Margin vs Pastel
Pastel is a review and approval tool: clients comment on a canvas, approve it and get deadlines and reminders. Margin is for the step after: a coding agent reads the feedback and fixes the site.
The short version
Pastel is built around reviewing and approving work with clients, with deadlines, reminders and a responsive tester.
Margin is built around what a developer or agent needs to act: element, screenshot, device, build and an MCP connection.
Both let clients comment without a login. Pastel limits canvases per plan; Margin limits projects (50 on Start) but not the number of comments.
Side by side
| Topic | Margin | Pastel |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Client feedback on live and staging websites that a coding agent fixes | Reviewing and approving websites and designs with clients |
| Entry price | €9.99 a month (Start). | Free for 1 user and 1 canvas; Pro $29 a month billed yearly ($35 monthly) |
| Users in the first paid plan | You and up to 2 more | 2 users (Pro) |
| Projects or canvases | 50 projects on Start, unlimited on Agency (fair use) | 3 active canvases (Pro), unlimited on Team |
| Next plan | Agency, €29 a month: unlimited members and projects (fair use) | Team, $99 a month billed yearly ($119 monthly): from 5 users, $24 per extra user |
| Clients and reviewers | Free and unlimited, personal link, no account | Unlimited reviewers on all plans |
| Approvals, deadlines, reminders | Not included. Comments move through To do, In progress, In review and Resolved. | Included |
| AI agent access (MCP) | Read and write over MCP with a token or OAuth, one token per project | Not mentioned on its pricing page |
Choose Pastel if / Choose Margin if
Choose Pastel if
- Your clients need to formally approve pages or designs, with deadlines and reminders.
- You review more than live websites and want a free plan to start with.
- You want to see a page in mobile, tablet and desktop widths while collecting comments.
Choose Margin if
- You want an AI coding agent to read the feedback and make the change, then reply to the client in the thread.
- You need the exact element and device context, not only a pin on a canvas.
- You manage many sites and want unlimited members on the agency plan.
Margin and Pastel: questions
Not as a workflow with deadlines. Clients resolve their own comments and teams move comments through four stages. If formal approval matters most, Pastel is the better fit.
Pastel has one. Margin has no free plan; plans start at €9.99 a month, excluding VAT.
Its pricing page does not mention MCP or agent access. Check its current documentation. Margin is built for that handoff.
Sources and notes
What we say about Pastel comes from its public pricing page and was checked on 24 October 2026. Prices are theirs, in US dollars, excluding taxes, and can change, so check the Pastel pricing page before you decide. Margin's prices are listed on the pricing page. Found something out of date? Write to info@christianschmitt.dev.
Pastel is a trademark of its owner. Margin is not affiliated with Pastel.
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