Best Black Box Testing Tools Shortlist
Here’s the shortlist of the best tools I’ll cover in this article.
- 10. IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) — Best for creating black box test scripts with a test recorder
The best black box testing tools are used to validate the functional specifications of a software application. This software testing type is a black box because it is opaque to the tester—meaning the internal workings and implementation details are unknown factors.
Although they mainly focus on functional testing, the best black-box testing tools also incorporate regression testing functionality. The best tools lean heavily on visual testing, including automation features like test recorders that provide record and playback capabilities.
In this article, I'll review and evaluate the best black box testing tools for your consideration.
How I Selected the Best Black Box Testing Tools
To build this top 10 list, I first evaluated and compared a wide range of black box testing solutions with positive user ratings. After determining my 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. I also drew on my years of QA experience to pinpoint the features that add value to the software testing process.
The ability to allow users to define the scope of tests easily. The tools should enable users to specify the priorities for the test run. For instance, if some parts need to be manual or the level of expertise required.
Whether you are exploring black box testing solutions for the first time or assessing how to pick the best tools for your organization, these criteria are essential for your decision-making process. I'll go over some in-depth criteria for my tool reviews below but feel free to skip right to the detailed tool overviews if you're ready or jump to the frequently asked questions section if you need more guidance.
Selection Criteria
Here are the selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best tools for this article:
User Interface:
Because black box testing is opaque, its user interface should be complementary, operate with clarity, and have a user-friendly UI.
Usability:
I looked for the ability of the black box testing tool to empower testers with effective functional and regression features, along with the ability to apply these with little or no friction. They should also be useful for a range of black box testing techniques.
Software Integrations:
I favored software integrations that are broad-based, allowing black box testers to work across several domains, environments, and platforms.
Pricing:
Users want a black box testing tool that is a bargain—cost-effective enough that they can afford it without breaking the bank while providing more value for money.
The QA Lead is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click through links on our site — learn more about how we aim to stay transparent.
Overviews of the 10 Best Black Box Testing Tools
Here’s a brief description of each tool to showcase each one’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
Katalon
Best end-to-end test management platform
Katalon Studio is a free, comprehensive automation testing toolkit with a Selenium-based engine, although it has introduced priced upgrades.
Why I picked Katalon: It is an AI-augmented platform to produce automated tests and uses Groovy as a language. However, Katalon allows you to reuse automated scripts without coding. It provides web, API, visual, desktop, and mobile testing. Powered by its end-to-end software development ecosystem, Katalon enables DevOps to deliver solutions quickly.
Katalon Standout Features
- Katalon also offers beginners a low-code experience with reusable test artifacts and a unified IDE to test all apps.
- With a runtime engine that streamlines execution, Katalon fosters scheduling, self-healing, smart waits so you can run parallel execution in browsers, devices, and OS.
- Katalon’s extensive data and keyword-driven testing, coupled with autonomous script generation, provides actionable insights and effective root-cause analysis.
- Native CI/CD offers real-time notifications and holistic end-to-end pipeline visibility while providing experts an abundant DevOps integrations.
- Fast and auto-record-and-playback that quickly responds to real-world scenarios.
Katalon Integrations: Katalon can be integrated with CI/CD tools such as Jira, Bamboo, and Jenkins.
Price: Katalon is free, but it also has Premium and Ultimate plans. The Premium plan starts at $25 per month, and you need to contact Katalon for a quote on its Ultimate plans.
Free trial: In addition to a forever free plan, the Premium plan offers a 30-day free trial period.
Pros
- Integration with other DevOps platforms
- Parallel test execution
- Fast script creation time
Cons
- It has a significant learning curve, so not suited for beginners
MbUnit
Best C# Automated Unit Testing Framework
MbUnit is a generative and extensible unit testing framework for the C# release by the open Gallio Automation Platform. Previously known as GUnit, MbUnit is feature-rich and comes with a common object model that other test frameworks can capitalize on.
It is simple to use and follows the Simple Test Pattern design pattern to boost the testers’ output, using SetUp, Test, and TearDown actions. MbUnit also comes with XML and serialization assertions.
MbUnit Standout Features
- MbUnit provides a common object model, including a runtime service for the .NET framework. Other test frameworks can use this to extend their own capabilities.
- MbUint uses the Assert class, along with other variations of its unit testing event actions. This also includes support for unit testing your XML code.
- To get the most out of your core multi-core CPU, especially with execution-heavy test suites, MbUnit allows you to mark any test as parallelizable. This subsequently enables the marked test to run parallel with other parallelizable tests in the same fixture.
MbUnit Integrations: No clear-cut integrations are identified except for the implied assumption that it can be plugged in by apps and test suites that use the .NET framework.
Pros
- Offers testers a rich plug-in model that can be used in other frameworks
- A fluent interface that’s easy and intuitive
Cons
- It suffers from a lack of adequate documentation
QTP/UFT
Best automated testing tool with minimal system monitoring
QTP/UFT is designed to operate without the need for monitoring systems to intervene. It is designed by Micro Focus and focuses on functional, regression, and service testing.
QTP/UFT (Unified Functional Testing) serves both technical and non-technical users. This unified testing paradigm tests both the front-end and back-end components of a system, supporting both GUI and API testing using virtualized facilities.
QTP/UFT Standout Features
- QTP/UFT allows users to automate actions, then identify and test bugs in real time.
- Testing activities without monitoring the system in intervals while also applying uniformity of actions on different users, data sets, and various browsers on Windows operating systems.
- QTP/UFT provides all services under a common IDE, including GUI testing and non-GUI using API Service Test.
- QTP/UFT uses VB Script as a scripting language.
QTP/UFT Integrations: QTP/UFT uses ALM to integrate with other HP products. It also integrates with SAP and Oracle.
Price: QTP/UFT is provided upon request.
Pros
- Enables both API and GUI testing elements
- Requires no to minimal monitoring to function effectively
Cons
- Limited to desktop applications and Windows OS
- Its execution time is relatively high compared to other testing tools
SilkTest
Best black box automation tool for regression and functionality testing
Silk Test is an automation testing tool from Micro Focus International. It is designed to perform regression and functionality testing effectively. Through its cross-platform and cross-browser testing, it aims to provide collaborative test design to promote a full range of test coverages.
Why I picked Silk Test: Along with its portability, the tool maintains rigorous quality standards with lower complexity. The tool’s collaborative testing also allows business and technical groups in an organization to work together more effectively.
User can leverage both manual and automated testing capabilities for web, mobile, and enterprise applications. The tool also permits testing desktop and mobile browsers using Selenium scripts to record steps.
Silk Test Standout Features
- Silk Test provides the ability to support your continuous integration (CI) and continuous-deployment (CD) pipelines. Containers can be scrutinized with parallel and dockerized testing.
- Using Skill Test’s Record Testcase command, testers can record actions and verification steps as they navigate the application being tested. Skill Test provides enhanced module reuse capabilities to facilitate manual testing with script files that can contain one or more related test cases.
- Instead of creating multiple test suites for different environments, Skill Test allows you to use a single test script to conduct both web, desktop, and browser tests.
- With Silk Test back-end visualization, testers can save time while producing realistic simulations of service behavior.
Silk Test Integrations: Test teams use Silk Test for mobile and desktop platforms such as Java, DOM, iOS, Android, and Firefox.
Price: Pricing is customized and available upon request. A free demo is available.
Pros
- Supports cross-platform and browser testing
- Easy and intuitive to use
- Speed and quality with continuous testing
Cons
- A complex setup that might confuse non-tech-savvy users
Squish by froglogic
Best for graphical user interface (GUI) black box testing
Squish by Froglogic is an automated testing framework tool that targets graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs). Therefore, it is ideal for those who want to test an application’s visual features and elements.
Why I picked Froglogic Squish: the tool provides testers and DevOps with behavioral-driven development (BDD) and testing. It also supports agile methodology testing, which helps bridge collaboration among technical and business stakeholders. In addition to its IDE, it has robust cross-platform, cross-device compatibility with desktop, mobile, embedded, and web GUI tests.
Probably due to its prohibitive price tag, the tool is popular among enterprise users. It tests various platforms and operating systems, including programming languages like Python, JavaScript, Perl, Ruby, and Tcl.
Froglogic Squish Standout Features
- Capabilities include refactoring scripts to suit use cases with Squish Verification Points and the ability to perform image comparisons to validate table values.
- You can create, debug, and edit tests in the Squish IDE. It also includes powerful features such as recording and playback capabilities, along with image-based and object-based recognition capabilities.
- With its comprehensive documentation and customizable qualification tool to ensure test processes meet safety standards, Froglogic Squish allows you to execute test suites reliably.
- Froglogic Squish seamlessly integrates and facilitates multi-technology applications from more than one toolkit. These are as varied as iOS, Android, Embedded (Qt, Windows, Java), Java, AWT, Swing, SWT, RCP, JavaFx, Windows, and Mac.
Froglogic Squish Integrations: Squish by Froglogic supports frameworks and platforms such as Windows, Android, iOS, Qt, Web, HTML5, Flex & JavaApplets, Java, and more.
Price: Squish Tester floating license is priced at $589/month, paid annually. A 10-day free trial is available with no CC required.
Pros
- Supports audio recording of test scripts
- Equipped with a centralized dashboard and monitoring system
- In addition to working with more obscure QT applications, it can cross-cut from Windows to Mac
Cons
- A lot of time consumption due to the manual testing involved
AutoHotkey
Best Windows macro-creation automation tool for keyboard and mouse functions
AutoHotkey is a free and open-source scripting utility that allows you to automate repeated tasks. The tool is designed for Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022 and is lightweight, fast, and stable.
Why I picked AutoHotkey: As a macro-creation software, the tool allows you to send user-generated mouse clicks and keystrokes to an application easily. Besides reducing data-entry tasks, the tool enables developers to perform sophisticated tasks such as creating form fillers. Moreover, AutoHotkey is fully programmable, supporting various concepts like arrays, matrices, and component object models (COM).
AutoHotkey Standout Features
- With its scripts and macros, AutoHotkey allows users to customize shortcuts and remap keys with lightweight automation.
- You can create small and complex scripts to accomplish various productivity tasks like user-entry forms.
- The internal language command allows you to parse script files with programming paradigms like object orientation, procedural programming, and command-based programming.
- AutoHotkey allows you to structure its scripts as independent modules, especially with subroutines such as functions, Hotstrings, and Hotkeys with portable auto-execute sections.
AutoHotkey Integrations: AutoHotkey can integrate with platforms like Git, VSCode, and PowerShell.
Price: AutoHotkey is open-source and free.
Pros
- Fully programmable
- Good documentation
- Powerful, yet easy to learn
Cons
- It doesn’t offer embedded compiler options like similar macro software
Selendroid
Best automated black box testing framework for native, web, and hybrid Android apps
Selendroid is a test automation framework for native or hybrid Android web apps. It is an open-source project based on the Android instrumentation framework.
Why I picked Selendroid: Using emulators as well as hardware devices, Selendroid boosts test efficiency with its capability to interact with several devices simultaneously, making it a great choice for black box testing Android web apps. To write tests, you’ll need to use Selenium 2 client API, also known as Selenium web driver.
Selendroid Standout Features
- Automating user actions and interactions over a mobile application.
- Provides full compatibility with JSON Wire Protocol and Selenium 3 Ready.
- Selendroid provides the advantage of being able to use both
- Scalability and parallel testing are achieved through the ability to integrate emulators and real devices as a node into the Selenium grid.
- Flexibility to extend its runtime with user-generated extensions.
Selendroid Integrations: In addition to providing support for hot plugging of hardware devices, it supports full integration with Selenium frameworks.
Price: Selendroid is open-source and free.
Pros
- You don’t need to modify the app under test to automate it.
- There is no duplication of effort as the same concept is used to automate native or hybrid apps.
- The ability to test various kinds of android devices.
Cons
- To successfully use Selendroid requires testers also to have knowledge of Selenium.
Selenium IDE
Best record and playback automated IDE
Selenium IDE is an open-source integrated development environment with automated testing capabilities. It is a turn-key, web-ready tool that provides easy debugging with its record and playback features.
Why I picked Selenium IDE: By recording your interaction with websites, the tool allows you to generate site automation tests seamlessly. The tool’s capabilities eliminate the need for developers to repeat these manual steps in the programming environment. In addition, it allows DevOps and testers to manage these actions by recording, editing, and debugging tests.
As an accessory to your test environment, the tool is lightweight, providing web browser extensions with minimal overhead and digital footprint.
Selenium IDE Standout Features
- Create, manage and organize test cases and test suites for easy deployment by test teams.
- Ability to execute cross-browser tests with the aid of Selenium WebDriver
- Execute resilient tests that can record and be run from multiple locators for each element
- Seamless recording and playback on popular browsers like Chrome and Firefox
- Saving scripts and loading them up for execution on demand
- Allows you to reuse one test case inside another and Speed control
Selenium IDE Integrations: Apart from its browser plugins, Selenium IDE integrates with Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and IntelliJ.
Pricing: Selenium IDE is open-source and free.
Pros
- Provides the flexibility to write advanced tests
- It doesn’t require any programming language to use it
- Easy to use
Cons
- It doesn’t support data-driven testing.
Ranorex
Best all-in-one test automation framework for black box testing
Ranorex Studio is a full-featured test automation platform provided by Ranorex GmbH. it provides rapid delivery test automation for desktop, web, and mobile applications. In addition to functional UI tests, Ranorex provides various testing approaches, such as black box, data-driven, regression, key-word driven, and cross-browser testing.
Ranorex is flexible and provides codeless automation. This makes it ideal for both beginners and testing experts. It provides a user-friendly and intuitive interface that allows users to easily drag-and-drop UI elements and code modules.
Ranorex allows cross-functional teams to collaborate effectively by sharing test automation modules and other repositories and reusable objects.
Ranorex Standout Features
- You can use Ranorex to script with programming languages such as VB.NET and C#. it also supports many technologies such as .NET Core, Java, C++, Microsoft Access, Power Builder, and more.
- Ranorex allows you to generate powerful scenarios in your test environment and injects crucial variations.
- In addition to testing mobile and native iOs environments, Ranorex can run regression tests on both virtual and physical machines.
- Machine-trained object detection and intelligent code completion properties and reusable modules with coded automation.
- In addition to recording and replaying test actions, Ranorex has the ability to run parallel tests.
- You can generate test reports in HTML, JUnit-compatible reports, or PDF, including video reporting of test execution.
Ranorex Integrations: Ranorex comes with a built-in Selenium WebDriver which enables it to be versatile and distributed. Other integrations include Jenkins, Jira, TestRail, Azure DevOps, TestShell, Microsoft Studio, SQL, Git, and so on.
Price: Pricing is customized and available upon request. A 30-day free trial is available.
Pros
- Useful for both manual and automation testing.
- Provides a good API for integration
- UI object identification of elements during testing
Cons
- Some users may fight the test setup complicated
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT)
Best for creating black box test scripts with a test recorder
The IBM Rational Functional Tester is an automated testing framework from IBM for regression, functional, and GUI testing. It can be used for different programming languages and environments, such as Java, AJAX, Power Builder, SAP, .Net, Dojo Toolkit, and Siebel, while encompassing both web-based and terminal emulator-based applications.
Why I picked IBM RFT: the tool gives test engineers the ability to record, playback, and export test scripts with Robotic Response Time agents. In addition, it provides intelligent script maintenance capabilities and various customization options.
When manual testing is impossible to scale effectively, RFT is ideal for a broad range of scenarios. It benefits businesses and organizations of various types, from freelancers, and SMBs, to enterprises. The tool has reporting capabilities that support communication and collaboration in hybrid environments.
RFT Standout Features
- IBM Rational Functional Tester provides capabilities for the end-to-end testing of seemingly diverse systems, which yields a broad range of coverage for QA teams. It allows the flexibility to test legacy and modern applications in different business scenarios.
- RFT facilitates the acceleration of shorter test cycles because it enables test engineers to reuse the same tests with different data sets.
- RFT’s advanced test scripting features, like its Rational Performance Tester. It lets you view and analyze the response time, events, and other metrics during playback. With its ScriptAssure technology, you can handle frequent user interface changes remarkably without incurring much maintenance overhead.
RFT Standout Integrations: RFT provides integrations with other IBM products, such as IBM Jazz® integration, which supports collaborative application lifecycle management. It also integrates with non-native enterprise messaging solutions like JMS and TIBCO EMS.
Price: Pricing is only available upon request. RFT’s Starter Edition is free.
Pros
- Works well with mainframes
- The ability to easily switch between languages and platforms
- Provides reliable testing at scale
Cons
- It is difficult to get optimal results with complex Java apps.
The 10 Best Black Box Testing Tools Summary
| Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Katalon Best end-to-end test management platform | 30-day free trial | From $25/month | Visit Website |
| 2 |  MbUnit Best C# Automated Unit Testing Framework | Not available | Visit Website | |
| 3 |  QTP/UFT Best automated testing tool with minimal system monitoring | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
| 4 |  SilkTest Best black box automation tool for regression and functionality testing | Free demo | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
| 5 |  Squish by froglogic Best for graphical user interface (GUI) black box testing | Not available | Visit Website | |
| 6 |  AutoHotkey Best Windows macro-creation automation tool for keyboard and mouse functions | Not available | Open-source and free | Visit Website |
| 7 |  Selendroid Best automated black box testing framework for native, web, and hybrid Android apps | Not available | Open source and free | Visit Website |
| 8 |  Selenium IDE Best record and playback automated IDE | Not available | Open source and free | Visit Website |
| 9 |  Ranorex Best all-in-one test automation framework for black box testing | 30-day free trial | $3590/year | Visit Website |
| 10 |  IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) Best for creating black box test scripts with a test recorder | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
Other Black Box Testing Tool Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the top list:
People Also Ask
Here are a few common questions answered about black box testing.
What is Black Box Testing?
Black box testing vs. white box testing
What are the Key Features of Black Box Testing Tools?
Black Box Testing Techniques
Complete your software testing skillset
Black box testing is only a small practice within the grander software testing field. To hone your craft, learn more about these testing practices and tools from our team of QA professionals!
Further reading:
- Software Testing Tools
- Testing for Compliance or for Quality?
- End-To-End Testing Vs. Regression Testing
Also, kindly sign up for our newsletter to get the latest insights from top thinkers in the niche. Moreover, check out related single-intent articles or software comparisons on our site.