The Frame.io Alternative
That Stores Everything, Not Just Video
Same frame-accurate review and HLS streaming. Plus the rest of the project. Plus AI search and MCP. Plus usage-based pricing instead of per-seat fees. Your whole video workflow in one workspace.
We believe in being radically objective. Fast.io is the best Frame.io alternative for teams because you get the same video review workflow plus the rest of your project, AI search across every asset, and usage-based pricing instead of paying per editor, producer, and freelancer.
Frame.io invented the modern video review experience and Adobe's backing means it integrates well with Premiere Pro. But the moment a project needs a brief, a script, a contract, a deck, or stills, you are back in Drive or Dropbox. Fast.io keeps the whole project in one place and reviews video natively.
| Feature Category & Specifics | Fastio | Frame.io |
|---|---|---|
🎁Free Tier Inclusions | ||
| Free Storage | 50 GB | 2 GB |
| Included Seats | 5 Users | 2 Users |
🗄️Core Storage & Architecture | ||
| Two-Way Cloud Sync | Yes (Incremental/Write-back) | No |
⚡Multiplayer & Workflow | ||
| Live Cursors + Follow Mode | Yes (On filesystem level) | No |
🧠AI & "Agentic" Intelligence | ||
| MCP Support | Yes (14 Tools, PKCE) | No |
🎨Deep Content Rendering | ||
| Advanced Video Streaming | Yes | Yes (video-only) |
Frame.io AI & Integrations
- • No MCP server for AI agents
- • AI features tied to Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions
- • API access limited on lower plans
- • No general-purpose AI search across non-video assets
Fast.io AI & Integrations
- • 14 MCP tools, OAuth + PKCE secured
- • AI search and summaries on every plan
- • Full REST API and CLI on every plan, including free
- • Scoped RAG across video, audio, docs, and code
The Per-Seat Problem
Video is a team sport. One project pulls in an editor, an assistant editor, a producer, a director, two execs who want approval rights, a colorist, a sound designer, and three clients. Frame.io's per-user billing punishes that reality.
"We just need them to review one cut"
A 25-person team on Frame.io Pro runs roughly $375 every month. Adding a freelance colorist or a single exec reviewer means another seat, every month, even if they log in once.
Fast.io's Business plan is $24/mo and includes 100 seats. You pay for storage and AI usage, not for the people watching playback. Add the colorist, the exec, the client. The bill does not move.
The Frame.io-Plus-Drive Way
- Cuts in Frame.io
- Brief, scripts, stills in Drive
- Feedback split across both
- Two bills, two logins
The Fast.io Way
- Everything in one workspace
- Native HLS streaming
- Frame-accurate comments
- AI search across the whole project
Frame-Accurate Review, Without the Tunnel Vision
Frame.io is great at one job. Fast.io does that same job and runs the rest of the project in the same room. Same HLS pipeline. Same timestamped comments. Same approval workflows. More context.
Instant HLS Playback
Uploads transcode to HLS automatically. Reviewers stream up to 1080p inside the browser instead of downloading a 4 GB ProRes file.
Timestamped Comments
Drop notes on the exact frame. Reviewers do not need a Fast.io account, so freelance clients and execs can comment without a login.
Review & Approvals
Track who approved which cut and when. Tie sign-off to deliverables so there is no "did anyone actually approve this?" follow-up.
Streaming, Not Download-And-Wait
Your Footage, Indexed for AI
Frame.io was built before AI agents were a real workflow. Fast.io was not. Every video, transcript, brief, and still in your workspace is searchable in natural language, summarizable, and accessible to any MCP-compatible agent like Claude or GPT.
"Find every B-roll shot of the harbor at sunrise"
Type it into Fast.io's AI search and get clips back with timestamps. Connect your agent over MCP and let it pull metadata, transcripts, and frames straight into your editing session.
Deliver in Your Brand, Not Adobe's
When Frame.io Might Be the Better Choice
We believe in transparency. Frame.io has earned its place in high-end post-production for real reasons. There are scenarios where it stays the right call:
- Deep Adobe Premiere Pro Workflows If your shop lives inside Premiere Pro and uses Camera to Cloud, Frame.io's panel and C2C integration is hard to beat. The native Adobe pipeline is the strongest reason to stay.
- Episodic and Feature Post-Production at Scale Long-form episodic and feature workflows often require Frame.io's advanced dailies, Forensic watermarking, and Adobe-tied DRM. If that is the workflow, Frame.io is the incumbent for a reason.
- Teams Already on Creative Cloud Enterprise If you already pay for Creative Cloud across the team, Frame.io is bundled and the marginal cost is low. Fast.io is the right call when you want to escape per-seat economics, not stack another seat on top.
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | Fast.io | Frame.io |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Usage-based (Credits) | Per-user (Pro from $15/user/mo) |
| Free Storage | 50 GB permanent | 2 GB |
| Included Seats | 5 on Free, 100 on Business | Per-seat from day one |
| Video Review | HLS streaming + frame-accurate comments | Frame-accurate comments |
| General File Storage | Documents, images, audio, video, code | Video and image focus |
| AI Search & Summaries | Built-in, scoped RAG | Limited Adobe integrations |
| MCP / Agent Access | 14 MCP tools, OAuth + PKCE | No MCP server |
| API / CLI | Full REST API + CLI on every plan | API on higher plans |
| Branded Client Portals | Custom URLs, backgrounds, link previews | Presentation pages (limited branding) |
| Two-Way Cloud Sync | Incremental sync + write-back | No (uploads only) |
Fast.io's free tier replaces a paid Frame.io plan.
50 GB permanent storage, 5 users, 3 workspaces, AI credits, and MCP access. Frame.io's free tier is 2 GB.
Sign Up FreeCalculate your savings
Compare usage-based billing against Frame.io's per-seat pricing.
Estimate your savings
Affects Frame.io Pro pricing. Fastio Professional includes 25 seats, Business includes 100 seats. Extra users are just $1/user/month.
Monthly Usage
Your Monthly Cost
Making the Switch
Moving from Frame.io is mostly a copy job. Your masters, proxies, and comment history are exportable. Here is the path most teams take:
Export from Frame.io
Download originals (and proxies if you want them) using the Frame.io download tool or the desktop transfer app. Save comment exports as CSV for your archive.
Bulk Upload to Fast.io
Drag and drop folders, or use the Fast.io CLI for parallel resumable uploads. Files transcode to HLS in the background so playback is ready by the time you share.
Set Up Branded Portals and Reviewers
Customize your share pages, invite reviewers (no Fast.io account required for guests), and start collecting frame-accurate comments and approvals.
Common Questions
How much cheaper is Fast.io than Frame.io?
Fast.io Business is $24/mo with 5 TB and 100 seats. Frame.io Pro starts around $15/user/mo, so a 25-person team is roughly $375/mo. That is a 94% saving, and you stop counting seats every time someone joins a project.
Is Fast.io a good Frame.io alternative for video review?
Yes. Fast.io includes HLS streaming up to 1080p, frame-accurate timestamped comments, approval workflows, and branded share pages. Unlike Frame.io, the rest of your project (briefs, scripts, stills, contracts) lives in the same workspace.
Does Fast.io support Adobe Premiere Pro workflows?
Yes. Fast.io behaves like real cloud storage, so any NLE that can read a mounted folder or pull from a URL can work with it. Use the CLI or REST API to script ingest and delivery, or sync project folders locally for editors who prefer that workflow.
Can I connect AI agents to my video projects?
Yes. Fast.io exposes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server with 14 tools, secured by OAuth and PKCE. Plug in Claude, GPT, or any MCP-compatible agent. Frame.io does not offer MCP or general agent connectivity.
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