Top 10 Mobile Test Automation Tools

Mobile applications have become an integral part of our daily lives. From social media to online shopping, work management to fitness tracking, the number of mobile apps and their users is surging across all categories. With the ever-increasing number of apps and users, ensuring the seamless functionality and superior quality of these applications has become crucial for developers. In this article, we will introduce you to the best mobile test automation tools and will also provide some tips for selecting the right tool for your needs.

Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a mobile automation Testing tool:

With so many mobile app testing tools available, choosing the right one can greatly affect the quality of the final product. It’s important to know what makes a testing tool stand out. Here are the key things to look for.

Always go for Real Devices, no emulators & simulators : While emulators and simulators are great for early-stage testing, real device testing is crucial for understanding real-world performance. The tool should seamlessly integrate with both of them.

The type of app being tested: The type of app being tested dictates the appropriate testing framework. Native apps require tools that simulate real-world user interactions, such as Appium. Web apps are best tested with frameworks like Selenium, which can simulate browser interactions.

Budget: Mobile test automation tools can range from free options to higher-priced enterprise solutions.

Cross-platform compatibility: As mobile apps become increasingly cross-platform, it’s essential to choose a tool that supports multiple platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows. The tool should allow you to write tests once and run them across different platforms.

Scalability: When considering the scalability of a mobile test automation tool, look for one that supports parallel test execution, efficiently handles larger test suites and offers cloud testing capabilities.

Third-party integrations: The tool should integrate with third-party services such as JIRA, Trello, Slack, or GitHub, allowing teams to streamline their workflow and leverage existing tools.

Best Mobile Test Automation Tools

TestGrid

TestGrid offers a comprehensive suite of features for end-to-end mobile test automation, from app testing to load testing to API testing. It allows users to conduct both manual and AI based codeless automation on real devices hosted on the cloud, on-premise or in a hybrid manner.

With the AI-driven scriptless approach, you can easily automate Functional, Performance, Visual, and Compatibility testing.

Here are some of the benefits of using TestGrid for mobile app testing:

TestGrid can test your apps on hundreds of real devices ranging from Android, iOS, Samsung, Oppo, Pixel and more.
Users can perform codeless automation & save their time on testing complex use cases.
Integrate with custom scripts or code, which can give you more flexibility in your testing process.
It also offers AI-driven auto heal to reduce maintenance and automatically identify and fix defects.
Allows you to create custom dashboards to visualize your test results and get insights into the performance of your apps.
TestGrid integrates seamlessly with popular CI/CD tools, allowing users to automate their entire testing process.
Reserve a device for a period of time for exclusive access. This can be useful if you need to test a specific app or feature in a controlled environment.

Appium

Appium is a widely used mobile testing tool, mostly preferred by open-source communities. It allows you to automate testing for native, hybrid, and web applications on iOS and Android platforms.

Appium supports a variety of programming languages, including Java, Python, Ruby, and C#. Some key features of Appium include:

Appium is Cross-platform compatible that means it allows you to write tests once and run them on multiple platforms, saving time and effort.
Appium provides support for testing hybrid applications that combine native and web elements.
It supports parallel testing, which allows you to run multiple test scripts simultaneously.
It has extensive documentation and a large community of users and contributors.

Calabash

Calabash is a Behavior Driven Development (BDD) framework for automating mobile app testing. It uses natural language to interact with mobile apps, making it easier to write tests that are clear, concise, and easy to understand. It consists of two test libraries: calabash-android and calabash-iOS. Calabash also supports a variety of other features, such as parallel testing, test reporting, and test coverage analysis.

Some key features of Calabash include:

Calabash supports test coverage analysis, which can help you to determine how well your tests are covering your app’s code.
Calabash provides mobile-specific functionality, such as the ability to interact with mobile devices, simulate gestures, and verify the appearance of elements on the screen.
Calabash allows developers to test their apps on physical devices, providing a more accurate representation of how the app will behave in real-world scenarios.

Selendroid

Selendroid is an open-source test automation tool specifically designed for Android applications. It can be used to automate the testing process for both native and hybrid Android apps, as well as mobile web applications.

Features:

Selendroid supports hot plugging of hardware devices, which means that you can connect or disconnect hardware devices to your Android device without needing to restart the app or the device.
It also comes with a built-in inspector that helps simplify test case development. The inspector provides a graphical user interface for analyzing the UI components of an Android application.
Selendroid can simultaneously engage with multiple Android devices, whether they are emulators or physical devices, allowing for efficient testing and automation across various platforms.
It ensures seamless integration with the JSON Wire Protocol and Selenium 3.

Ranorex

Ranorex is a powerful testing software that can be used to automate desktop, web, and mobile applications. It is easy to use, even for non-technical users, and it supports a wide range of programming languages.

Features:

Ranorex Studio uses a powerful object recognition engine to identify UI elements even when they are not visible or have been changed.
It integrates with a variety of popular tools, such as Jenkins, Jira, and TestRail that makes it easy to automate your entire testing process.

Kobiton

Kobiton is a mobile-first testing platform that helps enterprises streamline their testing processes. It offers a variety of features to automate testing, including scriptless automation, visual testing, and performance testing. Kobiton utilizes the Appium framework, which provides a uniform way to interact with various mobile platforms, and undergoes frequent updates to enhance its testing capabilities and efficiency.

Features:

Offers access to the hundreds of latest devices on a flexible real device testing cloud, ensuring apps are tested in real-world conditions.
Kobiton provides comprehensive support for a variety of widely used testing frameworks, including Appium, Selenium, XCUI, Espresso, and others.
In addition to functional testing, Kobiton performs thorough performance evaluation, detecting anomalies such as CPU spikes, battery drain, and latency.
Kobiton supports mobile continuous testing, self-healing test scripts, and integration into all CI/CD platforms for a seamless workflow.

ACCELQ

Accelq is an AI-powered codeless test automation platform that helps enterprises deliver high-quality software faster. ACCELQ offers a comprehensive solution for testing various types of applications, including mobile, web, API, database, and packaged apps, through a single platform. Its automation-first approach and codeless capabilities make it accessible to testing teams with limited programming knowledge, enabling them to efficiently validate the functionality and performance of their applications.

Features:

Accelq can automate testing across the entire software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering to deployment.
It utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to automate the testing process intelligently. It can understand and adapt to application changes, reducing maintenance effort and increasing test coverage.
Supports integration with popular testing frameworks and CI/CD tools
AccelQ promotes collaboration among team members by providing a centralized platform for test design, execution, and reporting.

TestComplete Mobile

TestComplete, developed by SmartBear Software, can automate UI actions on real devices or emulators using script-free record and replay.

Features:

Use a library of pre-defined keywords to create tests that are easy to maintain and update.
Allows tests to run in parallel across multiple devices and operating systems, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
Allows you to record your test steps as you interact with the app, and then play them back to automate the test.

Also Read: 15 Amazing Automation Testing Tools to Ease Your Testing Journey

Eggplant

Eggplant is a versatile tool for automating GUI testing across various platforms and technologies. By using its image-based approach, it enables users to create a single script that can seamlessly automate diverse combinations of mobile, desktop, and web applications, streamlining the testing process and maximizing efficiency.

Features:

Eggplant automates GUI testing using image-based testing. Testers can simply record actions, and Eggplant generates test scripts. No coding needed.
Eggplant can automate complex tests, such as tests that involve multiple windows or tabs, or tests that require the user to interact with a database.
It uses unique English-like scripting language: SenseTalk
It’s AI-powered automation capabilities can help you to automate even the most complex tests.

Frank

Frank is a testing tool designed specifically for iOS and Mac applications. It uses the Cucumber framework to write tests in a natural language style, and it has a powerful app inspector called Symbiote that can be used to get detailed information about your running app.

Features:

Integrating Frank with an iOS app is straightforward and can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
Offers the capability to record videos of test runs, showcasing the app’s behavior during testing.
Frank integrates with continuous integration (CI) systems, so you can run your tests on every checkin.
Comes with a powerful app inspector that can be used to get detailed information about your app.

Conclusion

In this blog, we explored different mobile test automation tools that have gained recognition and popularity in the industry. These tools offer developers and testers the ability to streamline their testing processes, minimize manual effort, and enhance overall testing efficiency.

It is essential to equip oneself with the best mobile automation testing tools, embrace innovation, and create exceptional mobile experiences that leave a lasting impact.

FAQ’s

Q1.What is mobile test automation?
Ans1. Mobile test automation refers to the process of using specialized tools and frameworks to automate the testing of mobile applications, allowing for quicker and more efficient testing.

Q2: Can I use the same automation tool for both iOS and Android apps?
Ans 2: Yes, there are cross-platform automation tools like Appium and Robot Framework that support both iOS and Android app testing, making it easier to maintain a single test suite for multiple platforms. However, some tools may only support one platform, so it’s essential to check the tool’s documentation to confirm its compatibility before investing time and resources.

Q3. What are the common challenges when using mobile test automation tools?Ans 3.Challenges can include dealing with frequent platform updates, handling different screen sizes and resolutions, managing test scripts for multiple devices, and ensuring test stability across various network conditions.