Argos
French open-source visual regression testing for Playwright, Storybook and Vitest, with reviews on every pull request
Quick Overview
| Company | Smooth Code SAS |
|---|---|
| Category | Cross-Browser and Test Automation Tools |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - France (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages reviewed |
| Open Source | Open source (licence not checked) |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Deterministic screenshot diffs, ARIA snapshot diffs, text diffs of Markdown/JSON/YAML/HTML/CSS, flaky detection, pull request comments and status checks, GitHub and GitLab, Slack and Teams notifications, CLI and REST API |
| Pricing | Hobby $0 with up to 5,000 screenshots; Pro from $100/month with 35,000 screenshots; Enterprise on request |
| Best For | Front-end teams that already run Playwright or Storybook and want visual changes reviewed in pull requests |
| Replaces | BrowserStack Percy, Chromatic, Applitools |
Detailed Review
Argos does one job: it captures screenshots in your Playwright, Storybook or Vitest run, compares them with the baseline from the main branch, and asks people to approve or reject what changed. The verdict is a commit status you can require in branch protection.
The operator is Smooth Code SAS, registered in Paris under number 830 511 788. The product site describes itself as open-source visual testing.
Less Noise in Diffs
The SDK waits for fonts and images, hides carets and scrollbars and pauses GIFs before capture, and a deterministic pixel diff separates real change from rendering noise. Flaky detection and debugging tools sit in the same view.
More Than Pixels
Files such as Markdown, JSON, YAML, HTML, CSS and JavaScript are diffed as text in the same build, and ARIA snapshots catch a renamed heading or lost landmark even when the pixels stay the same.
Review Workflow
Reviewers compare side by side, pin comments to a pixel and cast verdicts. One rejection blocks the build, otherwise one approval passes, whether it comes from a person or an agent.
Limitations to Consider
Argos compares screenshots taken in your own test run, so it is not a browser cloud and does not rent you other browsers or devices: combine it with TestingBot if you need real-device rendering. Integrations listed are GitHub and GitLab. Pro pricing is usage-based and quoted in US dollars, and the pages reviewed do not state where data is hosted.
Who Should Use Argos
Front-end and design-system teams that review UI changes in pull requests and want a French vendor with a free tier for individual developers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Built around pull request review
- Diffs ARIA snapshots and text files, not only pixels
- Works with Playwright, Storybook and Vitest
- Free Hobby plan allows commercial use
- Per-screenshot rates published openly
Cons
- Not a browser or device cloud
- Data location not stated on the pages reviewed
- GitHub and GitLab only for integrations
- Prices in US dollars
Alternatives to Argos
Other European cross-browser and test automation tools worth comparing before you decide:
TestingBot
Belgium · Selenium and Playwright browser grid hosted in Belgium
Squish
Finland · GUI test automation for desktop, web, mobile and embedded apps
Checkly
Germany · Synthetic monitoring for developers, with checks written as code
BugBug
Poland · No-code browser test recorder with cloud runs from Gdansk
See all European cross-browser and test automation tools or compare them directly against BrowserStack Percy on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only for the visual testing part, the job BrowserStack sells as Percy. It does not provide browsers or devices.
Yes. The pricing page says the Hobby plan works with any repository, including private ones owned by an organization, and allows commercial use, up to 5,000 screenshots a month.
Smooth Code SAS, registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number 830 511 788.