Gydlyne vs. a PDF brand guide
Short answer
A PDF brand guide is a file. It's right the day you export it and wrong the next time the brand changes. A Gydlyne guide is a link: you edit it, and your client sees the current version at the same address, with colors, fonts and logos ready to copy or download.
01
Side by side
| Feature | PDF brand guide | Gydlyne guide |
|---|---|---|
| How it's shared | A file attached to an email or put in a shared folder | One link your client can bookmark |
| When the brand changes | Re-export, rename it v4_FINAL, re-send | Edit and republish. The same link shows the new version |
| Which version your client has | Whichever one they saved last | Always the current one |
| Copying a color | Retype the hex code | Copy it with one click |
| Logo files | A separate zip or another email | Download them from the guide |
| Fonts | Named in the document | Shown live; custom font uploads on Pro and above |
| Keeping it private | A PDF password, if anyone sets one | Password protection on Starter and above |
| Undoing a mistake | Find an older file | Restore a past version on Pro and above |
| Works offline | Yes, once downloaded | No, it's a web page |
| Cost | Free to export | Free for one guide; paid plans from $10/mo |
02
When a PDF still makes sense
- You need a printed copy
- A contract asks for a file as the deliverable
- You want an offline archive of the brand at launch
03
When a link wins
- The brand will keep changing after handoff
- Several people at the client need the same guide
- You're tired of "which file is the right one?"
04
Three ways a guide can look
05
Switching from PDF
Can I import my existing PDF brand guide?
Not automatically. You add the logo files, colors and fonts in the builder. After that, every change is one edit instead of a new PDF.
Does my client need an account to open the guide?
No. They open the link in any browser. If the guide has a password, they need that too.
What happens to the link if I stop paying?
Nothing right away. Guides over the free limit freeze after a 7-day grace period but stay live for your client. A frozen guide only goes offline after 6 months, and its content is never deleted.