Fabric vs Frame.io in 2026

Last updated September 2026

Fabric and Frame.io solve different problems in the same world. Frame.io is a video review and approval platform, now part of Adobe. It is where editors share cuts with stakeholders, collect timecode-accurate feedback, and manage version stacks through the approval process. Camera to Cloud gets footage from set to the cloud before the camera cards leave the building. Fabric is a personal cloud and context layer that stores files with zero disk space, searches inside them by meaning, and wraps them in a workspace of notes, canvas, annotations, and publishing. Frame.io lives in the edit timeline. Fabric lives everywhere else.

Comparison table

Fabric

Fabric is not a video review platform. It does not provide frame-accurate timecode commenting, NLE panel integration, or Camera to Cloud ingest. Those are specialised review functions built for a specific point in the production pipeline.

What Fabric does is handle the storage, search, and organisation layer that sits around the review process. Video productions generate far more than the footage and the cuts. Scripts, treatments, storyboards, shot lists, location scouts, talent releases, music cue sheets, client briefs, brand guidelines, meeting notes, and final deliverables in multiple formats. These files scatter across drives, email threads, and cloud services. Finding a specific version of a brief, the original storyboard for a scene, or the licensing agreement for a music track means searching by file name across multiple services and hoping for the best.

The cloud drive streams files using zero disk space from any device. A director reviewing reference material on set, a producer pulling together deliverables for a client, a coordinator assembling a post-mortem package. Same files, any device, no VPN. AI search goes inside every file type by meaning. Search for "the shot list for the warehouse scene" and Fabric finds the document. Search for "the take where the actor paused before the door" and Fabric finds the timestamp in the video. Visual search finds footage and stills by visual similarity. Colour search matches colour palettes across reference images and graded footage.

The workspace keeps production materials connected. Notes and documents for scripts, creative briefs, and post-production notes sit alongside the media they reference. The spatial canvas works for storyboarding and visual planning. Annotations pin feedback directly onto any file type. Publishing with analytics handles sharing reels, selects, or deliverables with clients, with tracking for who opened what.

Fabric connects to Google Drive and Dropbox through integrations, so existing files become searchable without migration.

Pricing starts at $8/mo billed yearly, with a free tier that includes limited storage and AI.

Frame.io

Frame.io is the review and approval standard for video production, integrated into Adobe's Creative Cloud ecosystem. Version 4, released in late 2024, rebuilt the platform with panel-based workspaces, nested folder trees, account-level metadata, and improved search. The rebuilt Premiere Pro panel syncs comments as timeline markers, so editors see stakeholder feedback directly in their sequence without switching applications.

The core workflow is straightforward. Upload a cut. Share it with reviewers. Reviewers leave frame-accurate, timecode-stamped comments with drawing annotations. The editor sees those comments in the NLE panel or the web interface, addresses them, uploads the next version. Version stacking keeps revisions connected. Approval statuses track where each deliverable stands in the sign-off process. For the review-to-delivery portion of post-production, this is well-designed.

Camera to Cloud is the other significant capability. Supported cameras (Fujifilm, RED, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Leica) upload proxy or full-resolution files directly to Frame.io during or after recording. The footage arrives in the cloud before the camera cards are physically transported anywhere. For productions with tight turnaround or remote editorial teams, this shortens the path from set to edit by hours or days.

The free tier includes 2 users and 2GB of storage. Pro at $15/user/month provides 2TB plus 2TB per additional member, with up to 5 members. Team at $25/user/month extends to 15 members with 3TB base storage. Enterprise pricing is custom. External reviewers (anyone receiving a share link) are free and unlimited across all paid plans.

Frame.io is a review and approval platform. It does not provide long-term file storage (media must be uploaded specifically for review), a general-purpose workspace, AI search across documents and non-video files, or organisation tools for the broader production archive. Once a project wraps and the reviews are done, the media typically moves elsewhere for archival.

How to choose

If the primary need is video review and approval with frame-accurate comments, NLE integration, and Camera to Cloud, Frame.io is built for that specific workflow. It is the industry standard for getting cuts reviewed and approved.

If the need goes beyond review to storing, searching, and organising the full breadth of production materials, from pre-production through delivery and archival, with AI that understands what is inside every file type, Fabric covers that ground. Many production teams use Frame.io for the review stage and a separate storage layer for everything else. Fabric is the storage layer that also happens to search inside the files and connect them to a workspace. For the complete picture of how video teams handle assets, see Video production workflow guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can Fabric replace Frame.io?

For frame-accurate video review with NLE panel integration and Camera to Cloud, no. Frame.io is purpose-built for that workflow and deeply embedded in the Adobe ecosystem. Fabric handles file storage, AI search across all file types, and the workspace around production. The two tools serve different stages of the workflow: Frame.io for review and approval, Fabric for storage, search, and organisation.

Does Frame.io work as long-term storage?

Frame.io is designed for active review, not archival storage. Media is uploaded for review and typically moved to permanent storage once the project wraps. Storage on Pro and Team plans scales with member count (2TB per member), but the platform is not optimised for browsing and searching large archives of completed projects. Fabric's cloud drive and AI search are built for both active work and long-term retrieval.

Which has better search?

Different capabilities. Frame.io V4 introduced natural language search and visual search (beta, Enterprise tier) for finding footage by description. Fabric's AI search covers all file types by meaning: documents, images, video, audio, and more. For finding a specific moment in reviewed footage, Frame.io's search within its platform works well. For finding a document, a reference image, or a clip across your entire file library, Fabric's broader search covers more ground. See Search fatigue in media production.

How much does Frame.io cost for a production team?

A five-person team on Pro costs $75/month ($15/user/month). The same team on Team costs $125/month ($25/user/month) with higher base storage and up to 15 members. External reviewers are free on all paid plans, which keeps costs manageable when sharing with clients and stakeholders. Fabric starts at $8/mo per user billed yearly.

Can I use both Fabric and Frame.io?

Yes. This is a common setup for production teams. Frame.io handles the review and approval workflow (cuts uploaded, comments collected, versions tracked, approvals signed off). Fabric handles long-term storage, AI search across all project materials, and the workspace for scripts, briefs, and deliverables. The two tools cover different stages without overlap.

Does Frame.io include storage for all my production files?

Frame.io storage is tied to your plan and member count. Pro provides 2TB base plus 2TB per additional member. For production companies managing multiple concurrent projects with large media files, storage can become a constraint. Fabric's cloud drive storage is included with the plan and streams files with zero disk space on your devices.

What about Adobe Creative Cloud users?

Qualifying Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions (All Apps, Premiere Pro, After Effects) include a limited Frame.io tier: 2 users, 5 projects, 100GB storage, and Camera to Cloud access. This is enough for light review use. For teams doing regular review and approval work, the paid Frame.io plans are necessary. Fabric is independent of Adobe and works across all platforms and workflows.

Can Fabric handle video review?

Fabric's annotations work on any file type, including video, and the publishing feature shares files with password protection and access analytics. For casual feedback and client sharing, this works. For frame-accurate timecode commenting with NLE integration and structured approval workflows, Frame.io is the dedicated tool. See Collaborating on a video project remotely.

What is Camera to Cloud?

Camera to Cloud is a Frame.io feature that uploads proxy or full-resolution footage directly from supported cameras to the cloud during or after recording. It eliminates the physical card shuttle from set to edit suite. Fabric does not offer camera integration but can store and search footage once it reaches the cloud through any upload path. See Camera to cloud for the rest of us.

Is Fabric free?

Fabric does have a free tier with limited storage and AI. Paid plans start at $8/mo billed yearly.

See also

• Camera to cloud for the rest of us

• Collaborating on a video project remotely

• Where is that b-roll

• The proxy workflow is dying

• Media asset management without the price tag

• Video production workflow guide

• Search fatigue in media production

• Best cloud storage for video editors

• Best creative ops platform

• Fabric vs LucidLink

• Best digital asset management tool

• SSD shuttle is not a workflow

• How to edit video without filling your SSD