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10 Best Load Testing Tools For Web Applications In 2023

The Best Load Testing Tool List

Best load testing tools for automated performance testing:

  1. 1. Tricentis NeoLoad — Best for collaborating across dev, QA, operations, and business teams
  2. 2. Headspin — Best for AI + ML based tracking metrics
  3. 3. Akamai — Best for designing tests at scale
  4. 4. Apache JMeter — Best open source Java application
  5. 5. TestPlant eggPlant Performance — Best for user-centric performance testing
  6. 6. Load Impact — Best for API load testing
  7. 7. Micro Focus LoadRunner — Best for on-premises, project-based testing
  8. 8. Parasoft Load Test — Best for users who are new to load testing
  9. 9. WebLOAD — Best for parameterization and response validation
  10. 10. Neotys Neoload — Best for complex applications with a graphical user interface

A web application is only ever as good as its real-world use. Sure, it may be great in theory, but can it handle the peak user load it may encounter down the road? The best load testing tools help teams gain an understanding of real-life performance before a system is launched, in order to anticipate and resolve issues before it's too late.

This article will help you quickly compare and evaluate the best load testing tools available on the market today.

What are Load Testing Tools?

Load testing tools are cloud-based software that help load test a site or application. Load testing is a type of performance testing that determines a system’s performance under real-life load conditions. The test results help determine how the application behaves when multiple users access it simultaneously.

Load testing usually identifies:

  • The maximum operating capacity of an application
  • Whether the current infrastructure is sufficient to run the application
  • Sustainability of application with respect to peak user load
  • Number of concurrent users that an application can support, and scalability to allow more users to access it.

Overviews Of The Load Testing Software

Here’s a brief description of each of the website testing that is featured on this top 10 list. 

1

Tricentis NeoLoad

Best for collaborating across dev, QA, operations, and business teams

Tricentis NeoLoad is a load testing tool that enables the continuous performance testing of web and mobile applications, APIs, and microservices. It uses RealBrowser technology to provide browser-based performance capabilities for advanced custom web apps as well as cloud-native ones. This provides users with the ability to capture client-side end-user metrics while using a protocol-based approach for their back-end testing activities.

A core principal the software is built upon is enabling collaboration across development, quality assurance (QA), operations, and business teams. Users can build a standardized performance testing strategy across the enterprise regardless of experience or skill set. Codeless test design using a graphical user interface (GUI) also supports this mission. The software allows users to define service-level agreements (SLAs), share test assets, and review test results while the testing process is still running and after it is done.

Teams can connect Tricentis NeoLoad with their other tools such as Cucumber, Jenkins, Jira, and Selenium using the platform's native integrations. Pricing starts at $20,000/year for up to 300 virtual users, and a free trial and demo are available.

Free trial available

Plans start at $20,000/year for up to 300 virtual users

2

Headspin

Best for AI + ML based tracking metrics

HeadSpin is an AI testing & dev-ops collaboration platform that offers several loading metrics like low frame rate, low page content, poor video quality, screen freezing, slow app launch, slow downloads that can estimate how quickly your app or website responds when there are multiple connections attempted or when there is tremendous load on the network infrastructure.

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.7 27

Free Trial

$99/user/month

3

Akamai

Best for designing tests at scale

CloudTest from Akamai allows you to safely simulate your largest events in production with precise control while producing a live analysis of what your site or app is capable of on your big day and helping you drill down to the source of any performance bottlenecks.

A highpoint of the software is that the software requires low resource allocation for high-performance results, which can be vital if you are working on sub-optimal systems or hardware.

Akamai CloudTest definitely has a formidable learning curve and is not necessarily ideal for users who are new to load testing ecosystems. The tool lost a few points in the Usability segment of the evaluation criteria.

Akamai CloudTest starts at $1300/user/year and has a free 30-day trial.

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
3.9 37

30 Days Free Trial

$1300/user/year

4

Apache JMeter

Best open source Java application

Apache JMeter is a load and performance testing solution that simulates loads on servers, networks, and objects. It can load test many protocols, including HTTP, SOAP, and JDBC. JMeter’s IDE includes a range of features that enable rapid test plan recording, building, and debugging.Users can run automation scripts alongside their load tests by integrating with Selenium. The integration enables testers to load their system and automatically collect performance metrics.It’s worth noting JMeter’s lack of support for JavaScript. The system doesn’t execute the Javascript found in HTML pages and is unable to render HTML pages the same way a browser does.Testers can download JMeter for free.

5

TestPlant eggPlant Performance

Best for user-centric performance testing

Eggplant Performance provides user-centric performance testing that’s simple to use with the unique ability to simulate virtual users at both the application UI and the network protocol levels, making it a solution that gives you an understanding of the UX impact at scale.

Usability is perhaps the most satisfying element of the eggplant experience, as it is relatively easy to pick up and run with as a new user. The software scored favorably in the Usability category of the review criteria outlined previously.

A few cons to note are 1) the tool, on occasion, reports false positives since it works based on the OCR engine, and 2) it works better on macOS than on Windows.

Eggplant starts at $3400 for one test stream and has a free demo.

Free Demo

$3400 for one test stream

6

Load Impact

Best for API load testing

LoadImpact is a cloud service to load test the performance of websites, apps, and APIs that has specifically focused on API load testing in the new k6.io app, with a completely revamped Test Builder. Plus, they have an improved browser session recorder and an improved results page.

A standout component of this software is it’s easy to support of various ‘cl technologies’. Additionally, the reporting, graphs, and pictures are aesthetically pleasing and very readable.

This tool would benefit in some better help sections/training documents in order to outline the different components of the software and website. They lost a few marks in the evaluation for Usability but this certainly isn’t a deal-breaker, as many aspects of the tool are intuitive anyways.

Load Impact starts at $99/month and has a free trial.

Free Trial

$99/month

7

Micro Focus LoadRunner

Best for on-premises, project-based testing

LoadRunner is a software testing tool that measures system behavior and performance under complex load and stress scenarios. It works by simulating thousands of concurrent application users to emulate real-world network conditions. LoadRunner provides real-time on- and offline anomaly detection through robust analytics and reporting, including correlation analysis and combining data from multiple tools.LoadRunner supports continuous testing by enabling users to share and reuse assets across various application types, protocols, and IDEs. The platform also offers various integrations with DevOps and application performance monitoring tools.While LoadRunner is highly-rated, many users find the licensing cost to be prohibitive compared to other load testing tools. Pricing is available upon request with free trials available.

Free Trial

Pricing is available upon request.

8

Parasoft Load Test

Best for users who are new to load testing

Parasoft Load Test enables users to take SOAtest functional test projects and leverage them for performance testing. The Load Test Continuum (LTC) web-based reporting app makes performance testing a part of the CI/CD process and implements performance test automation.

One of the best parts of the software is that minimal experience/training is needed to get started. Users can easily pull from Excel or XML files, as well, and automating the APIs is intuitive.

With a rather hefty up-front cost, Parasoft Load Test lost a few marks in the Value for Cost section of the evaluation criteria, as the price tag may deter some. It is important to note that the cost listed below includes the enterprise edition, desktop licenses, and training for a team of 5.

Parasoft Load Test starts at $50,000 and has a free trial.

Free Trial

50000.0

9

WebLOAD

Best for parameterization and response validation

WebLOAD generates a test script in JavaScript, with the flexibility to add a wide range of protocols and easily extend to additional protocols as needed. The recording is transparent and automatic with any web technology, including HTTP/HTTPS (SSL, TLS) and more.

This tool does particularly well with building any simulated load for load and performance testing in an intuitive and easy way. Additionally, the play and record features are useful for tracking results.

As the only tool with no pricing information available, WebLOAD lost some points in cost transparency, meaning their review results for Value for Cost dropped a bit.

WebLOAD offers pricing upon request and has a free trial.

10

Neotys Neoload

Best for complex applications with a graphical user interface

Neotys Neoload helps to design, maintain and run performance tests as code and analyze results within continuous integration pipelines using pre-packaged plugins for CI/CD tools and the NeoLoad API. Easily set up testing resources as needed.

This tool has a clean, colorful, and strategically organized user interface that makes returning to the software for each task a pleasure. Thus, they scored well in the UX segment of the evaluation process.

One critique of this software to be wary of is that the charging mechanism on the cloud is not atomic in nature and has a dependency on a local machine. Additionally, the project gets harder to manage as the script grows.

Neotys Neoload starts at $6024/month and has a free 30-day trial.

Need expert help selecting the right Web Testing Software?

We’ve joined up with Crozdesk.com to give all our readers (yes, you!) access to Crozdesk’s software advisors. Just use the form below to share your needs, and they will contact you at no cost or commitment. You will then be matched and connected to a shortlist of vendors that best fit your company, and you can access exclusive software discounts!

The Load Testing Software Summary

Tool Free Option Price
1
Tricentis NeoLoad

Best for collaborating across dev, QA, operations, and business teams

Free trial available

Plans start at $20,000/year for up to 300 virtual users Visit Website
2
Headspin

Best for AI + ML based tracking metrics

Free Trial

$99/user/month Visit Website
3
Akamai

Best for designing tests at scale

30 Days Free Trial

$1300/user/year Visit Website
4
Apache JMeter

Best open source Java application

Free Trial

Visit Website
5
TestPlant eggPlant Performance

Best for user-centric performance testing

Free Demo

$3400 for one test stream Visit Website
6
Load Impact

Best for API load testing

Free Trial

$99/month Visit Website
7
Micro Focus LoadRunner

Best for on-premises, project-based testing

Free Trial

Pricing is available upon request. Visit Website
8
Parasoft Load Test

Best for users who are new to load testing

Free Trial

50000.0 Visit Website
9
WebLOAD

Best for parameterization and response validation

Free Trial

Visit Website
10
Neotys Neoload

Best for complex applications with a graphical user interface

Not available

Visit Website

Other Web Testing Options

If you’re still looking for a PC stress test online, here’s a few more load tester tools that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy ap testing tools, check these out.

  1. Apache JMeter - Open source software and a pure Java application designed to load test functional behavior and measure performance
  2. Micro Focus LoadRunner - On-premises, project-based application performance and load testing that identifies the most likely cause of performance issues.
  3. Silk Performer - Easily simulate any size peak-load and avoid costly investments in stress testing hardware and setup.
  4. IBM Rational Performance Tester - Validates the scalability of web and server applications and identifies the presence and cause of system performance bottlenecks.
  5. Pureload -  test all or part of the Network Functions (NF) in the 5G RESTfuls service architecture and simulate traffic from one or several NFs.
  6. Loadster - Load test your web application with thousands of synthetic users to optimize performance, reduce costs, and help prevent downtime.
  7. Smartbear LoadUI Pro - Create and manage load testing for REST & SOAP APIs, databases, and microservices right inside your CI/CD pipeline.
  8. Tricentis Flood - Establish cloud-based performance labs at the fingertips of every developer and tester for on-demand load testing.
  9. Gatling - Use either an open-source or enterprise version of this load testing tool to help anticipate any slow response times or crashes. 
  10. Web Performance - Their app can help with simple local tests with simulated users all the way to 1,000,000 cloud-generated users. 
  11. Rigor - Continuous monitoring and alerting equip you to track common, mission-critical flows from the end-user perspective.

How I Selected the Best Load Testing Tools

Perhaps you're wondering how I choose the best load testing tools for this list? Let's take a look at my process.

To start, I created a long list of the most popular load testing tools out there based on user rankings. I then assessed each platform’s website in fine detail to ensure their software covered all the basic features a QA tester would need to manage their processes from end-to-end.

Next, I turned to my selection criteria below to help me make my final selections. Using these criteria as a framework, I was able to compare each load testing tool to one another. The best of the group remain on this shortlist.

Selection Criteria

What are we looking for when we select network stress test tools for review? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria: 

  1. User Interface (UI): Is it clean and attractive?
  2. Usability: Is it user-friendly? Does the company offer good tech support, user support, tutorials, and training? 
  3. Features & Functionality:
    1. Realistic user simulation – Does the tool accurately reflect real-life user and load actions?
    2. Scripting language – Does the tool work with different scripting languages?
    3. Device testing variety – Can the tool test both mobile- and web-based apps?
    4. Reporting and analytics – Are the reporting tools robust, customizable, flexible, and visually appealing? Can they be exported into different, popular file types for review? 
    5. Test case management C can you create, organize, execute, and track test cases?
  4. Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools? Any pre-built integrations?
  5. Value for $: How appropriate is the price for the features, capabilities, and use case? Is pricing clear, transparent and flexible?

You might also like: 10 Best Cloud Testing Tools

People Also Ask

Still, have questions about website load testing and other app performance monitoring? Start here. 

What Do You Think About These Load Testing Tools?

Have you tried out any server load testing tools listed above? Which automated testing tools do you use to simulate a heavy load or other real-world risks? As a Website tester, which loads testing platform would you recommend? Be sure to mention it in the comments.
Related Read: 10 BEST API TESTING TOOLS TO USE IN 2023

By Jason Boog

Over his 15-year career, Jason Boog has worked as a QA tester, QA analyst, and Senior QA Analyst on video games, commercial sites, and interactive web applications. He spent more than a decade building out the QA team and process as Director of Quality & Client Support at a full-service digital agency.

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