With new features and updates rolling out frequently, how do you keep a website in perfect condition and working smoothly for your customers? The answer lies with website QA testing tools.
QA testers use website QA testing tools to monitor and maintain site functionality instead of manually interacting with the site to detect flaws. These website testing tools online help QA engineers automate tests across browsers and run performance checks.
This guide covers the top 13 website QA testing tools that QA teams use to perform AI testing on websites. We’ll outline the benefits, drawbacks, and pricing for each solution so you can find what fits your business and budget.
Here’s a quick summary of the top tools we’ll discuss:
- QA.tech – Best for autonomous and comprehensive website testing
- Selenium – Best for automating cross-browser testing
- Katalon Studio – Best tool with multiple programming languages
- TestComplete – Best for creating visual recording and object recognition
- SoapUI – Best open-source API testing tool
- Apache JMeter – Best for load test and performance test
- Postman – Best for executing HTTP requests to test APIs
- WebDriverlO – Best open-source test automation framework built on top of Webdriver
- Cypress – Best end-to-end testing framework for front-end web applications
- TestCafe – Best automated web and API testing framework for rapid web testing
- Puppeteer – An open-source Node library to control Chrome or Chromium
- Taurus – Best open-source performance testing tool that allows you to run JMeter tests and view
- LoadRunner – Best commercial performance and load testing tool
What Are Website QA Testing Tools?
Website QA testing tools are applications that help website developers and testers identify bugs, errors, and other issues on their websites before they go live. Some website testing tools online can run automated tests to check for broken links, 404 errors, slow page loads, and other common website issues. They can also perform regression, visual, or cross-browser testing.
For simpler testing, you might manually test the site and only use the tools for things like link checking, speed testing, and cross-browser testing. For more complex testing, the tools can automate a significant portion of your testing process.
What Are the Benefits of Website Testing Tools Online?
Website QA testing tools are beneficial in so many ways, such as:
1. Faster time to Market
Developers have seen how AI accelerates quality software launch, and there’s no going back from that. These tools allow them to scan websites for issues faster than manual testing. They can save hours of tedious routine tasks and release them to the public quickly.
2. Increased Website Quality
Although faster than manual testing, these web application testing tools don’t compromise on quality. They identify the same issues every time without missing anything.
Some of them are powered by machine learning algorithms, meaning that they will learn on the job and get more efficient over time.
3. Reduced Costs
Automated testing tools reduce the time and resources required for manual testing. Less time spent troubleshooting after launch means lower costs associated with customer support and bug fixes.
About 63 percent of companies planning to leverage test automation are doing so to reduce IT costs.
4. Consistent Performance Across Platforms
QA testing tools enable developers to test web apps on different browsers, devices, and operating systems. This function ensures consistent performance and compatibility for users regardless of their preferred platform.
5. Early Issue Detection
Functional testing tools for web applications can run automated tests frequently during development and after updates. This approach allows issues to be detected early before they impact users. The earlier bugs are found, the less expensive they are to fix.
6. Better User Experience
53 percent of visitors will leave your site if it doesn’t open in 3 seconds. But with a more rigorous testing process that catches common issues, users will have fewer frustrations and a more seamless experience using your website.
7. Enhanced Security
Web application testing tools help identify security vulnerabilities through security testing and penetration testing. Developers can use them to address security risks by protecting sensitive data and other risk mitigation measures.
Features to Consider When Choosing Website QA Testing Tools
Here are some essential features to look for when choosing website testing tools online:
1. Functionality
Look for tools that can handle different QA tests, especially functional, load, security, and UI testing. Functional testing tools for web applications ensure components work, load testing checks performance under heavy traffic, security testing identifies vulnerabilities and UI testing verifies a smooth user experience.
The more types of testing a tool supports, the more comprehensive testing you can do.
2. Ease of Use
As a busy web professional, you want an intuitive and easy-to-learn tool. Check out the visual interface. Does it have drag-and-drop features?
Can you find resources like video tutorials or documentation to help you get started? The easier it is to set up and configure tests, the more time you’ll save.
3. Reporting
Consider tools that provide reports on individual tests and summary reports to give you an overview of website quality. Reports should include details like error messages, screenshots, and metrics. Advanced tools offer customizable reports.
4. Integrations
Integrations allow you to automatically sync tests and results between tools, saving time and streamlining your workflow, look for a testing tool that integrates with them. Popular integrations include Slack, Jira, GitHub, and Jenkins.
5. Customer Support
Read customer reviews to understand people’s experiences with the support team. Then explore the different support channels available. Check if they offer live support options like phone, email, or chat in case you have questions. Support can help you get the most out of the tool and resolve any issues.
Our Top Recommendations for Web Application Testing Tools
Now, let’s take a closer look at the top website QA testing tools to consider:
1. QA.tech
QA.tech is a test automation platform that allows you to configure complex testing case scenarios without coding. One of the most distinctive features of this platform is that it allows you to customize your tests with your user data.
Seeing your site through the eyes of real users gives you a more solid perspective of their experience and how to make it better
Key Features of QA.tech
- CI/CD integration
- Autonomous testing
- Custom test configuration
- Continuous scanning
Pros of QA.tech
- Provides more realistic test environments by configuring tests with actual user
- Allows testers to customize how they interact with the test results
- Offers real-time feedback on discovered defects and bugs.
Cons of QA.tech
- It may not handle heavy testing scenarios efficiently
- It may be limited by the performance of the browser itself
Pricing
QA.tech’s pricing is not publicly disclosed on the website, but you can find out how much it costs by applying for early access.
2. Selenium
Selenium is an open-source automation testing tool used to test web applications. It’s used to test web apps on different browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer. You can extend it through plugins, add- ons and other frameworks.
Key Features of Selenium
- Element locators
- Language support
- Parallel test execution
- Handling of dynamic web elements
Pros of Selenium
- Supports multiple browsers
- Has libraries for many languages
- Allows distributed testing across many machines
Cons of Selenium
- Steep learning curve
- Test cases can be slow sometimes
- It requires manual coding
Pricing
The basic version is free.
Paid plans start at $39 /month for Desktop and Mobile,
Priced at $150/month for Team
Priced at $199/month for Team Pro.
3. Katalon Studio
Katalon Studio is one of the top AI automation testing tools used by product teams. It could be a great starting point for smaller teams. It allows them to create test scripts visually using its graphic interface. It’s a great option for simple to medium automation testing requirements.
Key Features of Katalon Studio
- Support for testing Web, API, and Mobile apps
- Integration with Git, JIRA, Jenkins, and qTest
- Reusable test objects
- Intelligent context-aware recording
Pros of Katalon Studio
- It’s free and open source.
- It has a simple interface that’s easy to use
- It provides enough learning resources and a community
Cons of Katalon Studio
- Katalon Studio has a smaller user community
- It may not effectively communicate real-time errors during test execution
- Users report experiencing lagging when running the software on lightweight computers
Pricing
Katalon Studio has a free plan for individuals and small teams with basic testing needs.
Premium plan starts from $175 per user /month.
4. TestComplete
TestComplete is an automated testing tool used to test desktop, mobile, and web applications. It allows you to create tests without coding knowledge through its visual interface.
Key Features of TestComplete
- Record and playback
- Object recognition
- Image-based testing
Pros of TestComplete
- Easy to learn with no scripting required
- Supports multiple platforms
- Integrates with various source control systems
Cons of TestComplete
- Can be pricey for small teams
- Steep learning curve for some features
- Limited support for some newer frameworks
Pricing
TestComplete packages include Node-Locked Base at $2,256.
Node-Locked Pro at $3,950.
Float-Base at $5,077
Float-Pro at $7,901.
No free version, but a free trial is available.
5. SoapUI
SoapUI is an open-source cross-platform API Testing Tool for SOAP and REST APIs. It can validate web service responses based on XPath queries, JSON path queries, and schema validation. It can also test HTTP and HTTPS endpoints.
Key Features of SoapUI
- Compliance testing against WS standards
- Supports SOAP and REST web services
- Extendable through Groovy scripts and plugins.
- Provides a mock service to simulate web services
Pros of SoapUI
- Free to use
- Excellent performance in testing asynchronous web services.
- Allows data-driven testing
Cons of SoapUI
- Minor changes can cause tests to fail
- Limited to 1080p screen resolution
- No direct feature to copy test steps between projects
Pricing
It’s free to use.
6. Apache JMeter
Apache JMeter is one of the best open-source load-testing tools for web applications. It runs test scripts that generate HTTP requests and send them to the web application being tested.
It allows you to record and replay test scenarios, and you can configure parameters like the number of users, request rate, and time between requests.
Key features of Apache JMeter
- Easy-to-use GUI mode and command line mode
- Support for HTTP, JDBC, FTP, and other protocols
- Record and replay test scenarios
- Extensible through Java, JavaScript, and plugins
Pros of Apache JMeter
- Free and open-source
- Supports many types of applications (SOAP, REST, FTP, etc.)
- Has a large ecosystem of plugins
Cons of Apache JMeter
- Configuration can become complex for larger test plans
- Limited support for more modern protocols
- Difficult to set up distributed load testing
Pricing
Apache JMeter is free.
7. Postman
Postman is a popular API testing tool used by developers and QA engineers. It allows you to easily construct API requests, organize them into collections, and automate workflows.
Features of Postman
- Improve APIs with governance rules
- Workspaces to organize your API work
- API repository
Pros of Postman
- Easy to use with a neat interface
- Powerful for testing REST APIs.
- Adds extra features like token services
Cons of Postman
- Some screens have fixed sizes without the option to resize
- Automatically adds headers to requests which can cause errors with backend APIs
- Doesn’t always provide a clear explanation for API failures
Pricing
Postman offers a free basic plan.
Basic ($14 per user/month).
Professional ($29 per user/month).
Enterprise ($49 per user/month) billed annually.
8. WebDriverIO
WebDriverIO is an open-source automation test framework for testing web applications. It uses the WebDriver protocol to interact with actual browsers or mobile devices used by your users. Integrates easily with test runner frameworks like Karma, Mocha, and Jasmine
Features of WebDriverIO
- Native mobile support
- Auto wait
- Built-in assertions and error-handling
Pros of WebDriverIO
- Fast test execution
- Can test on mobile emulators/simulators
- Offers seamless integration with various services
Cons of WebDriverIO
- Standalone report or logging is not available
- It has a steep learning curve
- It depends on Selenium which can be difficult to configure
Pricing
It’s free to use.
9. Cypress
Cypress is a front-end automation testing tool used to test anything that runs in a browser. Unlike most web application testing tools that simulate a browser but don’t display any interface, Cypress uses a real browser to run tests. It lets you write tests in JavaScript and run them directly in Chrome.
Key Features of Cypress
- Time Travel – see tests run slowly and step through them.
- Debug tests in the browser and your IDE.
- Network traffic control
Pros of Cypress
- It considers element visibility when running tests
- It has a lot of access to resources that other frameworks don’t use
- Simple to learn and use
Cons of Cypress
- It supports only JavaScript for writing tests
- It’s not very efficient for data mining or web crawling.
- Users cannot test multiple tabs or browser windows at the same time
Pricing
Free plan offering 500 test results.
Team plan starts at $67/month.
Business plan costs $267/month.
10. TestCafe
TestCafe is a free open-source tool for automating end-to-end web testing. It allows you to easily create, maintain, and run cross-browser tests for web applications.
Key Features of TestCafe
- Smart test recorder
- Cross-browser testing
- Visual testing
Pros of TestCafe
- Simple yet powerful API
- Open source and free to use
- Convenient test creation (you can use JS, TypeScript, or CoffeeScript)
Cons of TestCafe
- Screen capture could be better
- It may freeze sometimes during test execution
- It may give error messages for no reason and feedback is too generic
Pricing
TestCafe is free.
11. Puppeteer
Puppeteer is a Node library that provides a high-level API to control Chrome or Chromium over the DevTools Protocol. It can launch a browser, navigate to pages, execute JavaScript on a page, take screenshots, handle cookies, and much more.
Key Features of Puppeteer
- Headless mode runs Chrome in the background without actually opening a browser window
- Can generate screenshots and PDFs of pages
- Built-in device emulation to test responsive designs
Pros of Puppeteer
- Easy to install with npm or Yarn
- Access to the DevTools protocol
- Requires less dependency requirements since there’s no separate maintenance of browser drivers.
Cons of Puppeteer
- Supports only JavaScript
- Easy to install with npm or Yarn
- Only works with Chrome/Chromium I
Pricing
Puppeteer is free and open source.
12. Taurus
Taurus is an open-source website monitoring tool used to test web applications. It works by crawling through your site and dynamically generating test cases to catch bugs. It’s a solid choice for DIY website monitoring
Key Features of Taurus
- Integration with BlazeMeter
- Support for multiple test protocols
- Tests are written using JSON or YAML
Pros of Taurus
- Free and open-source
- Easy to set up and configure
- Real-time reporting during test execution
Cons of Taurus
- Can be difficult to customize
- No official support offered
- A bit of a learning curve for new users
Pricing
It’s a free tool.
13. LoadRunner
LoadRunner is one of the best functional testing tools for web application. It generates thousands of virtual users (Vusers) to mimic the activity of real people accessing your web app. It then measures the site’s performance and functionality under load and gives detailed reports to help optimize performance.
Features of LoadRunner
- Scripting and debugging engine
- Auto-correlation engine
- Built-in integrations include IDE, CI/CD tools
Pros of LoadRunner
- Industry-standard tool with widespread use
- Highly scalable to generate very high loads
- Offers both GUI and scripting interfaces
Cons of LoadRunner
- Expensive commercial tool
- Scripting requires specialized skills to develop and maintain
- Difficult to set up and run for inexperienced performance engineers
Pricing
LoadRunner’s Professional plan costs about $500 per user.
2024 Web App Testing Trends B2Bs and SaaS Must Know
Here are some significant changes and events to expect from the web app testing sector in 2024 and beyond:
1. AI and ML Integration
As web apps become more advanced, so do the tools to test them. We’ve already seen AI step in to assist QA testers in different ways. As we move forward in 2024 and beyond, AI and ML will fully integrate into web app testing.
Tools like QA.tech are helping to bridge the gap by streamlining testing routines. The goal is to expand automation so that testing processes become more efficient and run with minimal human intervention.
2. Increased Demand for Low-Code Testing Platforms
According to Gartner, “By 2024, low-code application development will be responsible for more than 65% of application development activity.” These user-friendly tools allow testers to build tests through a visual interface rather than writing code. This empowers more employees to participate in testing and allows testers to build tests more quickly.
3. Increased Focus on Shift-Left
A survey has found that 52 percent of organizations have already adopted a shift-left security policy. Early testing identifies issues sooner when they are cheaper and easier to fix. To maximize efficiency and reduce costs, many companies will likely integrate testing into the earliest stages of the development process.
4. Renewed Commitment to Security Testing
The 2022 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found that misconfiguration and inadequate patch management contributed to 35 percent of data breaches.
Companies will likely look for QA testing tools to identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with security standards, and minimize threats.
Conclusion
As you’ve seen, there are plenty of options when it comes to web app testing. Study each of these tools carefully to see which one meets your project requirements. Check out their official websites to gauge how easy it is to navigate.
Also, consider the scope of the tool’s functions, user limits, and the cost to decide whether it’s right for your budget or team.
If you’re new to test automation for web apps, consider starting with QA.tech. It has one of the smoothest user interfaces and uses simple language in giving feedback or reports.
FAQs
1. What is QA for Websites?
Quality assurance or QA testing for websites is a defined process that aims to identify any problems with the functionality, design, content, or user experience of a site before it goes live. It often involves making sure that media content loads properly, the site meets accessibility standards, and no broken or dead links.
2. Can Selenium be used for website testing?
Yes, Selenium is a popular tool for automating website testing. It allows you to write automated tests for websites in many languages like Java, C#, Python, and Ruby.
3. What is the use of Jira in testing?
Jira is a useful tool for managing the quality assurance testing process. You can use it to log bugs, track their status, assign them to testers, and manage the overall testing workflow.
