If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an annotated screenshot is at least worth a million. Usersnap is a cloud-based tool that web developers can use to communicate about issues and share information with clients, colleagues, and quality assurance engineers. By embedding a bug-reporting tool into their standard development processes, web professionals can reduce communication friction and work more efficiently with colleagues.
In this Usersnap review, I will explain how the web-based platform works and offer my own examples of the ways it could be utilized by web developers. I will also showcase a few of Usernap’s most useful features and pinpoint any support issues that may make it difficult for developers or engineers to adopt the program at their own companies.
About Usersnap
You could spend 10 minutes writing a 500-word email to report a bug to your quality assurance team, or you could spend 10 seconds sending an annotated screenshot instead. Usersnap is a cloud-based tool that’s embedded in the bug reporting and feedback loop, making it possible for clients and engineers to send annotated screenshots—complete with attached data like browser and operating system specifics—automatically when they come across issues on your website.
Using sticky notes, highlighters, and virtual pens, customers can point out exactly what issues they see while they navigate your website. These actionable bug reports are then sent via email, or pushed directly into a developer’s existing bug tracking, project management, or content management system. App-to-app integrations likes the ones Usersnap supports help engineers get more out of their existing workflows.
Main Functionality of Usersnap
Capturing, sending, and managing bugs with Usersnap is a three step process. Embed the provided Javascript code to add a “Feedback” widget to your website. When clients, customers, and colleagues notice an issue, they are prompted to click on a Usersnap widget sitting along the bottom right-hand corner of their browser screen. Immediately, an overlay popup will appear prompting the user to annotate the screen that he or she current sees. This annotation can be done with a pen, highlighter, or typed note. Users are also prompted to enter their email addresses and any related comments before pressing “Send.”
Submitted bug reports are sent to a company’s quality assurance team via email, or funneled directly into the company’s existing bug tracking, project management, or CMS system. Because Usersnap’s code snippet is loaded “asynchronously,” it does not slow down page load times. The system supports all types of webfonts. To use Usersnap with a local development machine, developers are encouraged to utilize a forwarding service such as PageKite.
Benefits of Usersnap
Companies that utilize Usersnap can cut down on miscommunication and streamline operations when it comes to bug reporting and other quality assurance issues. Back-and-forth email chains can be all but eliminated for companies that embed Usersnap into their websites, since annotated screenshots are a much more efficient way of describing common web development issues—ranging from misplaced buttons to broken links—than written emails.
Another major benefit to using Usersnap, over more traditional bug reporting methods, has to do with the background information that the application provides. Not only do users receive annotated screenshots, but they are also able to access browser and operating system specifics for the customers who submitted each shot. This information it invaluable for quality assurance engineers when it comes time to reproduce issues on their own operating systems.
The Basics: What Does the Interface Look Like?
Before you can start receiving annotated screenshots via email, you’ll need to configure your website by adding a snippet of Usersnap’s JavaScript code to your page.
Once you’ve configured your API key settings and embedded your personalized JavaScript code, you’ll need to define how your screenshots should be delivered. Usersnap provides submitted screenshots and background information to your office via email, or your selected bug tracker, project management, or customer service management system.
Customers who visit your website and click on the “Feedback” widget along the bottom right-hand side of the page are prompted to annotate the page using a virtual pen, highlighter, or by typing a written note. Usersnap also collects each user’s email address. This information is then sent to your support team.
Support Information
Clicking on the Support tab along the top of Usersnap’s customer interface provides users with a wealth of information. Users can access documentation, a detailed FAQ section, Usersnap’s GitHub page, and real world examples of Usersnap in use. Usersnap’s FAQ page offers information on payments, compatibility, product use, and on premise development. For the answers to more specific questions, users are encouraged to contact Usersnap directly via email.
Pricing Information
Usersnap offers multiple pricing options for teams of all sizes. All new users are encouraged to sign up for a free trial account. Freelancer’s can utilize Usersnap’s Start plan at $19 per month. The company’s Basic plan offers the necessary tool for small teams at $49 per month, while the Professional plan is ideal for web agencies at $99 per month. Larger companies can contact Usersnap for custom pricing options.
The Bottom Line
By doing something as simple as adding a “Feedback” button to their websites, companies of all sizes (including freelancers) can cut down on the time it takes to report minor bugs and other website flaws. Even more importantly, by providing their developers and engineers with annotated screenshots, business can get the website issues their customers have reported fixed more quickly. Tiered pricing options make Usersnap just as useful for solo entrepreneurs and developers working on one-off web projects as it is for larger agencies and corporate teams. The system itself provides users with an excellent value for their money.
Ratings: ease of use 5/5, features 5/5, value 5/5