Instabug vs Glassbox

by Gralio Mar 02, 2025

Instabug and Glassbox address different needs within the digital experience landscape. Instabug excels in mobile app bug reporting and user feedback collection, making it ideal for app developers. Glassbox, with its session replay and behavior analytics, is better suited for larger companies focused on optimizing the broader customer journey across web and mobile platforms.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 1051 reviews and 40 websites, saving 6 hours, 10 minutes of reading.

Instabug

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Glassbox

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About

Instabug helps you improve your mobile app and user experience. It provides data on app performance, crashes, and bugs, allowing you to identify and resolve issues before they impact users. It also collects user feedback, including bug reports and surveys, giving you insight into what needs improvement. Instabug integrates with popular tools like Jira and Slack and is trusted by major companies like Lyft and T-Mobile.

Glassbox is a digital customer experience analytics tool for large companies in retail, finance, and other industries. It captures customer interactions on websites and mobile apps, analyzes them to understand customer behavior, and identifies areas for improvement. This helps businesses optimize digital experiences, reduce customer support issues, and increase revenue. Glassbox prides itself on its AI-powered insights, security, and ease of use.

Summary

Main difference

Instabug is a mobile-first bug reporting and user feedback tool that excels at in-app bug and crash reporting, while Glassbox is a digital experience analytics platform focused on session replay and user behavior analysis on web and mobile. Instabug is best for mobile app developers seeking to improve app stability and gather user feedback, whereas Glassbox is better suited for larger companies aiming to optimize digital customer journeys and improve conversion rates.

Relative strengths of Instabug (compared to Glassbox)

Superior mobile app bug reporting and crash diagnostics with detailed device and user information.
Direct in-app user feedback mechanisms, including bug reports, surveys, and two-way communication.
Strong integrations with development tools like Jira and Slack, streamlining workflow and communication.

Relative weaknesses of Instabug (compared to Glassbox)

Limited session replay capabilities compared to Glassbox, which offers more comprehensive web and mobile session recordings.
Focus primarily on mobile apps, while Glassbox provides broader coverage for both web and mobile platforms.
Less emphasis on AI-powered insights and predictive analytics compared to Glassbox.

What companies are using Instabug and Glassbox?

Included Health (previously Grand Rounds Health and Doctor On Demand)

Who should use Instabug VS. Glassbox

Instabug is a mobile app performance and user experience platform that helps developers identify and resolve issues efficiently. It provides detailed crash and bug reports, performance monitoring, and user feedback tools. Users praise its detailed reports and integrations but note occasional difficulties with account management and limited UI customization. Instabug is best suited for medium to large businesses developing complex mobile apps.

Glassbox is a customer experience analytics platform that helps large enterprises in regulated industries optimize their digital journeys. It captures and analyzes customer interactions on websites and mobile apps, providing insights into user behavior. Users praise its session replay and real-time visibility features. However, some users desire more training and advanced AI features. Glassbox is best for companies seeking to improve customer experience, reduce support costs, and increase revenue.

Best for medium to large companies, especially those with complex mobile apps requiring robust testing and feedback.
Ideal for software, IT, and telecommunications companies, but also applicable to e-commerce, retail, and other industries.

Best for large enterprises (1000+ employees) in regulated industries.
Ideal for finance, retail, and other sectors with complex digital journeys.

Instabug and Glassbox features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Pre-release testing

Supported

Instabug supports pre-release testing with features like bug reporting, crash reporting, and performance monitoring.

Partially supported

Glassbox does not directly support pre-release testing but can inform pre-release testing strategies.
Beta distribution

Not supported

Instabug does not distribute beta versions, but integrates with distribution tools.

Not supported

Glassbox does not appear to support beta distribution.
Performance monitoring

Supported

Instabug offers comprehensive crash reporting and real-time performance monitoring.

Partially supported

Glassbox offers real-time performance monitoring but crash reporting is not explicitly mentioned.
Compliance risk mitigation

Not supported

Instabug primarily focuses on debugging and performance monitoring, not compliance.

Supported

Glassbox captures and analyzes customer interactions to reduce fraud and compliance risks.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

No data

No data
Customer Service

No data

No data
Ease of Use

No data

No data
Reliability and Performance

No data

No data
Ease of Implementation

No data

No data
Scalability

No data

No data

Instabug and Glassbox Pricing

Instabug offers a 14-day free trial for all its plans. Additional members can be added to the Basic, Pro, and Ultimate plans for $50/month each.

Plans

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-1

See full Pricing page

No data

See full Pricing page

Instabug and Glassbox review insights

Users love

Detailed bug reports with visual user flow make identifying and resolving issues efficient.
Easy integration with popular tools like Jira and Slack.
Provides detailed device information, network logs, and user steps for comprehensive bug reports.
In-app chat allows for direct communication with users.

Session Replay is what I use most often.
The ability to see customers interact after we release changes.
Glassbox for us enables us to unlock insight that either we've previously not had access to, or has been very difficult to piece together.
Love the application as it allows real time visibility of actions taken on the system. This helps for coaching and understanding for investigation. This also improves performance. The application it self is very easy and simple to use.
Intuitive, well layed out, and performant UX. The tool is of high importance to our everyday operations. GIA is such a great feature!

Users dislike

Account management is difficult to navigate and can lead to accidental charges.
The web UI can be slow and clunky.
Limited customization options, especially for canned responses and mobile experience.
The shake to report feature can be disruptive and accidentally triggered.

The recent presentation Glassbox gave shed light on a lot of features we fail to take advantage of. Having more subject matter expertise available on a regular basis would help improve usage.
Visibility in how the tool can be used. more training
Longer retention period would be helpful so that we can see older sessions
More AI features would be great for helping us make Glassbox accessible to others in the organization who are less comfortable with technology.

Instabug and Glassbox Ratings

G2

4.3/5

(234)
Capterra

4.6/5

(94)
Glassdoor

4.2/5

(109)

G2

4.9/5

(692)
Capterra

4.9/5

(54)
Glassdoor

4.0/5

(172)

Company health

Employee growth

13% increase in the last year

3% decrease in the last year

Web traffic

19% decrease in the last quarter

8% increase in the last quarter

Financing

February 2022 - $53M

January 2020 - $71M

How do Instabug's in-app feedback tools compare to Glassbox's session replays for user research?

Instabug's in-app feedback tools and Glassbox's session replays serve different but complementary purposes in user research. Instabug focuses on proactively gathering targeted feedback and bug reports directly within the app, allowing developers to understand user frustrations and identify technical issues. Glassbox, on the other hand, provides a reactive view of user behavior through session replays, allowing for a deeper understanding of how users interact with the app and where they encounter friction points. While Instabug helps identify "what" is wrong, Glassbox offers insights into "why" by showing the user's journey leading up to an issue. For comprehensive user research, combining both tools can be beneficial.

Which product best integrates with existing development tools for bug tracking and resolution?

Instabug better integrates with existing development tools for bug tracking and resolution. Its description specifically mentions integration with popular tools like Jira and Slack, which are commonly used for bug tracking and team communication. While Glassbox is a customer experience analytics tool, its focus is not directly on bug tracking and resolution within development workflows.

What are the advantages of Instabug?

Instabug focuses specifically on mobile app improvement, providing detailed crash reports, performance monitoring, and user feedback collection. Its in-app bug reporting and communication features streamline the feedback process, and integrations with tools like Jira and Slack enhance workflow efficiency. This makes Instabug advantageous for mobile-first companies prioritizing app quality and user experience.

What are the disadvantages of Instabug?

Instabug's disadvantages include difficult account management that can lead to unexpected charges, a slow and clunky web UI, limited customization options, and a disruptive "shake to report" feature that can be accidentally triggered.

Alternatives to Instabug and Glassbox

Embrace

Embrace is a mobile app monitoring tool that helps you understand how your app is performing for your users. It provides detailed technical information about crashes, bugs, and performance issues, allowing you to identify and fix problems quickly. Embrace focuses on providing a complete picture of the user experience, going beyond just server-side metrics. This helps you prioritize issues that have the biggest impact on your users and ensure your app is reliable and enjoyable to use.

Heap | by Contentsquare

Heap | by Contentsquare is a digital insights platform that helps businesses understand their customers' online journeys. It provides data on customer behavior, such as where users struggle or abandon their experience. Heap offers session replay, allowing you to see exactly what your customers see, and helps identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach helps businesses optimize their websites and apps to enhance customer experience, improve conversion rates, and make better product decisions. Heap caters to a range of businesses, from SaaS companies to e-commerce and financial institutions.

BugHerd

BugHerd simplifies website feedback and bug tracking. It allows teams and clients to pinpoint issues directly on a webpage like using virtual sticky notes. This visual approach eliminates vague feedback, saving time and confusion. BugHerd also offers task management features and integrates with popular tools like Slack and Jira, streamlining your workflow. It's a popular choice for web development agencies, marketing teams, and in-house project management for its user-friendly interface and efficient feedback loop.

Zipy

Zipy is a digital experience platform designed to help businesses understand and improve how users interact with their websites and applications. It combines session replay, error monitoring, and product analytics into a single platform. Zipy allows you to watch recordings of user sessions, track errors, and analyze user behavior to identify and resolve issues that impact customer experience. It's particularly useful for product, customer support, and development teams at mid-sized companies who need a clearer picture of user experience and to proactively address problems.

Appflow by Ionic

Appflow by Ionic is a mobile development tool that helps businesses automate the process of building, testing, and releasing mobile apps. This streamlined approach saves time and improves the quality of your apps, ultimately leading to a better experience for your users. Appflow is used by a range of companies, from large enterprises to smaller businesses, and has been trusted by well-known brands across various industries.

Mixpanel

Mixpanel is a tool that helps you understand how people use your website or app. It tracks user actions, like button clicks and page views, and presents the data in easy-to-understand reports. This helps you see what features are popular, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately make decisions that lead to a better user experience and increased customer satisfaction.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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