Software testing tools are essential for rooting out errors and bugs in a product’s code.

How many types of software testing are there?

At least 18 in the article we just linked to.

How many different tools are there to test software?

At least a hundred. Probably a lot more.

That’s because, for every type of software testing, there are a dozen different tools to get the job done.

And that’s the problem:

Tool overload.

We hope to solve that today.

We’ve compiled a list of the best software testing tools that cover a wide range of categories, from automation to performance to mobile testing.

These are the tools that are the best in their class, that are the most popular in DevOps, and that keep delivering essential features.

We take a deep dive into each tool below, explaining what they are and why they’re so powerful.

Keep reading to see what software testing tools you should be using.

The Top Software Testing Tools

 There are many tools for testing software but you should be using the best ones.

1. Selenium

We covered Selenium in our roundup of the best automation testing tools and it’s frequently at the top of most people’s list.

Selenium isn’t actually one tool, but rather a collection of multiple tools that serve various purposes around web-based app and API testing automation.

They just released Selenium 2 which is slated to replace Selenium 1.

The other tools are Selenium WebDriver and Selenium IDE.

WebDriver basically allows you to drive a browser like a user would, locally or remotely, using the Selenium Server.

WebDriver + Selenium basically equals Selenium 2. They’re pretty much inseparable for the kind of work you’ll be doing.

And WebDriver has been simplified using a more concise programming interface and a compact “object-oriented” API. It also overcomes some of the limitations of older Selenium policies.

Selenium IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is used for building test scripts.

It’s an easy-to-use plugin for Firefox and Chrome. It’s coolest features is it records user actions as they’re performed and exports that information as a reusable script in the programming language of your choice for easy execution later.

And before Selenium 2, they offered Selenium Grid, a tool that allows you to run different tests at the same time on remote machines. Parallel testing.

But now, the Grid tool is built into Selenium 2.

With these new updates (and many more to come), Selenium is slated to remain one of the top web and API software testing tools.

2. HP Unified Functional Testing (UFT)

HP Unified Functional Testing (UFT) automates testing for web, mobile, API, hybrid, RPA, and enterprise apps.

And it has a ton of awesome features.

First of all, it supports testing for nearly every software application and environment you can think of.

From ERPs to CRMs to SOA services, you can run functional and regression tests on everything. Including browsers like Chrome, Firefox, IE, and Safari.

Second, UFT offers a range of continuous testing tools and solutions, and merges with continuous integration software like Jenkins.

Third, UFT lets you rapidly create automated tests from manual recordings using Micro Focus Sprinter, a Micro Focus manual testing tool.

After being guided through manual testing progression using the Sprinter, your results are exported to an automated test file and then imported to UFT and converted (automatically) to a GUI test, ready to use.

Of course, UFT also offers API and web services testing. It’s an all-in-one solution, so that should be expected.

And it offers a number of other awesome features, such as:

• UFT Mobile – Use any device on the cloud for anywhere access with the security of an on-premises test lab. Plus, you can create one script and automatically execute on all different platforms, devices, and browsers.
• Keyword-driven testing – Capture flows from application screens using record or replay tools.
• Collaboration – Share object definitions and sync changes throughout the testing process. And you can share libraries, asset definitions, or spreadsheets across teams.

3. SoapUI

SoapUI is one of the top tools for service-oriented architectures (SOA) and representational state transfers (REST) testing.

SoapUI has extremely versatile tools for automatically running functional, regression, and load tests.

In terms of functional testing, SoapUI lets you:

• Create and execute tests in seconds and then reuse them without reworking them.
• Maintain tests easily with scriptless management of test data and refractor tests for new versions of whatever API you’re testing.
• Enables developers without a background in load testing to create and execute tests without scripting required.
• Tracks your API performance and get in-depth statistics and parameters in an actionable format.

For load testing, SoapUI:

In API Mocking, SoapUI enables you to:

• Test even when APIs are under development, behind a firewall, too costly to test against, or other reasons it’s unavailable.
• Create virtual APIs and populate it with external data so you can conduct exhaustive testing that’s completely in your control.

And the list of features can go on and on. Needless to say, SoapUI has enough to get any job done.

4. WebLOAD

WebLOAD was designed for large enterprises who need a heavy-duty load and performance testing tool.

The standout feature for WebLoad is its flexibility, enabling you to define tests quickly and conduct tests on any web-based app from the cloud or on-premises machines.

And throughout testing, WebLOAD delivers an analysis of the web application’s performance, identifying issues and bottlenecks preventing you from reaching load and response requirements.

There are 3 major aspects of WebLOAD:

1. Correlation
2. Test creation
3. Test execution

WebLOAD’s correlation engine automatically replaces the server-side and client-side dynamic values for you. Data like session ID, order number, time and date stamps, etc.

Other software testing tools will generate well over 1000 lines of script code that requires manual adjustments. Not WebLOAD.

They generate accurate and compact code that only takes a couple of minutes to finetune.

Correlation is critical because by replacing static values with dynamic session values, you can simulate multiple real users without server errors.

Now let’s look at test creation.

Through correlation and other tools like Parameterization and Response Validation, you can enhance scripts with the logic and integrations of your choice.

If you’re recording an action on a target app, WebLOAD automatically turns the actions into a test script.

And thanks to drag-and-drop building blocks, you can put elements into your scripts with a click of your mouse and a flick of your wrist.

And finally, let’s discuss text execution.

You can simulate realistic load scenarios for an unlimited number of users. And using the scheduler, you can mimic real-life conditions, including linear, steps, and increments.

Plus, the load generator will collect detailed client-side data, allowing you to analyze low-level data and complete transactions.

And this is just scratching the surface of what WebLOAD has to offer.

5. Tricentis Flood

Tricentis Flood is a cloud load testing platform that allows teams to test, analyze, and optimize the scale of their applications.

Flood can be combined with other open source load testing tools like Apache JMeter along with another tool in the same family, Tricentis Tosca.

Flood can also be used alongside CI tools such as Jenkins or private hosting providers like AWS.

It’s this flexibility and versatility that makes Tricentis Flood such a dynamic software testing tool.

It also has a range of other awesome features. Here’s a preview of some of them:

• Immediate feedback – gain useful information after each build to improve performance.
• Accessible load testing – performance testing streamlined using real browsers and simple scripts.
• Easy script writing – open source tools that let novice and advanced developers alike quickly write scripts.
• Stress-free maintenance – instead of fixing tests, you can focus on fixing performance issues thanks to Flood’s “Browser Level User” approach.
• Catch risks – Flood gives you a continuous view of performance test results so you can spot errors or problems before production.
• Team collaboration – use shared provisioning or integrate Flood with AWS or Azure to test within your virtual private cloud (VPC).
• Unlimited scale – conduct tests in 5 continents with as many users as you want.

6. Tricentis qTest

Tricentis qTest is often touted as the #1 test management tool for the agile framework and quality assurance (QA) teams.

Tricentis qTest integrates with JIRA and many other automation tools.

qTest’s big benefit is that it improves the QA process, making it faster, simpler, and more efficient.

One of the shining features of this software testing tool is the ability to standardize testing across projects. This helps teams hit their targets consistently without guesswork.

And when you want to run tests, you can plan and execute them quickly without limits on how the runs are organized into releases or cycles.

If your team has a problem scaling its tests, qTest provides a suite of enterprise-grade functionality and reporting.

Here are a few more notable qTest features:

• Manage and track executions – track manual and automated test cases and execute test runs for multiple projects from a single, central location.
• Streamline approval workflows – make test case edits during test execution and qTest will show those changes in test design. Version control will also notify testers when new versions are officially accepted.
• Maintain and share artifacts – qTest uses a tree structure view that allows you to effortlessly move artifacts from folder to folder using a drag-and-drop swipe of the mouse.

7. Metasploit

Metasploit is the most-used and most popular framework for penetration testing.

The reason why so many developers prefer this software testing tool is because of its use of “exploit” – a code that surpasses security measures, runs a “payload,” and creates an ideal environment for testing.

Metasploit can be used on web apps, networks, servers, and more.

The GUI works on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.

Metasploit is an open source project that provides the foundation on top of which commercial products are built.

The beauty of this is you get the latest exploits the moment they’re published. And the community of Metasploit is growing all the time, adding new modules, content, and tools for better penetration testing.

A module, by the way, is a piece of code or software that extends the functionality of Metasploit.

A module could be an:

• Exploit.
• Auxiliary.
• Payload.
• No operation payload (NOP).
• Or something else.

How to Streamline Software Testing in Your Business

The tools we just laid out are vital to running high-quality software tests.

However…

If you don’t have the right people running the tests, you won’t get the best results.

A tool is only as good as the person using it.

Finding and hiring the right in-house developers and testers is a headache (and cost) that you probably don’t want to deal with.

And you don’t have to.

We can manage your testing for you.

With our managed testing services, you get:

• Fully customizable and scalable services for enterprise or program level requirements.
• Processes and environments needed to overcome testing challenges and achieve optimal results.
• Frameworks, tools, and most of all, highly trained staff in order to provide comprehensive support for your organizational goals.

Plus, we can handle the “big 6” of testing:

1. Security.
2. Performance.
3. Regression.
4. Functional.
5. Compatibility.
6. And test automation.

Reach out today for reliable and effective software testing management.