For video agencies, storyboards aren't just a production planning tool — they're a client-facing document that can win or lose a pitch. A well-designed storyboard communicates that your agency understands the project, has a clear visual vision, and is prepared to execute. A storyboard that looks like it was built in a spreadsheet communicates the opposite.
At the same time, agencies are under real time pressure. Pre-production timelines are tight, shot lists need to be generated quickly, and the storyboard often needs to be in the client's hands before the team has had a chance to fully develop the visual language of the project. The ideal storyboard tool for an agency is fast, produces professional output, supports collaboration across the production team, and doesn't require a dedicated storyboard artist for every project.
Here's how the current options compare.
Boords
Boords is the most polished storyboard-specific tool on the market and the default choice for many agencies that live in the storyboard. Its client approval workflow is genuinely excellent — clients can comment directly on frames without an account, frames can be locked for approval, and the shareable link keeps everyone working from the same version. For agencies that send storyboards to clients for sign-off before production begins, this workflow is a real efficiency gain.
The AI image generation is fast and the interface is clean. At $89/month for unlimited team members on the Workflow plan, the per-seat cost for mid-size agencies is reasonable.
The limitation for agencies that also need shot lists and gear documents is that Boords is entirely storyboard-focused. Shot lists live elsewhere — typically a spreadsheet — and keeping them in sync with the visual storyboard is a manual process. For agencies doing high-volume production where the shot list, storyboard, and gear manifest need to stay aligned across a fast-moving project, this fragmentation adds coordination overhead.
StoryboardHero
StoryboardHero's team pricing ($59/month for 5 seats, $199/month for 10 seats) maps well to how small and mid-size video agencies are staffed, and its AI image generation speed makes it practical for agencies that need to turn around rough visual references quickly.
The primary limitation for agencies doing narrative or character-driven work — branded content with recurring characters, commercial campaigns with a consistent talent appearance — is character consistency. AI-generated frames don't maintain character identity across scenes without careful prompt engineering, which adds time and inconsistency to a workflow that's supposed to be fast. Agencies doing straightforward product or location-based commercials won't feel this pain as much. Agencies doing character-forward work will.
Frame.io and Figma (as workarounds)
Some agencies use Frame.io for collaborative review and Figma for building visual boards. These tools aren't purpose-built for storyboarding, and the setup overhead shows — but for agencies already deep in these ecosystems, the familiarity is worth something. Neither handles shot lists, gear manifests, or script breakdowns.
Script2Set
Script2Set addresses the specific pain point that Boords and StoryboardHero both leave unresolved for agencies: the fragmentation between shot list, storyboard, and production documents.
The shot list generator parses a script and produces a first-draft production breakdown in seconds, with project type context that matters for agency work — the AI knows the difference between how you'd approach a commercial shoot and a branded documentary. The storyboard canvas lives on each shot card, so your team is building the visual and logistical layers of the project simultaneously rather than in separate tools.
The branded PDF export is particularly relevant for agencies. The documents that come out of Script2Set — shot lists, storyboards, gear manifests — are formatted for professional client presentation. There's no additional design step to make the PDF look like it came from your agency rather than from a generic SaaS template.
Multi-seat team plans and agency-level features are launching alongside the public release. Founding Crew members who join the waitlist now get lifetime access at a one-time price before standard pricing goes live.
What to Prioritize When Choosing
For agencies whose primary storyboard use case is client presentation and approval, Boords is the mature, well-tested choice. For agencies that need AI-generated images fast and aren't doing character-heavy work, StoryboardHero is worth evaluating at its price point.
For agencies that want the shot list, storyboard, and production documents to live in one place — and who want a tool built with the understanding that pre-production is a creative act, not just an administrative one — Script2Set is the more complete answer to the actual problem.