9 Best Browser Testing Automation Tools

Browser testing with automation can drastically speed up the process and cut costs. 

Here is our list of the best tools to automate browser testing:

1. TestComplete – EDITOR’S CHOICE A GUI testing automation tool with extensive browser testing features. An AI-powered specialized testing object recognition utility combines with CI/CD integration for comprehensive browser testing regardless of your business scale or testing demands.
2. Katalon A free automated testing tool for general-purpose UI and browser testing. Despite the free label, the software offers a complete-featured solution with scalable premium options.
3. Ranorex Studio An enterprise-grade solution for dynamic automated browser testing. The solution offers both comprehensive developer tools and simplified GUI-driven testing parameters.
4. Virtuoso An intelligent AI-driven testing solution that boasts advanced testing solutions, including plain English test scripting, suitable for any QA team.
5. CrossBrowserTesting A web-based solution that provides an alternative to TestComplete from Smartbear offers a broad set of tools to fit many use-cases.
6. Selenium A free, open-source testing framework with full CI/CD pipeline integration can enable in-depth test scripting capabilities if you have the coding know-how.
7. Appium It is built for mobile application and browser testing, another free and open-source testing framework that requires some programming knowledge.
8. QA Wolf An up-and-coming automated testing service geared towards smaller businesses and startup organizations.
9. Specflow A free and open-source BDD framework that supports Web and Application UI testing, API testing, and more can simply interact with your existing testing solutions.

When it comes to testing browser applications, there are countless minor inputs necessary to test every aspect of a given website rigorously. Repeating each of these actions, often hundreds of times, are unreasonable for a human. Therefore, automation is necessary, and there’s a wide variety of automation software that can rapidly perform the necessary testing across many browsers.

Browser Testing Methods

When testing your applications and websites, you’ll need to use the best approach to cover all of your potential object interactions adequately. You may need to use multiple approaches, sometimes at the same time.

• GUI Driven Tests These are the most simple form of test and are the most accessible by a tester without prior scripting knowledge. They typically involve determining inputs via an interface. This is the best approach if you don’t need to achieve anything overly complex with your testing or your QA Team isn’t knowledgeable about writing their test scripts.
• Scripted Tests For more advanced testing parameters, it might be best to use some form of scripting. Many of the solutions in this article come with some form of IDE/API interaction that sallows scripting. The most common form of test-based scripting is Selenium. While Selenium can be used standalone (and is one of the solutions on this list), you may find it easier to rely on one of the other solutions that take advantage of Selenium.
• Record-and-Replay Tests Another simple solution that might require more effort to set up but is just as user-friendly as GUI-driven testing is record-and-replay testing. This involves hitting a record button, performing a certain action on a website yourself, then stopping the recording. Once a recording has been saved, the testing software can repeat the recorded action countless times with minor variations each time.
• Your Testing Solution You can perform other tests, such as Screenshot testing, that are useful for testing for visual errors. You’ll need to check each solution in this article to determine what kinds of various tests they can perform.

The majority of the solutions on this list are very similar in the basic feature set and only vary in scale, capacity, and specialized testing methods.

The Best Tools to Automate Browser Testing

Our methodology for selecting a browser testing automation tool

We reviewed the market for browser testing automation software and analyzed options based on the following criteria:

• A scripting language to create complex tests
• Options to test applications in browsers and from mobile devices
• A choice of on-premises and SaaS systems
• Integration into commonly used development frameworks
• Fast and variable test cases that can be cycled through without human intervention
• A free trial for a no-cost evaluation opportunity or a free tool
• Value for money from a paid tool that is worth the price or a free tool that is worth installing

With these selection criteria in mind, we identified a number of browser testing automation tools, including free and paid systems and providing both on-premises and Web-baed services.

1. TestComplete

TestComplete is a GUI test automation tool that boasts an impressive AI-powered object recognition tool that makes browser testing much smoother. In addition, you can script more elaborate tests through the inbuilt scripting tools or use the interface for simple tests without prior scripting knowledge.

TestComplete works perfectly well for browser testing and supports desktop application and mobile app/browser testing. In addition, there are several CI/CD integrations available, including Jenkins.

Key Features

• GUI browser test automation
• Scripting tools
• CI/CD integration
• Record-and-replay tests
• Cross-browser testing

TestComplete has a 14-day free trial available on the company website. Prices for the entire product are divided by single-user packages and multi-user packages, with the multi-user ‘float’ products being around double the price of the ‘node-locked single-user products.

The Base product is $2,256. The Pro version combines desktop, mobile, and web testing and costs $3,950. Finally, the UI Test Plus Bundle includes all of the features of the Pro version but also has cross-browser testing, which may be vital for significant scale testing endeavors.

2. Katalon

Katalon is a free automated testing tool for general-purpose user interface testing. You can use the software to construct complex automated scripts, even if you have no prior scripting experience. You can also use the recording tools to establish automated CI/CD testing parameters and the IDE and a variety of choices for advanced purposes.

The software includes full browser testing functionality. To run multiple browser testing instances at once, you may need to upgrade to the TestOps package. You may also want to consider the Runtime Engine package, which adds CI/CD integration.

Key Features

• Record/Replay browser testing
• IDE for automated test generation
• AI-driven test execution
• Jenkins, Azure, Bamboo, CircleCL, etc. integration
• Modular pricing options

Katalon supports all operating systems, browsers and devices, and can be managed from a cloud-based platform. The base software, Katalon Studio, is entirely free to download. If you handle multiple converging test pipelines as part of CI/CD management, you may also consider the TestOps component that provides test orchestration tools.

The essential software is free for up to 2,000 test executions per month, with scalable pricing models for more requirements. In addition, all premium features have a free trial available on the website.

3. Ranorex Studio

Ranorex Studio is a premium UI testing tool developed for both novices and experts, with advanced GUI-based settings that can give testing techniques without the need for prior coding knowledge. It also comes with an in-depth object inspection tool and the ability to create recorded testing criteria that adjust automatically based on intelligent object detecting methods.

Key Features

• Record/Replay browser testing
• Object inspection tools
• C# and VB.NET IDE
• Testing parameter assistance
• Jira and TestRail integration

The software’s browser testing suite simply opens the website and uses the dedicated plugin to run automated tests within the browser environment. In addition, several productivity and assistance tools are built into the software to ensure test development is quick and easy.

Ranorex Studio is one of the more premium solutions available for UI testing. The software costs around $3,500 for a perpetual Studio (single-user) license or around $5,600 for a perpetual Enterprise (floating) license.

Ranorex Studio supports Microsoft IE, both the Chromium and Legacy versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Chromium.

4. Virtuoso

Virtuoso is the leader of the pack in terms of intelligent AI-driven automated browser testing. The software breaks down script testing to use human-orientated plain text language, meaning anyone can feasibly set up test parameters in line with other script-based solutions.

Key Features

• Intelligent AI testing
• Plain English test scripting
• Snapshot testing
• Cross-browser capabilities
• ‘Self-healing’ tests with adaptive learning

One impressive feature that Virtuoso advertises is the ability to use AI systems to identify objects after they are rearranged, which means the tests effectively maintain themselves. Multiple browser tests and snapshot testing also help you massively reduce potential flaws without increasing the testing workload.

Virtuoso has divided its product lineup into three plans. The Starter Plan can support up to 2500 test executions per month and is geared towards smaller QA teams. The Growth Plan supports up to 5000 test executions per month and is orientated towards medium-large scale teams.

Alternatively, the Enterprise option removes limitations dependent on the scale of your business. However, regardless of the plan you choose, you’ll need to contact the company directly for a personalized quote on pricing.

5. CrossBrowserTesting

CrossBrowserTesting is another solution provided by Smartbear that provides powerful automated browser testing tools. The product is divided into four main feature sets: live manual testing, automated visual testing, record-and-replay testing, and finally, automated Selenium/Appium integrated testing.

Key Features

• Live interactive testing
• Record-and-replay tests
• Selenium and Appium integration
• CI/CD integration
• REST API

By moving automated testing into the cloud, it allows for better management and test delegation. The product also features a REST API for customization and integration with other products. CrossBrowserTesting can also work alongside tools like Jenkins, TeamCity, Github, and Jira to smoothly fit into your CI/CD pipeline.

While TestComplete could be considered an Enterprise or large-scale business product, CrossBrowserTesting has more flexible options. For example, the essential Live Testing product is $29/user per month, while the full Unlimited Testing product is $100/user per month.

There is a free trial of the product available on the website. Smartbear also offers Enterprise options for CrossBrowserTesting, though you need to contact the company directly for a personalized quote on pricing.

6. Selenium

Selenium, the framework on which Katalon is based, is also an open-source solution that offers three main features: web automation testing, a development IDE for test scripts, and a central management point. However, in contrast to the other options, Selenium provides a basic framework with no interface and demands advanced fundamental programming skills.

Key Features

• Scripted web automation testing
• Development IDE
• Multi-environment management
• Browser interaction record-and-playback
• Open-source and free

Selenium's three primary functions are all completely free and fully integrated into various CI/CD platforms. As a result, selenium may be the ideal option for your small-to-medium-sized organization if you have a QA team with advanced programming skills or if you simply wrap your testing within the responsibilities of your DevOps team.

You can download Selenium from the website for free. Selenium Webdriver is the web automation testing suite and supports C#, Ruby, Java, Python, and Javascript. Selenium IDE provides the script creation platform with browser integration and supports Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Finally, Selenium Grid is the management and multi-environment orchestration platform and must be installed on a central server to be installed on. While you don’t need Selenium Grid for your CI/CD pipeline, it will likely be worthwhile for the full integration.

7. Appium

Appium is a mobile browser testing tool similar to Selenium and is free and open-source, with extensive documentation and support. Furthermore, it may be used with Selenium to extend your web browser testing capabilities to mobile browsers.

Key Features

• Mobile browser testing
• Selenium and Katalon integration
• Scripted automation testing
• Substantial support base
• Open-source and free

Getting the most out of the development framework takes advanced programming skills, similar to Selenium testing. Nonetheless, it has a valuable desktop interface for more in-depth app visualization. You may also combine Appium with a variety of CI/CD pipeline systems for your automated mobile testing needs, as well as Katalon.

You can download Appium from the website for free; however, client and server versions are available. For testing iOS browsers, you’ll need to install the framework on Mac OSX. While testing for Android, you can install the framework on either Mac, Windows, or Linux.

 8. QA Wolf

QA Wolf is an up-and-coming automated testing solution designed for startups and small businesses. You can create and manage automated testing parameters and integrate them into your development environment using the service. The answer is open-source with a large amount of support and documentation for its use. The system also generates scripts based on recorded actions, smoothing test generation regardless of scripting know-how.

Key Features

• Automated test scripting
• Record-and-replay tests
• Open-source (but still charged for hosting)
• CI/CD integration
• Flexible costs

The flexibility of the service is the main draw for this solution, with costs dependent on user needs and the automated tests being incredibly customizable through the scripting systems. However, the answer is built from the ground up with smaller teams in mind, so it isn’t recommended for groups that need more scalable solutions.

QA Wolf charges a flat monthly fee for all running test instances, the price of which depends on the scale of your team and testing demands. Therefore, the pricing is incredibly flexible, but as a result, you’ll need to contact QA Wolf directly for a personalized quote on pricing.

9. Specflow

Specflow is an open-source framework that integrates Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) into the testing cycle, extending the capabilities of several testing systems. For example, Specflow can extend Selenium's automated browser testing or provide REST web services with in-depth API automation capabilities.

Key Features

• BDD Testing framework
• Expanded automated browser testing
• API development automation
• Mobile and desktop application automation

Specflow is a framework that may be used to do a wide range of tasks. It does, however, rely on integrating other systems. For example, for browser testing, you’ll need to combine this solution with Selenium, but if you do, it can grant you more advanced automation techniques surrounding BDD.

Specflow is completely free and open-source, and it may be downloaded from the Specflow website or as a Visual Studio plugin. If you're already familiar with BDD and wish to improve your testing capabilities, this solution could be ideal. Most CI/CD solutions, such as Jenkins, TeamCity, and GitLab, can be integrated with the Specflow+ Living Doc.

In Summary

The above article explores nine different automated browser testing solutions in close detail. Of course, it’s up to you to decide what specific solution is right for you, but use our article to focus on the ones that interest you the most.

The solutions vary on two different axes: complexity and scale. For example, using Selenium or Appium could be considered more complex than using a full-featured product. Still, flexibility means performing elaborate testing that might not be available on another solution.

Alternatively, something like TestComplete or Ranorex includes the tools to achieve a vast array of tests based on whatever parameters you might desire. But they also use a GUI to streamline the setup process, reducing necessary complexity.

However, those solutions come with an enterprise price tag, so that you might favor a budget solution like QA Wolf or CrossBrowserTesting. They still provide a functional testing interface to streamline test parameters drastically, but their flexible pricing means they are suitable for small to large-scale businesses.

Browser Testing Automation FAQs