Performance testing is an important part of any testing strategy. The performance of your website or application directly affects its usability and conversions. These are the 10 best open source performance testing tools you can use.
Here you will find useful testing tools to compare and know which ones suits your need.
LoadView
A cloud-based advanced load testing tool, LoadView offers the benefit of testing a variety of web applications, websites, etc. This fantastic tool is the choice of several Fortune 100 companies because of its robust performance.
Core Features
- Easy to set up and use.
- Allows users to opt between browser or HTTPS based testing. Offers the ease of point and click for recording complex scenarios and custom scripting.
- It comes with a load injector control option that allows testers to adjust the number of users for each server.
Apache JMeter
Next, in the performance testing tools list is pure Open Source, Java-based application ideal for performing tests on both dynamic and static resources. Additionally, the tool is designed to simulate heavy loads on a single server(s), objects, or networks. To understand the interoperability of the applications in a better way, you should go for a Java Certification Training Course. The program will increase your expertise in analyzing the performance and testing the strength of an application helping you to create an industry-standard product.
Core Features
- Best for performance and load testing.
- Used for testing databases, REST and SOAP web services, web apps, FTP, etc.
- Comes with an intuitive and simple GUI.
AgileLoad
AgileLoad is a scalable and robust solution perfect for the performance optimization of web applications. Created specifically for large organizations, AgileLoad elevates the productivity and ROI of the information system.
Using this tool will bring you the benefits of faster testing and in-depth performance issues analysis. Plus, to ensure optimal performing applications, you must have the proficiency in the field. Programs like a Angular Certification Training Course can help you attain the needed efficiency in the subject.
Core Features
- Automatically detects problems in the application.
- Allows customization of reporting engine and scripting.
- Supports testing of multiple protocols and applications.
- Repeatable and measurable load/performance generation.
- Records the test results automatically.
The Grinder
It is one of the most popular Java-based, free performance testing tools that require a BSD-style open-source license for use. The brainchild of Paco Gomez, this tool facilitates the users with distributed testing and flexible parameterization. The Grinder can create testing data in no time by using databases, files, and other sources of external data. But most importantly, developers should have a Selenium Certification Training so that they can handle such performance testing solutions expertly.
Core Features
- Test script/modification leveraging the power of Java API and Closure/Python combined.
- TCP proxy for network activity recording.
- Offers complete access to end-results for verification/correlation.
Loadster
Loadster is a desktop-based advanced HTTP load testing tool. The web browser can be used to record the scripts which are easy to use and record. Using the GUI you can modify the basic script with dynamic variables to validate the response.
With control over network bandwidth, you can simulate a large virtual user base for your application stress tests.
After the test, an executed HTML report is generated for analysis. This tool is the best way to identify the performance bottlenecks in your application.
Loadster System Requirements: Windows 7/Vista/XP
Official Website: Loadster
k6
k6 is a modern open-source load testing tool that provides an outstanding developer experience to test the performance of APIs and websites. It is a feature-rich and easy to use CLI tool with test cases written in ES5.1 JavaScript and support for HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, and WebSocket protocols.
“Like Unit testing, for Performance” – is the motto of k6. It provides native Pass/Fail behavior for easy automation and integration into CI pipelines. Additionally, the community has built a browser recorder and converters (JMeter, Postman, Swagger/OpenAPI) to facilitate the test creation process.
k6 runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
Official Website: k6
Testing Anywhere
Testing Anywhere is an Automated testing tool that can be employed for testing the performance of any website, web application or any other objects. Many developers and testers make use of this tool to find out the bottlenecks in their web applications and rectify them accordingly.
It is a powerful tool that can test any application automatically. This testing tool comes along with a built-in editor which allows the users to edit the testing criteria according to their needs.
Testing Anywhere tool involves 5 simple steps to create a test. They are object recorder, advanced web recorder, SMART test recorder, Image recognition, and Editor with 385+ comments. This testing software was originally developed by San Jose-based Automation Anywhere Inc. Today, there are more than 25000 users for this product.
System Requirement: This tool is compatible with all versions of Windows OS.
Official Website: Testing Anywhere
Appvance
The first unified software test automation platform, Appvance UTP eliminates the redundancies created by traditional siloed QA tools that clog DevOps teams.
By unifying tests with its advanced write-once methodology, a functional test can be re-used for performance, load, compatibility, app-penetration, synthetic APM and more, thereby increasing velocity and productivity, reducing costs and finally allowing teams to work and collaborate together.
Appvance UTP offers complete integration with Jenkins, Hudson, Rally, Bamboo & Jira, and also remains compatible with existing tools such as Selenium, JMeter, JUnit, Jython, and others. You can also pass data between applications and script types without any code needed.
Trial account: If you’re interested, you can sign up to “Test drive” the product and request a free demo on the website.
Apica LoadTest
Enterprise-Grade Application and Website Load Testing
Test the scalability of all your applications, identify performance bottlenecks and deliver remarkable customer experiences that transcend the ever-growing expectations of your end-users.
Apica offers flexible self-service and full-service load testing able to test 2M + concurrent users, through a network of 50+ locations around the world. Test on demand or automate testing throughout development lifecycles. Easily integrated into existing Dev stacks using their partnership integrations and their REST API.
Advanced Features include: AJAX/web services, XML/JSON Data Viewer, API data/Execution.
Official Website: Apica LoadTest
Predator
Open source load testing platform: Predator is the first tool of its kind, an end-to-end solution that manages the entire lifecycle of load testing APIs, from creating and managing existing performance tests to running these tests on a scheduled and on-demand basis, and finally viewing the test results in a highly informative and live, built-in report.
It has a simple, one-click installation, built with support for Kubernetes (helm charts), DC/OS (mesosphere universe), and Docker Engine, making it accessible for anyone and deployable in every machine that supports Docker.
Predator has no limit on the number of virtual users that can run a test, it supports running distributed load out of the box, enabling an unlimited amount of virtual users that can bombard your servers.
Unlike all other testing tools, Predator has a built-in DSL feature, thereby allowing developers to write functional and non-functional performance tests using their own business logic. Bootstrapped with a user-friendly UI alongside a simple REST API, Predator helps developers simplify their performance testing regime.
System Requirements: It works under every OS with Docker.
Official Website: Predator
QEngine (ManageEngine)
QEngine (ManageEngine) is the most common and easy-to-use automated testing tool that helps in performance testing and load testing of your web applications.
Many developers find it to be the most simple and easy tool to use for finding out any leakage in their web services or websites. The key important feature of this testing tool is its ability to perform remote testing of web services from any geographical location.
Other than that, QEngine (ManageEngine) also offers various other testing options such as Functional testing, compatibility testing, stress testing, load testing, and Regression testing. This automated testing tool has the capacity to generate and simulate a lot of users so that the performance can be well analyzed during the maximum load. This is a free software available for users online.
System Requirement: This tool works with Microsoft Windows and Linux.
Official Website: QEngine
Additional Tools
Loadstorm
Cloud load testing for web applications: Loadstorm is the cheapest available performance and load testing tool. Here, you have the option of creating your own test plans, testing criteria and testing scenario. You can generate up to 50000 concurrent users by generating traffic to your website and then carry out the testing.
Through this tool, you can bring an end to all the expensive performance testing tools. The cloud infrastructure which is used in this tool enables you to send a huge amount of requests per second.
There are thousands of servers available around the world for this software. They are proudly known as the lowest cloud load testing tool. There is no need for any scripting knowledge for using this tool.
You will be provided with many graphs and reports which measure the performance of various metrics such as error rates, average response time and the number of users. This tool is available for free, but the premium account comes with some more added features.
System Requirement: Windows OS.
Official Website: Loadstorm
CloudTest
SOASTA CloudTest is a performance testing tool for websites, mobile apps, APIs, and much more. Users and developers can use the cloud platform as their virtual testing lab. The developers can carry out their performance or load testing in the cloud platform in a cost-effective way.
CloudTest has the capacity to enable a number of users to use the website at the same time. It also increases the traffic of the website to know the actual performance under stress and heavy load.
The credit for developing this software goes to an American Technology company, SOASTA Inc. They provide many services for testing the websites and other web applications and now they also help in testing mobile applications.
They are not free services, the price differs according to the number of load injector machines required per hour by you. The trial version with the power of 100 concurrent users is available for free.
System Requirement: It runs on Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
Official Website: SOASTA CloudTest
Httperf
Httperf is a high-performance testing tool for measuring and analyzing the performance of any web service and web application. This is mainly used to test the HTTP servers and their performance.
The main objective of this testing tool would be to count the number of responses generated from this particular server. This generates HTTP GET requests from the server which helps in summarizing the overall performance of the server.
Through this tool, you will be able to conclude the rate at which the response is sent from each server and thereby the efficiency can be calculated. The ability to sustain server overload, support HTTP/1.1 protocol and compatibility with new workload are the three key features of this performance testing tool.
This was originally developed by David Mosberger and many others at HP. This is a Hewlett Packard product.
System Requirements: Windows and Linux.
Official Website: Httperf
OpenSTA
Open source HTTP performance test tool: Open STA stands for Open System Testing Architecture. This is a GUI-based performance tool used by application developers for load testing and analyzing. This is believed to be a complex tool among all the other performance testing tools.
It has proven its capabilities in the past and the current toolset is capable of performing heavy load testing and analysis for scripted HTTP and HTTPS. Here, testing is carried out using recordings and simple scripts.
To carry out the test successfully, results and other statistics are taken through various test runs. The data and results can be later exported to the software for creating reports. This is a free testing tool and it will be distributed under GNU GPL and it will remain free forever. This tool was originally developed by Cyrano, which was later taken over by Quotium.
System Requirement: OpenSTA runs only on the Windows operating system.
Official Website: OpenSTA
SmartMeter.io
This load and performance testing tool provides advanced testing functions. With JMeter at its core, it will be instantly familiar to any of its users.
Creating a test on SmartMeter.io is very simple. You can make test scenarios without scripting just by clicking on an embedded browser. There’s also no proxy setup or browser plugin necessary.
It features automatically generated reports with all details about the test and its results. The results contain auto-evaluated acceptance criteria, statistics, graph comparison tool, and trend analysis of multiple test runs.
The tool is also strong in distributed testing, CI integration, and offers unparalleled performance testing support for Vaadin apps.
System Requirements: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS
Conclusion
Performance Testing is in integral part of software quality assurance. It ensures that the software performs in an appropriate manner at all times under various conditions (load, stress, peak). Factors like response time, throughput etc are monitored and analyzed to determine whether the application is meeting the user satisfaction level.