My Software Picks
Here are the top 10 visual regression testing tools I’d like to highlight out of the 20 I cover in this article:
While it is all well and good executing regression tests alone when your application is very visually focused, it is imperative that the UI and visual performance of your application is thoroughly tested. That's where visual regression testing comes in!
While some tools boast their ability to cover all areas, some tools are geared toward the visual portion of regression testing. In this article, I'll go over my top picks and explain what each does best in this space.
Comparison Criteria
What do I look for when I select the best tools? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
- User Interface (UI): I look for an easy to navigate user interface with features available to you within just a few clicks.
- Usability: I look for visual regression testing features that complement your application lifecycle.
- Integrations: I look for integrations with project management tools so you can better organize your workflow.
- Value for Price: I look for the most useful features for the cost.
Visual Regression Testing Key Features
- Test recorder: Records the steps of manual testers who are testing features within the user interface.
- Reporting: Robust reporting system so you can be proactive about your fixes.
- Cross-platform testing: Ability to test across a variety of platforms and devices.
- Single dashboard: Everything you need is easily managed from a single dashboard.
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Overviews Of The 14 Best Visual Regression Testing Tools
Here’s a brief description of each tool to showcase each platform’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
Mobot
Best for testing unautomatable mobile regression tests
Mobot is a full-service platform that specializes in using mechanical robots to test mobile devices. With Mobot, QA teams can offload tests that were previously only testable via manual testing and automate them with real robots.
It is a new, unique approach that actually removes manual testing from the day-to-day responsibilities of QAs. Mobot's team plus robot fleet fully manage all aspects of testing from execution to documentation, reporting, and more. Mobot can automatically open JIRA tickets and send slack pings with test results and reproducible steps for bugs and abnormalities.
Features include no code, self-serve test uploads, human-verified test results, Bluetooth device testing, AI-powered test automation, and a continuous testing integration system.
Integrations include Slack, GitHub, Jenkins, Zephyr, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Azure, Bugzilla, Trello, Jira, and TestRail.
Mobot pricing starts at $1,500 per month per action, such as tapping, swiping, or clicking. A 30-day free trial is also available.
testRigor
Convert existing manual visual tests into automated visual tests
testRigor is a visual regression testing tool that stands out when it comes to the new era of AI-based automation tools. The tool allows you to create tests in plain English, with elements being referenced from a human perspective. testRigor analyzes all possible parameters behind the scenes to use the most useful ones, which results in ultra-reliable tests.
testRigor allows you to dramatically decrease your test maintenance, by allowing you and your team to spend 95% less time on it on average. Instead, the tool allows you to seamlessly build new tests and increase test coverage. testRigor makes the process of converting existing manual visual test cases into automated visual tests very straightforward, and users can also define and customize their wording if they desire.
The cost of testRigor starts at $300 per month and can be tailored to your specific needs. There is a free 14-day trial with no credit card information required upfront.
Percy
Test code changes at responsive breakpoints
Percy is an all-in-one visual regression testing platform that focuses solely on visual testing. The tool allows you to execute both manual and automated tests, as well as receive status updates. Percy also provides you with efficient reviews following a test run, allowing you to do side by side comparisons.
Percy offers an abundance of features to make your visual regression testing efforts easy, including responsive testing which allows you to see how code changes will affect your UI at every responsive breakpoint. The tool also offers the ability to execute cross-browser testing, allowing you to catch regressions caused by rendering differences. Finally, Percy allows you to integrate with your current stack, implemented through test automation frameworks and Ci/CD services.
Percy integrates with frameworks such as Vue and Angular, and also provides integration with Webhooks and Gitlab.
The cost of Percy starts at $149 per month for the Desktop version. The tool also offers a free version.
Wraith
Best for screenshot testing your UI
Wraith is an open source visual regression testing tool that provides responsive screenshot comparison functionality. The tool uses a headless browser and is easy to install and implement within your workflow. Wraith works alongside PhantomJS, CasperJS, Ruby23, and ImageMagick.
Using the headless browser, Wraith allows you to capture screenshots of your web pages. The tool allows you to compare those screenshots with another instance as well as compare pages on the same site over time. Finally, Wraith provides you the ability to crawl your websites to provide all paths for testing, as well as test pages for responsiveness.
Wraith is fully open source and free to use.
Gemini
Utility for regression testing especially useful to UI library developers
Gemini is a utility for regression testing the visual appearance of web pages. Gemini allows you to work with different browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla, Firefox, IE8+, and Opera 12+. Gemini was created at Yandex and is especially useful to UI library developers.
Gemini is free to use.
WebdriverCSS
Automatic visual regression-testing tool for WebdriverIO
WebdriverCSS is for CSS regression testing in WebdriverIO that lets you write some E2E tests and take screenshots of these areas. You can Define areas within your application that should always look the same. WebdriverCSS uses GraphicsMagick for image processing. Note: WebdriverCSS isn't yet compatible with WebdriverIO v3.0, though it's on the priority roadmap.
WebdriverCSS is free to download and use.
Rainforest QA
Receive and review test results as other tests are still being executed
Rainforest QA is a no-code regression testing solution that provides a building block approach for creating tests and processes. The tool allows you to set up a repeatable testing environment, so you and your team can streamline your test process within this environment as often as you need. Rainforest QA also allows you to easily shift between parallel and sequential testing so you can keep pace with the development environment, and reduce time between sprints.
Rainforest QA’s intuitive and simple user interface enables you to better organize your visual test cases by allowing you and your team to tag cases so you can group them as well as assign and monitor said test cases, which are all managed from a single dashboard. The tool allows you to execute cross browser testing (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Edge), as well as access various systems (such as Windows and Linux), providing you extensive visual test coverage of your application. Rainforest QA also has the results arriving as tests within a suite are still being executed.
Rainforest QA provides integration with notification platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, as well as continuous integration platforms such as Github and CircleCI.
Rainforest QA is free to use for the Professional tier and offers customized pricing for their Enterprise tier. The tool also offers a 14-day free trial.
Applitools
Provides its own Test Grid to test against
Applitools is a visual regression testing tool that is geared toward cross-browser and -device testing. The tool allows you to reduce the number of code lines to save time in building a comprehensive test suite. Applitools is AI-powered, therefore is intuitive and allows for easy automation.
Applitools’ visual testing platform allows you to focus your testing efforts on visual regression testing, providing you the ability to test scripts created by open source frameworks or tools that test screens. The tool also allows you to train your testing needs by providing options to omit regions of your app and annotate your elements. Applitools can be run inside your CI/CD process against the tool's own Ultrafast Test Grid, as well as against local browsers and devices.
Applitools provides integrations with Selenium Web Driver, TeamCity, Jira, and Slack.
Applitools provides customized pricing upon request.
Leapwork
Record your testing efforts on the user interface of your application
Leapwork is a no-code visual regression testing tool that allows your team to create and execute tests across a variety of environments without the need to have coding experience. The tool is cloud-based and offers testing in both web and desktop application environments within the same workflow. Leapwork is simple to implement within your team and provides a growing base of written documentation, videos, and articles.
Leapwork provides an array of features such as debugging, parallelization, compliance management, approval process control, and recurring tests. The tool allows you to record processes and test cases in context, validate the test steps, and input data. Leapwork will then build the processes in a graphical flowchart with logic, making it easy for the non-technical members of your team to review and take action.
Leapwork integrates with platforms such as Microsoft Azure DevOps, Jenkins, and TeamCity.
Leapwork provides customized pricing upon request.
PhantomCSS
Open source visual and CSS regression testing tool
PhantomCSS is an open source visual and CSS regression testing tool that allows you to execute visual testing on your UI and CSS code. The tool works alongside the CasperJS module and is particularly useful for developers and testers inheriting a codebase from a client or another developer. PhantomCSS uses a headless browser.
Using CasperJS, PhantomCSS takes screenshots and compares them to baseline images, allowing you to identify what broke when you made your code changes. The tool allows you to create a test suite and execute manual tests of your user interface. PhantomCSS also works alongside SlimerJS and ResembleJS so you can view live style guides and test responsive layouts.
PhantomCSS is fully open source and free to use.
The Best Visual Regression Testing Tools Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mobot Best for testing unautomatable mobile regression tests | 30-day free trial | $1,500/month/action (tap, swipe, click, etc.) | Visit Website |
2 | testRigor Convert existing manual visual tests into automated visual tests | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $900/Month | Visit Website |
3 | Percy Test code changes at responsive breakpoints | Not available | From $149/month for the Desktop version | Visit Website |
4 | Wraith Best for screenshot testing your UI | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
5 | Gemini Utility for regression testing especially useful to UI library developers | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
6 | WebdriverCSS Automatic visual regression-testing tool for WebdriverIO | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
7 | Rainforest QA Receive and review test results as other tests are still being executed | 14-day free trial | Pricing available upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Applitools Provides its own Test Grid to test against | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
9 | Leapwork Record your testing efforts on the user interface of your application | 14-day free trial | Pricing available upon request | Visit Website |
10 | PhantomCSS Open source visual and CSS regression testing tool | Not available | Free To Use | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- Tricentis Testim
Best for organizing your test steps for easy review
- Testlio
Execute livestream testing to identify bugs in real-time
- Reflect
Automated regression testing with first-class visual testing built-in
- Kobiton
Best for running tests in parallel
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What do you think about this list?
The first thing your customers see when they land on your application is the UI. When code changes happen, it's nice to know that you have a robust system in place to cover yourself should any bugs occur following an update, ensuring that your customers don't see the errors. I hope this list has helped inform you what tools out there could complement your needs.
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