# Polypane vs Responsively

> Polypane vs Responsively App, checked October 2026: devices, testing tools, AI agents, platforms and price. Plus a free way to check screens with no install.

Canonical page: https://sitepeel.dev/compare/polypane-vs-responsively/

Both are desktop browsers that show your site on many screens at once. One is a paid testing suite; the other is free and open source.

Published: 2026-10-27

Facts and prices checked: 2026-10-27

Tool used in this guide: [Responsive viewer](https://sitepeel.dev/free-tools/responsive-checker/index.md)

Free website tool for this task: [Responsive checker](https://sitepeel.dev/free-tools/responsive-checker/index.md) (https://sitepeel.dev/free-tools/responsive-checker/)

## In short

- Polypane: deep accessibility and emulation tests, $12 a month
- Responsively: free, open source, mirrored clicks and scrolling
- No install: Sitepeel’s free responsive checker

## Side by side

Polypane and Responsively App compared

|  | Polypane | Responsively App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12 a month or $108 a year; 14-day trial | Free, open source |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Synced viewports | Yes | Yes, mirrored clicks and scrolling |
| Accessibility and emulation tests | Yes, many | Not listed (DevTools only) |
| Screenshots | Yes | Yes |
| AI agents can drive it | Not listed | Yes, in the 2.0 beta |
| Latest release | Polypane 31, September 2026 | Stable February 2026; 2.0 beta September 2026 |

Good to know: Checked on October 27, 2026 on each product’s own site and GitHub. We make Sitepeel, a free responsive checker.

## Pick Polypane if…

- You test accessibility and emulation every day
- You want polished, supported software for a team
- You test localhost on other devices

## Pick Responsively if…

- You want it free and open source
- You mostly check layouts across devices
- You want an AI agent to drive the browser

## Just want a quick look? No install

Sitepeel’s free responsive checker shows any public page on phones, tablets, laptops and monitors side by side, and lists layout problems like content wider than the screen and tiny tap targets.

![Sitepeel responsive checker: linear.app on a monitor, laptop, tablet and phones, with layout problems listed](https://sitepeel.dev/images/compare/sitepeel-responsive.webp)

Sitepeel’s free responsive checker on linear.app.

- [Check a site on every screen size, free](https://sitepeel.dev/free-tools/responsive-checker/index.md)

## The verdict

**Verdict:** Daily testing with accessibility in mind: Polypane. Free layout checks with mirrored scrolling: Responsively. A quick look from a link: Sitepeel.

## Questions and answers

### Is Responsively App really free?

Yes. Responsively App is free and open source (AGPL-3.0) on Mac, Windows and Linux.

### Is Polypane worth paying for?

If you build sites every day and test accessibility, emulation and many viewports, many developers find it is. For occasional layout checks, a free tool is usually enough.

### Can I check screen sizes without installing anything?

Yes. Paste a link into Sitepeel’s free responsive checker to see phones, tablets and desktops side by side, with layout problems listed.

## Further reading

- [Polypane: pricing](https://polypane.app/pricing/)
- [Responsively App](https://responsively.app/)
- [Responsively App releases](https://github.com/responsively-org/responsively-app/releases)

## Related pages

- [Polypane alternatives](https://sitepeel.dev/compare/polypane-alternatives/index.md): Polypane alternatives, checked October 2026: Responsively App, Sizzy, Blisk, Responsive Viewer and Sitepeel’s free responsive checker, with prices and limits.
- [Responsive Viewer alternatives](https://sitepeel.dev/compare/responsive-viewer-alternatives/index.md): Responsive Viewer alternatives, checked October 2026: Sitepeel, Responsively App, Window Resizer, Polypane and DevTools. Free and paid ways to test screens.
- [Test responsive layouts](https://sitepeel.dev/guides/test-responsive-website-layouts/index.md): Test a responsive website at phone, tablet and desktop widths. Find where the layout breaks, check hard content, record the bug and verify on devices.