Load testing, just one of many valuable testing methods you can use before release to ensure that your application is bug-free and runs seamlessly, is the process of testing whether an application can withstand the load of concurrent users, requests, and data volumes when in use. In other words, load testing is a must for determining if your applications can stand up to real-world use conditions.
What is load testing? Load testing is a process of systematically measuring system behavior and performance as the load increases, in order to validate computational models, quantify system limits, and predict the behavior of the production system when faced with heavy loads.
1. Apache JMeter
Apache JMeter is a 100% pure Java, Open Source application that can be used to test performance on both static and dynamic resources, simulating heavy loads on individual servers, groups of servers, networks, or objects to test strength and analyze performance under different load types. Check out the getting started documentation here.
Key Features:
- JMeter is a Java application for load and performance testing
- Used to test web apps, SOAP & REST web services, FTP, databases, and more
- The most mature, and widely used open source load testing tool available
- Many commercial tools support JMeter
Cost: Open Source
2. WebLOAD from RadView
WebLOAD from RadView powers the most demanding performance professionals in the world with enterprise-scale load testing.
Key Features:
- Lets you record actions and produces a test script in JavaScript
- Visually intuitive interface makes it easy to create and manage load testing scripts
- Enables performance testing for web, server-side, cloud, and mobile applications
- Well integrated with enterprise products from Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, and more
Cost:
- Free Edition available
- Contact for a quote
3. LoadComplete from SmartBear
A desktop tool for load, stress, and scalability testing for both websites and web apps, LoadComplete by SmartBear doesn’t require advanced coding skills – meaning you can focus on the more important tasks. Check out LoadComplete’s documentation here.
Key Features:
- Load testing for .NET and Java apps
- Generates various levels of traffic without requiring code inputs
- Test options available for IE, Chrome and Firefox
- Provides checks for both, secure and non-secure traffic
Cost: Plans start at $230 – $1,625 per month, based on a 1-year subscription
4. NeoLoad
NeoLoad is an automated performance testing platform for enterprise organizations continuously testing applications and APIs. The platform provides testers and developers automatic test design and maintenance, realistic simulation of user behavior, fast root cause analysis and built-in integrations with the entire SDLC toolchain. NeoLoad lets you reuse and share test assets and results from functional testing tools to analytics and metrics from APM tools. It supports the full range of mobile, web and packaged applications, like SAP, to continuously schedule, manage and share test resources and results across the organization to ensure application performance. Check out the overview page here.
Key Features:
- Automated API Tests: 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.
- Code-less Test Design: Create test scripts quickly for large, complex applications using a graphical user interface and skip the complexity of hand coding new and updated tests.
- Dynamic Infrastructure: Easily set up testing resources as needed and automatically free up resources as tests complete. Use test infrastructure efficiently and improve TCO.
- Resource Reservation: Reserve load testing infrastructure (licenses, load generators, VUs) by date and duration and guarantee resources are available and dedicated.
Cost: Contact for a quote
5. Locust
Locust is an Open Source load testing tool that enables you to define user behavior using Python to test your system’s performance under millions of simulated, simultaneous users. Full Locust documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Allows you to write expressive scenarios in plain-old Python
- Enables testing on any system, and multiple systems at the same time
- Uses community members to add to the traffic
Cost: Free
6. BlazeMeter
A performance engineering platform for DevOps, BlazeMeter enables you to run and analyze JMeter and other open-source load tests from anywhere. Check out the documentation here.
Key Features:
- Quickly pinpoints defects using inbuilt error report function
- Detailed and interactive report timeline graph to make the report clearer
- Thorough testing using both, API backend and frontend
- Uses YAML and JSON syntax for developers using these languages
Cost:
- Free for 50 concurrent users, 10 tests, 1 shared load generator
- Plans start at $99 – $499 per month
7. Load Multiplier
Load Multiplier is a testing framework to test IT products across domains such as telecommunication, banking, web, proprietary protocols. Additionally given a client library, it can generate millions of such client instances so as to generate real field traffic. It comes with a web based front end, and powerful C/C++ based back end engine.
Key Features:
It provides stable uninterrupted long hour load testing solution for products based on:
1. WebRTC
2. IoT
3. SIP, IMS
4. RTP, RTCP
5. STUN, TURN, ICE
6. HTTP, SOAP, REST
7. JSON, XML
8. G711u, G711a, AMR, OPUS, VP8
9. Any proprietary text / binary protocol
Cost: Contact for a quote
8. WAPT
A load and stress testing tool for easily analyzing website performance, WAPT creates tests in minutes for mobile applications, web services or customized ERP systems. The full WAPT documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Sends reports to mobile device and desktop device for convenience
- Provides extensions to work with ASP.net, Adobe Flash and Silverlight
- Test results are shown in 20 different detailed reports
- Provides detailed graphs even during the runtime, to help track the performance
Cost:
- WAPT: Starts at $700
- WAPT Pro: Starts at $1,200
9. Test Studio from Telerik
A complete test automation solution for GUI, performance, load, and API testing, Test Studio from Telerik is a useful tool for testing desktop, web, and mobile applications. The full documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Provides testing for HTML5, AJAX, Android, WPF
- Allows users to share and pick references from Element Explorer
- Developers can use any language they are used to
- Users can test any NativeScript app over 500+ devices
Cost:
- DevCraft: $1,499/developer (perpetual license)
- Telerik Platform: Starts at $39 per month per developer
10. Loader.io
Loader.io offers simple cloud-based load testing for stress testing your web apps and APIs with thousands of concurrent connections. Check out the documentation here.
Key Features:
- Runs tests for you anytime and from anywhere
- Allows monitoring of the test and performance from any place
- Provides stress test result in descriptive graphs which will be sent to all users
Cost:
- Free: 10k clients/test
- Pro: $99.95 per month – 100,000 clients/test
11. HPE LoadRunner
Get a complete picture of end-to-end system performance to identify and resolve issues before your apps are released with HPE LoadRunner. Check out the LoadRunner documentation here.
Key Features:
- Reduces the time it takes to understand and explain the reports
- Supports wide range of applications to decrease time and skill
- Provides detailed mobile performance test reports
- Combines load testing with development tools like IDE, jUnit and more
Cost: Contact for a quote
12. StormRunner Load from HP
An SaaS-delivered cloud load and performance testing solution, StormRunner Load makes it simple to plan, run, and scale testing for both web and mobile apps. You can read the full documentation here.
Key Features:
- Takes 10 minutes to design and create web load or mobile test
- Tests can be managed from anywhere using a cloud based testing function
- Can quickly scale from 1 to 1,000,000 geographically distributed web and mobile user
Cost: Contact for a quote
13. CloudTest from Soasta
CloudTest provides scalable and affordable load testing tools for more efficient, transparent performance testing. Check out the full CloudTest documentation here.
Key Features:
- Gets real user experience from 95 different locations in all 7 continents
- Provides you with 40 cloud service providers to make your testing seamless
- CloudTest automation tools quickly and easily integrate with yours
- Importing existing JMeter test scripts have been made easy
Cost:
- Lite: Free for 100 virtual users
- On-Demand: Starts at $2,500
14. The Grinder
A Java load testing framework, The Grinder makes running distributed tests simple using many load injector machines. The Grinder is maintained by Philip Aston, who took over the code (originally developed for the book Professional Java 2 Enterprise Edition with BEA WebLogic Server by Paco Gómez and Peter Zadrozny) and reworked it to create The Grinder 2 and subsequently The Grinder 3. The full documentation can be found here.
Key Features:
- Test scripts can be written in Clojure and Jython
- Any Java API can be loaded as a test, be it from HTTP web servers, SOAP and REST services, etc
- Pre-built Java libraries with large variety of systems and protocols is available
Cost: Free
15. Tsung
An Open Source, multi-protocol, distributed load testing tool, Tsung helps you test the performance and scalability of IP-based client/server applications. Check out the full documentation here.
Key Features:
- Multiple IP addresses can be opened on one machine using their OS IP Aliasing
- Response time can be measured during the load by generating HTML reports
- HTTP, WebDAV, MySQL and LDAP servers can stressed using this software
Cost: Free
16. Gatling.io
An Open Source load and performance testing tool for web applications, Gatling helps you improve time-to-market by identifying bottlenecks, errors, and performance issues prior to release. Gatling documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Can forecast performance issues in the web application you make
- Errors and bottlenecks will be detected in the early part of the development cycle
- Drastically reduces the debugging phase time
- Provides the best digital experience to customers and users
Cost: Free
17. Taurus
Because automating repetitive tasks just makes sense, Taurus provides an automation-friendly framework for continuous testing. You can read the full documentation here.
Key Features:
- Provides smooth automation and integration of JMeter and other systems
- Creating, running and analyzing performance tests are made simple
- Has a different approach and system than The Grinder and Gatling
- New tests can be made from scratch using control friendly and unified DSL
Cost: Free
18. Httperf
Httperf is an Open Source HTTP load generator for measuring web server performance that facilitates the construction of both macro- and micro-level benchmarks.
Key Features:
- This is a simple open source tool for measuring web server performance
- It is solely made to test standard http payload of the application you test
- High performance and robust tool that helps create micro and macro benchmarks
- It is able to create and sustain server overloads
Cost: Free
19. Silk Performer from Micro Focus
Micro Focus Silk Performer understands that the biggest and most complicated issues happen at the most inconvenient times, so Silk Performer is designed to provide a consistent user experience anywhere, anytime, on any device. Check out the documentation here.
Key Features:
- Load tests reflect real world user behavior with their different constraints
- Provides unlimited cloud support for load testing on mobile devices and systems
- Prepares application for low bandwidth users
Cost: Contact for a quote
20. ApacheBench
A tool designed for benchmarking an Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server, ApacheBench gives you an accurate picture of how your current Apache installation performs. The documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Provides better support for asynchronous read and write
- Keepalivetimeout can be specified in a millisecond
- Helps you understand how your current Apache installation performs
Cost: Free
21. ZebraTester
Offering powerful tools and flexible options, ZebraTester enables you to easily create and run tests of nearly unlimited scale with incredible visibility into your results. Check out ZebraTester’s documentation here.
Key Features:
- Includes performance testing for CI/CD process using LoadTest Portal
- Apica team helps design, execute and manage the project
- Security policies have been given equal importance, and subsidiary software is available
- Free 500VU are provided on their global network and LoadTest Portal
Cost: Contact for a quote
22. Experitest Mobile Add-On for LoadRunner
Experitest offers several testing tools for mobile apps, including a mobile add-on for HP LoadRunner, which makes it possible to perform mobile load testing by connecting real devices and testing your applications under simulated loads. Read the full documentation here.
Key Features:
- This is specially made to test your mobile applications load taking capacity
- Runs the same tests as systems on the mobile devices
- Create and edit mobile tests inside LoadRunner
- Creates report screenshots and videos of the application
Cost: Contact for a quote
23. Load Impact
With nothing to install and easy configuration, Load Impact offers instant load testing for devops and developers. Read the full documentation here.
Key Features:
- Connects you with performance trending analytics and notifies through webhook
- Provides a powerful Lua scripting environment to allow you to create simple or complex API scenarios
- Record results of test uploaded on website or app using their chrome extension
- They have provided more than two million customers with load testing service
Cost: $89 – $1,299 per month
24. AgileLoad
Optimize your load and performance testing costs with AgileLoad, which provides distributed and cloud-based testing on-demand and server and database monitoring in a single package. Documentation for AgileLoad can be found here.
Key Features:
- Helps you create complicated scenarios in minutes using their Web 2.0 technology
- Allows you to simulate your load from any location, through the Cloud
- Gives you an accurate end to end picture of your application’s performance
- Lets you correlate different load test by combining them in one graph
Cost:
- Starts at $192 per month
- Daily rental starting at $24 per day
25. LoadStorm
An easy and cost-effective way to load test both web and mobile apps, LoadStorm helps you find the breaking point of your applications and other weaknesses before your customers do. Check out LoadStorm’s Getting Started documentation here.
Key Features:
- Provide full project management, where they do all the test work for you
- Cloud servers are able to run load tests up to 1,000,000 VUsers
- Allows logins from any location around the world
- Provides control of spreading the traffic to any geographic location
Cost: Contact for a quote
26. Visual Studio Team Services
Visual Studio Team Services offers cloud-based load testing to performance test your code under the weight of thousands of users. Check out the documentation here.
Key Features:
- Uses Azure to make Cloud-based load testing easy and quick
- Visual Studio Team Service can help make tests by your references of other websites
- Correlates test results with server diagnostics
- Functions to record and replay your actions are also available
Cost:
- Free up to 5 users
- Growing Teams: Starts at $30/month for 10 users
27. Loadster
A full-featured testing solution for websites, web apps, and web services, Loadster is built for real web applications and can handle cookies, user sessions, custom headers, and more with ease. Check out Loadster’s documentation here.
Key Features:
- Gives a hybrid solution for load testing with ground server and cloud system
- Provides two options for generating concurrent user, from their server and your own
- Concurrent users are generated from 5 different continents
- Loads multiple tests at once and generates users for all tests
Cost: $79 – $2,999
28. LoadView
LoadView provides flexible load testing from the cloud for websites, web apps, mobile, and APIs. With a 100% managed cloud, there’s no need to set up your own third-party cloud accounts.
Key Features:
- Complete Cloud-based load testing software, eliminating hardware hassle
- Allows you to pay according to the use if you don’t want to pay for a month
- Shows you the load stress for real world browsers
- Trusted by Volvo, Dell and ComCast
Cost (per load test):
- Each Virtual Machine: $4
- HTTP Load: $0.01 per user per minute
- Full Browser Load: $0.10 per user per minute
- Flat monthly cost to store test result data: $9.99
29. Artillery
A modern, powerful, and easy-to-use load testing toolkit, Artillery empowers developers to make scalable, performant, and resilient applications that can stand up to high load. The documentation is available here.
Key Features:
- Supports multiple protocols- HTTP(S), WEbSockets and Socket.io
- Software prefered by ecommerce backends, loT bankends and transactional APIs
- Supports Statsd, Datadog, InfluxDB and Librato
- Use npm modules and customize load tests with Java Script
Cost: Free
30. eggPlant
Ensure that your cloud and server-based applications will continue to work, perform flawlessly, and provide a consistent user experience with eggPlant. Check out eggPlant’s documentation here.
Key Features:
- Technology support includes client-side .NET, client-side Java, Citrix and TCP/UDP
- Load test creating tools are easy, which helps new and experienced users design
- C# and Java are fully integrated to help faster script authoring
- Provides live monitoring to help control tests while they run
Cost: Contact for a quote
CONCLUSION
When it comes to web performance monitoring, it is a great idea to check load testing tools. Load testing tools are useful and time saving solutions that help you identify the underload/overload issues in your web application.
When it comes to performance related testing, there are many different types of tools you can use. If you’ve ever tried to go load testing and had no idea where to even begin, then this guide’s for you. Let’s take a look at the major load testing types and see how they work so you can get started on improving your web applications performance with ease.