A: Hi there NC23,

This is SUCH a great question and one I'm happy to answer. UserBack and markup.io are fantastic tools with passionate people behind them. As a designer myself, I have to acknowledge that it's always refreshing to see ANYONE working to make these processes easier. Here's a couple of key differentiators:

=> Tools like Markup.io place your website in a canvas on top of their own code which allows it to run through their site, which can be nice... However, this can lead to slow load times and even render some pages not quite exactly how your end users might see them, which is crucial for a proper design review. Additionally, there can be issues when trying to comment on a local website, staging site or a page behind a secure login.

=> We choose to use a combination of high-resolution screenshots + browser extension to ensure that Volley is lightning-fast to launch, works on ANY website, even local sites, staging builds, etc. right out of the box.

=> Another benefit of screenshots is the ability to quickly export your feedback to other project management tools with all the right context. Your note and comment are all together.

=> Additionally, we plan to introduce more markup options, similar to those found on UserBack like draw, arrows, shapes, etc. very soon. Screenshots make for easier management of this type of feedback.

=> One more added bonus to using an extension + screenshots is the ability to preform review of native apps. By mirroring your smartphone to your computer and then sharing that screen within a google hangout, you can review of any native app on your mobile device, which isn’t possible with the iframe method.

=> Tools like UserBack are great for collecting external feedback from your visitors. We designed Volley to work beautifully for internal teams working to quickly and efficiently review their websites and products. We feel that because Volley isn’t terribly bloated with features, it allows you move your projects forward in a fraction of the time.