Adobe Bridge vs. SmartVault

If you're working with tons of files and different types of files and you have to keep them sorted out and be able to tell the differences within the files...this is the best option for you. It will make your life so much easier being able to preview everything quickly while seeing the small details. I do know that some photographers are really happy with how Lightroom catalogs their images, but I think for anyone doing major compositing or video work, Bridge is hands down the way to go. It just saves you so much time and headaches.

Incentivized

SmartVault sends out a cover letter with the tax returns that includes a link for them to download their tax returns, avoiding the insecurity of an email attachment. It does not include a statement retrieval feature but does work very nicely with a third-party app called FileThis. The majority of the users in the office have not been able to install the Outlook plug-in due to "a certificate error." In five years, SmartVault has not addressed this issue.

Incentivized

• User friendly.
• Works well in combination with it's other adobe products.
• Like that's it's included in the cost of Creative Cloud.

Incentivized

• Easy navigation
• Email notifications
• Document previews

• User interface could be more friendly--currently it has a very techy feel
• Sometimes it’s a bit slow to load the program initially

Incentivized

• They have cut back on support as have many SaaS companies recently.
• The documentation can sometimes be a little difficult to follow.

Incentivized

Reaching someone is more difficult than it should be. Also, they don't take possession of known issues always suggesting it is a local PC issue in initial conversations. That, of course, can be frustrating for the end-user.

Incentivized

Bridge is just easier and quicker. It suits our purposes more

Incentivized

Sales team was responsive, price was good, functionality was acceptable

• It's saved me probably thousands of hours at this point. I used to spend so much time looking for different files and now I can find them all quickly.
• I can now decide which are the 15 images I will deliver from a portrait session within 10 minutes. It used to take me around an hour to open them each up and start deciding.
• I quit negatively speaking to myself for misnaming files and then never being able to find them.
• I only complain about Adobe Bridge when it doesn't work with a firewall and I have to turn it off or restart my computer.

Incentivized

• has made sharing documents with large numbers of clients easier
• has forced us into using their service, or spending time to find a better alternative, in my experience.
• Speaking personally the product has cost us several thousand dollars over predicted budget costs for a 3-year projection