Review. Approve.
Unlock.
Send a protected preview first. Let the client review the work. Keep full access locked until you decide to approve delivery, collect payment, or send the final file.
Free plan · 5 active secure links · No credit card required
ApproveLock is an owner-controlled client handoff platform for freelancers, creators, consultants, educators, and agencies. The owner sends a protected preview link instead of the raw file, so the client can review the work — while full access stays locked until the owner decides to unlock it after approval, payment, or final handoff. It adds identity watermarks, access verification, revocable links, and review analytics. This is the Review → Approve → Unlock workflow.
The owner stays in control until the handoff is approved.
The person who uploads the work controls the protected preview, access rules, revocation, and final handoff. Clients can review the work, but full access stays locked until the owner decides it is time to deliver.
The problem is not sharing the file. It is sharing it too early.
When you send the final file before approval or payment, control shifts away from you. The client can save it, forward it, delay feedback, or use it before the handoff is complete.
Sent too early
The final file goes out before approval or payment, and you can't tell if the client opened it, forwarded it, or saved every page.
Control shifts away
Once a raw file lands in a client's inbox, control moves to them. There's no taking it back.
No accountability
Nothing stops a client from using your work before approval, before payment, or beyond the agreed scope.
Before ApproveLock
With ApproveLock
Review → Approve → Unlock
A protected handoff flow for client work — from first review to final delivery.
Review
The owner uploads the work and sends a protected preview link instead of the raw file.
Verify
The client enters through the access gate. Their identity can appear on the protected preview.
Track
The owner sees who opened the preview, when they accessed it, and active viewing time where available.
Approve
The client approves, signs off, or pays through the owner's normal process outside ApproveLock.
Unlock
The owner decides when to unlock full access or send the final file.
What is Approval Lock?
Approval Lock is the workflow inside ApproveLock that keeps full access locked while the client reviews a protected preview. The owner decides when to unlock full access or send the final file.
What ApproveLock gives you
You decide when to unlock
Full access stays locked while the client reviews. Set an expiry, revoke access, or unlock when you are ready to deliver.
Protected preview, not the final file
Send a protected preview link instead of giving the client the final file immediately.
Viewer identity on the preview
Each view can be tied to the viewer's identity and shown inside the protected preview to add accountability.
Review activity you can trust
See who opened the preview, when they accessed it, and active viewing time where available.
Send a protected preview. Keep final access locked.
Instead of sending the final file first, the owner sends a protected preview for review — and keeps full access controlled until the right moment to unlock.
Protected preview links
Every document gets a unique, hard-to-guess link. The client does not receive direct access to the final file — they see a server-signed, time-limited protected preview, not a download.
Identity watermarks
The viewer's identity — name and email — plus an access timestamp are shown inside the protected preview. Visible, persistent, and repeated in a diagonal pattern that's designed to be hard to remove.
Access verification
Require an email or name before viewing and restrict access to a specific allowlist. Any unauthorized email is blocked at the gate and logged.
Revocable & expiring links
Deactivate a link in one click, or set a deadline so it stops working automatically — server-side, with no grace period.
Review analytics
See who opened your preview and when. Active viewing time and device details are available where supported on higher plans.
Usage & plan visibility
Track your storage, viewing bandwidth, and document usage against your plan from one clear dashboard.
Made for people who deliver work to clients
If you share work with clients before approval, payment, or final handoff, ApproveLock was built for you.
Designers
Concepts & brand previews
Copywriters
Drafts & campaigns
Consultants
Reports & recommendations
Agencies
Client deliverables
Educators
Paid material previews
Small teams
Sensitive client docs
Best for
- Freelancers sending client drafts
- Agencies sending client deliverables
- Consultants sharing reports and recommendations
- Educators protecting paid materials
- Creators sending previews before final handoff
Use ApproveLock when
- You need a client to review work before approval or payment
- You want to avoid sending the raw file too early
- You need viewer identity on the preview
- You want to keep full access locked until you unlock it
- You need to know who reviewed the work and when
Not for
- General cloud storage
- Team file collaboration
- Public file hosting
- Large file hosting
- Full enterprise data rooms
Why ordinary file links aren't enough
Cloud storage and ordinary file links are useful for storing and sharing files. ApproveLock is different: it is built for protected delivery when viewer identity, accountability, and revocation matter.
A lighter way to protect client work
Enterprise document-security platforms can be powerful, but they are often too complex for freelancers and small teams. ApproveLock focuses on the moment you need to send work to a client without losing control.
What the owner controls
- Who can access the preview
- Whether email or name verification is required
- Whether the link expires
- Whether access is revoked
- When the final file is delivered
- Who viewed the preview and when
- Active viewing time where available
- Denied access attempts where available
What the client reviews
The client reviews a protected preview, not the raw final file. The preview can include visible identity watermarking and access verification. This lets the client evaluate the work while the owner keeps final delivery controlled.
Track review activity — and decide when to unlock
When a client opens your protected preview, their identity is shown inside the protected preview as a watermark. You get a log of who accessed it and when — and, where available, active viewing time and device details — so there's always an accountability trail before you unlock the final handoff.
- Identity watermark on every page with the viewer's email
- The client reviews a protected preview — not a raw download
- Who opened the preview, and when, logged server-side
- Active viewing time tracked per session where available
- Denied access attempts logged with the email that tried
Viewer Activity
Last 7 days14
Total views
6
Unique viewers
4m 12s
Avg. active time
Recent views
Built for protected delivery, not just storage
Your original files stay private from upload to delivery. The client only ever sees a protected preview, while full access stays locked until the owner decides.
Private cloud storage
Files are stored in a private bucket — never publicly accessible. Only server-generated signed URLs grant temporary access.
You control your share link
Your share link stays controlled by your settings, including revocation and expiration rules. Behind the scenes, ApproveLock uses short-lived server-generated file access URLs, so the original file is never exposed as a permanent public link.
Server-side access validation
Every view request is validated server-side — active status, expiry, email allowlist — before any URL is generated.
Complete access log
Every access — successful or denied — is logged with email, IP, device, and timestamp.
Email allowlist enforcement
Unauthorized emails are blocked before reaching the document. Their attempt is logged so you know who tried.
Instant revocation
Deactivating a link takes effect immediately. No caching, no grace period — blocked at the server level.
Simple, transparent pricing
Start free with protected client work delivery. Upgrade when you’re ready. No hidden fees.
Free
$0
/ month
Forever. No card required.
- 5 active secure links
- 250MB storage
- 2GB monthly viewing bandwidth
- Max upload size: 25MB per file
- PDF & image protection
- Identity watermarks on every page
- Email & name gated access
- Basic viewer analytics
- Expiring & revocable links
- Owner approval before final download
Pro
$15
/ month
Launch Price
For freelancers, creators, and solo professionals.
Pro subscriptions will launch soon. Start with a free account today and upgrade later.
- 1 seat
- 250 active secure links
- 25GB secure storage
- 100GB monthly viewer bandwidth
- Max file size: 250MB
- PDF & image protection
- Full viewer analytics + active viewing time
- Viewer email allowlist
- Expiring & revocable links
- Owner approval before final/original download
- Priority support
Team
$49 / month · includes 3 seats · 100GB storage · Max upload size: 500MB per file
Enterprise
Custom limits, SSO, audit logs, dedicated onboarding
Viewing bandwidth counts protected preview loads and views.
Frequently asked questions
What does Review → Approve → Unlock mean?
Who is the owner?
What is ApproveLock?
What is Approval Lock?
Does ApproveLock collect payments?
Does access unlock automatically after payment?
Can clients review without receiving the raw file?
Can the owner revoke access?
Can I see who reviewed the work?
What activity is recorded?
Does ApproveLock prevent every possible leak?
Is video supported?
Can I upload Word or PowerPoint files?
Send a protected preview.
Unlock when you're ready.
Let clients review your work while you keep full access locked until approval, payment, or final handoff. Set up in minutes. Free to start. No card required.
Create Free AccountFree plan · 5 active secure links · No credit card required