About Vellum

Vellum is a small, focused tool for getting comments and markup on PDFs and images. Upload a document, share one link, and collect feedback that stays tied to the version it was left on. It's the lightweight middle ground between heavyweight proofing suites and pasting screenshots into a chat.

How it works

1. Upload a PDF or image. It becomes version 1 of a review.
2. Share the link. Anyone you send it to can open it and comment. No account is needed by default, and a reviewer can add a name (and an email for follow-up) if they want. When you need feedback tied to a person, you can require a name, an email, or a sign-in instead.
3. Collect marks and sign-off. Reviewers drop pins, draw boxes, or sketch on the page, each with its own comment thread. When they're done they can approve or request changes, recorded against the version they saw. Upload a new version and the open feedback carries forward.

What makes it different

• No account for reviewers, by default. The most common reason feedback never gets left is being asked to sign up. With Vellum they click the link and comment. When accountability matters, you can require a name, an email, or a sign-in.
• Feedback follows the versions. Every mark is left on a specific version. Upload a revision and your comments come with it, each finding its place again even when the text reflows or moves to another page, and anything that can’t be placed with confidence waits for you rather than landing in the wrong spot. A single “all open” list shows every comment still unresolved, even the ones on an older version, so nothing gets stranded on an old draft.
• A sign-off you can point to. Reviewers approve or request changes, and you get a record of who signed off on which version, and when.
• Calm and quick, on purpose. It focuses on a few things rather than trying to be a full proofing platform, and deliberately skips real-time co-editing and side-by-side version compare so it stays simple to use.

Your files & your reviewers' data

Vellum is a hosted service: your files are stored on Vellum's server while a review is active. A reviewer's name and email are optional and used only to attribute their feedback, to follow up if they ask, and to send the notifications they turn on. Notifications are off until someone opts in, and only a signed-in account can subscribe, so Vellum never emails an address that isn't an account. From your Account page you can export everything Vellum holds for you, or permanently delete your reviews and their files. Reviews auto-archive after a long stretch of inactivity, and you can revoke a share link at any time. The full detail is in the Privacy policy and Terms. Found a security issue? Here's how to report it.

Who's behind it

Vellum is made by lotlsoft, a small independent software studio. It's a focused tool rather than a platform, and it's actively maintained.

It's free to use. One person runs it, so it stays free for as long as the hosting doesn't become a burden. If that ever has to change you'll hear about it first, and your reviews stay yours to export either way.