What it does
Percy is BrowserStack's visual-testing and review product. It captures screenshots of pages or application states, compares new snapshots with approved baselines, and highlights rendered differences for review. Teams can integrate snapshots with existing test scripts or use Percy's CLI to capture and upload images; the product also supports testing across browsers and responsive widths. The user supplies the application or pages to render, the states or screenshots to capture, and the expected baseline or review decision.
Review rendered changes, not just test assertions
Percy is for changes that can look wrong even when a functional test still passes: a shifted control, a broken layout, or a change in typography. The official visual-testing guide describes capturing screenshots of pages or application states at multiple browser and responsive-width combinations, then comparing the new snapshots with previously approved baselines. A difference view highlights changed regions for human review and approval.
For a code-based workflow, BrowserStack documents integrating Percy with existing test frameworks and provides a CLI path for capturing and uploading snapshots. Teams without an automation script can use the documented no-code setup or upload their own screenshots for visual comparison. In either case, the team supplies pages, components, or screenshots that represent the states it wants to protect; Percy cannot infer every important state from a code change alone.
This is visual regression testing, not a substitute for checking whether a button submits correctly or an API returns the right data. Pair it with behavior-focused tests, and make baseline updates an intentional review decision so an accidental UI change is not accepted as the new expected appearance. BrowserStack's opened pricing page did not establish a Percy-specific tier or price, so no pricing model is asserted here. No Percy build or test was run for this record.
Strengths
- Compares snapshots against approved baselines and presents visual differences for review.
- Supports cross-browser and responsive-width comparisons for pages or application states.
- Can use existing automation integrations, Percy CLI snapshots, or user-supplied screenshots.
Watch out for
- Percy checks rendered appearance; teams still need functional tests for application behavior and explicit review of baseline changes.
Best for
- Catching unintended visual changes in a web app, component library, or design system
- Adding screenshot comparisons to an existing browser-test or CI workflow
Sources
- Visual testing and review platform | Percy by BrowserStack (Oct 25, 2026)
- Visual Testing with Percy | BrowserStack Docs (Oct 25, 2026)
- Get started without code/automation script | BrowserStack Docs (Oct 25, 2026)
- BrowserStack Pricing | Plans Starting From Just $12.50 A Month (Oct 25, 2026)