At a glance
| GuidedView | Surfly | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Seeing a customer's whole phone or computer screen during a phone call | Co-browsing any website together, including sites you do not control |
| What the customer installs | Free GuidedView app on iPhone, iPad or Android; nothing on a computer | Nothing, joins in a browser |
| iPhone screen | View, with the free app | Web pages in the shared session, from a mobile browser |
| Android screen | View, with the free app | Web pages in the shared session, from a mobile browser |
| Computer screen | View, in the browser, no download | Web pages in the session, plus optional screen sharing |
| Remote control | No, view-only by design | Yes, control can switch between agent and customer |
| Session recording | No, live only | Optional, customer-controlled feature |
| Works alongside a normal phone call | Yes, built for it | Not published; video is available in the session |
| Customer account needed | No | Not published (no plugins or downloads) |
| Starting price (as of November 2026) | $29.99/month | Quote only |
What is Surfly?
Surfly is a co-browsing platform that works differently from most: it loads web pages through its own proxy, so an agent and a customer can browse a website together without installing code on that site. Surfly says you do not have to make any changes to the target website: you load the page, copy the Surfly link and share it, and participants join from any device with a browser and no plugins or downloads. Inside the session, participants can annotate, switch control between agent and user, mask fields and add video, and they can optionally share a screen or camera. Surfly lists session recording as an optional, customer-controlled feature, with recordings stored where the customer chooses. Deployment options include server region pinning, private cloud and on-premise. Surfly serves enterprise and mid-market teams guiding customers through complex online journeys, with examples such as insurance, car buying, digital banking and B2B ordering.
Can Surfly co-browse websites you do not own?
Yes, and that is its main advantage over snippet-based co-browsing tools such as Upscope (UserView) or Glance. Surfly says it works across the whole web without installation or setup, because the session runs through its proxy. Agents and customers can hand control back and forth and draw on the page.
The limit is that the session is a set of web pages loaded inside Surfly. The customer's own browser tabs, email app, saved passwords and phone settings sit outside it unless the customer turns on Surfly's optional screen or camera sharing. GuidedView shares the device's screen from the start, so the agent sees the real browser the customer uses, plus everything else on the device.
Can Surfly show a customer's iPhone or Android apps?
Customers join Surfly in a mobile browser with no downloads, which makes it easy to co-browse a website on a phone. We found no native iOS or Android app co-browsing SDK, and the Surfly documentation we reviewed did not describe in-session screen sharing from mobile browsers. If you need to help customers inside a native app or the phone's Settings, check with Surfly whether its screen sharing covers your customers' phones.
GuidedView's free app for iPhone, iPad and Android shares the phone's whole screen once the customer approves the device's own screen-sharing prompt. On iPhone, Apple shows its red recording or broadcast indicator while sharing, so the customer can always tell that sharing is on.
Which is better for walking a customer through a form?
If agents should fill in fields for the customer, Surfly is stronger. It switches control between agent and user, masks fields, supports e-signatures and keeps audit logs. That suits long applications where the agent completes the parts that do not need the customer's private details.
GuidedView takes the opposite approach. The customer types every field while the agent watches and explains, and the customer can pause before entering a card number, a verification code or a signature. That keeps every entry in the customer's hands. GuidedView does not replace your own e-signature disclosures or compliance obligations, so confirm your policies first. Our e-signature walkthrough guide covers the steps.
On buying and deployment, Surfly does not publish prices. Its former pricing page redirects to its platform page, which offers a guided demo, and its interactive demo is not described as a free trial. Surfly offers server region pinning, private cloud and on-premise deployment, plus integrations with Intercom, Salesforce and others. GuidedView is self-serve: sign up, subscribe at $29.99 a month per account, and send a link. It is available in the United States.
Which should you choose?
Choose Surfly if
- You need to co-browse websites you do not control, with no code on them
- Agents should take control, draw or help with e-signatures inside the session
- You need field masking, audit logs, region pinning or on-premise deployment
- You want optional video, screen and camera sharing in one session
Choose GuidedView if
- The customer's problem may be in an app, an email or the phone's settings
- You want to keep your normal phone call and add only the screen
- You want the customer to do the typing while you guide
- You want published, self-serve pricing at $29.99 a month per account
Surfly is the better fit when the work is a website journey you want to share and steer. GuidedView is the better fit when you need to see what is actually on the customer's device while you talk. See how GuidedView works.
Questions
Does Surfly require a download?
No. Surfly says all you need is two people with a browser, with no plugins or downloads. GuidedView needs no download on a computer, but iPhone, iPad and Android customers install the free GuidedView app, because GuidedView's full-screen sharing on a phone runs through the app.
Is Surfly screen sharing or co-browsing?
Mainly co-browsing. Surfly loads web pages in a shared session through its proxy, and participants can optionally add screen sharing or camera sharing. Surfly describes screen sharing as powered by WebRTC, essentially a video stream. GuidedView is screen sharing only: the customer shares a phone or computer screen and the agent views it.
Does Surfly record sessions?
Session recording is available as an optional, customer-controlled feature, with recordings stored in a location the customer chooses. GuidedView has no recording feature; sessions are live only. If your business must keep session records, confirm your own policy before choosing a tool.
Which is easier for a customer who is already on the phone?
Both start from a link. Surfly opens in the browser with nothing to install. GuidedView opens the free app on a phone, or the browser on a computer, then asks the customer to confirm they are on a call with the sender before sharing. On a phone, GuidedView's first use includes an app install, which Surfly avoids.
How much does Surfly cost?
Surfly does not publish pricing as of November 2026. Its pricing link leads to a platform page that offers a guided demo, so check with Surfly for a quote. GuidedView is $29.99 a month per account, billed monthly, with one plan.
Sources
Third-party details were checked against these pages as of November 2, 2026. Products change, so confirm current pricing and features with each vendor.