Comparison: Delta-QA or Chromatic, Testing Full Pages or Components?
Chromatic is the reference tool for visual testing of UI components via Storybook. Delta-QA tests complete web pages with real user journeys. These aren't direct competitors — they're two different levels of testing. And understanding the difference prevents thinking you're protected when you're only half-covered.
What Chromatic Tests
Chromatic captures each Storybook story and compares it to its previous version. A button in its 5 states. A card with short and long titles. An empty and pre-filled form.
It's powerful for protecting a component library. Any modification to a shared component is immediately detected. The review interface is excellent for designer-developer collaboration.
The problem is that Chromatic tests components in isolation. A component alone, in a neutral container, without page context. And that's where bugs hide.
What Delta-QA Tests
Delta-QA tests complete pages. Not isolated components — real pages with real layouts, real content, real components interacting with each other.
A perfect Card component in Storybook can break when placed in a 3-column grid with a sidebar. A button validated in isolation can disappear behind a footer in real context. A flawless form in a story can overflow its container when integrated into a modal.
These bugs? Chromatic doesn't see them. Delta-QA does because it tests what users actually see — the complete page, in a real browser, with real content.
The Storybook Prerequisite
Chromatic requires Storybook. If your project doesn't use Storybook, Chromatic makes no sense. And setting up Storybook solely for visual testing is a considerable investment: writing stories for each component, keeping them up to date, managing demo data.
Delta-QA requires nothing. No Storybook, no specific framework, no code. You have a website? You can test it.
Cloud vs Local
Chromatic is exclusively cloud. Your screenshots are sent and stored on Chromatic's infrastructure. No self-hosted option.
Delta-QA is local by default. Everything stays on your machine. No data leaves.
Pricing
Chromatic offers 5,000 free snapshots per month, but only on Chrome. Multi-browser starts at $179/month. And snapshots add up fast: 180 stories × 3 viewports = 540 snapshots per build, roughly 9 builds before hitting the free limit.
Delta-QA Desktop is free with no limits. Multi-browser included.
The Real Question
The question isn't "Chromatic or Delta-QA?" It's "are you testing your components, your pages, or both?"
If you have Storybook and a design system, Chromatic protects your component library. That's a first safety net.
But you also need a second net for complete pages. That's where Delta-QA comes in. The two tools complement each other — neither replaces the other.
And if you don't use Storybook, Delta-QA is the only option you need.
FAQ
Does Chromatic work without Storybook?
Chromatic has been opening up to Playwright and Cypress since 2025, but these integrations are still young. In practice, Storybook remains the main prerequisite.
Can a perfect Storybook component break on a page?
Yes. Storybook isolation masks interactions with the parent layout, neighboring components, real content, and screen constraints. That's the main trap of isolated component testing.
Can you use Chromatic and Delta-QA together?
Yes, and it's the recommended approach. Chromatic for components, Delta-QA for pages. Each tool covers a different level.
Which is faster to set up?
Delta-QA: a few minutes. Chromatic: several hours to a few days (Storybook setup + writing stories + CI configuration).
Chromatic tests isolated UI components via Storybook. Delta-QA tests complete web pages and real user journeys — without Storybook, without code, without technical skills.
Previous article: Delta-QA vs Percy