Best Android Testing Tools Shortlist
Here’s the shortlist of the best tools that I’ll cover in this article.
Android is fast approaching iOS level of popularity. With phones such as Samsung and Google phones both supporting Android, consumers have more choice in the market, and it is imperative that your Android applications are thoroughly tested to ensure a positive user experience.
Below I talk about just some of the best Android testing tools available to help you and your team achieve thorough and complete testing of your Android applications to give you peace of mind that your applications are running smoothly for the many Android users.
How I Selected the Best Android Testing Tools
Perhaps you're wondering how I selected the best Android testing tools for this list? To build this top 10 list, I evaluated and compared a wide range of Android testing tools with positive user ratings.
After determining my long list of top choices, I further honed my list by using the selection criteria below to see how each platform stacked up against the next one. I also drew on my years of QA experience to pinpoint the features that add a lot of value.
If you have general questions about Android testing tools or how to pick the best Android testing tool for your organization, take a look at our frequently asked questions section below. Or, you can skip directly to my detailed software summaries, if that's what you need the most.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best Android testing tools for this article:
Usability:
Do they provide a variety of features? Do they offer automated testing and manual testing solutions for Android applications?
Programming Languages:
Does the tool support a variety of programming languages so any member of the team is able to set up testing environments and execute test runs?
Software Integrations:
Does the tool provide integrations with other software such as defect tracking platforms, and backlog management tools?
Pricing:
Does the tool provide enough features and cost effective solutions for your testing needs?
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Overviews Of The 10 Best Android Testing Tools
Here’s a brief description of each Android testing tool to showcase each one’s best use case, some noteworthy features, screenshots, and pricing information.
Testsigma
Best for AI-powered testing practices
Testsigma is an open-source testing framework that allows you and your team to automate tests for web apps, mobile apps and APIs.
Why I picked Testsigma: Testsigma uses AI and machine learning algorithms to help identify the most critical test cases and optimize testing efforts. The AI algorithms can analyze your application under test and identify the most critical test cases so you are able to prioritize testing efforts. This helps ensure that your testing efforts are focused on the most important areas of the application.
Testsigma provides a codeless automation environment, which means that testers with little to no coding experience can still create automated tests. This opens up the possibility for anyone on your team to execute test runs, and generate results for analysis.
Testsigma Standout Features and Integrations
Features include cross-browser testing, continuous testing, AI-powered testing, codeless automation, and a centralized platform for collaboration.
Integrations include BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, Slack, Microsoft Teams, JIRA, Trello, Asana, Jenkins, Bamboo, and CircleCI.
Pros
- Cross-browser and platform capabilities
- No coding experience required
- Intuitive user interface
Cons
- Limited programming language support
Selendroid
Best for identifying UI elements when testing an application
Selendroid is an open-source test automation framework that supports the automation of Android native and hybrid applications.
Why I picked Selendroid: Selendroid provides a built-in element inspector for identifying UI elements. The feature’s element inspector provides a graphical user interface that allows you to easily identify and locate UI elements in the application being tested. Using the element inspector, you can view the hierarchy of UI elements and their properties, including their IDs, class names, text values, and other attributes.
Selendroid is compatible with multiple Android versions (2.3 to 10), which makes it a strong contender for testing a wide range of Android applications. The tool also supports multiple programming languages, such as ava, Python, Ruby, and C#, allowing you to program in your preferred language.
Selendroid Standout Features and Integrations
Features include support for parallel execution of tests, support for testing of hybrid applications and supports gestures and interactions
Integrations include Selenium Grid, Maven, Gradle, Appium, Jenkins and JIRA
Selendroid is free to use.
Pros
- Integrates with Selenium Grid
- Easy to set up and configure
- Compatibility with multiple Android versions
Cons
- Requires manual setup of devices
Espresso
Best comprehensive test suite and APIs for testing in a native app
Espresso is an open source testing framework for Android applications that allows developers to write automated UI tests for their apps.
Why I picked Espresso: Espresso boasts a comprehensive test suite, ensuring all your testing needs are met in one place. Within this suite, Espresso makes it easy for you to write UI tests that interact with app components like buttons, text fields, and menus, and automatically waits for the app to become idle before performing any action, ensuring that the UI state is stable and consistent.
Espresso is a humble application that can benefit all developers from any background, but is particularly beneficial to freelance developers or a developer working on their own due to the variety of debugging tools available. The tool also supports a wide range of use cases, including testing individual components, full app flows, and complex user interactions.
Espresso Standout Features and Integrations
Features include automated UI testing, synchronization and debugging tools.
Integrations include JUnit, Android Test Orchestrator, Dagger, Mockito and Gradle
Espresso is free to use.
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- Provides reliable test results
- Provides fast execution
Cons
- Limited cross-platform support
Detox
Best for performing mobile app tests in both Android and iOS
Detox is an open-source mobile application testing tool specifically for testing Android apps and iOS apps for smartphones.
Why I picked Detox: Detox uses a synchronization mechanism that ensures test scripts are executed only when the app UI is ready, which reduces the likelihood of flaky tests. This allows you to automate your Android and iOS app tests without the worry of wasting test runs, improving the efficiency of your testing practices. Detox also automatically records your test execution, and provides detailed information about test failures.
Detox automatically records test execution, providing detailed information about test failures and making it easier for testers to identify and fix issues. Detox also supports parallel test execution, which allows you to run multiple tests simultaneously and reduce testing time.
Detox Standout Features and Integrations
Features include cross-platform compatibility, integration with CI/CD tools, automated test recording, synchronization features, and playback and reporting.
Integrations include React Native, Appium, Docker, Bitrise, TestRail, Xray, Jenkins, Travis CI and Circle CI.
Pros
- Customizable test cases
- Faster testing process
- Allows tests on real devices
Cons
- Limited support for web apps
Waldo
Best for a no-code testing experience
Waldo is an Android testing framework that aims to accelerate the testing process for developers by eliminating the need to build tests and write code for test automation.
Why I picked Waldo: Waldo provides you and your team a no-code experience, allowing you to move through any version of your build on real devices cross-platform within minimal effort. This, in addition to the elimination of test build requirements, allows you and your team to test your application more efficiently with builds that can be shared for testing.
Due to its no-code experience, the tool is particularly good for teams that do not have dedicated developers. Waldo also provides a scalable automation infrastructure, allowing you to automate your test cases.
Waldo Standout Features and Integrations
Features include mobile test automation, test suite organization, mobile simulator testing, mobile emulator testing, test recorder, flakiness detection and debugging signals.
Integrations include App Center, Bitrise, Circle CI, Fastlane, Travis CI, Xcode Cloud, Github, Bitbucket, GitHub Actions and GitLab.
Waldo offers customized pricing upon request. Waldo offers a free trial available.
Pros
- Dedicated support team
- Easy test creation
- Fast and reliable
Cons
- Only the enterprise plan supports unlimited testing devices
MonkeyRunner
Best for multiple device control and extensible automation
MonkeyRunner is an Android testing tool that provides an API for writing Android programs and emulators from outside of Android code.
Why I picked MonkeyRunner: MonkeyRunner allows you to develop a system of Python based modules for controlling Android devices due to the tool being an API kit. The tool also allows you to use standard Python subprocess modules to call Android tools. MonkeyRunner also provides multiple device control, allowing you to test across multiple devices and emulators.
MonkeyRunner provides capabilities for regression and functional testing purposes. The tool allows you to automate your test cases, with output screenshots and the ability to provide input values with key strokes and touch events.
MonkeyRunner Standout Features and Integrations
Features include Mobile Forms Automation, Localization, Web Accessibility and Configurable Test Suite.
Integrations include none mentioned, and Zapier doesn’t mention any.
MonkeyRunner is open source and free to use.
Pros
- Emulators available for testing
- Source code available on website
- Provides cross device capabilities
Cons
- Features limited to regression and functional testing
Calabash
Best for use of cross-platform support when testing mobile applications
Calabash is an open source cross-platform mobile testing framework that allows developers to write and execute automated acceptance tests for native and hybrid mobile applications.
Why I picked Calabash: One of the best features of Calabash is the cross-platform support, as this allows you to write tests once and execute them on multiple mobile devices and platforms. This feature can significantly reduce the time and effort required for testing mobile applications, eliminating the need to write separate tests for each platform.
Calabash is built on the principles of BDD, allowing you to write test scenarios in natural language that can be easily understood by all stakeholders. This makes it easier for you to communicate with other team members, such as business analysts and product owners, to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal.
Calabash Standout Features and Integrations
Features include multiple language support, comprehensive test coverage, support for both native and hybrid apps, and continuous integration.
Integrations include Cucumber, Appium, Jenkins, Sauce Labs, Xamarin Test Cloud and CircleCI
Free Calabash is free to use.
Pros
- Comprehensive test coverage
- Easy to use
- Strong community support
Cons
- Maintenance required for test scripts
Android Studio
Best for a comprehensive integrated environment
Android Studio is a powerful android testing application that incorporates its code editing and developer tools.
Why I picked Android Studio: Android Studio provides a complete integrated environment for app development, including a code editor, code analyzer, compiler, debugger, and emulator. This allows you to take advantage of a one-stop-shop in your team’s development process, eliminating the need for other tools.
Android Studio is geared towards developers who are responsible for seeing their delivery pieces through to production, and allows for easy debugging at the test stage of the life cycle. The tool is also supported by a large developer community, allowing you and your team to find help and resources when required.
Android Studio Standout Features and Integrations
Features include an intelligent Code Editor, Gradle Build System, Emulator, Layout Editor, Performance Analysis and Code Templates
Integrations include Google Cloud Platform, GitHub:, Jenkins, Jira and Docker
Android Studio is free to use.
Pros
- Provides a built-in code analysis tool that provides real-time feedback on coding errors
- Has the Gradle build system to manage dependencies, build variants, and multiple APKs.
- Provides advanced code completion and refactoring capabilities
Cons
- Android Studio requires a high-end computer with plenty of memory and processing power
Ranorex
Best for test automation across multiple operating systems and platforms
Ranorex is a test automation tool used for testing desktop, web, and mobile applications.
Why I picked Ranorex: Ranorex provides the ability to automate testing across different platforms and technologies, including web applications, desktop applications, and mobile applications, and it supports a wide range of technologies and platforms, including Java, .NET, HTML5, and Android apps and iOS apps. This allows you to improve your test execution practices, and allows you to carry out continuous testing to improve the efficiency of your team and application lifecycle.
Ranorex provides a powerful object repository that allows testers to easily create and manage test objects. This makes it easy to create reusable tests and automate repetitive tasks. The tool offers a seamless app automation experience, whether you are working with Windows, Apple or Linux.
Ranorex Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a record-and-replay feature, full development environment, machine-trained object detection, test healing, video reporting of test execution, and customizable test results reporting.
Integrations include HP ALM, Microsoft TFS, JIRA, Git, SVN, Jenkins, Bamboo, and TeamCity
Ranorex provides customized pricing upon request and offers a free trial.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- Comprehensive customer support
- Codeless test creation
Cons
- Limited open-source support
Robotium
Best for black box and white box testing practices
Robotium is an open-source test automation framework designed specifically for Android app testing.
Why I picked Robotium: One of Robotium’s strongest features is its support for both black-box and white-box testing. Black-box testing involves testing an application without any knowledge of its internal workings, while white-box testing involves testing an application with full knowledge of its internal workings. Robotium allows you to choose the type of testing you want to perform, depending on your needs and expertise.
Robotium is one of the more simple Android testing tools to configure, and is known for it’s ease of use, making it a good choice for beginners. It provides simple and intuitive APIs that allow testers to write test cases quickly and easily.
Robotium Standout Features and Integrations
Features include testing suite that supports multiple types of testing practices and scenarios, playback and reporting features, synchronization features and cross-device testing capabilities.
Integrations include Android Studio, Jenkins, Appium, Selendroid, TestNG and Gradle
Robotium is free to use.
Pros
- Supports all Android versions
- Supports multiple programming languages
- Supports complex user interfaces
Cons
- Limited documentation and tutorials
The 10 Best Android Testing Tools Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Testsigma Best for AI-powered testing practices | 30-Day free trial and free plan available | From $399/Monthly | Visit Website |
2 | Selendroid Best for identifying UI elements when testing an application | Not available | Open source and free | Visit Website |
3 | Espresso Best comprehensive test suite and APIs for testing in a native app | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
4 | Detox Best for performing mobile app tests in both Android and iOS | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
5 | Waldo Best for a no-code testing experience | Free trial available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
6 | MonkeyRunner Best for multiple device control and extensible automation | Not available | Open source and free | Visit Website |
7 | Calabash Best for use of cross-platform support when testing mobile applications | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
8 | Android Studio Best for a comprehensive integrated environment | Free to Use | Visit Website | |
9 | Ranorex Best for test automation across multiple operating systems and platforms | 30-day free trial | $3590/year | Visit Website |
10 | Robotium Best for black box and white box testing practices | Not available | Free to use | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best android testing tools list:
- Appium
Best for automating testing practices for mobile applications
- Kobiton
Best for development team collaboration
- Katalon Studio
Comprehensive automation testing tool that simplifies the process of creating and executing automated tests for web and mobile applications
- BrowserStack
Cloud-based testing platform that allows developers to perform live interactive testing
- testRigor
AI-powered test automation tool that uses machine learning algorithms to generate and execute test cases automatically
- Cucumber
For behavior-driven development (BDD) to collaborate and define application features using plain text descriptions
- BitBar
Cloud-based mobile testing platform that supports parallel testing, which allows developers to run tests on multiple devices simultaneously
- Mocha
Feature-rich JavaScript test framework running on Node.js and in your browser
- Rainforest QA
Provides on-demand, scalable, and cost-effective software testing solutions
- Selenium WebDriver
Popular open-source automated testing tool that enables developers to automate web browser interactions and test web applications
People Also Ask
Does The Tool Support All Versions Of Android?
What are the Key Features of Android Testing Tools?
What Other Application Testing Tools Should I Use?
Put Your Android App Through the Wringer!
Android testing tools are crucial for ensuring the quality and usability of Android applications, and developers, testers and mission teams should choose the tool that best suits their needs based on the type of testing they want to perform. In addition, using a combination of different testing tools can help ensure comprehensive testing and improve the overall quality of an Android application.
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