Software performance tools are a critical part of any development pipeline. It’s not enough to just have a code library and an API, you also have to have insight into how these things perform over time. What are the best software performance tools?
Software performance is something we all yearn for. Every time you open a software program your expectation is that it will perform smoothly and give out the best output. However, not all programs are designed to provide high-quality performance. To help you out with this, there are some software performance tools available in the market, which will analyze your system’s software performance. For example, if you need to estimate how fast your website loads, there are platforms like pingdom tools and google page speed which can help you see where you lose your speed and what needs to be done to improve it.
The top 9 performance testing tools which are used widely by performance testing services in 2021 and their key features are as follows:
1. WebLOAD
This is an enterprise-scale load testing tool that can generate real-life and reliable load scenarios, even in most complex systems. Its smart analytics provide in-depth performance insights. The tool comes with built-in support for hundreds of technologies. It also integrates with several tools to support simpler monitoring.
The key features of this performance testing tool are as follows:
- It is available on the Cloud or as an on-premise deployment
- Readily extensible and supports all the major web technologies
- Creates a flexible test environment
- Native JavaScript based on smart scripting with validation engines, parameterization, and powerful correlation
- Detects bottlenecks automatically
WebLOAD is widely used by performance testing services with complex and heavy user load requirements. You can conduct stress and load testing on any web-based software by creating load from on-premise systems and the Cloud. It supports technologies including enterprise applications to web protocols. It supports integration with tools like Selenium, Jenkins, and many others to allow continuous load testing for DevOps.
2. LoadNinja
LoadNinja allows you to build scriptless load tests. It is preferred by performance testing services because it helps reduce testing times by half. Other advantages include replacing load emulators with real browsers and generating actionable metrics.
This tool allows you to debug in the real-time, record client-side interactions, identify performance issues instantly, and do much more. LoadNinja allows you to boost your testing coverage without compromising on quality. It removes cumbersome, repetitive tasks involved in script translation, dynamic correlation, and script scrubbing. It allows you to spend more time in developing scalable applications and less time on creating load testing scripts.
The key features of LoadNinja are as follows:
- Real browser load testing at scale
- Create a scriptless load test and playback feature
- Real-time management of virtual user activity
- Real-time test debugging
- Advanced browser-based metrics with reporting and analytics features
- Cloud-based hosting eliminates maintenance of the server
LoadNinja supports the following protocols:
- HTTPS
- HTTP
- Java-based protocol
- SAP GUI Web
- Google Web Toolkit
- WebSocket
- Oracle Forms
3. LoadView
LoadView is also widely popular with performance testing services. This is an on-demand and fully-managed load testing and stress testing tool. It is different from most other load testing tools in that testing is conducted in real browsers. The result is close emulation of real users and highly accurate data. It is fully cloud-based and is readily deployed in minutes. It allows creating multi-step scripts simulating user interaction with your application or website.
Some of the key features of LoadView are as follows:
- Supports advanced load testing features like global Cloud-based infrastructure, point and click scripting, and real browser testing
- Allows instant and easy creation of test scripts without the need for coding
- Supports Rich Internet Applications including Java, Flash, HTML5, Ruby, Silverlight, and PHMP among others
- Over a dozen global Cloud locations supported by Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services
- Test compatibility with dozens of desktop and mobile devices and browsers
- Easy to share performance metrics and reports
- Identifies bottlenecks and supports scalability
4. StresStimulus
StresStimulus is popular with performance testing services because it is capable of handling scenarios that may be difficult to test using other tools. It works by automatically fixing playback errors using its unique autocorrelation feature. The tool records user actions before replaying them to emulate changing usage patterns. It also keeps track of load impact on the responsiveness of the software and the server infrastructure. It can also detect hidden concurrency errors and provides in-depth performance metrics.
The key features of this performance testing tool are as follows:
- Cloud or on-premise testing using multiple load generators
- End-to-end Test Wizard reduces the learning curve by covering all steps
- Option of manual scripting is available, but not required. The tool supports upto 3 scripting languages.
- Allows script export to Visual Studio test format
- Can be used as a Fiddler add-on or an independent tool
5. Apache JMeter
JMeter is a popular open source performance testing tool that is designed for load and performance testing. It can be used to analyze and measure the performance of a wide range of software, covering services including networks and servers. It is mostly used as a website load testing tool for different types of web service applications.
JMeter is a Java platform application that can be integrated with the test plan. It also allows you to create a function test plan besides a load test plan. Some of the key features are as follows:
- Supports multiple load injectors that can be managed using a single controller
- Doesn’t require advanced infrastructure for load testing
- Requires lesser scripting efforts relative to other API performance testing tools, as it has a user-friendly interface
- Supports all Java-based applications
- Easy analysis of key load based stats and resource usage monitors by presenting simple graphs and charts
JMeter supports the following protocols – HTTPS, HTTP, XML, Java-based protocols, SOAP, and FTP among others.
6. SmartMeter.io
SmartMeter.io is the preferred option for performance testing services who want to address the drawbacks of JMeter. The tool supports the creation of a simple scriptless test environment with its Recorder. It provides test reports and has features like automatic test criteria assessment and test runs trend and comparison analysis. The tool offers full support for CI/CD integration. Its key features are as follows:
- Create a scriptless test environment
- Advanced response body extractor
- Real-time results and GUI test runs
- Comprehensive reporting, automatic assessment, and test execution comparisons
- Supports CI/CD integration
The SmartMeter.io supports the following protocols – HTTP, FTP, LDAP, JDBC, JMS, and SOAP. There is no need for browser plugin or proxy setup. It has excellent capabilities in CI integration, distributed testing, and provides unmatched performance testing support when it comes to validating apps.
7. Rational Performance Tester
Rational Performance Tester from IBM is designed to create and run performance tests. It is also a powerful analysis tool. The tool allows you to verify the stability and scalability of web-based applications before they are deployed. This is an automated performance testing tool that develops a demo of the transaction process between the web service and the user.
It is capable of gathering all the information and analyses them to help improve efficiency. It makes it easy to detect and rectify any leakage in the application or server. Rational Performance Tester is widely used by performance testing services to develop error-free and effective cloud computing service. Some of the key features of this tool are as follows:
- Supports event-based and scheduled testing
- Supports scriptless testing
- Runs with large tests involving multiple users
- Supports real-time reporting that allows instant performance issue identification
- Supports automatic detection and identification of dynamic server response
- Supports automated test data variation
- Runs website load tests with HTML version of web pages opened during test recordings
The performance testing tool supports the following protocols – Web HTTP, Citrix, XML, SOA, Weblogic, Websphere, SOA, and Socket Recording.
8. Silk Performer
Silk Performer is an enterprise class stress and load testing tool. It is capable of testing application environments along with hundreds and thousands concurrent users. It comes with CloudBurst feature that enables QA teams to efficiently launch any kind of peak load performance test without worrying about complex infrastructure. You can execute tests from over 50 locations globally. It supports Google, AWS, Azure.
Here are the key features of Silk Performer:
- Components -> Workbench, Performance Explorer, and True Log Explorer
- Minimal hardware is required for virtual user simulation
- Simulates modifiable virtual users
- It supports integrated server monitoring
- Supports six models of workloads
- Stress test website with server side diagnostics
Silk Performer supports the following protocols: HTTP/HTML, HTTPS/HTML, HTTP/HTTPS, Flash, Email (SMTP/ POP), FTP, TCP/IP, LDAP, XML/SOAP, .NET and many more.
9. Gatling
Gatling is a relatively new open-source load testing tool that was created in 2012. It enables you to execute load simulation of concurrent users against the system via JMS, HTTP/S, or JDBC protocols. You can use this tool to simulate web users of a system to identify bottlenecks and optimize them.
It is compatible for all operating systems as it works on Java. Gatling has two executables: one is to record tests and the other one is used to execute them. All the tests are recorded in Scala. After the execution is completed, an immersive and graphical report of the test is generated.
Here are the key features of Gatling:
- It supports any operating system or browser
- Scripting language is Scala and has its own DSL
- Can execute tests in multiple test clouds
- Capable of scaling through Taurus with BlazeMeter or flood.io
Gatling supports the following protocols: HTTP/S, JMS, and JDBC.
9) Rational Performance Tester
Rational performance tester is an automated performance testing tool that can be used for a web application or a server-based application where the process of input and output is involved. This tool creates a demo of the original transaction process between the user and the web service.
By the end of it, all the statistical information is gathered and they are analyzed to increase efficiency. Any leakage on the website or the server can be identified and rectified immediately with the help of this tool.
This tool can be the best option for building an effective and error-free cloud computing service. This Rational Performance tester was developed by IBM (Rational software division). They have come up with many versions of this automated testing tool.
System Requirement: Microsoft Windows and Linux AIX are good enough for this performance testing tool.
Official Website: Rational Performance Tester
#10) NeoLoad
NeoLoad is the most automated performance testing platform for enterprise organizations that continuously test applications and APIs. NeoLoad provides testers and developers automatic test design and maintenance, the most 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. NeoLoad supports a full range of mobile, web and packaged applications, like SAP, to cover all testing needs.
Continuously schedule, manage and share test resources and results across the organization to ensure application performance.
System Requirements: This tool is compatible with operating systems like Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Solaris.
Official Website: NeoLoad
#11) LoadComplete
Easy and affordable performance testing tool. LoadComplete enables you to create and execute realistic load tests for websites and web apps. It automates creating realistic load tests by recording user interactions and simulating these actions with hundreds of virtual users either from your local computers or from the cloud.
LoadComplete helps you check your web server’s performance under a massive load, determine its robustness and estimate its scalability. It also provides detailed metrics and reports that help you gain in-depth insights into infrastructure performance, application behavior, and end-user experience.
System requirements: This tool works on 64-bit operating systems such as Windows XP Professional and Windows 7 or later.
Official Website: LoadComplete
#12) WAPT
Performance Testing tool for websites and intranet applications: WAPT refers to the Web Application Performance tool. These are the scales or analyzing tools for measuring the performance and output of any web application or web related interfaces.
These tools help us to measure the performance of any web services, web applications or any other web interfaces. With this tool, you have the advantage of testing the web application performance under different environments and different load conditions.
WAPT provides detailed information about virtual users and their output to its users during load testing. This is considered to be the most cost-effective tool for analyzing the performance of web services.
The WAPT tool can test the web application on its compatibility with the browser and operating system. It is also used for testing the compatibility with the windows application in certain cases.
WAPT System Requirement: Windows OS is required for this testing tool.
Official Website: WAPT
#13) 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
#14) 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
#15) 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
CONCLUSION
What are Performance Testing Tools? Performance testing tools and performance testing software are tools that can help you verify the performance of your web application. There is more to a tool than just performance testing though, as there are lots of different types of testing you can do with these programs and they all come with their own unique benefits and limitations. Which program is the best tool will depend a lot on what your task is.
Performance metrics give an idea of how fast our software is running. These are relative measures and therefore don’t tell us how long a task will take. Nevertheless, these metrics can be helpful when debugging performance bottlenecks or testing different algorithms or data structures. They are also useful in identifying where we shouldn’t spend too much time optimizing code and extracting more performance from the underlying hardware (e.g., GPU vs CPU).