Surfly – Share the Web

Surfing the internet is usually viewed as a solitary activity. Surfly is trying to change that, offering a way for people to share online browsing sessions with their colleagues, clients, or even friends without having to download any special software to make it happen.

With Surfly, you can show your mom how to use Facebook, walk a client through a new feature on the app you’re designing, or check out travel photos while planning a vacation with a friend. Just head to Surfly and type in the address of the website you want to share. Surfly will provide you with a shortened URL, which you can send to your friend via email or IM. Clicking on the link opens up the exact site you’re looking at. Immediately, your partner can see exactly what you see, including the movements of your mouse. As the person who started the session, you maintain complete control over the browsing. However, other people can join in or drop off your demonstration until you decide the session is through.

Surfly has developed an easy way to share live websites, and it’s a useful tool for people who need to demonstrate how to do things on the web to their clients, colleagues, or even friends. Businesses with remote workers can also utilize Surfly to ensure everyone is on the same page when working on important group projects.

Practical Uses:

• Demonstrate how to use a new web application
• Walk your mom through the process of signing up for Twitter
• Show off your portfolio of work to potential customers
• Look at vacation photos remotely with your sister

Insider Tips:

• The person who started a session decides when it is through
• Multiple people can join an ongoing session
• Surfly works on mobile devices
• Use the API to integrate Surfly into your own app
• The bookmarklet tool allows for even faster screen sharing

What we liked:

• Users don’t have to download any software to share screens with friends
• People can join a Surfly browsing session in one click
• Surfly offers a solution in cases where it’s easier to show a client something than to describe it in detail
• Employers can make sure that remote employees are on the same page as people working inside the office

What we didn’t like:

• Surfly would be more useful if it included a chat window

Alternatives:

• GoToMeeting – http://www.gotomeeting.com
• HipChat – https://www.hipchat.com

Company Info:

• Launched: 2013
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Founded by: Nicholas Piël and Denis Bilenko
• Web site: http://www.surfly.com

Costs:

• Free