Contact us
Products
CREATE AUTOMATED TESTS FASTER: FOR TEAMS OF ANY SIZE
Katalon Studio
Quickly create your tests with low-code, full-code scripting, or AI for web, mobile, desktop, and API.
Learn more
Integrations
EXPAND TO RUN AUTOMATED TESTS ANYWHERE
Runtime Engine
Flexible, on-prem execution for CI/CD, parallel & scheduled test execution.
TestCloud
Instant, cloud execution with on-demand browser, OS, and mobile environments.
SCALE TO AN ENTERPRISE-CLASS PLATFORM
TestOps
Centralized command center with AI-powered testing & advanced analytics.
TrueTest
Rapid, AI-generated regression tests modeled on real user behavior.
Solutions
Application Under Test
Web Testing
Quickly create your tests, debug with advanced tools, and execute across multiple browsers.
API Testing
Streamline your testing for any API architecture, and unify API, web, and mobile testing in one platform.
Mobile Testing
Easily and efficiently test your Android and iOS apps across browsers, devices, and operating systems.
Desktop Testing
Test your Windows apps with Studio, simplifying workflows and seamlessly transitioning between AUTs within one tool.
Enterprise-Grade Testing
Deliver quality at any scale with test automation that combines Studio’s ease of use with a centralized testing command center, AI-powered testing, and advanced security and hosting.
SOLUTIONS BY INDUSTRY
FinanceRetailTelecomsUtilityHealthcareGovernment
Pricing
Resources
Unlock your full testing potential
Community Help
Get help, advice, tips, and tricks from thousands of testing pros like you.
Product Docs
Explore detailed step-by-step guides, feature specs, and release notes to support your work.
Training and Certification
Access over 50 free courses to enhance your testing skills and earn certifications on Katalon’s tools.
API Docs
Enhance your test orchestration at scale with custom integrations via our TestOps API.
EXPLORE
Blog
Integrations
Webinars
Success stories
COMPANY
About us
Careers
Find a Partner
Technical support
Contact Sales
View demoDownload Studio
View demoDownload StudioContact us
Products
CREATE AUTOMATED TESTS FASTER: FOR TEAMS OF ANY SIZE
Katalon Studio
EXPAND TO RUN AUTOMATED TESTS ANYWHERE
Runtime EngineTestCloud
SCALE TO AN ENTERPRISE-CLASS PLATFORM
TestOpsTrueTest
Solutions
Application Under Test
Web TestingAPI TestingMobile TestingDesktop Testing
Enterprise-Grade Testing
INDUSTRIES
FinanceRetailTelecomsUtilityHealthcareGovernment
Pricing
Resources
Unlock your full testing potential
Community HelpProduct DocsTraining and CertificationAPI Docs
EXPLORE
BlogIntegrationsWebinarsSuccess stories
COMPANY
About usCareersFind a PartnerTechnical supportContact Sales
AllNewsProductsInsightsDevOps and CI/CDCommunity
All
AllNewsProductsInsightsDevOps and CI/CDCommunity
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Blog TOC Banner

A Comparison of Automated Testing Tools

According to the Test Automation Landscape in 2020 Report, nearly 90% of the interviewees have reported uses of automation testing, where 70% of them have been using it for over a year. This in turn has raised the need in choosing and using the right set of test automation tools. 

Given a large range of automated testing tool choices along with their own unique strengths and drawbacks, let’s learn how to identify the right automation tool for your project with this qualitative comparison of Katalon Studio to other popular automated testing toolsets in the market.

OVERVIEW OF 4 AUTOMATED TESTING TOOLS

Katalon Studio is an automated testing platform that offers a comprehensive set of features to implement full automated testing solutions for Web, API, and Mobile. Built on top of the open-source Selenium and Appium frameworks, Katalon Studio allows teams to get started with test automation quickly by reducing the effort and expertise required for learning and integrating these frameworks for automated testing needs.

Selenium is perhaps the most popular automation framework that consists of many tools and plugins for Web application testing. Selenium is known for its powerful capability to support performance testing of Web applications. Selenium is a popular choice in the open-source test automation space, partly due to its large and active development and user community. However, its steep learning curve is a drawback that hinders many teams’ productivity.

Read A Deep Dive into Selenium, Its Alternative Solution for 2022

Unified Functional Testing (UFT), formerly QuickTest Professional (QTP), is probably the most popular commercial tool for functional test automation. UFT offers a comprehensive set of features that can cover most functional automated testing needs on the desktop, mobile and Web platforms.

TestComplete is also a commercial integrated platform for desktop, mobile and Web application testing. Like UFT, TestComplete offers a number of key test automation features such as keyword-driven and data-driven testing, cross-browser testing, API testing and CI integrations. This tool supports a number of languages including JavaScript, Python, VBScript, JScript, DelphiScript, C++Script, and C#Script for writing test scripts.

COMPARISON OF THE AUTOMATED TESTING TOOLS

The table below provides a comparison of the tools based on the key features of software automation.  

Features Katalon Studio Selenium UFT TestComplete
Test development platform Cross-platform Cross-platform Windows Windows
Application under test Windows desktop, Web, Mobile apps, API/Web services Web apps Windows desktop, Web, Mobile apps, API/Web services Windows desktop, Web, Mobile apps, API/Web services
Scripting languages Java/Groovy Java, C#, Perl, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, PHP VBScript JavaScript, Python, VBScript, JScript, Delphi, C++ and C#
Programming skills Not required. Recommended for advanced test scripts Advanced skills needed to integrate various tools Not required. Recommended for advanced test scripts Not required. Recommended for advanced test scripts
Learning curves Medium High Medium Medium
Ease of installation and use Easy to set up and run Require installing and integrating various tools Easy to set up and run Easy to set up and run
Script creation time Quick Slow Quick Quick
Object storage and maintenance Built-in object repository, XPath, object re-identification XPath, UI Maps Built-in object repository, smart object detection and correction Built-in object repository, detecting common objects
Image-based testing Built-in support Require installing additional libraries Built-in support, image-based object recognition Built-in support
DevOps/ALM integrations Many  No (require additional libraries) Many Many
Continuous integrations Popular CI tools (e.g. Jenkins, Teamcity) Various CI tools (e.g. Jenkins, Cruise Control) Various CI tools (e.g. Jenkins, HP Quality Center) Various CI tools (e.g. Jenkins, HP Quality Center)
Test Analytics Katalon TestOps No No No
Product support Community, Business support service, Dedicated staff Open-source community Dedicated staff, Community Dedicated staff, Community
License type Proprietary Open-source (Apache 2.0) Proprietary Proprietary
Cost Freemium Free License and maintenance fees License and maintenance fees

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

The comparison table above mainly focus on the common features of an automated testing tool. The following presents another perspective by picking and comparing key strengths and limitations of the tools.

Tools Strengths Limitations
Katalon Studio
  • No licensing and maintenance fees required (paid dedicated support services is available if needed).
  • Integrating necessary frameworks and features for quick test cases creation and execution.
  • Built on top of the Selenium framework but eliminating the need for advanced programming skills required for Selenium.
  • Emerging solution with a quickly growing community.
  • Feature set is still evolving.
  • Lack of choices for scripting languages: only Java/Groovy is supported.
Selenium
  • Open source, no licensing and maintenance fees.
  • Large and active development and user community to keep pace with software technologies.
  • Open for integration with other tools and frameworks to enhance its capability
  • Testing teams need to have good programming skills and experience to set up and integrate Selenium with other tools and frameworks.
  • New teams need to invest time upfront for setup and integration.
  • Slow support from the community.
UFT
  • Mature, comprehensive automated testing features integrated into a single system.
  • Dedicated user support plus an established large user community.
  • Requiring only basic programming skills to get started with test creation and execution.
  • Costly solution: license and maintenance fees are considerably high.
  • Possible high costs for upgrades and additional modules.
  • Supporting only VBScript.
TestComplete
  • Mature, comprehensive automated testing features integrated into a single system.
  • Many scripting languages to choose from.
  • Only basic programming skills needed.
  • Like UFT, considerable licensing and maintenance fees needed for TestComplete.
  • Additional fees for extra modules and add-ons.

The Perfect Automation Testing Tool: There Isn’t One.

There is no one-size-fits-all tool for automated testing. It is highly recommended that testers evaluate various tools in order to select what would best meet their automated testing needs. 

Programming languages and technologies used to develop software continue to evolve, as do the automated testing tools, making cost a significant factor in tool selection. Commercial vendors often charge for tool upgrades, which can be substantial if your software uses emerging and frequently changing technologies. 

Open source and non-commercial tools, on the other hand, do not incur additional charges but require effort and expertise for integrating new upgrades. It is difficult to find the support and expertise needed for integrating various tools and frameworks into open-source solutions. 

Emerging tools that integrate with open-source frameworks, like Katalon, offer a viable alternative to both commercial and open-source automated testing solutions. 

 

Read more:

 

Related Articles
fdffff
fdffff
how-quality-platforms-outrannk-single-point-solution.png
How software quality platforms outrank single-point solutions
How Automated Visual Testing Will Redefine the Testing Pyramid
How Automated Visual Testing Will Redefine the Testing Pyramid