Looking for an alternative to Wayback Machine? Here are 10 tools for archiving a website in 2025

Do you work in SEO, business intelligence or web archiving? We bet the Wayback Machine is already part of your toolbox. It allows you to consult old versions of websites, invaluable for tracing an evolution, finding a missing source or proving a modification.

But the Wayback Machine has its limits. It doesn't archive everything, not immediately, and especially not on command. When you want a customized, automated or legally compliant capture tool, you have to look elsewhere.

☝️ That's why we've selected 10 solid alternatives to the Wayback Machine, tailored to the needs of the discerning SEO researcher, web historian or developer. Some focus on automated snapshot taking, others on legal content preservation, and still others on fine-grained technical integration via API.

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What is Wayback Machine?

The Wayback Machine is the time machine of the web. Developed by the Internet Archive, this free platform lets you consult archived versions of web pages, some dating back to the very beginnings of the Internet.

Its operation relies on crawlers that automatically scan public websites, recording snapshots at regular intervals. You can then :

• consult these archives,
• view an old interface,
• check a missing quote,
• compare two versions of the same content.

In 2025, Wayback Machine remains the world's largest web archive, with over 800 billion pages stored. But it can't easily archive a URL on demand, ensure legal compliance or automate capture for advanced professional use.

Why consider an alternative to Wayback Machine?

While the Wayback Machine remains a benchmark for exploring the history of a website, it is not always up to the pro needs of 2025. Several limitations justify the search for a more powerful or specialized alternative:

• no immediate on-demand capture, so it's impossible to generate an instant archive without going through a form or a queue;
• no guarantee of compliance (legal or regulatory), particularly in terms of the legal preservation of digital evidence;
• limited functionality, with no scheduled captures, content change alerts or collaborative management;
• no support or SLA, and for a company, this is a real brake on integration into a production workflow or quality process;
• no robust API or structured data export, a problem for web developers or advanced SEO tools.

The 10 best alternatives to wayback machine for your web archiving

Archive.today (Archive.is)

Archive.today (or Archive.is) is a simple, straightforward solution for freezing a web page in the moment. Unlike the Wayback Machine, which works by crawling, here it's the user who manually triggers the capture. As a result, the archive is immediate, stable and perfectly faithful to the original.

The tool saves both the HTML code and a complete screenshot, preserving an exact version even if the original site disappears. No account is required, no ads, and a short URL is generated for each snapshot. It's the ideal option for freezing sensitive information, quotes or proof of content before it changes.

On the other hand, Archive.today offers no API, no integration and no scheduled capture. It is therefore limited to one-off, individual use, or for manual checks.

🛠️ Key features :

• immediate manual capture ;
• HTML archive and screenshot ;
• works on JS or protected pages;
• automatically generated short URL;
• free, no registration required.

ChangeTower

ChangeTower is much more than a simple archive: it's a website monitoring tool with automatic capture. It's particularly well suited to SEO teams, competitive intelligence managers or content professionals who want to be alerted as soon as a page changes.

The user defines the pages to be monitored, selects the type of content to be tracked (text, keywords, structure, visuals) and ChangeTower records a time-stamped version every time a modification is detected. You can consult the history, receive e-mail alerts, and view the differences between versions.

It's a dynamic alternative to the Wayback Machine, designed for monitoring rather than passive archiving. The tool features an intuitive dashboard, an API, and third-party integrations (Slack, Zapier).

ChangeTower is ideal for SEO agencies, lawyers or analysts who need to document the evolution of content over time. However, it is less geared towards long-term archiving or legal compliance.

🛠️ Key features :

• automated web page monitoring ;
• real-time alerts in the event of changes ;
• version history with visual comparison;
• content capture + screenshot with each update;
• API integrations with Slack, Zapier, etc.

GitHub for Web Archiving

It's not a classic archiving tool, but rather an open source ecosystem for those who want to build their own archiving machine. On GitHub, you'll find a collection of community-developed tools: scripts, extensions, frameworks... all geared towards automated, reproducible and controlled archiving.

One of the flagship projects is Webrecorder, which lets you capture interactive web sessions locally, then replay them via an integrated player. Perfect for archiving complex pages with JavaScript, forms or dynamic content.

GitHub for Web Archiving is therefore a technical alternative to the Wayback Machine, designed for developers, researchers or institutions who want to fully control the capture and consultation process.

🛠️ Key features :

• open source scripts to automate archiving ;
• interactive, faithful captures via Webrecorder ;
• archive hosting on local or cloud servers;
• integration into technical workflows (via CLI or API);
• compatible with standardized WARC formats.

The GitHub approach requires a little elbow grease, but offers total control over the type of data archived, its frequency and confidentiality. It's the most modular and customizable option, especially for long-term projects.

Memento Time Travel

Memento Time Travel is not an archiving tool per se, but a temporal search engine. It enables you to find an archived version of a web page at a given date... by simultaneously querying several archive services (Wayback Machine, Archive.today, WebCite, etc.).

The principle is simple: you enter a URL and a date, and Memento returns all the snapshots available in public archives. It's the ideal tool when you don't know where a page has been archived, or when you're looking to cross-reference sources.

Originally designed for academic research, Memento is based on a standardized protocol and also features an API for technical integration, for example in a monitoring tool or web application.

🛠️ Key features :

• cross-platform search of archived versions ;
• access to archives from Wayback Machine, Archive.today, etc. ;
• simple interface or API for automated queries;
• standard Memento-Datetime protocol (HTTP headers);
• usable without an account, free of charge.

Memento doesn't archive anything itself, but it's a must-have when you want to map the digital traces of a web page over time.

MirrorWeb

MirrorWeb is a web archiving solution designed for enterprises, governments and institutions. Unlike consumer-oriented tools, MirrorWeb offers an infrastructure that complies with regulatory requirements (RGPD, SEC, MiFID II...), with automated, time-stamped and tamper-proof captures.

Each page is logged at regular intervals, with its source code, external resources, and a complete visual capture. All this can be consulted via a secure interface, with search function, date filters and data export.

It's the high-end answer to the question: "How do you keep a certified version of a website for auditing, legal proof or institutional history? "

🛠️ Key features :

• automatic archiving at customized frequencies ;
• RGPD, FCA, SEC, MiFID II compliance;
• archive browsing and search interface;
• secure multi-user access;
• sovereign or dedicated cloud hosting.

MirrorWeb is a true digital safe, designed for legal teams, administrations, compliance departments or public communicators. It's clearly at the top end of the market for professional web archiving.

Pagefreezer

Pagefreezer is a compliant, legally enforceable web archiving platform designed for organizations subject to strict regulations (banking, healthcare, insurance, government). Unlike the Wayback Machine, the objective here is clear: to create reliable, time-stamped and certified digital evidence .

The tool automatically archives websites, social networks, SMS messages or even collaborative platforms (such as Slack or Microsoft Teams). Each capture is digitally signed, indexed, and stored according to the standards of regulatory authorities (FINRA, SEC, RGPD...).

Its interface makes it possible to search, view and export archives in just a few clicks, while ensuring full traceability of every action. It's the preferred option for legal teams, CIOs or compliance officers.

🛠️ Key features :

• web, social media, mobile and collaboration archiving ;
• certified, dated, non-modifiable captures ;
• advanced archive search ;
• legal compliance (SEC, FINRA, RGPD...);
• APIs and integrations with business tools.

Pagefreezer transforms archiving into usable evidence. It's a strategic tool for companies that need to demonstrate compliance or trace a precise history.

Perma.cc

Created by Harvard Law School, Perma.cc is a web archiving tool designed to combat link rot: the phenomenon whereby links cited in articles, court rulings or research papers disappear or become inaccessible over time.

With Perma.cc, any user can create a perennial archive of a web page, associated with a stable URL. The service captures the HTML content as well as a time-stamped screenshot, guaranteeing that the information will remain accessible even if the original page is deleted or modified.

Particularly popular in academic, legal and publishing circles, Perma.cc focuses on reliability, traceability and sustainable citation. It is used by over 500 libraries, courts and universities worldwide.

🛠️ Key features :

• permanent web page archiving;
• stable URL for long-term citation;
• HTML and screenshot capture;
• simple, collaborative interface;
• institutional accounts for libraries, courts, universities.

Perma.cc is not designed for large-scale archiving, but it excels when it comes to guaranteeing the integrity of a source cited in a document. It is an essential tool for any official or academic documentation.

Smarsh

Smarsh is a heavyweight in digital archiving for regulated companies, particularly in the finance, insurance and utilities sectors. Its core business is to capture, store and monitor all digital communications, including websites.

The tool offers automated, compliant and centralized archiving of multiple channels: web pages, e-mails, social networks, SMS, collaboration platforms... Each element is preserved in a legally enforceable format, with search, audit and supervision functionalities.

Designed for compliance, legal or IT teams, Smarsh also offers tools for analysis, risk detection (compliance monitoring), and rapid access to archives in the event of an audit or investigation.

🛠️ Key features :

• compliant archiving of websites, messaging systems and social networks ;
• compliance with FINRA, SEC, FCA, RGPD, etc. ;
• granular search and advanced filters;
• secure portal for internal teams or regulators;
• cloud or on-premise solutions.

Smarsh is clearly a highly strategic archiving solution, designed for organizations that need to protect themselves legally while meeting stringent compliance requirements.

Stillio

Stillio automates the taking of regular screenshots of web pages, at the frequency of your choice. It's a particularly useful tool for professionals in SEO, competitive intelligence, brand management or marketing compliance.

With Stillio, you configure URLs, a frequency (every hour, every day, every week...), and the tool automatically generates a series of snapshots stored in a visual dashboard. Each snapshot is dated, downloadable and accessible via an API or third-party integrations (Dropbox, Google Drive, Zapier...).

Where Wayback Machine depends on the goodwill of its robots, Stillio gives you complete control over when and what to archive. It doesn't capture HTML code, but it excels whenever you need to monitor visuals, rankings, legal notices or proof of publication.

🛠️ Key features :

• automated capture of web screenshots ;
• adjustable frequency (hourly, daily, etc.) ;
• visual and historical dashboards;
• cloud and API integrations;
• clear, intuitive, multi-user interface.

Stillio is not a substitute for legal archiving, but it is a highly effective solution for continuous site monitoring, version comparison and visual evidence.

WebCite

WebCite is an on-demand archiving service designed primarily for researchers, academic publishers and authors wishing to cite web pages on a permanent basis. The tool creates a fixed copy of a URL at the time of consultation, with a permanent address for use in a publication or bibliography.

Unlike the Wayback Machine, which works by crawling, WebCite relies on user action. When a page is archived, the service saves the HTML code, embedded resources and a screenshot, ensuring that the source remains accessible even if it disappears from the web.

Supported by universities and libraries, WebCite has long been a reference in the academic world. In recent years, however, it has suffered from a slowdown in development, with performance and availability limitations.

🛠️ Key features :

• ad hoc archiving of web pages ;
• stable URL for scientific citations ;
• HTML + visual capture;
• free interface, no registration required;
• used in thousands of academic publications.

WebCite remains a valuable option for sustainable citations, but its long-term future is uncertain. It is best used as a complement to more robust solutions if technical sustainability is critical.

How to choose a wayback machine alternative?

Summary table of the best wayback machine alternatives

Tool	Archiving type	On-demand capture	Automation	Compliance / Legality	Ideal for...
Archive.today	Manual capture	✅	❌	❌	check a web source
ChangeTower	Monitoring + archive	✅	✅	❌	SEO and competitive intelligence
GitHub Web Archiving	Technical archiving	✅ (via scripts)	✅	❌	developers and researchers
Memento	Archive aggregator	❌	❌	❌	web historians
MirrorWeb	RGPD-compliant archiving	✅	✅	✅	companies and institutions
Pagefreezer	Legal archiving	✅	✅	✅	compliance and legal audits
Perma.cc	Academic citation	✅	❌	✅	researchers and jurists
Smarsh	Corporate archiving	✅	✅	✅	regulated sectors (finance, healthcare)
Stillio	Automated capture	✅	✅	❌	SEO and brand monitoring
WebCite	Web Quote	✅ (in part)	❌	✅	students and authors

Our tips for choosing the right Wayback Machine alternative

Before choosing a tool, ask yourself three key questions:

1- What is your main objective?

• Save evidence?
• Track changes?
• Cite a source?

Each use case points to a different service.

💡 F or example, Stillio is perfect for SEO, while Pagefreezer or Smarsh are better suited to legal obligations.

2- Do you need to automate captures?

If so, choose solutions like ChangeTower, MirrorWeb or Stillio.

Conversely, for occasional or individual use, Archive.today or Perma.cc are more than sufficient.

3- Does your project require regulatory compliance?

If you work in a regulated sector (finance, health, administration), don't take any chances: you need a certified platform like Pagefreezer, Smarsh or MirrorWeb.

Finally, beware of service continuity: some tools, such as WebCite or even Archive.today, can suffer from lack of funding or occasional interruptions. If you're looking for a long-term solution, you'll want to look to solid publishers or open source code that can be hosted, such as Webrecorder (via GitHub).

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The ideal tool for your business: how to conclude your search properly

There is no such thing as a universal tool, but there is an ideal alternative... for every need. The key is to align your choice with your business priorities:

• for an SEO team, Stillio or ChangeTower offer scheduled captures and valuable content alerts ;
• for a legal or compliance department, Pagefreezer, Smarsh or MirrorWeb ensure compliant, secure and traceable archiving;
• for researchers, academics or journalists, Perma.cc, Archive.today and Webrecorder guarantee reliable, quotable snapshots;
• And if you need to explore the global history of the web, Memento opens up all the world's archives at the click of a button.

👉 In 2025, archiving the web is no longer limited to consulting the Wayback Machine. We can monitor, prove, compare, save... according to a precise objective. So it's up to your team to choose the tool that will transform archiving into a real strategic lever.