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Testing · head to head

Applitools vs Percy

Applitools logo

Applitools

Testing

AI-based visual regression testing, priced on component and page checkpoint volume

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Percy logo

Percy

Testing

Visual regression testing owned by BrowserStack, with a permanent free tier for low screenshot volume

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Percy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Applitools the entry tier alone costs 667 US dollars a month on annual billing, a genuinely high floor compared to Percy's tiers or a plain screenshot-diffing open source approach.; Percy pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.
  • They diverge on capability: Applitools covers Visual AI comparison, Percy covers Screenshot diffing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Applitools and Percy actually diverge.

Attributes where Applitools and Percy differ
AttributeApplitoolsPercy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by checkpoint volumeFreemium, paid tiers by screenshot volume
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Testing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Applitools

  • Visual AI comparison
  • Storybook component testing
  • Figma design comparison
  • Cross-browser and device visual testing
  • Accessibility testing
  • NLP-based test authoring

Only in Percy

  • Screenshot diffing
  • Framework integrations
  • Responsive and cross-browser snapshots
  • Review workflow
  • Build history
  • BrowserStack platform integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Applitools

  • A team that abandoned pixel-diffing visual regression testing because of false-positive fatigue and wants a lower-noise alternativenot Percy
  • A design system team wanting component-level visual testing against Storybook rather than only full-page checksnot Percy
  • An organisation wanting automated verification that shipped UI matches its Figma source designnot Percy
  • A team wanting NLP-based visual test authoring to reduce the coding overhead of writing visual test scripts, available at Professional tiernot Percy

Percy

  • A team already on BrowserStack for device testing that wants to add visual regression without a separate vendor relationshipnot Applitools
  • A low-traffic project that can run indefinitely on the 5,000-screenshot free tier without paying anythingnot Applitools
  • A team wanting a lower cost per screenshot than Applitools and willing to tolerate more manual false-positive triagenot Applitools
  • A Cypress or Playwright test suite adding visual checks without changing its existing test runnernot Applitools

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Applitools

  • The entry tier alone costs 667 US dollars a month on annual billing, a genuinely high floor compared to Percy's tiers or a plain screenshot-diffing open source approach.
  • Professional and Enterprise tiers, which hold the more advanced authoring and unlimited execution features, are quote-only, removing pricing transparency exactly where a large buyer most needs it.
  • Visual AI still occasionally flags false positives on genuinely novel layouts or animation-heavy interfaces, so a baseline review process is still needed, not eliminated.
  • Checkpoint-based pricing means cost is directly tied to test suite size and coverage breadth, so expanding visual test coverage has a direct, compounding cost impact unlike time-based or seat-based pricing models.
  • Teams migrating from a simpler pixel-diffing tool face real setup and baseline migration work to establish Applitools baselines correctly across a large existing UI.

Percy

  • Pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.
  • It is billed separately from core BrowserStack device testing, and stacking Percy with other BrowserStack modules such as Accessibility Testing materially increases total contract value beyond the headline device testing price.
  • Paid tier pricing above the free tier is not transparently published as a fixed number, requiring a quote to know actual cost at scale.
  • The free tier's 5,000-screenshot cap is easy to exceed for any team running visual tests across multiple browsers and viewports on every commit, pushing many active projects into a paid tier faster than the free number suggests.
  • As part of a larger acquired portfolio, Percy's roadmap priority within BrowserStack's broader product strategy is less certain than it would be as a standalone company's sole focus.

Pricing, plan by plan

Applitools

On request
  • Starter$667/month
    • Billed annually
    • 100,000 component checkpoints or 1,000 page checkpoints
    • Visual AI, Storybook and Figma integration, accessibility testing
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Custom quote, starting around 150 active pages or 1,500 components
    • Unlimited executions, NLP-based test authoring
    • Priority support with a dedicated Slack channel
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Custom quote, starting around 350 active pages or 1,500 components
    • SSO and dedicated or private cloud
    • Custom SLAs and a weekly account manager

Percy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5,000 screenshots a month
    • Unlimited users and projects
    • 30-day build history
  • Percy$undefined/month
    • Priced by screenshot volume above the free tier
    • Sold separately from core BrowserStack device testing plans
    • Get a current quote before assuming bundled pricing with other BrowserStack products

Which should you pick?

Choose Applitools if

  • You need visual ai comparison.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want storybook component testing.
Applitools review

Choose Percy if

  • You need screenshot diffing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want framework integrations.
Percy review

Questions people ask

Is Applitools or Percy better?
Neither clearly leads. Applitools starts at On request and Percy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Applitools or Percy?
Percy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Applitools and Free for Percy.
Does Applitools or Percy run on more platforms?
Applitools runs on Web, iOS, Android. Percy runs on Web.
Can I use Percy for free?
Yes. Percy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Applitools starts at On request.
What is Applitools best used for?
Applitools is most often used for a team that abandoned pixel-diffing visual regression testing because of false-positive fatigue and wants a lower-noise alternative, a design system team wanting component-level visual testing against storybook rather than only full-page checks, an organisation wanting automated verification that shipped ui matches its figma source design, a team wanting nlp-based visual test authoring to reduce the coding overhead of writing visual test scripts, available at professional tier. Of those, a team that abandoned pixel-diffing visual regression testing because of false-positive fatigue and wants a lower-noise alternative and a design system team wanting component-level visual testing against storybook rather than only full-page checks are not what Percy is typically brought in for.
What can Applitools do that Percy cannot?
Applitools covers Visual AI comparison, Storybook component testing, Figma design comparison, Cross-browser and device visual testing. Percy covers Screenshot diffing, Framework integrations, Responsive and cross-browser snapshots, Review workflow.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Applitools: How is Applitools priced?

By checkpoint volume, component or page-level screenshot comparisons, with the entry Starter tier at 667 US dollars a month for 100,000 component or 1,000 page checkpoints.

Percy: Is Percy free?

Yes for up to 5,000 screenshots a month with unlimited users and projects; beyond that it is a paid, quote-priced module.

Applitools: How is it different from Percy?

Applitools uses an AI-based perceptual comparison model designed to reduce false positives from rendering noise; Percy is generally pixel-diffing based and lower cost per screenshot.

Percy: Is Percy included if I already pay for BrowserStack device testing?

No, it is billed separately by screenshot volume, not bundled into core device testing plans.

Applitools: Does it test individual components or only full pages?

Both; Storybook integration allows component-level visual testing in addition to full-page checks.

Percy: How does it compare to Applitools?

Percy uses pixel-based diffing, which is generally cheaper per screenshot but produces more false positives than Applitools' AI-based perceptual comparison.

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