Spotlane
What it is
Spotlane turns product screenshots into interactive demos with clickable hotspots and guided walkthroughs. Users can paste or upload screenshots at any resolution, add hotspot labels and descriptions, and link hotspots to target screens. Connected screens form a flow with contextual pop-ups. Hotspots can show hover-triggered or always-displayed tooltips, and users can customize their colors, shapes, ripple effects, and popup content. The maker says a demo can be prepared in under five minutes by uploading a screenshot, adding hotspots, and connecting screens. Demos export as JSON and can be embedded with the @spotlane/player React component without a backend. The exported JSON can be hosted on a CDN or S3 bucket, GitHub Pages, Vercel, Netlify, another static host, or an app’s public folder. The editor is free, open source under the MIT License, and requires no account. The project can be self-hosted, forked, and extended; its demo data is stored in a standard JSON file that users own and host. Running the editor locally and building the player library requires Node.js 18+ and npm 9+.
For and against
For
- Free editor with no account required
- Accepts screenshots at any resolution
- Exports demos as JSON
- Hotspots and pop-ups are customizable
Against
- Local setup requires Node.js 18+ and npm 9+
- Embedding uses the @spotlane/player React component
The verdict
Spotlane provides a screenshot-based workflow for building and embedding guided product demos. Its free, open-source editor and JSON export offer flexibility, while local use has stated prerequisites.
Who it suits
Spotlane suits people creating interactive product demos from screenshots and embedding them in an app or static site. It also offers a self-hosting option for users who want to run the editor locally.
Plans and prices
Free
Free forever · no account required · open source
Read 10 Oct 2026 · spotlane.dev
On the record
- Access
- The site says the editor is free, open source, and requires no account.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Hotspot colors, shapes, ripple effects, and popup content can be customized.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Data ownership
- The maker says demo data is stored in a standard JSON file that users own and host.github.com · read 10 Oct 2026
- Export and embed
- Demos export as JSON and can be embedded with the @spotlane/player React component without a backend.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- The maker says exported JSON demos can be hosted on a CDN or S3 bucket, GitHub Pages, Vercel, Netlify, another static host, or an app's public folder.github.com · read 10 Oct 2026
- Hotspot fields
- Hotspots can have a label, description, and target screen.spotlane.dev · read 9 Oct 2026
- Images
- Users can paste or upload product screenshots at any resolution.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The maker documents an embeddable React player package named @spotlane/player.github.com · read 10 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The site describes Spotlane as a tool for making product demos and guiding users through a product.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- License
- Spotlane is open source under the MIT license, and the site says users can self-host, fork, and extend it.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Local use
- The maker documents running the editor locally and building the player library; the listed prerequisites are Node.js 18+ and npm 9+.github.com · read 10 Oct 2026
- No account required
- The site says users can start for free without an account.spotlane.dev · read 9 Oct 2026
- Popup behavior
- Tooltips can be set to appear on hover or remain always displayed for each hotspot.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Spotlane creates interactive product demos from screenshots using clickable hotspots and guided walkthroughs.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Screenshots
- The editor accepts pasted or uploaded product screenshots at any resolution.spotlane.dev · read 9 Oct 2026
- Setup
- The site says a demo can be ready in under five minutes by uploading a screenshot, adding hotspots, and linking screens.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- Walkthroughs
- Screens can be connected into a flow that users click through with contextual pop-ups.spotlane.dev · read 10 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Spotlane creates interactive product demos from screenshots using clickable hotspots and guided walkthroughs.spotlane.dev · read 9 Oct 2026
