Archive-It preserves websites for libraries and historical record. VaultShot archives websites for regulatory compliance — with SHA-256 integrity hashing and audit-ready PDF certificates that Archive-It doesn't offer.
No credit card required. Free plan available.
Archive-It is designed for libraries and cultural preservation, not regulatory compliance
No SHA-256 cryptographic hashing for tamper-proof verification
No compliance certificates or audit-ready documentation
Pricing starts at $3,000/year for basic access
Archive-It (by the Internet Archive) is excellent for cultural and historical preservation. But compliance archiving has different requirements: cryptographic proof of integrity, timestamped compliance certificates, and audit-ready documentation. VaultShot is purpose-built for regulatory compliance with SHA-256 hashing and PDF certificates that auditors expect.
Archive-It, built by the Internet Archive, is the gold standard for web preservation — libraries, universities, and government agencies use it to maintain cultural and historical records of the internet. But preservation and compliance are fundamentally different objectives. Preservation asks 'did this website exist?' Compliance asks 'can you prove this screenshot hasn't been tampered with since capture?' Archive-It answers the first question beautifully. It doesn't answer the second at all. There's no SHA-256 hashing, no cryptographic integrity chain, and no compliance certificates. When a FINRA examiner or GDPR auditor asks for proof of website content, they need more than a Wayback Machine link — they need verifiable, timestamped evidence with mathematical proof of authenticity.
The technical architectures of Archive-It and VaultShot reflect their different missions. Archive-It uses web crawling technology (Heritrix) to download and replay website content in WARC format — a standard designed for long-term digital preservation. VaultShot uses headless browser rendering (Chromium) to capture pixel-perfect screenshots of exactly what a visitor sees, then immediately computes a SHA-256 hash of the image file and stores both the screenshot and hash immutably. The crawl-and-replay approach is ideal for preserving interactive website experiences. The render-and-hash approach is ideal for producing evidence that regulators accept. They're complementary tools for different problems.
Pricing is another axis where Archive-It and VaultShot serve different markets. Archive-It's annual subscriptions start at $3,000 per year and scale based on data volume and crawl frequency. University libraries and government archives budget for this as a long-term preservation expense. VaultShot's $19/month pricing reflects a different use case: a compliance team that needs daily captures of a handful of critical URLs with hash verification and PDF certificates. You're not archiving the entire internet — you're creating a legally defensible record of your own website. That's a narrower problem with a proportionally lower cost, and VaultShot is purpose-built to solve it.
Every feature is designed to produce evidence that regulators accept.
Every screenshot is cryptographically hashed at capture time. Any modification — even a single pixel — produces a different hash, proving the file is original.
Screenshots are stored on AWS S3 with WORM-grade immutability. Files cannot be deleted or overwritten — meeting FINRA 17a-4 and SEC requirements.
Set it and forget it. VaultShot captures your website on your schedule — hourly, daily, or weekly — ensuring no gaps in your compliance timeline.
Each capture generates a professional PDF with hash, timestamp, metadata, and screenshot preview — ready to hand directly to auditors or regulators.
Anyone can verify a screenshot's authenticity by uploading it or pasting its hash. Provides instant, independent proof that the file is untampered.
VaultShot automatically detects and dismisses cookie consent banners before capture — ensuring clean, unobstructed screenshots every time.
Same SHA-256 hashing standard. Fraction of the cost.
| Feature | VaultShot — $19/mo | Archive-It — $3,000+/yr |
|---|---|---|
| SHA-256 Hashing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automated Captures | ✓ | ✓ |
| PDF Certificates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Self-Service Signup | ✓ | ✗ |
| Month-to-Month Billing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Setup in Minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Monthly Price | $19/mo | $3,000+/yr |
Try the free snapshot tool — no account needed. Or go Pro for $19/mo with daily automated captures, hash verification, and PDF certificates.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.