BrowserStack vs. Chrome DevTools vs. Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
BrowserStack
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
BrowserStack is a test platform built for developers and QAs to expand test coverage, scale and optimize testing with cross-browser, real device cloud, accessibility, visual testing, test management, and test observability. BrowserStack states it currently powers over a billion tests a year for customers who include Amazon, Paypal, Well Fargo Bank, Nvidia, MongoDB, Pfizer, GE, Discovery, React JS, Apache, JQuery and several others rely on BrowserStack to test their web and mobile apps.
$0
per month Unlimited users and 5000 free screenshots
Chrome DevTools
Score 9.6 out of 10
N/A
Chrome DevTools is a set of authoring, debugging, and profiling tools built into Google Chrome.N/A
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Score 9.3 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft offers Visual Studio Code, an open source text editor that supports code editing, debugging, IntelliSense syntax highlighting, and other features.
$0
Pricing
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Editions & Modules
Percy - Free
$0
per month Unlimited users and 5000 free screenshots
App Percy - Free
$0
per month 5000 free screenshots and 100 minutes of infrastructure
Test Observability - Unlimited Free
$0
Accessibility Testing - Free
$0
Test Observability - Observability Pro
$0.01
per month per test execution
Percy - Desktop
$0.02
per month per screenshot
App Percy - Visual Core
$0.02
per month per screenshot
Percy - Desktop & Mobile
$0.02
per month per screenshot
App Percy - Visual Cloud
$0.03
per month per screenshot
Live - Desktop
$39
per month per user
Live - Desktop & Mobile
$49
per month per user
App Live - Individual
$49
per month per user
Automate - Desktop
$129
per month 1 parallel test
Live - Team
$175
per month 5 users
App Live - Team
$175
per month 5 users
Accessibility Testing - Team
$199
per month 5 users
Automate - Desktop & Mobile
$225
per month 1 parallel test
App Automate - Device Cloud
$249
per month 1 parallel test
App Live - Team Pro
$289
per month 5 users
App Automate - Device Cloud Pro
$299
per month 1 parallel test
Automate - Enterprise
Contact sales team
Percy - Enterprise
Contact Sales
App Automate - Enterprise
Contact Sales
App Live - Enterprise
Contact sales team
Live - Enterprise
Contact sales team
App Automate - Device Cloud Pro + Visual Cloud
Contact Sales
App Percy - Enterprise
Contact Sales
Test Observability - Enterprise
Contact Sales
Accessibility Testing - Enterprise
Contact Sales
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Free Trial
YesNoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Considered Multiple Products
BrowserStack
Chose BrowserStack
BrowserStack's library of devices and browsers is way bigger than Chrome DevTools. Additionally, I find that BrowserStack is more accurate than Chrome DevTools in regards to how pages render on the various devices I need to test on. Overall, BrowserStack is far better than Chrom…
Chose BrowserStack
BrowserStack provided similar features at a lower cost than any other platform. All features surpass those of our competitors. Support from the BrowserStack team is awesome.
Chose BrowserStack
I have used Saucelabs with Jenkins and would say both of them are really comprehensive. Yet I suggested BrowserStack to our customers and team since I have used it recently and felt it easy to use and implement Tests on it. BrowserStack support team is another reason behind why …
Chose BrowserStack
Litmus for email testing but it's not really a competitor of BrowserStack. No other products compare from what I've seen.
Chose BrowserStack
My alternatives have been DIY:
- Emulate the different environments yourself usings like VMWare or Parallels
- Have physical equipment to test on
Chose BrowserStack
BrowserStack is much easier to use than virtual machines or local devices. It makes switching between devices or browsers much faster and has a better integration into local development. Having as many virtual machines as BrowserStack has for operating systems would be …
Chose BrowserStack
I looked into other software, but I did not find any of them to be as intuitive as BrowserStack. It was easy to use and had all of the devices we required for testing. The pricing structure also suited the needs of our team. Other team members had familiarity with BrowserStack …
Chrome DevTools
Chose Chrome DevTools
Unable to enter Firefox Developer Tools above, but that was the main alternative. We do still use it on occasion as sometimes things look/work well in Chrome but not in Firefox. In general, however, Chrome DevTools are more commonly used as that is the browser most of our …
Chose Chrome DevTools
I tried Mozilla Firefox Development Tools, but I find it to be harder than Chrome DevTools, maybe it's because I'm used to Chrome's layout and UI, but I simply find it to be superior
Chose Chrome DevTools
It is much faster than other tools and being integrated within the browser makes it easier to use as there is no time wasted switching context.
Chose Chrome DevTools
Chrome DevTools is a library of tools where others like a visual studio can only offer some under level. Chrome DevTools let also debug websites on the internet even if you don't own them. Chrome DevTools is really easy to use and you don't need a lot to understand how it is …
Chose Chrome DevTools
We can use code editors but by using DevTools we can write code and see output on the fly. We have similar alternatives like Firefox, and Microsoft edge but they did not provide this much flexibility and options. Chrome DevTools introduced some features like full screenshots. …
Chose Chrome DevTools
Although it uses a lot of memory, we chose Chrome DevTools over Sentry since it comes pre-installed with the browser and has better performance overall. Manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) and pseudo-classes in Chrome DevTools is a breeze, and you can even do it from …
Chose Chrome DevTools
1. Chrome dev tools is easy to use
2. It has so much feature like lighthouse , application etc.
3. A console to execute our own code
Chose Chrome DevTools
I have tried Firefox DevTools. It has similar functionality with Chrome DevTools.
Chose Chrome DevTools
Chrome DevTools is our team's go-to solution for development and debugging, but most major browsers include similar tools. Firefox and Edge include tools that do just about every major item DevTools does, but Chrome's implementation is at least as polished as Firefox's and …
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio Code
1. More features compared to Notepad++ 2. fast performance compare to Android Studio 3.More and usefull extensions then other two 4. Easy to use and everyone can start using it instantly 5. Version Control system is top notch 6.If you start using it , you will forget other ides …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio Code does everything better than the previously mentioned software; it improves visual code and overall application visualization. It is easy to use as everything is at hand with shortcuts allowing to improve development time. It is so lightweight that …
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code stacks up well against these other products, and I selected it to use for various projects as it met our needs and did not require purchasing anything.
Chose Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code has the feel of Atom but with a larger company supporting it. Even though Atom has been around a while, Visual Studio Code feels a little more mature.
Best Alternatives
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Small Businesses
TestComplete
TestComplete
Score 7.9 out of 10
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Score 9.3 out of 10
BBEdit
BBEdit
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
ReadyAPI
ReadyAPI
Score 6.2 out of 10
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Score 9.3 out of 10
Vim
Vim
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
ignio AIOps
ignio AIOps
Score 8.1 out of 10
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Score 9.3 out of 10
Vim
Vim
Score 9.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(244 ratings)
9.3
(28 ratings)
8.7
(91 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.1
(19 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.4
(2 ratings)
Usability
7.8
(23 ratings)
8.7
(5 ratings)
9.1
(8 ratings)
Availability
9.7
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
5.4
(78 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.7
(24 ratings)
7.4
(2 ratings)
9.7
(23 ratings)
In-Person Training
7.3
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
4.2
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.9
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.3
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
8.9
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
8.3
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.8
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Professional Services
8.9
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
8.3
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
BrowserStackChrome DevToolsMicrosoft Visual Studio Code
Likelihood to Recommend
BrowserStack
If you need immediate testing (for example, from Azure pipelines agents), use BrowserStack instead of LambdaTest (which makes you wait in a "pool" until the device/platform combo you are querying is accessible). If you don't need your tests to be immediate and prefer a wider range of devices, then use Lambdatest.
Read full review
Google
Chrome DevTools are great for troubleshooting bugs, broken elements on pages, styling issues, responsiveness, identifying performance issues, third-party connections for data privacy, reviewing cookies and local storage, screenshots in different dimensions. Chrome DevTools are for technical users, so you do need to have a decent understanding of some basics like HTML and CSS to get started using them.
Read full review
Microsoft
As a general workhorse IDE, Microsoft Visual Studio Codee is unmatched. Building on the early success of applications such as Atom, it has long been the standard for electron based IDEs. It can be outshone using IDEs that are dedicated to particular platforms, such as Microsoft Visual Studio Code for .net and the Jetbrains IDEs for Java, Python and others. For remote collaborative development, something like Zed is ahead of VSCode live share, which can be quite flakey.
Read full review
Pros
BrowserStack
  • Reliable cross-browser, cross-device testing
  • integration with JIRA to add screenshots directly to bugs etc
  • Live mobile device testing for an extra layer of confidence
  • Customer support has been very consistent and reliable
  • User interface is incredibly simple to use and easy to train new users on
Read full review
Google
  • The Elements panel is usually our first port of call to inspect and modify HTML and CSS in real-time.
  • The Issues panel helps us to identify and resolve problems like cookie issues etc.
  • The console panel allows developers to see the log output created by their website in real-time.
  • Lighthouse helps us identify any issues with accessibility
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Integrate with the git repository very well.
  • Integrated copilot chat is very helpful to write code snippets and helps beginners to start with coding and development.
  • Great library of available extensions is one of the best features in Microsoft Visual Studio Code.
  • Dedicated Testing option to configure pytest and others are quite handy to use.
Read full review
Cons
BrowserStack
  • The parallel execution is limited and is still in beta state. Once it starts to work properly, it will be more helpful
  • The paid subscription can be a bit of an issue for some individuals or organizations as the charges are a bit too much
  • Some of the devices do not open or load properly and are not available to test at times
Read full review
Google
  • As one delves into DevTools, one encounters a gradually steeper learning curve. You can do a lot very quickly, but to fully utilize DevTools takes time as one explores what it can do.
  • With many new updates, tools and items are moved, and a comfortable workflow becomes a frustrating search. This often happens when following only slightly outdated tutorials on a given feature, even in Google's own documentation.
  • The experimental flags, settings, and options are scattered about and a little clunky to configure when one has to make changes in multiple places.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • The customization of key combinations should be more accessible and easier to change
  • The auxiliary panels could be minimized or as floating tabs which are displayed when you click on them
  • A monitoring panel of resources used by Microsoft Visual Studio Code or plugins and extensions would help a lot to be able to detect any malfunction of these
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
BrowserStack
It's almost the 3rd year for us and it's renewal time for us. So yes, we are already discussing how many licenses we need to increase as users are increasing internally. So it's 100% sure that we are already planning renewal this year as well BrowserStack with live and app automate.
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
Solid tool that provides everything you need to develop most types of applications. The only reason not a 10 is that if you are doing large distributed teams on Enterprise level, Professional does provide more tools to support that and would be worth the cost.
Read full review
Usability
BrowserStack
So many options that it can be a little overwhelming, but the core functions are easy to find and use and it's usually not too hard to figure things out for the more complex tasks. Very easy to boot up a device and a specific browser from the dashboard to begin a manual website test.
Read full review
Google
While Chrome DevTools are very powerful, it's not the easiest thing to use, as there are so many different tools built in. It takes some exploring to discover all the options possible within DevTools, but with a little exploring, the DevTools become a very powerful asset. Accessing the basic HTML and CSS inspection is very easy though, and that's the most common usage for the DevTools.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft Visual Studio Code earns a 10 for its exceptional balance of power and simplicity. Its intuitive interface, robust extension ecosystem, and integrated terminal streamline development. With seamless Git integration and highly customizable settings, it adapts perfectly to any workflow, making complex coding tasks feel effortless for beginners and experts alike.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
BrowserStack
I rated BrowserStack's availability a 10 because it is consistently reliable, with minimal to no downtime or unplanned outages. The platform is accessible whenever needed, ensuring uninterrupted testing. Its robust infrastructure and proactive monitoring ensure a seamless experience, allowing us to meet deadlines without delays caused by availability issues and all
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
Overall, Microsoft Visual Studio Code is pretty reliable. Every so often, though, the app will experience an unexplained crash. Since it is a stand-alone app, connectivity or service issues don't occur in my experience. Restarting the app seems to always get around the problem, but I do make sure to save and backup current work.
Read full review
Performance
BrowserStack
The tests are fast considering the fact that they're Appium tests. I've seen tests reliably pass or fail when they're supposed to, with next to zero issues on the BrowserStack side of things. Tests launch only seconds after I kick off them off from my CLI.
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
Microsoft Visual Studio Code is pretty snappy in performance terms. It launches quickly, and tasks are performed quickly. I don't have a lot of integrations other than CoPilot, but I suspect that if the integration partner is provisioned appropriately that any performance impact would be pretty minimal. It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles (unless you start adding plugins left and right).
Read full review
Support Rating
BrowserStack
I've not had much direct interaction with the BrowserStack support team. The help and community are great and we've not run into any issue that has really required us to reach out. I guess having a stable and easy to use system means you may never need to contact support.
Read full review
Google
I'm not entirely sure what to rate the support for DevTools, because I don't have any experience dealing with official customer support for DevTools. I would guess the primary support for DevTools would be in a Chrome forum. Typically if I have a question or issue, I am able to find an answer from doing a quick Google search. It's pretty widely used, so it's not difficult to find answers.
Read full review
Microsoft
Active development means filing a bug on the GitHub repo typically gets you a response within 4 days. There are plugins for almost everything you need, whether it be linting, Vim emulation, even language servers (which I use to code in Scala). There is well-maintained official documentation. The only thing missing is forums. The closest thing is GitHub issues, which typically has the answers but is hard to sift through -- there are currently 78k issues.
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In-Person Training
BrowserStack
Yes, it was online training on meet, and trainer looks like skilled and technical strong, he has covered end to end all the features and he has answers all the queries. because of this trainings we are able to implement it by our own in the organization, thank you for support and training.
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Online Training
BrowserStack
It was a quick training from the support of browserstack, it was nice and easy to understand, thanks again for the support given by the team. and regularly I used to receive mails for training from support for any new feature they launch, I was able to spread same training to all my team and dev.
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
BrowserStack
I rated the implementation satisfaction an 8 because while it went smoothly overall, there were some challenges during the initial learning phase and integration with existing tools. Key insights include the importance of providing sufficient training upfront and ensuring seamless integration with other systems to minimize disruptions and improve adoption speed.
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Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
BrowserStack
BrowserStack products has been found better for low code automations and visual regression techniques. We have been struggling to maintain the API endpoint sanity tests and writing a lot of code for them while releasing the builds, while we chose BrowserStack accessibility solutions, we found it a way easier than we thought and worked it up.
Read full review
Google
I find them pretty much the same, they have the same tools except Firefox doesn't provide the lighthouse functionality. I do prefer firefox's dark theme and colour palette. But I use Chrome Dev tools because of the Light house functionality that analyzes the page load and scores the website on desktop and mobile experience.
Read full review
Microsoft
Visual Studio Code stacks up nicely against Visual Studio because of the price and because it can be installed without admin rights. We don't exclusively use Visual Studio Code, but rather use Visual Studio and Visual Studio code depending on the project and which version of source control the given project is wired up to.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
BrowserStack
No Vendors were involved, directly dealt with Browserstack
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Scalability
BrowserStack
I may not be the best person to answer this as I am only using it for 1 department and at 1 site but will still try my best As far as Scalability for Devices for Mobile Automation is concerned, it gets a Solid 10, as the users can run cases on upto 10 device parallel and also have the best choices of devices to choose
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
It is easily deployed with our Jamf Pro instance. There is actually very little setup involved in getting the app deployed, and it is fairly well self-contained and does not deploy a large amount of associated files. However, it is not particularly conducive to large project, multi-developer/department projects that involve some form of central integration.
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Professional Services
BrowserStack
Not used
Read full review
Google
No answers on this topic
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
BrowserStack
  • It reduced the cost of buying multiple devices as we have multiple devices access in it
  • Easily accessible from anywhere due to it cloud availability
  • Introducing this to our client also helped us in building trust as well as winning their confidence during deliverables
Read full review
Google
  • All positive, the tool is free so there's no need to spend money on it. Every return is positive.
  • A lot, their tools increases productivity due because it helps developers to create and test websites inside the browser.
  • Tools are intuitive so there's no need to invest in education on developers to learn these tools.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Saves money by replacing suites of tools such as Visual Studio, IntelliJ, etc.
  • Speeds development time and developer environment setup time
  • Strengthens code quality with integrated autoformatting and linting
  • Strengths Git practices by keeping version control tightly connected with the code
Read full review
ScreenShots

BrowserStack Screenshots

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