress directly from client feedback. This improves visibility for both your team and your clients and supports smoother project planning.

Can client collaboration software replace project management software?

In some cases, client collaboration software can handle basic project tracking and task assignment, especially for small teams. However, many teams use client collaboration tools alongside dedicated project management software for advanced features like resource allocation, custom workflows, and complex reporting. The goal is seamless collaboration between tools, not replacing everything with one platform.

How does client collaboration software improve client communication?

Client collaboration software improves client communication by centralising conversations, feedback, and files in one place. Instead of scattered messages and documents, clients can see comments, updates, and project progress in real time. This streamlines communication, reduces misunderstandings, and helps both your team and your clients stay aligned.

Who typically uses client collaboration software?

Client collaboration software is commonly used by agencies, freelancers, small businesses, and in-house teams working on client projects. It’s also used by accounting firms, law firms, sales teams managing mutual action plans, and teams delivering complex digital or content-based work where client feedback and approvals are critical.

How does client collaboration software help manage complex projects?

For complex projects, client collaboration software helps centralise feedback, reduce manual processes, and keep communication structured. By linking feedback directly to tasks and project work, teams can better manage dependencies, assign tasks clearly, and track progress without losing context or relying on different tools.

Can client collaboration software help small teams?

Yes. Small teams often benefit the most because client collaboration software reduces repetitive tasks, saves time, and prevents work from falling through the cracks. Instead of juggling multiple tools, small teams can use a single collaboration tool to manage client interactions, feedback, and task management more efficiently.

How does BugHerd fit into a client collaboration workflow?

BugHerd fits into a client collaboration workflow as a visual feedback and task management layer. It works alongside project management software, team chat, and document management tools by capturing website feedback in context and turning it into actionable tasks. This makes BugHerd a go-to tool for managing website feedback while supporting seamless collaboration across the entire team.

‍