What is Startup Archive used for?

Startup Archive is a service that captures a read-only visual snapshot of a website so an owner can shut down hosting and still show the product in a portfolio. It is a good fit for showing a closed product in a portfolio, keeping a visual record of a shut-down startup and comparing site changes between versions.

Is Startup Archive open source?

No. Startup Archive is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Hosting & PaaS category, open-source options include Coolify, Dokploy and 1Panel.

What are some alternatives to Startup Archive?

Other SaaS products in the Hosting & PaaS category include FastDomain, Soulstack and Supadrop.

Startup Archive: features, pricing and alternatives

About Startup Archive

Startup Archive preserves a shut-down startup as an interactive snapshot. You submit URLs, and the service captures full-page images of as many as five routes on the same domain, and each route is saved in four variants (desktop and mobile, in light and dark mode), so two routes produce eight screenshots. The site stores images only, not the page's markup, scripts or videos, and the result is replayed in a viewer with device-frame styling that can be embedded in a portfolio.

The pitch is that owners no longer need to pay for servers, domain renewals or upkeep while keeping a presentable record. Repeated snapshots can also build a visual changelog with before and after comparisons to show changes over time. Pricing is by credit, where one credit equals one snapshot, and the site starts without requiring a credit card. A FAQ explains how it differs from general web archives by focusing on visual fidelity and embedding.

Key features

Captures up to 5 routes per snapshot
Desktop and mobile views in light and dark mode
Embeddable viewer with device frame
Visual changelog with before and after comparisons
No site code or media stored
Credit packs priced per snapshot

Good fit for

Showing a closed product in a portfolio
Keeping a visual record of a shut-down startup
Comparing site changes between versions

Tags: website-archive; snapshots; portfolio; screenshots; shutdown; visual-changelog; indie-hackers; web-app

Startup Archive: questions and answers

What is Startup Archive used for?: Startup Archive is a service that captures a read-only visual snapshot of a website so an owner can shut down hosting and still show the product in a portfolio. It is a good fit for showing a closed product in a portfolio, keeping a visual record of a shut-down startup and comparing site changes between versions.
Is Startup Archive open source?: No. Startup Archive is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. In the Hosting & PaaS category, open-source options include Coolify, Dokploy and 1Panel.
What are some alternatives to Startup Archive?: Other SaaS products in the Hosting & PaaS category include FastDomain, Soulstack and Supadrop.