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Samesurf is a real-time collaboration platform that empowers multiple people to experience the same content in real-time from virtually any device or browser without installs or coding of any kind. Our suite of products transcend alternative offerings based on screen sharing and traditional co-browsing in terms of simplicity, security and performance.

Screen sharing broadcasts the contents of the presenter's screen to other users by continuously capturing and broadcasting mini-snapshots of that person's screen. This form of real-time sharing (1) is CPU, GPU and bandwidth intensive; (2) requires installs; (3) is considerably slower than samesurf co-browsing in terms of rendering speed; (4) amounts to a one-way non-interactive experience; and (5) is highly ineffective on mobile. Samesurf co-browsing synchronizes the pages that the leader and followers visit during their shared browsing experience by simulating the events that occur within those pages on both sides. This patented form of real-time sharing serves as a highly effective alternative to screen sharing apps that (1) requires considerably less CPU, GPU and bandwidth usage compared to screen sharing; (2) includes no installs of any kind for virtually all devices; (3) is considerably faster than screen sharing in terms of rendering speed; and (4) constitutes a multi-way interactive experience that empowers both sides to interact with online content in real-time. For a more in-depth comparison, please visit the Samesurf vs Alternatives page.

Traditional co-browsing solutions require the inclusion of third party javascript tags on every page that is eligible for shared browsing. This process requires a comprehensive coding exercise, continuous QA testing, IT and security approvals, and the limitation of co-browsing to websites that are actually owned and operated by the publisher. These types of solutions also don’t support shared browsing for modern web technologies such as CSS transitions, SVG animations, video content and elements that appear within iFrames.

Samesurf Co-Browsing holds the following significant advantages over first generation alternatives: (1) no coding, install, QA and/or upfront setup requirements of any kind; (2) co-browsing support for every form of modern web technology including iFrames, WebGL and Hi-Def Videos; (3) ability for publishers to preview co-browsing on their own pages before committing to a purchase; (4) unique feature sets which include passing control within the page via a single click; (5) cross-platform functionality that extends to initiating sessions from mobile devices without installing apps; and (6) shared browsing support for the entire web or a certain subset of domains at the election of the publisher. For a more in-depth comparison, please visit the Samesurf vs Alternatives page.

A room is an install-free session that enables one interchangeable leader to guide any number of followers through a shared experience. Within a room, users can follow the leader from page to page, audio and video chat, send messages, screen draw, track cursors, pass leader controls and toggle into different modes such as co-browsing, upload & share and video sharing.

Samesurf empowers multiple users to deliver and view pristine presentations from any device without enduring installs, fuzzy screens or latency. It enables presenters to easily fuse co-browse ready slides with crystal clear video and site sharing to simulate the experience of being together in real life.

A host is the person who initiates the session. This person has the ability to perform special functions like passing or taking back leader controls and disconnecting specific users from the room.

A leader is the interchangeable person who guides the room participants from page to page throughout the shared browsing session.

A follower is the user who views the leader’s activities in real-time. This person can become the leader by requesting and then being granted control from either the host or current leader.

You can start a room in the following ways:

(1) For Account Holders: Log into your Samesurf account and click the "Start" button to initiate the room.

(2) For Support & Sales: Log into the Samesurf Dashboard and trigger the "Start" button for current and scheduled sessions.

(3) For Websites: Activate the integrated Start button or Hotkey that lives within the publisher’s Samesurf enabled site (which leverages the Samesurf REST API).

(4) For Mobile Apps: Activate the integrated Start button that lives within the publisher’s Samesurf enabled app (which leverages the Samesurf Mobile SDK).

You can send invites by:

(1) Copying and pasting the invite link into any chat or email window;

(2) Sending a web invite via Samesurf Mail or through your own default email service; or

(3) Sending a text message invite via a mobile device.

Samesurf has successfully tested 5000 simultaneous users within a single session.

You can join a room by clicking an invite link or by entering the unique room identifier into the Join a Room box on a Samesurf enabled site.

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Samesurf works on all modern browsers including Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Opera. In terms of device support, Samesurf is optimized for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.

The list of available features flows from the Features menu that is positioned on the Samesurf Topbar.

To request control, use the Control button to prompt the current leader to either give you control or deny your request.

To pass control as the leader, click the Control button and select a new leader from the user list.

To take back control as the host, click the Control button and click Yes to take back control.

Cursor tracking enables everyone in the room to view each other's cursors in real-time. If a leader scrolls up or down within a page, the followers will also auto-scroll to match the leader's movements on that page.

The process for re-joining a room is the same as the initial one for joining that room.

After clicking the Chat button from the Samesurf Topbar, you will be able to send messages to everyone in the room if the in-room chat module is set "To All." In order to send a private message, select a specific user from the dropdown list and send your message to a single individual.

Users are able to run an unlimited number of co-browsing sessions in a simultaneous fashion - even from the same browser.

The leader can toggle into Screen Sharing via the Modes Menu on modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera to enable other participants to see the leader’s desktop or certain selected windows on their desktop. Followers will be able to view the leader’s screen on any device or browser.

Screen sharing works for leaders who are sharing their computer screen into virtually any mobile browser without installs or coding of any kind on the viewer side. The Samesurf Mobile SDK also supports the ability to share native mobile apps into any other mobile app or browser window.

The Samesurf Mobile SDK does support the ability for leaders to broadcast their native mobile app into any other mobile app or browser window.

Maximum broadcasting levels depend on a variety of factors including the size of the screen being shared, the dynamic nature of the content and the speed of the participants' web connections. Our internal testing has shown that on high-powered machines within robust web connections, up to 100 participants are able to view the same screen broadcast in real time. To support a higher number of users, Samesurf Co-browsing is recommended.

The best way to enjoy a lag-free shared experience is to opt for Samesurf Co-Browsing. If you're sharing offline content like applications or other items that reside on your desktop, you can vastly improve the screen sharing performance by sending and receiving screen broadcasts on a faster web connection (ex: cable, DSL or 4G wireless).

Screen sharing is helpful when collaborating on apps and offline content that reside exclusively on the user desktop as opposed to a web browser.

Followers won’t be able to see items on the leader’s screen that are outside the shared browsing tab(s) when using Samesurf Co-Browsing (multiple tabs within that browser will be visible if multiple tab co-browsing is activated). Samesurf’s patented shared browsing technology is much different that alternatives like screen sharing where the risk of exposing sensitive content in the form of extraneous tabs, pop-ups and passwords is significantly higher. With Samesurf co-browsing, users in a shared session are able to follow the leader from page to page as they interact with one another and the same page within a single or multiple browser tabs.

If Samesurf screen sharing is initiated, followers will be able to see the leader’s entire desktop or certain selected windows.

On enabled sites for publishers who have opted for this option, Samesurf has the ability to redact certain input fields from the view of unauthorized parties like support agents. If any user types characters within a non-sensitive input box such as a search field, these input entries will be made visible to others in the room so users are all able to collaborate within those input boxes in real-time.