We continue to research the current market for test automation tools. Today we propose to your attention our professional opinion on the growing popularity of codeless testing tools, their actual benefits, drawbacks, suitable areas of use, as well as our compilation of the 14 best codeless test automation tools. Here we go!
What is Codeless Testing?
Codeless testing is an automated type of testing where the tester needs no coding to run the test scripts. Recently, when on the market of testing, were not so many automation tools available, codeless and low-code testing (“record and playback” testing, the one that records the user activity and then imitates it) were used interchangeably. But in 2022, you can find numerous automated testing tools that can offer you true codeless testing as it is. Before we dive into details, let’s see what actual benefits codeless testing tools can bring to your CI/CD process.
Top Benefits of Codeless Testing Tools
Codeless testing tools, if compared with manual testing, can bring into your CI/CD process a bunch of important optimizations, save your development resources, and streamline the product delivery thanks to the following benefits:
Boosted performance – as here’s no additional knowledge required to run the tests and the syntax is straightforward, test cases are created quickly, boosting the overall efficiency of the automation process;
Better resources allocation – with codeless testing, engineers can save plenty of working hours and spend them on some more creative and complex projects testing tasks, then running endless regression tests hour by hour;
Everybody can review – in codeless testing, cases are created with no coding involved, so they are readable and understandable even for people who don’t know how to code but have important roles at the project;
Even junior QAs can run scripts – in codeless testing, the QA engineer doesn’t have to possess the knowledge of coding or programming languages to run the scripts. This bonus can greatly economize both engineer’s and company’s time and resources needed for the education of the newcomers in QA.
But this is the big picture. How can I choose the one in the codeless testing market that fits my testing needs best? Let’s look at the top 14 codeless automation testing tools in the next paragraph.
What is Codeless Testing Tools Top List
What’s especially interesting about codeless testing technology, is that each tool can have its own way of implementing codeless on the Frontend side. What’s common here, is that the tool should convert the frontend representation into machine understandable code in the backend to make everything work properly. Let’s see the popular scriptless automation tools one by one along with their features and pricing details:
1. DogQ
DogQ is a codeless test automation tool that makes the web app testing process much easier and quicker. It enables you to build automated testing scripts without a single line of code at the release candidate stage, and check the app performance in the given environment before the final release. (By the way, here’s a ready-made checklist to measure your website’s performance). DogQ platform helps to eliminate manual testing routines, increasing the speed and quality of the software development processes.
DogQ features
DogQ drawbacks
+ Easy e2e, regression and functional testing on your app or website
+ Works ideally with cutting-edge Front-end frameworks (React, Angular)
+ Multiple automation scenarios that are very simple to set up and use right away
+ An easy-to-use GUI via which you can run scenarios
+ A dashboard with key metrics that enables you to track all the project progress in real-time
+ The subscription fees depend on the scope of testing, which can be crucial for small companies
- There is no way to test desktop and mobile applications
- Doesn’t support non-functional testing
Pricing: The cost of DogQ varies depending on the number of Run steps you need, which is quite convenient: from $5 to $500 per month, and it also has a free trial.
2. CloudQA
Source: CloudQA
CloudQA unites a variety of testing requirements on one platform. Built on top of Selenium, this record-and-playback tool integrates with multiple third-party apps, making building test cases easier. It also provides you with an integrated reporting feature to create and schedule regression test cases, as well as monitor web page performance.
CloudQA features
CloudQA drawbacks
+ Huge capacity allowing to maintain up to 1000 test cases
Pricing: CloudQA is quite an expensive tool for codeless testing, as its price is $1,188 per user per year.
3. Katalon Studio
Source: habr.com
Katalon Studio is one of the best and most widely used codeless testing tools for web, API, mobile, and desktop apps. It has built-in keywords, dual-scripting interfaces, and a variety of external libraries, turning testing into an easy task even for beginners.
Katalon Studio features
Katalon Studio drawbacks
+ Web recorder utility registers all movements in the app and turns them into runnable code in the back-end
+ Stakeholders can take part in testing with ease due to BDD Cucumber capability
+ Insightful analytics and reporting
+ Smart Wait feature allows to fully eliminate Selenium wait issues with no additional coding
+ Accurate transferring of test projects keywords in the external behaviors
- Multiple tests editing can be complicated
- The locator recording feature doesn’t always provide the desired XPath
- Supports only two languages, Java and Groovy
Pricing: Katalon Studio can be quite a good choice, as it’s named as a top customers’ choice for the software test automation tools in 2020 by Gartner Peer Insights. Plus, its price is quite low: only $759 per user per year, and it also has a free version.
4. TestGrid
Source: testgrid.io
TestGrid is a freshman on the market of codeless automation tools, but it has already gained popularity among testers and developers due to its high speed of running tests. It is one of the best tools for running scriptless cross-browser, native mobile, desktop apps, performance, as well as API testing scenarios from scratch.
TestGrid features
TestGrid drawbacks
+ Automate test cases with simple keywords
+ Auto heal and access the code via AI tech stack
+ High performance
+ Testing on real, physical devices in the cloud
+ Robust test data management with deeper assertions support
+ Ability to download selenium/appium files for additional changes if necessary
+ Lifetime free version
- Slow technical support
- Scaling for on-premise customers is time-consuming
Pricing: The cost of TestGrid per user per month is $39 for virtual cloud, web and mobile testing automation, and $199 for testing on real devices in the cloud.
5. Perfecto
Source: Perfecto
Perfecto is a trusted name among codeless automation testing tools. It provides solutions for mobile, web, and IoT quality assurance, focusing on providing its stable work despite any market changes, such as new iOS or Android version updates, new browser or smartphone releases, etc.
Perfecto features
Perfecto drawbacks
+ Combines data from AWS services like EC2, ECS, Lambda, S3, DynamoDB, etc.
+ Supports parallel testing on various Android devices
+ Can switch to a microservices framework to support the latest mobile and web OS
+ Enhanced connectivity: the engineers can update every day to both their stakeholders and customers about issues taking place
+ A dashboard with key metrics that enables you to track all the project progress in real-time
+ Integrates into Appium, Selenium, Espresso, etc.
- No alerts for when a device is in error
- Connections to third-party services are slow
- Poor locations availability
Pricing: The cost of Perfecto testing suite per user per year is quite high: $3,600, but it also has a 14-day free trial version.
6. TestProject
Source: testproject
It’s one of the totally free codeless automation testing tools. It’s an end-to-end codeless testing platform that automates Selenium and Appium testing and allows you to run web, mobile, and even API testing scripts using open source technology.
TestProject features
TestProject drawbacks
+ Tests storage and page object repository
+ Scriptless test recorder for non-technical users, with export to Selenium and Appium
+ Real-time analytics and dashboards
+ Third-party integrations like Sauce Labs, BrowserStack, Jenkins, Slack, etc.
+ More than 200 community-powered addons
- Problems with Test project connection and stable work
- Issues with recording and playing test cases for apps that use HTTPS protocol
- Can be different test results with different browsers
Pricing: TestProject is one of the best totally free codeless automation testing tools, as it has an average rating of 4.6/5 stars, according to Gartner.
7. TestingWhiz
Source: TestingWhiz
TestingWhiz is a codeless automation testing tool that can provide functional, regression, API, and database testing of your software, web, and mobile apps. It quickly automates, executes, and manages various test cases on one platform.
TestingWhiz features
TestingWhiz drawbacks
+ Use of keywords and object-based architecture with Java scripting
+ Integrated mobile recorder allows to automate recording on multiple mobile devices
+ Integrated OCR capability allows to detect and extract text from images
+ Integrated PDF and Excel commands
- Complicated mobile and Big data testing
- Poor third-partyintegrations
- Mobile recorder works unstable, can’t prepare a script by itself
- There is no support for MAC and desktop testing
Pricing: TestingWhiz has a 30-day free trial period, and then it costs $149 per user per month.
8. EndTest
Source: Medium
Endtest is one of the cloud codeless automation testing tools. It’s a cutting-edge cloud platform that allows its users to create, manage, and run even complex test scenarios with ease.
EndTest features
EndTest drawbacks
+ Runs complex test suites on any operating system, browser, or mobile device
+ Allows parallel execution
parameterized testing
+ Supports testing browser extensions
+ Has third-party integrations like GitHub, Travis CI, CircleCI, TeamCity, Jenkins, etc.
- Testing of mobile devices still requires a secondary tool to run it properly
- Issues with multiple scenarios testing
- Lack of third-party integrations and in-browser action recording features
- Test-level variables have no UI-friendly representation
Pricing: EndTest has a 30-day free trial period, and then it costs $138 per user per month.
9. Mabl
Source: Mabl
Mabl is a modern codeless testing automation platform for the CI/CD ecosystem that enables easier test creation, execution, and control. It can greatly increase test coverage, development speed, and overall app quality. Thanks to its cool visuals, anomaly monitoring, and auto-healing concepts, the automation scripts here run very smoothly and fast.
Mabl features
Mabl drawbacks
+ A fresh UI and design approach run tests periodically with suggestions
+ Runs parallel testing across different browsers
+ Testing nodes can be scaled up in the cloud, with real browser installations on virtual machines
+ Real-time data reports and analytics
+ JavaScript can be used for creating API requests and custom assertions
+ Third-party integrations with tools like Slack, Jenkins, Bamboo, CircleCI, etc.
- Test scripts can’t be easily extracted as the test code isn’t synched in the customer’s GitHub repos
- Merge conflicts management is poor
- Frequent issues with inaccurate selections and assertions when similar elements are displayed on the screen
Pricing: Mabl has a free trial version, after which the price you pay per user per month is fully custom and depends on your testing needs.
10. Applitools
Source: LinkedIn
Applitools is an end-to-end UI testing platform powered by Visual AI, that transforms and modernizes the whole QA process. This highly scalable and user-friendly codeless test automation tool is suitable for web and mobile app testing across many devices, browsers, and OS. Plus, it can be quickly integrated with any DevOps environment.
Applitools features
Applitools drawbacks
+ Cross-browser and multiple device testing
+ Support of several programming languages
+ Functional testing reports with screenshots and baseline images
+ Third-party integrations with Jira, Slack, Jenkins, CircleCI, TeamCity, Travis, email, etc.
+ Baseline branching allows to push an up-to-date baseline along with your code
+ Smart conflicts management withWeb API and merge CLI tools
+ No inbound firewall changes or tunnel configuration required
- It's a complex tool, which requires a lot of initial set-ups
- Low performance rate
- The documentation is cumbersome and hard to understand
Pricing: Applitools has a free trial version, after which the price you pay depends on your testing needs, but starts from $299 per user per month.
11. Usetrace
Source: Usetrace
Usetrace is an automation tool for regression testing of web apps. It creates cross-browser reusable test suits with no coding skills needed. This testing tool also provides such features as project management and collaboration, data analytics, synchronization, and waiting.
Usetrace features
Usetrace drawbacks
+ Flexibility in creating and maintaining traces
+ Robust load balancing, performance and regression tests
+ A visual dashboard and analytics on your site performance
+ Third-party integrations with Slack, JIRA, Jenkins, Visual Studio Online, GitHub, Codeship, Flowdock, Bitbucket, HipChat, etc.
+ Instant email or SMS alerting
- There is no way to export tests to Selenium files
- Frequent issues with test scripts executing, analytics, and third-party integrations
Pricing: Usetrace is quite an expensive testing tool, as its price starts from $1,188 per user per year.
12. Leapwork
Leapwork is a cloud-based automation platform for testers, test managers, and DevOps professionals, suitable for testing web, Windows, SAP applications, and more. Leapwork is one of the most trusted codeless test automation tools, that combines in one platform testing automation, end-to-end test verification, graphical workflow editor, and automated test builder.
Leapwork features
Leapwork drawbacks
+ Automatically adapts to UX flow changes
+ Using REST API for scheduling test running with Powershell scripts
+ Allows to test applications in any operating system, browser, or device version
+ Has numerous third-party integrations like Sauce Labs, Jenkins, Azure Devops Server, TeamCity, Bamboo, and BrowserStack cloud
+ Smart strategy for GUI elements testing
+ Allows to restore the server from backup when an ad hoc schedule is stuck running and has filled up the HDD
- Test scripts can’t be easily extracted as the test code isn’t synched in the customer’s GitHub repos
- Merge conflicts management is poor
- Frequent issues with inaccurate selections and assertions when similar elements are displayed on the screen
Pricing: Leapwork is among those codeless automation testing tools that have a free trial version, after which the price you pay per user per month is fully custom and depends on your testing needs.
13. Ranorex
Source: Ranorex
Ranorex is a robust testing tool that supports web, Windows, and mobile testing. It is among the most trusted codeless automation testing tools, used by such giants as Cisco, Dell, IBM, etc. Has numerous third-party integrations allowing to create of an all-in-one testing environment with no coding.
Ranorex features
Ranorex drawbacks
+ Automate complex GUI testing with object recognition and following each user scenario
+ Ability to record and playback actions, then convert them into natural languages
+ Flexible test automation interface that launches all executed .EXE files from the command line
+ Seamless integration with Selenium WebDriver, Jira, Jenkins, Bamboo, or TeamCity
- It supports only standard programming languages such as VB.NET and C#
- No support of macOS products
Pricing: Ranorex has a free trial version, after which the price you pay depends on your testing needs, but starts from $3,130 per user per year.
14. TestCraft (Acquired by Perforce)
Source: DatamateConsulting
TestCraft is an end-to-end codeless automation testing tool based on Selenium. It offers QA engineers “on-the-fly rebinding”, with which you can fix the broken code immediately, rebinding the elements. Here tests are adjusted in real-time without re-recording the entire test scenario.
TestCraft features
TestCraft drawbacks
+ Allows to run and reuse tests on multiple browsers simultaneously
+ Enables application monitoring
+ Advanced analytics and detailed reports
+ Dual output on data and scenario
+ Multiple third-party integrations
- Poor user as well as test case management
- Creating reusable tests is complicated
- Low automation stability when system configurations are changing
Pricing: TestCraft has a free trial version, after which the price you pay per user per month is fully custom and depends on your testing needs.
DogQ Perspective on Codeless Test Automation
Codeless testing automation platforms continue to capture the market for QA professional tools. Year by year software vendors provide their solutions with more and more effective algorithms, better design, and a bigger number of useful features to increase testers’ productivity, minimize daily routine tasks, and raise employee retention rate. Some codeless automation testing tools are free, and some are quite expensive, but they are definitely one of the core puzzles in the future of software testing. Each of the applications enumerated above has its pros and cons, so it’s better to consult with a reliable testing software company to choose the one that really fits your needs. But please remember that any automation tool can never work without the right team culture and effective execution strategy upon codeless testing. DogQ specialists recommend the following approach for implementing a codeless testing tool to reach the best possible result:
Think globally about the testing process, that is more than just apps or platforms under test, but rather an effective QA strategy of the whole team;
Implement “shift-left” and “all-inclusive” testing culture, in which every person is equally involved in the testing process and responsible for it;
Analyze the tendencies of the testing market and be ready to let go of old and ineffective methods, tools, and processes;
Be flexible about new technologies and tools and always ready to adopt them.
Our QA specialists are always ready to answer your questions upon software testing strategies. We will be happy to help you with choosing the right testing automation tool for your business or software project, as well as provide any additional technical support you need. Feel free to contact us and try our codeless testing platform!
