10 Best Test Automation Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
With so many different test automation software available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to verify that your software functions as expected and meets specified requirements but need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of different test automation tools with various teams and projects, with my picks of the best test automation software.
What Is Test Automation Software?
Test automation software is a tool used to automate the execution of tests on software applications. These tools run predefined test scripts that mimic user interactions, checking whether the software performs as expected under various conditions. Test automation is essential in software development for validating the functionality, reliability, and performance of applications.
The benefits of test automation software include increased testing speed and efficiency, making it ideal for large-scale or complex projects. It provides consistent and accurate test results, reducing the likelihood of human error in repetitive testing scenarios. Automation software enhances test coverage, ensuring thorough examination of software features. Additionally, it offers scalability in testing efforts and delivers quick feedback to developers, accelerating the development and improvement cycle of applications.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Test Automation Software
Here’s a brief description of each test automation software that showcases each tool’s best use case, their noteworthy features, and some pros and cons. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.
New Relic is a comprehensive observability platform that offers over 30 capabilities and 750+ integrations, making it useful for businesses of all sizes and across various industries. Its solutions enable users to gain complete visibility into their systems, from front-end to back-end, infrastructure, vulnerabilities, and logs.
New Relic's synthetic monitoring simulates user interactions to test and ensure application availability and performance. This is crucial for maintaining high service quality and user satisfaction. The synthetic monitoring feature allows for the simulation of user journeys across different devices, browsers, and operating systems, helping teams identify and resolve performance bottlenecks before they impact real users.
Furthermore, New Relic's AI-driven incident detection uses artificial intelligence to offer predictive alerts and incident detection, learning and adapting to an application's unique patterns. This proactive approach to issue resolution is not commonly found in traditional monitoring tools.
New Relic Standout Features and Integrations
Features include Application Performance Monitoring (APM), serverless monitoring, business observability, vulnerability management, session replay, web performance monitoring, issue tracking, and customizable dashboards.
Integrations include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Kubernetes, Prometheus, NGINX, MySQL, Redis, Apache, RabbitMQ, Node.js, Java, PHP, Python, Ruby, .NET, and Slack.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Provides robust alerting and notification features
- Offers great real-time tracking and integrations
- Users can tailor their monitoring dashboard to their needs
Cons:
- May be pricey for small businesses
- Initial configuration can be complex and time-consuming
Squish is an automated testing tool designed for graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Squish supports GUI applications built using frameworks like Qt, QML, Java, Web/HTML, iOS, Android, and others. Its ability to handle different GUI technologies makes Squish particularly suitable for organizations that prioritize robust, cross-platform testing to ensure their applications perform seamlessly across various user environments.
One of its standout features is the record and replay functionality, which allows testers to automatically record test cases as they interact with the application and then replay them. This feature is complemented by robust scripting capabilities, where tests can be written in popular scripting languages such as JavaScript, Python, Perl, and Tcl.
Additionally, Squish integrates seamlessly into Continuous Integration (CI) systems, facilitating frequent and automated testing cycles. This integration ensures that teams can continuously assess and improve product quality, aligning with agile development practices.
Squish Standout Features and Integrations
Features include Behavior Driven Development (BDD) testing, multi-application testing, image and text verification capabilities, object recognition, remote testing, and comprehensive reports and logs.
Integrations include Bamboo, TeamCity, GitLab CI, Microsoft Azure DevOps, JIRA, Bugzilla, TestRail, QTest, Jenkins, Team Foundation Server (TFS), Zephyr, Allure Test Report, Squash TM, Hudson, TestLink, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced verification tools
- Scripting flexibility
- Cross-platform, multi-technology support
Cons:
- Automated tests are not always easy to create
- May take time to learn Squish's advanced features
Best for cloud-based testing of desktop and mobile web browsers
As a scalable, cloud-based cross-browser testing platform, LambdaTest offers website and web app testing. This test automation software ensures all web app elements, including JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS, render across every mobile and desktop web browser with the support of visual, manual, and automated testing. LambdaTest is trusted by over one million users, including Microsoft, Vimeo, Nvidia, and Rubrik.
Users of LambdaTest can access over 2,000 combinations of mobile and desktop browsers on the cloud. And with over 25 devices to choose from and a developer-oriented perspective, this platform also assesses the responsiveness of websites and makes mobile testing much easier. Test on everything from Firefox and Chrome to Opera and Yandex.
LambdaTesting can be used by small and medium businesses, as well as large organizations and enterprise-level companies. Some of the supported scripting languages and frameworks that have compatibility with this platform include Java, Ruby, PHP, Python, C#, and PHP.
LambdaTest Standout Features and Integrations
Features include automation testing, real device cloud, cross-browser testing, mobile app testing, HyperExecute, LT browser, LT debugging, local page testing, geo-location testing, automated screenshots, accessibility and responsiveness testing, and test analytics.
Integrations include Jira, Slack, CircleCI, GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket, Paymo, Azure DevOps, Teamwork, Wrike, and Asana.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Very user friendly
- Easy to install for apps testing
- Supports testing with a variety of operating systems and devices
Cons:
- Lag time when running tests across many browsers simultaneously
- Changing resolutions impacts test times
Best for easier app and browser testing – no simulators allowed
BrowserStack is a testing tool that provides access to over 3,000 browsers and real Android and iOS devices. They’re trusted by over 50,000 customers around the world and have worked with companies like Microsoft, Twitter, Sainsbury’s, Harvard University, Expedia, WikiMedia Foundation, and GoodRX.
Agile teams can test for quality at scale to catch bugs faster without slowing down releases. With Selenium tests on their high-performance grid, users can get quick, deterministic feedback that accelerates build verification by executing parallel tests, like functional testing, regression testing, and UI testing.
BrowserStack offers solutions for individuals, small businesses, medium organizations, and enterprise-level needs. Their pricing model and custom solutions provide scalability as needed, as well as pre-built plans for desktop-only and desktop plus mobile testing with unlimited testing minutes and proprietary tools for debugging.
BrowserStack Standout Features and Integrations
Features include cross-browser testing, static analysis, mobile application testing, activity dashboard, data-driven testing, move and copy, visual testing, software testing management, visual analytics, parallel testing, real-time data, role-based permissions, and test script reviews.
Integrations include Appium, Chrome Developer Tools, Espresso, Javascript Testing, Jenkins Plugin, Travis CI Addon, GitLab, Harness, AWS CodePipeline, and TestProject.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Simple interface and transparent design
- Regular updates evolve with business needs
- Access to a massive number of mobile devices and browsers
Cons:
- Challenging to test VPN supported apps
- Lags during iOS testing
Best CI/CD platform for fast continuous integration and delivery
Semaphore is a test automation software that can automate any continuous delivery pipeline. Their software performs tests on code with Kubernetes, Docker, iOS support, and over 100 other preinstalled tools.
The platform offers more control over automation and testing with parallel execution, customizable stages, control flow switches, and dependency management. Teams can use Semaphore CLI to inspect logs, SSH directly into jobs, start builds, and create custom dashboards.
Because it’s available in various configurations, Semaphore can be the solution for businesses of all sizes. With on-premise, hybrid, and cloud-based setup options, this test automation software is adaptable to a variety of industries, workflow styles, and teams. However, it is a tool that’s built by developers for developers.
Semaphore Standout Features and Integrations
Features include self-hosted agents, graphical workflow testing, multi-stage build pipelines, organization secrets, autoscaling parallelism, storage and egress, organization health metrics, parameterized promotions, permission management and user groups, monorepo, and test reports.
Integrations include GitHub, BitBucket, Slack, Docker, Code Climate, Coveralls, Heroku, LambdaTest, Kubernetes, and MySQL.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Has great customer support
- Comes with a lot of extensibility
- Straightforward configuration
Cons:
- Integration with GitHub could use improvement
- Builds require Jenkins for complex projects
Opkey
Best for accelerating digital transformation projects without coding
Opkey is a no-code automation testing software that allows technical and non-technical users to automate application testing in just a few hours. Opkey’s customers include global enterprises that use this platform to automate ERP testing, including GAP, Aetna, Northwell Health, Sparta Systems, Path Infotech, Boston Consulting Group, and Standard Solar.
With Opkey’s mobile, web, and desktop testing, they claim users can reduce manual testing effort by over 80% with test integrations for ERPs and backend systems, codeless functional and regression testing, and tools designed specifically for desktop test automation.
Opkey is an accessible test automation software designed for businesses of all sizes across a variety of industries. Their goal was to avoid tools that are too technical or too UX focused to ensure robust automated testing with a more simplified format. Some of the industries that have benefited from Opkey services include life sciences, pharmaceuticals, retail, and banking.
Opkey Standout Features and Integrations
Features include test discovery, impact analysis, self-healing scripts, collaborations and reports, no-code test builder, one-click test creation, cloud-based application migration, ad-hoc and regression testing, update certification, and parallel testing.
Integrations include Oracle Cloud, Workday, Salesforce, SAP, Oracle EBS, Microsoft Dynamics, and Veeva.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No coding required
- User-friendly UI
- Expedites testing timelines for patch updates
Cons:
- Could use additional guides and tutorials
- Lack of documentation for some topics
Best free test automation platform for Android, iOS, Web, and API
As the world’s first 100% free test automation framework for Android, iOS, Web, and API testing, TestProject services over 150,000 users throughout the testing community.
TestProject offers cloud and offline capabilities that allow users to benefit from a server that requires zero maintenance and delivers automatic deployment of tests, as well as the ability to save tests and local files directly on whatever device is in use without requiring a cloud footprint for a completely offline experience.
The TestProject platform offers solutions for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including retail, food and beverage, and healthcare. Because this platform is free, anyone can use it to perform testing automation on a variety of devices, including single-person operations.
TestProject Standout Features and Integrations
Features include mobile test recording, iOS testing, team collaboration, AI tools, distributed execution, executive test reports, remote execution, web test recording, BDD testing ready, open-source framework, cross-platform testing, CI/CD pipeline integrations, and Appium testing.
Integrations include GitHub, Jenkins, qTest, BrowserStack, Genymotion, TeamCity, Sauce Labs, Slack, and CircleCI.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Codeless test scripting
- Easy to install and use
- Completely free platform
Cons:
- Release notes are always late
- Transitioning to Tricentis Testim
Loadmill is a deviceless mobile testing automation software that eliminates the need for physical devices. Users can automate mobile testing and mitigate device dependency by capturing traffic via proxy and feeding the traffic into Loadmill, allowing it to generate automated test code. Some of the organizations that rely on Loadmill include Lemonade, British Airways, BigID, and Bob.
Loadmill postulates that mobile device testing is expensive, slow, and unpredictable. With their API-driven testing, they claim to be able to reduce the cost and resources of real devices for higher test coverage. With OpenAI technology, Loadmill helps users analyze mobile app activities for behavior-driven development and intelligently crafted test scripts.
This test automation software provides solutions for medium and large teams, as well as enterprise-grade organizations. They have both Europe and US-based locations to assist users across a number of regions with their continuous testing, web application testing, and deviceless mobile testing.
Loadmill Standout Features and Integrations
Features include mobile testing, automatic test generation, test composer, AI-assisted test recording, landing, fast feedback loop, low-code web IDE, REST API, Chrome recorder, test scheduling, database testing, data-driven testing with CSV, and automated email testing.
Integrations include GitHub, Heroku, TestRail, CI, BitBucket, Jira, Slack, and GitLab.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Accessible without technical expertise
- Responsive support team
- Reliable and easy to use
Cons:
- Reporting lacks test environment details
- Common workspace may interrupt workflows
Endtest
Best for developers who need end-to-end testing for mobile and web applications
Endtest is an automated testing framework that helps testers and developers build better tests for web and mobile applications. With the ability to write automated tests in their preferred language, users can execute parallel tests across multiple machines.
Endtest allows administrators to create custom test scripts without coding using a drag-and-drop feature that blends CI systems and bug management in one. It also ensures users can track test outcomes and record videos of any automated tests. Administrators don’t need to be engineers or QA automation specialists to build, maintain, or execute tests.
No matter the size or industry, Endtest provides solutions for all, including single-person operations and global enterprises. Endtest bills itself as a company that simplifies test execution and software development to ensure accessibility for anyone within the organization. They claim their software can reduce bugs by 50% and increase test coverage by 90%.
Endtest Standout Features and Integrations
Features include web tests, computer vision, email and SMS testing, test scheduler, API testing, mobile app testing, cross-browser testing, self-healing tests, low-code and no-code capabilities, test creation, test result history, video playback, and test executions.
Integrations include Jenkins, GitLab, SauceLabs, BrowserStack, Bamboo, Heroku, Travis CI, BitBucket, TeamCity, Azure DevOps, and MatterMost.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Low-code and no-code options
- Robust documentation and support
- Friendly user-interface
Cons:
- Doesn’t own the mobile devices for testing
- Some restrictions on using JavaScript code
UiPath Business Automation Platform is a cloud-based system designed to manage unattended automation tasks to enhance workflows for front-office activities. This automation testing tool is used by companies like ThermoFisher Scientific, Generali, Royal Mail, Heineken, Uber, Xerox, and Takeda.
The UiPath Business Automation Platform bills itself as a solution that helps businesses achieve more with robot frameworks that work with humans to automate tasks using AI through API and UI. Some of the key features UiPath provides include code-free development, AI/machine learning, a process builder, and optical character recognition. The studio model also allows teams to design workflows through programming languages like Java, Python, C#, and VB.Net.
This platform offers solutions by industry, department, and technology so organizations can more easily find the appropriate solution to their needs. Some of their most popular industry solutions target banking, healthcare, and insurance, while the departments they support range from IT and accounting to supply chain and HR. They offer services for SMBs and enterprise-level businesses.
UiPath Business Automation Platform Standout Features and Integrations
Features include codeless automation, AI/machine learning, CRM, business process automation, compliance management, graphical workflow editor, unattended automation, test script reviews, mobile access, parameterized testing, model-based testing, and data extraction.
Integrations include Salesforce, Oracle Netsuite, Workday, Bamboo HR, Microsoft, Office 365, SAP®, Jira Software, ServiceNow, and Adobe Document Services.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Many customization options
- High functionality from performance robots
- Simple data extraction and report creation
Cons:
- Constant updates require learning new features and tools
- A more expensive option for SMBs
The Best Test Automation Software Summary
Tools | Price | |
---|---|---|
New Relic | From $25/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
Squish | Pricing upon request | Website |
LambdaTest | From $15/month | Website |
BrowserStack | From $29/month | Website |
Semaphore | Plans start at $10/month | Website |
Opkey | From $50/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
TestProject | Free plan available | Website |
Loadmill | From $745/month | Website |
Endtest | Plans start at $175/month | Website |
UiPath Business Automation Platform | Plans start at $420/month | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOther Options
Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make the best test automation software list:
How I Selected The Best Test Automation Software
Are you wondering how I chose the best test automation software for this list? First, I searched out those software options with the highest user ratings. I then compared their features and capabilities to narrow down the selection even further.
When I had my top choices, I honed the list a little bit more using my years of QA experience to identify the features that added the most value. I also had to make sure that each test automation software stood up to the selection criteria below.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best test automation software for this article.
Usability
I looked for an easy-to-use, responsive UI that made test automation easy for the entire development team.
Standout Features
The ideal software ensures non-technical users and other QAs can easily learn all the necessary automation tools.
Software Integrations
You already have tools integrated into your workflow, so I looked for automation software that would easily connect to what your team currently uses.
Pricing
You want to secure returns on your investment above the price tag of your product. These are the tools with value-added features that make a big difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re just getting into test automation, there are some basics you need to know. Check out these commonly asked questions to learn more.
What is test automation?
When it comes to software testing, test automation uses separate software to control and manage tests to compare actual outcomes and predicted outcomes. Test automation can also automate some necessary, repetitive tasks or perform other tests that may be difficult to complete manually.
What are the benefits of test automation software?
Some of the benefits of test automation software include improved software accuracy, increased test coverage, and debugging. Additionally, automation software also saves time and money, as it can simulate testing on thousands of virtual users that would take too long to do manually.
What are the key features of test automation software?
You want to ensure a top-quality QA process. To get the results you need, you should look for these essential features to ensure the optimal solution for your organization.
- Cross-platform support
- Real device testing
- Reusable test steps
- Dynamic element locators
- Email testing tools
What Do You Think?
Test automation software can help your team streamline the testing process, but you need to find the right software first. If you didn’t find the right option on this list, you can explore additional test automation tools here. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest insights from our top experts.