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The bottom line
A strong fit for production teams that need review and tracking, not a free general-purpose PM tool.
ftrack combines production planning, task and shot tracking, media review, and pipeline automation through an open API. Review costs $10 per user/month billed annually or $15 monthly; Studio, which adds planning, tracking, reports, and API access, costs $25 annually or $30 monthly. Both paid plans list 250GB of storage, and trials are 7 days for Review and 14 days for Studio.
The pricing is easier to assess than custom-only enterprise software, but there is no free plan, and Review Pro costs extra at $120 per workspace/month billed annually or $150 monthly. Reddit feedback is mixed but includes users who describe ftrack as easier to use and cheaper than Shotgun; another thread questioned its suitability as a file-versioning system. That makes ftrack a better match for managing production work than treating it as a general file-management layer.
Good fit if
- VFX and animation production teams
- Studios needing contextual media reviews
- Teams wanting shot and task tracking
Skip it if
- Teams that require a free plan
- Groups needing file versioning as their core tool
- Organizations that need published Enterprise pricing
ScoresHow it rates
What works
- Review plan starts at $10 per user/month billed annually
- Review includes unlimited projects and unlimited reviews
- Studio combines planning, scheduling, tracking, and reports
- Frame-accurate notes and annotations support media review
- Open API supports custom integrations and pipeline automation
What doesn't
- No free plan is listed
- Review Pro adds $120–$150 per workspace/month
- Enterprise pricing is custom and annual-only
- Satellite Review requires contacting sales and is Enterprise-only
- Reddit feedback raises questions about file-versioning suitability
01What ftrack actually does
ftrack is production management and media review software for creative teams. It combines project planning, task assignment, shot tracking and feedback on media, with pipeline automation and custom integrations available through its open API. It is aimed at coordinating creative production, not serving as a free, general-purpose project management app.
The pricing page splits the product into two main plans. Review is for teams that need media review only; it includes unlimited projects and reviews, interactive media review and 250GB of storage. Studio adds planning, scheduling, tracking, project reports and API access, also with 250GB of storage. Enterprise pricing is custom and includes options such as self-hosting and single sign-on. The listed trials are seven days for Review and 14 days for Studio. There is no free plan.
02Where ftrack is strong
ftrack brings production tracking and media feedback into one system. That is useful when a team needs more than a task board: the listed features cover resource, budget and delivery forecasting; prioritized artist tasks; shot status; and frame-accurate review notes and annotations. Studio includes planning, scheduling, tracking, reports and API access, while Review keeps the scope to media review.
- Review costs $15 per user per month, or $10 per user per month billed annually. It includes unlimited projects and reviews, interactive media review and 250GB of storage.
- Studio costs $30 per user per month, or $25 per user per month billed annually. It includes the production-management features and 250GB of storage.
- Review Pro is an add-on at $150 per workspace monthly or $120 per workspace monthly billed annually. The pricing page lists synced review for 10 people, 4K playback, watermarking, security permissions and 250GB+ storage.
One Reddit commenter described ftrack as neater and easier to use than ShotGrid, while another said it felt more plug-and-play. Those are individual opinions, not a guarantee that setup will be easy for every pipeline.
03Where it falls short
The main drawback is the price structure: there is no free plan, and Review and Studio are priced per user. Annual prices are monthly equivalents billed annually; monthly billing costs more. Both listed plans include 250GB of storage, so teams needing more should account for the additional storage add-on: $30 per workspace monthly or $25 per workspace monthly billed annually for 500GB. Review Pro is another workspace-level cost if you need its 4K playback or synced review for up to 10 people.
Enterprise pricing is not published, and Satellite Review requires contacting sales and is Enterprise-only. Self-hosting is listed as an Enterprise option, not a standard-plan inclusion. That matters for teams with tight budgets or a requirement to keep hosting in-house.
There are also reasons to validate pipeline fit before switching. In one Reddit thread, a user questioned whether ftrack was suited to managing heavy VFX assets such as cached simulations, textures and rigs, and described the documentation as scant. That is one user’s concern, not proof of a limitation, but teams planning to use it as file versioning or a full pipeline system should confirm those workflows directly. The listed plans do not specify storage beyond their caps.
04ftrack pricing: what you'll actually pay
ftrack’s Review plan costs $15 per user/month, or $10 per user/month with annual billing. It is for media review and includes unlimited projects and reviews, 250GB of storage, and interactive media review. Studio costs $30 per user/month monthly or $25 annually. That is a jump of $15 per user/month on monthly billing, or 2.5 times Review’s annual rate; Studio adds planning, scheduling, tracking, reports, and the ftrack API. Annual prices are monthly equivalents billed upfront for the year.
Review Pro is an extra $150 per workspace/month, or $120 per workspace/month annually. It supports 10 people in synced review and adds 4K playback, watermarking, security permissions, and 250GB+ storage. Another 500GB costs $30 per workspace/month, or $25 annually. Satellite Review is available by contacting sales and is Enterprise-only. Enterprise pricing is custom and annual-only. There is no free plan; trials are 7 days for Review and 14 days for Studio.
05Switching to (or from) ftrack
The published materials do not publish a migration guide, migration service, or supported import and export formats. Before switching, map the projects, users, task assignments, shot statuses, review notes, and media your team needs to carry over; confirm which can be transferred and what may need manual rebuilding. The ftrack API is listed with Studio, and the homepage describes an open API for integrations, but that does not by itself confirm bulk export or migration support.
That leaves data portability and lock-in details unclear from the available sources. Enterprise offers optional self-hosting, but the pricing details do not say whether that changes export rights or migration work. We also can’t responsibly summarize why people leave based on Reddit: no Reddit posts or comments were included in the published material. Ask ftrack for a written export process and test it against a representative project before committing to a move.
From the threadsWhat users say
Reddit users describe ftrack as easier to pick up and more plug-and-play than some alternatives, with one studio user also calling it cheaper. Feedback is not uniformly positive: users report annotation and playback frustrations, and some call the software chaotic or sluggish.
Ftrack is a lot more plug and play (And cheaper. And allows self hosting at enterprise level)
it just feels a little bit neater and easier to use
The comments often don't sync, or duplicate and then you can't delete them
Don't use the "new" web player, the one that pops up over the rest of the interface. Make a playlist (or get your coordinator to) and use the normal web player
Questions people ask
What does ftrack do?
ftrack is production management and media review software for creative projects. Its listed features include project planning and forecasting, task and shot tracking, media review with frame-accurate notes and annotations, and client approvals. The homepage also describes pipeline automation and custom integrations through an open API.
How much does ftrack cost?
According to the pricing page, Review costs $15 per user monthly or $10 per user monthly when billed annually. Studio costs $30 monthly or $25 annually per user. Enterprise pricing is custom and annual-only. There is no free plan; the listed trials are seven days for Review and 14 days for Studio.
Which ftrack plan should a studio choose?
The pricing page positions Review for teams that need media review only; it includes unlimited projects and reviews, 250GB storage, and interactive media review. Studio is for end-to-end production management and adds planning, scheduling, tracking, project reports, and the ftrack API. Enterprise lists additional organization-level features.
Can we self-host ftrack or use it offline?
The pricing page lists optional self-hosting under Enterprise, alongside a staging server, customized SLA, and single sign-on. A Reddit commenter also described ftrack as allowing self-hosting at enterprise level. Offline use is not specified on the vendor's site, so we would confirm that requirement with ftrack before buying.
What does ftrack charge for 4K review?
The listed Review Pro add-on costs $150 per workspace monthly or $120 per workspace monthly when billed annually. It supports 10 people in synced review and includes 4K playback, watermarking, security permissions, and 250GB+ storage. The pricing details list it as an add-on; they do not specify a separate per-user price.