Design, branding and UX agencies

Design agency software for briefs, proofing, approvals and billing

AgencyPro gives graphic design, branding, UX and creative studios one client portal for structured briefs, pinned feedback on proofs, recorded approvals and invoices. Design stays in Figma, Adobe or Canva.

See how it works for your agency

A short workflow tour, from client context to delivery and billing. No signup needed.

Narrated screen walkthrough using fictional sample data.

AgencyPro for creative agencies

Explore service offers, brand context, client feedback, file handoffs, and billing.

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The short answer

  • On every plan: client portal, request forms with custom fields, Client Review status, file delivery with in-browser preview (unlimited storage, 10GB per file), messaging, invoicing and design subscriptions.
  • On Pro ($79/mo): pinned comments on design files, versioned proofing with recorded approvals, Brand Hub per client, proposals and contracts with e-signature, credit-based and hourly services.
  • Not included: design editing, live Figma commenting, or feedback on staging websites. Annotation works on files you upload.
  • Cost: plan price plus seats. A 4-person studio on Pro is $79 + 3 x $20 = $139/mo, with unlimited clients.

Where design projects lose time and margin

The design itself is rarely the slow part. Time goes on the brief that arrives without dimensions or brand files, the feedback that says "make it pop" in an email thread, the third stakeholder who appears at round four, and the question of which version the client actually approved.

Each of those costs unbilled hours. A project tool built for internal tasks does not solve them, because the problems happen with the client. AgencyPro puts the brief, every version, every comment and the approval on one request the client can see.

How a design request moves from brief to sign-off

  1. Brief. Each service has its own request form. Add fields for format, dimensions, copy, references and deadline, with conditional logic so a print job asks for bleed and a social set asks for platforms. Clients upload files on the form.
  2. Assign. Requests go to a designer by hand or, on Pro, by auto-assign rules. Capacity management (Pro) shows who has room before you promise a date.
  3. Proof. Upload the first version to the request. On Pro, clients click on the file to pin comments, draw boxes or arrows and reply in threads, through annotation.
  4. Revise. Upload the next version. Earlier comments stay on the earlier version, and you can compare versions side by side (Pro). The version count shows how many rounds the project has used.
  5. Approve. On Pro, the client approves a specific version and the record stays on the request. On Basic, they confirm in a client-visible comment and you move the request to Completed. Details are on client approvals.
  6. Deliver and bill. Final files go in the client's portal storage. Invoice the stage or project, or let the subscription renew.

Graphic design, branding, UX and creative studios

The workflow above is the same for each. What changes is the scope you agree, where the risk sits and how you bill. The three worked examples below use illustrative numbers.

Graphic design and design subscriptions

Define the asset list, sizes, formats and included rounds per request type. For subscriptions, the cap on open requests is what keeps "unlimited" profitable: one active request per subscriber means a fast client cannot fill your week.

Branding agencies: a brand identity package in stages

Example: a 5-person branding studio sells a new identity to a regional coffee roaster for $18,000, billed in four stages. The numbers are illustrative; every step uses a real AgencyPro feature.

  1. Discovery. The proposal and contract (Documents, Pro) list the stages, the number of concept routes and revision rounds, who runs trademark searches, and which source files are handed over. The first request collects the stakeholder list, existing assets and competitors, and holds the workshop notes and interview summaries.
  2. Strategy and verbal identity. Positioning, naming options and messaging go to the client as a PDF on their own request. On Pro the client pins comments and approves a version, so visual work starts from an agreed strategy.
  3. Visual identity routes. Two or three concept routes are uploaded for pinned feedback. The chosen route is approved on record before refinement starts.
  4. Element-level approval. Logo, color palette and typography each get their own request. The client can sign off the palette while the logo goes another round, and the version count shows the rounds used per element.
  5. Applications and guidelines. Mockups of signage, packaging and social templates are reviewed as images. The guidelines PDF, logo variations (primary, secondary, icon, mono, reversed) and lockups go into portal folders the client can download as a ZIP.
  6. Handoff. Colors with hex codes, fonts and guidelines are added to the client's Brand Hub (Pro), so later campaigns and refreshes start from the approved identity instead of an old email attachment.

Billing: Each stage is a line on the proposal, and you raise each invoice when that stage is approved: for example a $5,400 deposit and three stage invoices. Trademark coordination with the client's lawyer can be an add-on or a separate invoice. Time tracking (Pro) per request shows how strategy hours compared with design hours, which helps you price the next identity or a brand refresh.

UX and UI agencies: research, screens and engineering handoff

Example: a UX studio redesigns a SaaS dashboard. Scope is discovery and user research, about 25 screens, a component library and engineering handoff, followed by a monthly design retainer.

  1. Discovery and research. Research is its own service with an hourly block (Pro), so interview and testing time is billed at its own rate rather than buried in a fixed fee. Personas, journey maps and findings are delivered as a PDF on the request.
  2. Wireframes and flows. Export key flows as PDF or images for pinned comments (Pro), and link the Figma file or prototype in the request for clickable review. Comments made inside Figma stay in Figma; AgencyPro does not import them.
  3. High-fidelity screens. Run one request per flow (onboarding, billing, settings) so one flow's approval does not wait on another. Other stakeholders comment, and the named final approver signs off a version.
  4. Usability testing. Attach the test plan and findings to the flow's request and upload the revised screens as the next version, so the change and its reason sit together.
  5. Design system and handoff. A handoff checklist covers component states, responsive breakpoints, design tokens, exported assets and the Figma link. Record the client's engineering lead accepting the handoff in a client-visible comment before you close the project.

Billing: Fixed-price stages cover screens and the design system, an hourly block covers research, and after launch a monthly retainer with included hours and rollover (Pro) covers new features and design system upkeep.

Creative agencies: a multi-discipline campaign

Example: a creative agency produces a product launch campaign with a key visual, 12 social variants, a 30-second video cut and campaign copy. The client has a marketing lead and a brand manager who both review.

  1. One brief for several disciplines. A campaign request form uses conditional fields: ticking design asks for sizes and platforms, ticking video asks for script, length and music direction, and copy asks for key messages and claims that need evidence.
  2. Creative direction first. Mood boards and references go on a separate request and are approved before production starts, so the team does not build 12 variants in the wrong direction.
  3. Parallel production. Design, copy and video run as separate requests with their own assignee and due date, tagged with the campaign name so the whole campaign can be filtered in one list.
  4. Internal review gate. Add an "Internal review" status and set allowed transitions so nothing reaches Client Review without passing it. This works on every plan. Creative director notes stay in internal comments the client never sees.
  5. Client approval by deliverable. The client approves each piece: pinned comments on the key visual and social set, frame-accurate notes on the video cut (Pro). Agree up front which of the two reviewers gives final approval.
  6. Finals and licensing. Usage terms for stock, music and talent go in the contract (Documents, Pro). License files and releases are attached to the request with the final files, so the client can find them when the campaign is reused.

Billing: One invoice with a line per discipline (Design, Copy, Video) shows the client what each part cost. Rush delivery and extra revision rounds can be add-ons the client selects at checkout for a productized service, or one-off invoices on a project.

AgencyPro does not run fixed sequential approval chains such as legal, then brand, then executive. Name the client's final approver before work starts and ask for consolidated feedback per round.

Revision limits: what AgencyPro tracks and what you still decide

AgencyPro does not count rounds against your contract and add a surcharge on its own. It gives you the evidence and the billing tools, and you make the call with the client.

  • The agreement: put included rounds and the price of extra rounds in a proposal or contract with e-signature (Pro), or in the service description on Basic.
  • The evidence: every version and its comments stay on the request, so you can show the client round four.
  • The charge: sell an "extra revision round" add-on the client can buy, or send a one-off invoice after they agree.

How design agencies charge, and what each model needs

ModelHow it works in AgencyProSuitsPlan
Project in stagesQuote or proposal with stages; you raise an invoice as each stage is approvedBrand identity, website design, UX projectsInvoicing on Basic, proposals on Pro
Design subscriptionRecurring price with a cap on requests per period and on requests open at onceOngoing graphic design for marketing teamsEvery plan
Credit-basedClients buy credit packs; each request type costs a set number of creditsMixed asset sizes, from social graphics to landing pagesPro
Hourly blockA set number of hours per purchase or per period, with optional rolloverUX research, design system upkeep, ad hoc supportPro
Fixed-price packageOne-time price at checkout from your catalog or an order formLogo package, pitch deck, social starter kitEvery plan

Stage billing is manual: you create each invoice when the stage is approved. Subscriptions and packages are set up once in productized services.

When AgencyPro is not the right fit for a design agency

  • Your clients review inside Figma. If feedback already happens well in Figma comments, file-based annotation duplicates it. You may still want AgencyPro for intake and billing only.
  • You need feedback pinned on live staging sites. That is a website feedback tool's job.
  • You need strict sequential sign-off from several departments. An enterprise proofing tool handles required approval chains.
  • You are on Basic and need recorded approvals. Version-level approvals and pinned comments take Pro.
  • You deliver single files over 10GB. Storage is unlimited on every plan, but each file is capped at 10GB. Link larger archives from your own storage.

Design agency software: common questions

Answers for graphic design, branding and UX studios.

What is the best software for a design agency?

Most design agencies need two kinds of software: design tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud or Canva, and an operations tool for briefs, client feedback, approvals and billing. AgencyPro is the second kind. It does not replace your design tools.

Can clients leave feedback directly on a design?

Yes, on Pro and Plus. Clients pin comments on uploaded PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG or PDF files from their portal, draw highlights and reply in threads. Each version keeps its own comments. Annotation works on files you upload, not on live Figma files or staging websites.

Does AgencyPro charge clients automatically for extra revision rounds?

No. AgencyPro does not add revision surcharges on its own. Write the included rounds into your proposal or contract, use version history to show how many rounds a project took, and bill extra rounds as an add-on or a separate invoice once the client agrees.

Can I run an unlimited design subscription in AgencyPro?

Yes. Create a recurring service and set a cap on requests open at once, for example one or two active requests per subscriber, plus an optional limit per billing period. Clients pay through Stripe or PayPal and submit requests from the portal. This works on every plan.

How do I keep client brand assets organized?

Brand Hub (Pro) holds each client's logos, colors with hex codes, fonts, guidelines and stored logins. Your team sees it next to the brief, and clients can update their own profile through the portal.

How much does AgencyPro cost for a design studio?

Basic is $39/mo, Pro $79/mo and Plus $149/mo, each including one seat. Extra seats are $15, $20 or $30/mo by plan. For example, a 4-person studio on Pro pays $79 + 3 x $20 = $139/mo. Clients are unlimited on every plan.

Can I white-label the client portal?

Portal branding and a custom domain are on every plan. Plus adds branded email and removes the "Powered by AgencyPro" label.

Does AgencyPro integrate with Figma, Adobe or Frame.io?

No. There is no native connection to Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud or Frame.io. Teams link the Figma file or prototype in the request and upload exports (PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, MP4, MOV or WebM) for pinned feedback on Pro. A client's Google Drive folder can be added to their portal menu as a link.

How much storage do design files get?

File storage is unlimited on every plan, and each file can be up to 10GB. Each client has their own folders, with in-browser preview and ZIP download.

See a design request from brief to approval

Book a demo and we will set up one of your services, a proof round and an invoice so you can judge the fit.