Complete Guide of 15 Visual Testing Tools: Features, Benefits & Prices

Updated March 2024

Visual testing is an essential part of the software development process. It ensures that the visual elements of a website or application, such as layout, images, and buttons, are functioning correctly and as expected. With the increasing importance of user experience, visual testing has become more critical than ever. Automated visual testing tools, also known as visual regression testing tools, can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the testing process.

In this guide, we will introduce you to some of the best visual testing tools available on the market. We will provide detailed information about their features, drawbacks, pricing, and platform support. With this information, you can decide which visual testing tool is the best fit for your project.

Visual Testing Tools: Overview

Visual testing is a crucial aspect of software development as it ensures that the visual elements of an application are functioning correctly and as expected. With the rise of web and mobile applications, the need for automated visual testing tools has become more critical than ever. These tools allow teams to detect and fix visual regressions early in development, saving time and money. This guide will introduce you to some of the best visual testing tools available today. You'll learn about their unique features, drawbacks, pricing, and platform support. This will help you make an informed decision and choose the perfect tool for your business needs. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, our list of tools is sure to have something that will suit your needs. So, discover the world of visual testing tools, and take the first step towards creating visually stunning and bug-free applications.

1. Functionize

Functionize is a leading QA testing tool that uses AI to empower teams with end-to-end tests that self-heal and run at scale in the cloud. This allows for faster testing, lower costs, and improved quality in CI/CD environments. Its AI-powered platform creates more stable tests resulting from its unique big data approach. It also empowers teams and future-proofs skills with low-code intelligent tests, removing the need for highly technical “coders” to automate testing.

Drawbacks

• Might be overwhelming for some!

Platform

• Web-based

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2. Applitools

Applitools is a visual testing tool that offers a wide range of features and integrations to help users automate their testing process. It provides an AI-powered visual validation engine to detect the slightest visible changes.

Drawbacks:

• No free version is available
• Limited support for non-Windows platforms

Pricing:

• Contact Sales

Platform:

• Windows, macOS, Linux

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3. Percy

Percy is a visual testing tool that offers automated visual testing and review for web applications. It allows users to identify and fix visual regressions in their applications quickly.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Contact Sales

Platform:

• Web

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4. Galen Framework

Galen Framework is a visual testing tool that offers a wide range of features and integrations to help users automate their testing process. It allows users to test the layout of web applications using a simple syntax.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Contact Sales

Platform:

• Web

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5. Wraith

Wraith is an open-source visual testing tool that allows users to compare the layout of two web pages easily. It can be used to detect visual regressions in web applications.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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6. BackstopJS

BackstopJS is a visual regression testing tool allowing users to detect and fix visual regressions in their web applications quickly.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing: 

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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7. PhantomCSS

PhantomCSS is a visual regression testing tool that allows users to easily detect and fix visual regressions in their web applications. It uses PhantomJS to automatically capture screenshots of web pages and then compares them to previous versions to detect any visual changes.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications
• Requires additional setup and configuration

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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8. Resemble.js

Resemble.js is a visual comparison tool that allows users to compare the layout of two images. It can be used to detect visual regressions in web applications by comparing screenshots of the same page taken at different times.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-image-based applications
• Requires additional setup and configuration

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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9. Huxley

Huxley is a visual regression testing tool that allows users to easily detect and fix visual regressions in their web applications. It allows users to record a series of actions on a web page and then automatically compares screenshots of the page taken before and after the actions to detect any visual changes.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications
• Requires additional setup and configuration

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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10. VisualEyes

VisualEyes is a visual testing tool that offers automated visual testing and review for web applications. It uses machine learning to detect even the slightest visual changes in web pages with heat maps.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Free to Start

Platform:

• Web

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11. WebdriverCSS

WebdriverCSS is a visual regression testing tool that allows users to easily detect and fix visual regressions in their web applications. It can be used with WebdriverJS to automate the testing process.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications
• Requires additional setup and configuration

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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12. CSS Critic

CSS Critic is an open-source visual testing tool that allows users to easily compare the layout of two web pages. It can be used to detect visual regressions in web applications.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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13. WebdriverIO

WebdriverIO is a visual testing tool that allows users to automate the testing of web applications. It can be used to test the layout and functionality of web pages.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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14. Storybook

Storybook is an open-source tool that allows users to develop and test the components of their web applications in isolation. It can be used to test the layout and functionality of web pages.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Open-Source

Platform:

• Web

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15. Chromatic

Chromatic is a visual testing tool that allows users to test the layout and design of web applications. It allows teams to collaborate on visual design changes and automatically detects visual regressions.

Drawbacks:

• Limited support for non-web applications

Pricing:

• Contact Sales

Platform:

• Web

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Selection Criteria

The process of choosing the best visual testing tools featured in this guide involved a comprehensive evaluation based on various criteria. Our goal was to provide a diverse selection that caters to different visual testing needs. The following factors played a crucial role in the selection process:

1. Popularity and Community Support:

Automated Testing Tools with a strong user community and widespread adoption were given priority.

• They had to have received evaluations from at least 30 satisfied users across various review sites, like g2.com, Capterra, TrustRadius (most had over 50 total reviews).
• They had to have a total rating of 4.3 or better.
• They could not have any entirely negative reviews.

2. Features and Functionality:

We assessed the breadth and depth of features offered by each Automated testing tool. The tools that have the specific range of visual testing features and functionality were given preference.

3. User-Friendly Interface:

We meticulously examined the user reviews to identify the level of user-friendliness of each of the aforementioned tools. Those with interfaces that facilitate easy navigation and usage were highlighted.

4. Cross-Browser and Cross-Platform Support:

The selected tools were evaluated for their cross-browser and cross-platform capabilities, based on customer testimonials.

5. Scalability:

The ability of the visual testing tools to support both small-scale projects and large, enterprise-level applications according to project requirements was considered. This metric was analyzed based on the “Company Size” information available in G2 platform for each of the tools. 

6. Integration Capabilities:

Tools that seamlessly integrate with popular development and continuous integration tools were favored.

‍7. Advancements and Updates:

The visual testing tools with active development and a commitment to staying current with industry trends were prioritized.

The combination of these criteria led to the selection of the visual testing tools featured in this guide. There was no sponsorship involved in this process, and the tools were thoroughly investigated by real people, not algorithms.

It's important to note that the tools presented here may not cover every possible use case, and the choice of a tool should align with the specific requirements and preferences of your testing team.

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FAQs about visual testing tools

In this section, we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about visual testing tools.

Can visual testing be automated?

Yes, visual testing can be automated with the use of visual testing tools. These tools capture screenshots of web pages and then compare them to previous versions to detect any visual changes. The comparison process can be done manually or with the help of machine learning algorithms that can detect even the slightest visual changes. Automated visual testing can save resources by detecting and fixing visual regressions early on in the development process.

How is visual testing done?

Visual testing can be done by capturing screenshots of web pages and comparing them to previous versions to detect any visual changes. The comparison process can be done manually or with the help of automated visual testing tools that can detect even the slightest visual changes. Automated visual testing tools can save time and money by detecting and fixing visual regressions early in development.

What is Visual GUI testing?

Visual GUI testing is the process of testing the graphical user interface (GUI) of an application to ensure that it is functioning correctly and as expected. This can include testing the layout, design, and functionality of the application's visual elements. Visual GUI testing can be done manually or with the help of automated visual testing tools that can detect and fix visual regressions early on in the development process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the wide variety of visual testing tools available in the market, each with its unique features and capabilities, it’s hard to choose which one is the best for your company. In this guide, we have introduced you to some of the best visual testing tools available, including automated visual testing tools and visual regression testing tools. Our list of visual testing tools is sure to have something that will suit your needs. Remember that by using visual testing tools, you can save time and financial resources by detecting and fixing visual regressions early during the development process. So, start your journey towards creating visually stunning and bug-free applications today with the help of automated visual testing tools.