Mobile testing tools (Part 2)

There is a large number of platforms for testing on mobile devices, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, it's hard to ignore any of them. In this article, we will look at other programs not mentioned in the first part (you can familiarize yourself with them here).

Apptim

Apptim is one of the best tools for assessing the performance of mobile applications; however, it is often challenging to perform such assessments. Nevertheless, Apptim has simplified and streamlined the process, enabling users to quickly identify issues in their applications. It supports testing on both Android and iOS systems and provides a comprehensive and reliable performance dashboard that compares different testing sessions. Apptim allows users to conduct local performance tests and share reports with their team. Moreover, anyone can use Apptim thanks to its user-friendly interface. After installing Apptim, performance results can be obtained in just five minutes.

Key Features of Apptim:

• evaluates the performance of native mobile apps or hybrids;
• after each testing session, the tool generates a report on performance metrics and another report for each error discovered during the testing session;
• it integrates with Jira using an API key;
• real device testing capability;
• easy-to-use and intuitive user interface;
• comparison of testing sessions for different app versions to identify performance differences.

Pricing: Apptim offers a free version with some usage limitations, and there are paid packages with more advanced features available. A 14-day trial of the Pro version is also offered.

TestGrid

TestGrid is the best tool for cross-browser testing, scriptless automation, native mobile app testing, performance testing, API testing, etc. Users can easily perform both manual and automated testing on real devices hosted in the cloud or on-premises. Test cases can be created and executed without the need for extensive programming knowledge. TestGrid is built on a cutting-edge technological stack, helping users execute their tests faster without scripts.

Key Features of TestGrid:

• scriptless testing;
• utilizes artificial intelligence for code automation;
• reuses previously written test cases for multiple applications;
• parallel testing for accelerated test execution;
• testing on real devices or in the cloud;
• integration with CI/CD tools for continuous testing (JIRA, Asana, Slack, etc.).

Pricing: There is a perpetual free version with basic settings and capabilities, and paid versions are available with advanced testing features.

HeadSpin

HeadSpin is an  AI-driven testing platform for collaborating with developers, offering both manual and automated testing of mobile applications on real devices.

Advantages:

• AI-driven statistical data;
• testing on real devices;
• secure testing and improved performance through a single-client model (dedicated device);
• allows for the use of individual devices to connect to the HeadSpin platform and initiate automated testing;
• integrates with Appium, Selenium, and Appium Inspector;
• compatible with many technologies such as Charles Proxy, XCode, Android Studio, Flutter, Cucumber, Espresso Android, Expertise, Webpage Test, FitNesse, KIF, UI Automator, Junit, XCTest, Calabash, Unified Functional Testing, TestNG, Puppeteer, JIRA, Slack, etc;
• powerful comparison tool for analyzing new app builds OS releases, added features, location data, etc.

Pricing: The tool is paid but offers a free trial version.

Avo Assure

Avo Assure is an intriguing tool for codeless test automation, offering the ability to test applications on the web and mobile devices for both Android and iOS platforms.

Some of the key features of Avo Assure:

• testing applications without writing code;
• a library with over 1500 keywords;
• the ability to test programs online, using a desktop device, or on mobile platforms (Android and iOS);
• executing multiple scenarios on a single virtual machine independently or in parallel;
• integration with CI/CD and SDLC tools, as well as Selenium, Jira, Atlassian Bamboo, Sauce Labs, TFS, Q-test, and more;
• intelligent scheduling for parallel test execution.

Pricing: The tool is paid, but registration offers the opportunity to obtain a demo version.

testRigor

testRigor belongs to the list of the best mobile testing tools. AI-driven, it allows for the creation of stable and highly reliable automated quality assurance tests for both native and hybrid mobile applications (for iOS and Android), as well as for mobile web and APIs.

Key Features:

• does not require the knowledge of coding, product implementation specifics, xPath, CSS, or other technical details;
• manual testers can automate tests up to 15 times faster compared to some other tools, such as Appium;
• technical maintenance takes an average of 99.5% less time;
• clients typically achieve up to 90% automation coverage in less than a year;
• supports physical devices as well as emulators/simulators;
• integrates with BrowserStack, providing access to tests run on thousands of real devices;
• tests are very stable and highly reliable, ensuring smooth integration with CI/CD pipelines with virtually any provider;
• offers various advanced features, such as sound testing and SMS/text verification;
• depending on the level of parallelization, it takes less than 30 minutes to execute thousands of tests and obtain results;
• easy setup (tests are automatically grouped, and screen snapshots are captured at each step).

Pricing: The tool is paid, and a demo version is available upon registration.

Calabash

Calabash is an open-source platform for test automation that allows mobile device developers and nearly anyone without coding skills to create and execute automated acceptance tests for Android and iOS applications. Calabash works by enabling automatic interaction with the user interface of the application, such as button clicks, text input, response verification, and more. This tool can interact with mobile applications such as Espresso or XCTest and can also be used for recording in Ruby using Cucumber.

Key features of the tool:

• comes with separate automation libraries for iOS and Android;
• consists of libraries that allow the test code to programmatically interact with native and hybrid applications;
• supports the "Cucumber" framework, allowing testers to express application behavior in plain English, making it easier for non-programmers to understand;
• supports all actions on screens, such as swiping, pinching, rotating, and tapping;
• supports cross-platform development (the same code works for both Android and iOS devices);
• has access to the Xamarin Test Cloud, which includes over 1000 devices for testing your application.

Pricing: The tool is free to use.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a popular cloud-based web platform for mobile device automation that allows testing mobile applications on emulators, simulators, and real devices. It offers the option to use iPhone simulators for all automated and manual browser tests, eliminating the need for expensive in-house device labs.

Key Features:

• the process requires minimal training as the platform uses the Appium framework to create scenarios;
• on the LambdaTest cloud platform, you can test various types of applications on different devices;
• supports integration with popular CI/CD tools, no-code automation tools, project management tools, bug-tracking tools, and more;
• cross-browser online testing of applications on the latest Android browser emulators and iOS mobile simulators (enabling the creation of custom devices for viewing websites in different resolutions and on various devices);
• execution of tests simultaneously on both computer and mobile devices;
• instant reports;
• integration with CI/CD with virtually any provider (Asana, Trello, JIRA, or switch to Gitlab, Github, Slack, etc.);
• tests for geoblocking, geolocation, and geotargeting.

Pricing: The tool is free with some usage limitations, and there are more advanced capabilities available in paid packages.

Robot Framework

This keyword-driven test automation system is capable of testing mobile, web applications, and desktop PC programs. It can be used for a wide range of testing types and levels, including development, Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD), and robotic process automation. Robot Framework is supported by the Robot Framework Foundation and is used by many leading companies in their software development. Robot Framework is open and extensible, and it can be integrated with almost any other tool to create powerful and flexible automation solutions.

Key Features:

• supports cross-platform testing;
• has a simple syntax that makes testing with keywords easy;
• offers a wide range of standard and third-party test libraries;
• runs, builds, and edits tests in integration with various supporting tools;
• extends capabilities through libraries implemented in Python, Java, or many other programming languages.

Pricing: Open-source.

Unified Functional Testing (UFT)

It is one of the leaders in the field of test automation, formerly known as HPE QuickTest Professional (QTP). UFT supports keyword-driven interfaces and scripts, and it also has a graphical user interface. It uses the Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) scripting language to specify test procedures and manipulate objects and controls of the tested program. UFT allows developers to test all three layers of a program's operations from a single console: the user interface, the service layer, and the database layer. This enables quality assurance teams to make testing more efficient and streamline collaboration. This tool also supports testing in popular browsers.

Key Features:

• open-source testing;
• multilingual support;
• no need to modify the application;
• user-friendly interface;
• capable of testing desktop applications, web applications, as well as Android and iOS mobile applications;
• supports a wide range of software development environments, such as SAP, Oracle, and more;
• continuous execution of automated functional testing;
• supports popular automation infrastructures - keyword-driven testing, modular testing, data-driven testing, and more.

Pricing: The tool is paid, but registration offers a 30-day free trial version.Pricing: Open-source.

Tricentis Tosca

Tricentis Tosca is a continuous testing platform that helps teams adapt tests to Agile and DevOps principles. With this tool, you can use test automation for mobile applications without scripts. Tricentis Tosca optimizes and speeds up end-to-end testing across the entire digital environment. Its codeless AI-driven approach eliminates weaknesses during testing and risks associated with software releases.

Key Features:

• beginner-friendly and easy to use;
• scriptless automation;
• full integration with existing testing tools;
• easy addition of checkpoints;
• allows writing automated test scripts by pointing to objects on the screen. Once all of them are defined, the tool runs tests to identify objects that are "off-screen."

Pricing: The tool is paid, and a demo version is available upon registration.

ZeuZ

ZeuZ Automation is an AI-driven scriptless automation framework. Its user-friendly test creation process allows anyone to create and test complex workflows on one or multiple platforms, in any browser, and run them locally or remotely. Tests can be scheduled or run parallel on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and many others. ZeuZ is an all-in-one automated testing system that manages automated tests manually, errors, and feature requests. It provides teams with detailed reports, error analysis, documentation, and a wide range of examples. Equipped with CI/CD integration, Device-Farm (AWS Device Farm, BrowserStack, and others), Trunkey Solution, intelligent debugging, rich reports, and collaboration features, ZeuZ offers comprehensive automation.

Key Features:

• runs parallel tests on iOS/Android (real/simulator), cloud, web, desktop, API, and IoT;
• no code is required and a single UI covers all technologies in one test case or thousands with built-in logic;
• manages and runs manual, automated, functional, and regression tests;
• UI and performance checks;
• advanced reporting/notifications;
• integration with JIRA and other CI/CD tools;
• empowers AI-driven object identification, and built-in wait mechanisms;
• advanced debugging (detailing, intelligent issue grouping, step-by-step testing);
• API support and extensibility through custom actions and scripts (Selenium, Appium, etc.).

Pricing: The tool is paid, with a free 2-week trial available.

ZAPTEST

ZAPTEST is a solution for software automation designed for any organization that uses software for operations or development. It aims to automate its back-office operations or software testing processes and develop a seamless and updatable automation structure. By improving the efficiency of software testing processes, ZAPTEST will enhance a company's productivity, reduce costs, and achieve a tenfold return on testing investments.

Key Features:

• automation of functional and performance testing;
• robotic process automation;
• allows testing on multiple platforms without changing the code for each platform;
• parallel execution of multiple scenarios simultaneously on multiple platforms for increased efficiency;
• remote management of cloud device hosting.

Pricing: The tool is paid, with an unlimited number of licenses for the entire organization.

ACCELQ

ACCELQ is a cloud-based no-code automation platform for AI-driven testing of web interfaces, APIs, mobile devices, and PCs. The tool accelerates automation by 3 times and reduces maintenance by 70%, resulting in over 50% cost savings and ensuring alignment with continuous delivery.

Key Features:

• business process-oriented automation integrated into the technology stack;
• no code, no vendor lock-in, built-in structure;
• intuitive and scalable tool;
• supports all web browsers and operating systems, cloud-based reporting;
• visual testing, comprehensive taxonomy, and requirements mapping;
• unified approach to test development through change management for accelerated quality.

Pricing: The tool is paid, with an unlimited number of accounts for one organization. There is a free trial available upon registration.

Test IO

Test IO is one of the most prominent platforms for crowdtesting and a powerful platform for mobile app testing. It enables QA testers to continuously test web and mobile applications using real devices. Additionally, it allows expanding test coverage across a wide range of real platforms, devices, and people.

Key features:

• supports various types of testing, such as black-box testing, exploratory testing, usability testing, functional testing, regression testing, website testing, mobile device testing, and beta testing;
• testing on real devices;
• feedback from real people;
• quick test setup in minutes;
• results delivered in the form of detailed error reports, including logs, device information, reproductions, and screenshots;
• exporting error reports to any major bug tracker;
• the program should be compatible with Android and iOS operating systems and all their versions.

Pricing: The tool is paid, with three different packages available. A demo version is available.

Testing mobile applications has a significant impact on an app's success. It maximizes an app's performance, capabilities, and quality by verifying its core functions to ensure it operates correctly according to requirements. It is crucial to test mobile apps before their launch, thus ensuring they are fully functional and ready for release. Therefore, choosing the best mobile app testing tool can help identify critical issues in the software. This list of mobile testing tools is not exhaustive, and the next article will cover even more diverse products.