Top 13 Best Online Load Testing Tools 2023
Table of Contents
2. BlazeMeter
3. OctoPerf
5. K6
6. Flood.io
7. Loadview
8. Loader.io
9. LoadFocus
10. Neoload Web SAAS
11. LoadNinja
12. Loadium
In this article, we will go through our favourite features of each of these cloud-based load testing tools (see also our article “Top 10 load testing tools“), while in the end you will find a parameterized comparison of all of them in one table.
1. PFLB Platform
We proudly give PFLB Platform the first place in this list for the ease of use, ability to compare the results of the tests, and handy trend reports that help to localize the bottlenecks really quickly. It allows running complex tests in the cloud to anyone interested in load testing.
To use the PFLB Platform, you don’t have to be a load testing engineer or even hire one. This new-generation website and web application performance testing tool is able to import load profile data from Google Analytics and other sources. All you have to do is log in, and then PFLB Platform retrieves your statistical information and lets you run load tests without any coding or other engineering. The ease of use is matchless.
But it does not mean that PFLB Platform is for non-specialists only. Of course, you may customize the tests if you want to, or run your own JMeter scenarios. Developers and performance engineers will find PFLB Platform handy for conducting performance tests in the cloud, too. They can use a full suite of testing tools, such as HAR/Insomnia import, request definition, parameterization and correlation running in the cloud as SaaS service. You can also manage and reuse tests, centralize the assets, compare the results between them, see trends across time and share results and reports. No need to worry about infrastructure deployment, though.
PFLB Platform’s no-commitment policy is another rare feature: no credit card is required for a free version. Just start testing right away.
Pros
- Easy-to-use web portal for all your online performance testing needs
- Ability to define emulated user actions without coding
- Easily build your profile based on statistics from Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrika, etc
- Record your tests in any browser, such as Chrome or Firefox, via HAR import
- Import your requests from functional testing tools, such as Insomnia or Postman
- JMeter plugin to easily upload your work into cloud and support your existing workflows
- Easily shareable test results through a web report
- Detailed and visual test-to-test comparison
- Easy to read Service Level Agreements (SLA) immediately indicating the test status
- Trending of the multiple test results, giving a high-level overview of the multiple SLAs over multiple test-runs
- Ability to run the tests and receive results through a modern API, which could be easily called from your favorite CI/CD conveyor (GitHub. Gitlab, CircleCI etc) or any other system
Cons
- At this point, PFLB Platform only supports HTTP(-s)-based protocols
Pricing
Demo | Standard (monthly) | PRO (monthly) | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
1 concurrent test | 1 concurrent test | Multiple concurrent tests | Ask vendor for |
10 users max | 200 users max | 5,000 users max per month | |
15 minutes max test duration | 60 minutes max test duration | 48 hours max test duration | |
5 test runs total | 10 tests per month | 1,000 tests per month | |
Free | $50 | $400 |
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2. BlazeMeter
BlazeMeter is a platform for fully-functional web testing and load testing the capabilities of desktop or mobile applications. BlazeMeter website and web application performance testing tool was created on the basis of open source code, and is fully compatible with Apache JMeter.
Its intuitive interface provides all the features necessary for load testing services. An unbeatable advantage is a huge list of supported script formats allows you to create tests without having to convert files. Another very convenient feature is an extension for Chrome, which allows recording scripts and uploading them in JMX/JSON/YAML in a couple of clicks.
The service also provides access to many advanced features, such as setting uo mock services, application performance monitoring (APM), real-time reporting, automated reports emailing, distributed testing, and integration with developer tools for continuous integration (CI). If your organization is already using Apache JMeter, you will like BlazeMeter, too, although it can be somewhat expensive for user load volumes exceeding 1000 users.
Pros
- Integration with CI tools
- Creating tests using scripts of almost any format
- Scheduled launch of tests and sending test results by email
- Comparison of test results
- A large selection of instances with different locations
- Setting up Mock Services directly on the platform
- A large selection of APM integrations
Cons
- Very basic and superficial reporting
- Expensive for user load volumes exceeding 1000 users
- Lack of a concise editor
Pricing
Starter (Monthly) | Basic (Monthly) | Pro (Monthly) | Unleashed |
|---|---|---|---|
10 tests | 15 tests | 6,500 virtual user hours | Contact vendor for a quotation |
10 concurrent users max | 1,000 concurrent users max | 5,000 concurrent users max | |
25,000 API Calls | 25,000 API Calls | 25,000 API Calls | |
1 Mock Service | 3 Mock Services | 3 Mock Services | |
Free | $149 | $649 |
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3. OctoPerf
OctoPerf is a commercial full-featured SaaS platform for load testing of any HTTP-based website or mobile application. It was created using proven open source technologies based on Apache JMeter. To create a test, all you need to do is to import a list of URLs, REST API, a HAR/JMX script or a Postman collection. The built-in editor provides tools for correlation and parameterization of the newly recorded script.
OctoPerf allows you to use public instances in a public cloud using Amazon Web Services (AWS), Digital Ocean or Microsoft Azure. The possibility to configure Service Level Agreement (SLA), application performance monitoring (APM), a detailed report on each transaction, integration with developer tools for continuous integration (CI) are just some of the features that can be useful to anyone who wants to run load testing.
Pros
- Full-featured built-in script editor
- Setting up SLA
- Ability to create custom metrics
- Detailed report on each transaction
- A large selection of instances with different locations
- Browser-based online load testing tool by Selenium WebDriver
- A large selection of APM integrations
Cons
- Expensive for user load volumes exceeding 1,000 users
Pricing
Demo | Basic (monthly) | PRO (monthly) | On Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
50 concurrent users/test | 1,000 concurrent users/test | 3,000 concurrent users/test | Ask vendor for quotation |
Unlimited tests | 15 tests per month | 20 tests per month | |
2 load generators | 20 load generators | 20 load generators | |
Free | €149 | €649 |
4. Gatling Enterprise Cloud
Gatling Enterprise Cloud is a cloud load testing service solution of the well-known French company Gatling, and if you are familiar with Scala, this is the best choice for you. Its interface is very simple and informative. The simulation is created step by step, and changes can be saved at any time. After the testing is completed, you get an automated report, which is dynamic and colourful. All that is left is to analyze it.
Built-in technical support and documentation with a detailed description of the features helps navigation. You can embed continuous integration processes using Jenkins. For long-term projects, consider using Gradle, Maven, or SBT Gatling projects.
However, if you have no experience with Scala, the entry threshold for full use of Gatling will be higher than for other stress testing tools.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Informative report
- IDE Compatibility
- At high loads, Gatling can be more productive than other load testing tools
- Convenient if you are developing on Scala
- Available integration with plugins
- Built-in technical support and detailed documentation
Cons
- If you have no experience with Scala, the entry threshold for full use of Gatling will be higher than for other online load testing tools.
- Additional configuration is required to create a test
Pricing
Demo for 2 weeks | Scout (monthly) | Scale (monthly) | Corporate (monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 user account | 10 user accounts | Ask vendor for quotation | |
500 minutes with 1 load injector | 2,000 minutes with 1 load injector | ||
3 load injectors | 6 load injectors | ||
1 injectors’ zone | 3 injectors’ zones | ||
1 hour max test duration | 24 hours max test duration | ||
Free | €99 | €396 | Starts at €1380 |
5. K6 Cloud
K6 Cloud is a commercial SaaS tool that is a perfect addition to K6 OSS and provides ease of use and convenience in performance and load testing. The test builder with a graphic user interface allows you to quickly and easily create tests. If necessary, you can write your own script in JS, or use an extension for Chrome with an upload in HAR format. The test is run in various locations in the public cloud using Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Due to some advanced features of the platform, it is possible to set thresholds to confirm Service Level Objectives (SLO) and run scheduled tests, configure application performance monitoring (APM) and integrate with developer tools, such as Jenkins, GitLab, Azure Pipelines, etc. You can also run cloud tests from the command line if you have k6 Open Source installed.
Pros
- Running scheduled tests
- Setting thresholds for SLO confirmation
- An advanced feature for tracking the activity of your team’s projects right in the interface
- Real-time reports using APM
- Ability to create custom metrics
Cons
- Very basic and superficial reporting
- Importing only HAR script
- Not convenient detailing when working with charts
Pricing
Trial | Developer (monthly) | Team (monthly) | PRO (monthly) | Custom/ Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50 cloud tests | 1 concurrent test | 1 concurrent test | 2 concurrent tests | Ask vendor for quotation |
Up to 200 vusers | Up to 1,000 vusers | Up to 5,000 vusers | ||
15 minutes max test duration | 60 minutes max test duration | 60 minutes max test duration | ||
50 test runs | 100 test runs | 100 test runs | ||
Free | $74 | $424 | $1,499 |
6. Flood.io
If you are looking for an online browser-based cloud website and web application stress testing tool, Flood will be the best choice for you. Using Flood Element, it is possible to quickly create a script in Typescript. To create a test, it is enough to import a script from such tools as JMeter, Gatling, Element or Selenium. Flood also has its own editor without parameterization and correlation.
The interface allows you to configure SLOs, use your own AWS/Azure/Google Cloud account to create load, integrate with developer tools for CI, and monitor performance of DynaTrace applications.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Browser-based load testing
- Using cloud services accounts
- Setting thresholds for SLOs confirmation
- A large selection of instances with different geolocation
Cons
- A credit card is required to start testing
- Inconvenient detailing when working with graphs
Pricing
0 to 500 VUH (Virtual User Hours) | 20k VUH | 100k VUH | 250k+ VUH |
1 hour max test duration | 24 hours max test duration | ||
Free | €855 monthly | €3,745 monthly | Contact the sales |
7. Loadview
Loadview is a platform for cloud load testing mostly designed for stress tests and identification of bottlenecks of websites and applications with the ability to simulate browser-based load.
The platform’s arsenal also includes tools for working with REST, SOAP and JSON APIs. The service provides a huge number of AWS and Microsoft Azure cloud load generators. Using a recorder, it’s easy to create large load scenarios. You can import your own scripts in JMX format. Each type of testing has its own monitoring platforms, where you can manually configure the dashboards. There are tools for configuration of SLA and integration with Jenkins using LoadView Plugin, as well as a built-in knowledge database and a 24/7 technical support service.
Pros
- Focusing on reliability testing
- Browser-based load testing
- Manual monitoring setup
- Setting up SLA
- A large selection of instances with different geolocation
- API testing tools
Cons
- Registration using corporate email
Pricing
Starter (monthly) | Professional (monthly) | Advanced (monthly) | On Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
100 concurrent browsers max | 500 concurrent browsers max | 200 concurrent browsers max | Ask vendor for quotation |
15,000 user hours | 75,000 user hours | 300,000 user hours | |
4 hours max test duration | 4 hours max test duration | 4 hours max test duration | |
$199 | $499 | $1,499 |
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8. Loader.io
Loader.io is a service for performing load testing of web applications and APIs by feeding the load to a host registered through the interface or API. The interface is simple and intuitive. The script is compiled manually, and there is no possibility to import your own tests. The advanced features of the platform allow you to set thresholds, configure APM and integrate developer tools, such as Jenkins, Circle, etc. When subscribing, the list of available features increases, and the report on the test results becomes more detailed.
Pros
- Ability to integrate functionality in your deployment procedures
- Simple interface with a set of necessary tools
- Running longer and more intensive tests at a relatively cheap cost
Cons
- Additional host configuration is required to create a test
- Limited number of requests in the script
Pricing
Free | Advanced (monthly) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
10,000 clients per test | 100,000 clients per test | Ask vendor for quotation |
1 target host | unlimited target hosts | |
1 min tests | unlimited 10 min tests | |
2 urls per test | 10 urls per test | |
$0 | $99.95 |
10. LoadFocus
LoadFocus is a universal platform for cloud testing of websites, web applications and APIs suitable for both load and functional testing. You can create tests manually or by importing a JMX script: all the necessary tools are available. There is a possibility to choose if the web page will be downloaded from mobile or desktop. You can also configure the launch of scheduled tests.
A wide variety of Amazon instances with different geolocations is available. The built-in monitoring is very informative, and you can set up alerts and compare the results of several tests. To simplify running tests and monitoring the results, you can install extensions for Chrome. To integrate with Jenkins, it is enough to install the Load Testing plugin. There is functionality for creating visual regression tests and testing mobile device emulation.
Pros
- Versatility of the platform
- Granulation of graphs up to 100 ms
- Informative reports
- Running scheduled performance tests
- Comparison of test results
Cons
- There is no possibility of integrating application performance monitoring
- 7 days of website performance monitoring data storage
Pricing
Starter | Basic (monthly) | Pro (monthly) | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
20 concurrent tests | 1,000 concurrent tests | 5,000 concurrent tests | 10,000 concurrent tests |
1 minute tests | 30 minutes tests | 1 hour tests | 1 hour tests |
10 tests per year | 300 tests per year | 1,000 tests per year | 2,000 tests per year |
50 website performance monitoring tests per month | 5000 website performance monitoring tests per month | 15,000 website performance monitoring tests per month | 50,000 website performance monitoring tests per month |
Free | $59 | $259 | $399 |
11. Neoload Web SAAS
NeoLoad Web SAAS is a centralized platform by Neotys designed for continuous testing. To create a test, you need to upload a script in YAML or ZIP format. There is a wide choice of instances from different providers with different geolocations. The interface offers functionality to configure SLA, create and manage dashboards, reserve resources, as well as advanced statistics for each tested component of the application, and role allocation.
With daily performance regression testing, the trends report will become a great asset in analyzing the results. You can also run tests via NeoLoad Controller, which works locally and sends data to NeoLoad Web during test execution. Integration with Jenkins developer tools, Azure DevOps, and Gitlab is available, too.
Pros
- Manual control of dashboards
- Setting up SLA
- Trend Reports
- Advanced Statistics
- Distribution of roles and privileges
Cons
- There is no possibility of APM integration
- Imports only YAML or ZIP script
Pricing
- Pay-as-you-grow. Contact vendor for quotation.
12. LoadNinja
LoadNinja is a cloud service for load testing websites and APIs. The peculiarity of this tool is that there is no possibility to import ready-made scripts, but you can record a sequence of user actions directly through the interface. When writing a script, it is possible to configure an SLA. The setup of load feeding is rather easy, and a lot of AWS instances with different locations are available.
The load is served using real browsers. Reports can be observed in real time, as well as compared with other reports at the end of the test. To integrate with Jenkins, it is enough to install the LoadNinja Load Testing Plugin. If difficulties arise during testing, you can turn to documentation, video tutorials, and support, all available in the system.
Pros
- Browser-based load testing
- Recording the UI script directly in the interface
- Comparison of test results
- Real-time reports
- Setting up SLA
Cons
- There is no possibility of APM integration
- There is no possibility to import a ready-made script
Pricing
Starter | Pro (monthly) | Premium (monthly) | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
100 virtual users | 1,000 virtual users | 2,500 virtual users | Ask vendor for quotation |
8 load hours per month | 8 load hours per month | 8 load hours per month | |
€249 | €749 | €1,009 |
13. Loadium
Loadium is a simple and functional platform for performance testing. By uploading a script from JMeter, Gatling or Selenium, you can easily and quickly create a test. It is also possible to write a script manually using the test constructor. To work with Postman collections or HAR format scripts, a converter to the JMX format is prudently built in. When setting up the test, you can specify a transaction limit per second.
A wide variety of Amazon instances with different geolocations is available. It is possible to use dedicated IP addresses, enable notifications about the start and end of the test, and compare test results. The advanced features of the platform allow you to configure APM for AppDynamics or New Relic and integrate Jenkins developer tool. With the Loadium Record & Play extension, it will become even faster and easier to record, edit and run load tests.
Pros
- Built-in converter
- Extension for Chrome
- Comparison of test results
- Real-time reports using APM
- Dedicated IP addresses
- Email notifications about the start and end of the test
Cons
- Inconvenient detailing when working with graphs
Pricing
Free | Basic (monthly) | Standard (monthly) | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
10 tests | 250 tests | 360 tests | Ask vendor for quotation |
250 concurrent users | 2,000 concurrent users | 5,000 concurrent users | |
10 minutes max test duration | 30 minutes max test duration | 3 hours max test duration | |
10,000 API Calls | Unlimited API Calls | Unlimited API Calls | |
Free | $99 | $349 |
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Parameterized comparison
Our parameterized comparison of the tools in this table will let you choose the instrument just right for you without surfing all the websites. Afterall, we’ve used these tools many times. If you want to learn more or are interested in load testing services, do not hesitate to contact us, we will do our best to help.
| Parameter | PFLB Platform | BlazeMeter | OctoPerf | gatling.io | k6.io | flood.io | loadview | loader.io | loadfocus.com | neoload SAAS | Load Ninja | Loadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configurable | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Cloud | AWS or | AWS, | AWS, | AWS | AWS | AWS, | AWS, | AWS | AWS | AWS, | AWS | AWS |
| Different locations | Coming soon | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Google Analytics | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| HAR import | | | | | | | | | | | | Built-in converter |
| Rest API collections import | | | 
 for Postman, | | | |
Postman | | | | | Built-in converter |
 for Insomnia | ||||||||||||
| Selenium WebDriver | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Run your existing tests |
JMeter- |
JMeter, Gatling, Selenium, Taurus |
JMeter-based |
Gatling-based |
HAR |
JMeter, Gatling |
JMeter | |
JMeter-based |
yaml-based | |
JMeter, Gatling |
| SLA | |
, but it`s possible to set RPS limit | | |
, Thresholds | ContentSLO, | |
, Thresholds | | | |
, but it`s possible to set TPS limit |
| Integration with CI | | | |
using the plugin |
via outer CI tool |
via outer CI tool | | |
using the plugin | | | |
| Tests comparison | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Trend reports | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Real Browser testing | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JMeter parameters | | | |
Simulation System Properties | | | | | | | | |
| Detailed traces with errors | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Granularity | down to 1 sec | down to 1 sec | down to 5 sec | down to 1 sec | | down to 1 sec | down to 1 sec | down to 1 sec | down to 100 ms | down to 1 sec | down to 1 sec | down to 1 sec |
| Free version? | | | | | | Credit card | | | | | | |
| APM Integrations | Grafana/ Telegraf | DX APM, | New Relic, Dynatrace, | using the plugin | Azure Monitor, | Dynatrace | using a plugin | New Relic | | | | New Relic, |
| Automated breakdown | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Autostop | | | | | | | | | | | | |
