The short answer
- Choose Filestage if you review many kinds of content (packaging, artwork, video, documents, websites) and email is one of them, or you want AI spelling and grammar checks.
- Choose Mailfois if email is the main job and you want the plan by market, translation, rule-based brand checks and a library of approved emails in the same place as sign-off.
Who’s writing this: I’m Liam Kane and I built Mailfois, so I’m not neutral. I’ve tried to be fair about where the other tool is the better choice. Facts and prices come from each company’s own website and help pages, checked on 15 October 2026.
Side by side
| Filestage | Mailfois | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Reviewing files, video, documents, designs and live websites | Email: plan, mock-up, translation, sign-off, library and results |
| Reviewing an email | Import the email’s web link or upload the HTML as a ZIP; desktop, tablet and mobile views | The live email from its preview link or HTML, on desktop and phone |
| Reviewers | Unlimited, free, no account needed | Unlimited, free, no account needed |
| Due dates and reminders | From Starter (€199 a month); not on Free | Reply-by dates and automatic reminders on every plan |
| Brand checks | AI Review Agents on Business and Enterprise, using credits | Rule-based Brand Guard against your brand kit, on every plan |
| Campaign planning | Projects and templates; no calendar | Email calendar by market |
| Translation | Not built in | Copy Bank with translator links |
| Price | Free (1 active project, 5 new files a month); Starter €199 a month yearly or €249 monthly (10 seats); Business €329 yearly or €399 monthly | Free; Pro £12 a month; Team £24 per seat a month |
Where each one wins
Filestage is better for
- Reviewing many content types: packaging, print artwork, video, documents and websites.
- AI checks for spelling, grammar and forbidden terms (Business plan and up).
- 10 seats on every plan, including Free.
- An EU company, with German data residency on Enterprise.
Mailfois is better for
- Email programmes: the plan by market, translation, a library of approved emails and results.
- Sign-off on part of an email: Legal approves the footer, Pricing the offer, and approved wording is reused.
- Due dates and reminders without paying €199 a month.
- Brand checks that are rule-based, consistent and unlimited on paid plans.
- Small email teams and agencies, with client workspaces.
What a team of five pays
| Filestage | Mailfois | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan that works day to day | Starter, €199 a month billed yearly (€249 monthly) | Team, £120 a month (5 seats) |
| Due dates and reminders | Included from Starter | Included |
| Brand checks | Business, €329 a month yearly | Included |
Prices before tax, from each company’s pricing page.
Comparing more tools? See the best email approval software for 2027, with 12 tools side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Can Filestage review HTML emails?
Yes. Filestage’s help centre explains importing an email by its web link, or uploading the HTML as a ZIP, so reviewers can interact with it and comment.
Do Filestage reviewers need an account?
No. Reviewers give a name and email address. Mailfois approvers also use a private link with no account.
What is a Filestage alternative for email marketing?
If email is the main thing you approve, Mailfois adds the email calendar, translations, brand checks and a library of approved emails around sign-off, with a free plan and paid plans from £12 a month.
Liam Kane is an email and marketing automation specialist with over ten years in marketing and seven in email, planning and building campaigns on Marketo, Bloomreach and Silverpop. He founded Mailfois, so read his take on it with that in mind. More about Liam.
Sources, checked 15 October 2026: Filestage pricing, Filestage: reviewing emails, Filestage Review Agents. Prices are in the currency each company publishes and change over time, so check before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.