DevOps

The Top 10 Functional Testing Tools

Discover the Top Functional Testing Tools with key features such as cross browser and cross platform testing, as well as automated test execution.

Last updated on Aug 20, 2024

Written by Mirren McDade

Technical review by Laura Iannini

The Top 10 Functional Testing Tools include:

1. BrowserStack
2. Cypress
3. IBM DevOpsTest
4. Katalon Studio
5. LambdaTest
6. OpenText UFT One
7. Playwright
8. Selenium WebDriver
9. Tricentis Tosca
10. UiPath Test Suite

Functional Testing Tools check that your software functions as it is expected to. This can often be a tedious and thankless tasks, which automation can streamline. These tools help to validate that your software is working as expected, which leads to reduced risk, improved quality, and accelerated delivery.

These solutions ensure that your software behaves as expected under varied scenarios and is user-friendly, leading to a seamless end-user experience. It is important to ensure that you assess a broad range of situations to ensure that all user needs are met.

There are many great options on the market today for a functional testing tool, each one taking a slightly different approach to solving the issue testing software functionality. We have put together a list of our top picks, making our selections based on which solutions we found to be the most efficient during our testing phase, as well as on their robustness, user-friendliness, supported platforms, and unique features.

BrowserStack

BrowserStack offers automated software testing solutions for both web and mobile applications, with comprehensive functional testing capabilities. Interoperability with leading CI/CD tools, including Jenkins and GitLab, ensures a seamless integration with existing workflows.

What We Like: BrowserStack accelerates functional testing by allowing hundreds of tests to run simultaneously, thereby saving time. It will comprehensively log documents, including screenshots and video recordings, thereby helping throughout the debugging process.

Best Features:

It conducts testing with over 3,000 real browsers and devices
Features parallel testing to enhance efficiency
Automatically collects critical debugging data such as logs, screenshots, and videos
It smoothly integrates with key continuous integration/continuous delivery tools

We Recommend: BrowserStack is appropriate for organizations of all sizes across various industries, especially those which prioritize efficiency and precision in their testing processes. BrowserStack has a proven track record of reliability and performance.

Cypress

Cypress is an all-encompassing testing tool for web applications, offering both free (Cypress App) and paid (Cypress Cloud) versions with varying functionalities.

What We Like: Cypress facilitates efficient, comprehensive cross-browser testing and offers easy integration with various CI tools. Its intuitive API is praised by users for task execution at browser rendering speed.

Best Features:

Simple interface for generating tests by recording interactions with applications
Capture screenshots and videos of failed tests for problem-solving
Live Reload and Time Travel for real-time command execution and application response
Parallel test run, automatic load balancing, and automatic cancellations in the premium version

We Recommend: The free, open-source Cypress App is suitable for all teams, while the Cypress Cloud, with advanced features and analytics, best serves enterprise-level organizations looking for detailed insights into the health of their web application projects.

IBM DevOpsTest

IBM DevOpsTest is a comprehensive suite of testing tools for automated test creation, execution, and analysis, along with visualization solutions.

What We Like: This platform allows functional, API, and performance testing from a single tool, greatly enhancing efficiency. It enables teams to conduct early testing in the development cycle, regardless of the project type.

Best Features:

Web-based continuous testing platform with Docker containers
Supports both web-based and terminal-based applications for functional and regression tests
Identifies performance bottlenecks on web and server applications
Virtualizes applications’ parts, enabling early testing without the need for other resources
Offers an environment for developers to write scripts for automated tests

We Recommend: IBM DevOpsTest is ideally suited for enterprise-level organizations that are seeking efficient and early automated testing solutions to proactively identify and troubleshoot potential issues.

Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is an AI-enhanced test automation solution based on the Selenium framework that covers various types of software testing including web, mobile, desktop applications, and APIs.

What We Like: The platform offers easy integration with several third-party tools and supports simultaneous testing, making it ideal for both professionals and those with less technical experience.

Best Features:

AI-driven features for automatic test case generation and self-healing capabilities
Versatile testing options across actual devices with real device cloud
Spy Windows and Record Windows Action for efficient desktop testing
Comprehensive API testing support including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL

We Recommend: Katalon Studio is ideal for organizations of all sizes seeking a versatile and efficient testing automation solution. It also offers a free plan suitable for small teams or individual users.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a cloud-based software platform that allows teams to smoothly execute automated testing of web and mobile applications across a myriad of platforms.

What We Like: LambdaTest stands out with its support for over 3,000 environments, several coding languages, and 120+ geolocations for testing, along with a fully managed cloud infrastructure and round-the-clock support.

Best Features:

Test execution clouds for several testing frameworks, including Selenium, Playwright, Cypress and Appium
Auto-healing capability for automatic recovery from certain types of failure
Parallel testing for web and mobile applications on both real and emulated devices
AI copilot for generating test cases and providing test result insights

We Recommend: With over 2 million users in 10,000 organizations across 132 countries, LambdaTest is recommended for both small to medium-sized businesses and large enterprises looking for a comprehensive, cloud-based automation testing platform.

OpenText UFT One

OpenText UFT One provides AI-powered functional automation testing across a variety of platforms, offering comprehensive testing for both front-end and back-end applications.

What We Like: OpenText UFT One provides omnichannel testing across over 200 enterprise applications and environments, and its AI-powered features reduce test creation time while improving coverage.

Best Features:

Omnichannel automated testing from UI to API
Reusable test scripts across different browsers and environments
Parallel test running
AI-driven features including object recognition and image-based automation

We Recommend: OpenText UFT One is best suited for businesses across various sectors like insurance, healthcare, and banking, aiming to streamline their functional testing with an intelligent and versatile tool.

Playwright

Playwright is a free, open-source testing tool for web applications, covering multiple platforms and browser rendering engines. It executes end-to-end testing using a range of programming languages and is equipped to emulate mobile web interfaces.

What We Like: Playwright is versatile, supporting languages such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, .NET, or Java. It can natively emulate mobile interfaces like those of iOS Safari and Android Google Chrome, making mobile testing a breeze.

Best Features:

Compatible with a range of platform including Windows, Linux, and MacOS, in both local and CI environments
Automatically waits for web elements to become actionable, eliminating the need for artificial timeouts
Dynamic retries and comprehensive tracing until required conditions are met, and every testing step is traceable through execution traces, screenshots, and videos
Real browser input pipeline that provides realistic, user-like interaction with web elements

We Recommend: Playwright is a great solution for both small teams and large commercial software businesses. This solution is a strong choice for all end-to-end testing needs thanks to its broad compatibility and helpful features.

Selenium WebDriver

Selenium WebDriver is an open-source application testing tool, specifically designed for browser-based automated functional tests.

What We Like: Selenium WebDriver supports a host of popular web browsers such as Chrome and Safari. It is compatible with the most common operating systems like Windows and Mac.

Best Features:

Compatible with various programming languages such as C#, Ruby, Python, JavaScript, and Java
Capable of driving a browser either locally or remotely, simulating the actions of a real user

We Recommend: Selenium WebDriver is an excellent free tool suitable for developers of all abilities, or teams who need a versatile and effective solution for testing and automating browser-based applications. Sponsored by various high-profile companies within the software testing and automation sectors, it offers both credibility and performance.

Tricentis Tosca

Tricentis Tosca is a versatile tool that is designed for automated software testing, including functional testing, and offers over 160 integrations with other enterprise applications.

What We Like: At its core, Tricentis offers deployment flexibility – you can either run it on-premise or choose the cloud SaaS option. Companies appreciate its compatibility with other systems like Salesforce, Oracle, and PEGA.

Best Features:

Tosca Copilot AI assistant for optimized test assets
Vision AI’s utilization of neural networks for element recognition
Model-based test automation for independent, codeless tests
The option of risk-based test optimization for vital functionality

We Recommend: Tricentis Tosca is highly recommended for large enterprise organizations pursuing innovation in continuous testing. Its integration capabilities with other Tricentis solutions make it a comprehensive solution for organizations thanks to its range of features.

UiPath Test Suite

A functional application testing suite contained within the UiPath business automation platform designed specifically for developers.

What We Like: The UiPath Test Suite stands out with its seamless integration with third-party solutions including SAP, Jira, and Azure DevOps, allowing it to fit effortlessly into existing digital ecosystems.

Best Features:

Automatically generates tests for automations to expedite test case creation and improve coverage
Utilizes AI-driven insights to prioritize test cases using real data
Offers migration services to shift test management assets and automation scripts from legacy tools to UiPath
Schedule tests to run on demand, routinely or using CI triggers

We Recommend: UiPath Test Suite is designed for large-scale enterprises seeking a comprehensive and efficient automation testing solution that integrates with their existing third-party solutions. Its AI-driven insights and automated test generation are particularly beneficial in driving software quality and compliance.

Everything You Need to Know About Functional Testing Tools (FAQs)

What Is A Functional Testing Tool?

Functional testing is a kind of software testing that validates the software system against existing specifications/functional requirements. The purpose of functional testing is to check that each function of the software application is operating properly. This is achieved by providing the appropriate input and verifying the output against the functional requirements.

The main objective of functional testing is checking the functionalities of the software system. It tends to focus on the following:

Mainline functions – is used to testing the main function of the application
Basic usability – tests the basic usability of the system to ensure that the user can easily navigate through the screens without difficulty
Accessibility – involves the need to check that the system is fully accessible for the user
Error conditions – this tests how a solution will respond when faced with an invalid input, unexpected user actions, or system failures to see how it handles errors

Functional testing tools simulate user interactions with the application, such as entering data, clicking buttons, and navigating through the interface, to ensure that the software behaves correctly under various scenarios. These tools are useful for helping to identify defects, ensure software is meeting user expectations, and improving the overall quality and reliability of the application before it is released.

How Do Functional Testing Tools Work?

Functional Testing Tools work by checking that the software functions as it should. Automated tools execute a suite of tests that control the application’s inputs, evaluate outcomes, and compare them against expected results. From simple, single-function actions to complex behavioral scenarios, functional tests verify that the software behaves as expected under numerous use-case scenarios.

The steps involved in a functional test include:

Understand the Functional Requirements
Identify test input or test data based on those requirements
Calculate the expected outcomes with selected test input values
Execute test cases
Compare the expected results to the actual results

What Features Should You Look for When Choosing Functional Testing Tools?

Choosing the right Functional Testing Tools can be difficult, with so many strong options on the market. Here’s a list of key features to consider:

Automated Test Execution – Automating tests across environments reduces the need for manual input, boosting testing efficiency, and maintains consistency of test execution.
Cross-Browser/Cross-Platform Testing – Compatibility with multiple browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari etc.) and platform types (including Windows, macOS, and Linux) helps to ensure that the application can function correctly in all environments where it will be used.
Integration – Integration with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) systems allow automated tests to be part of the development process, ensuring that any issues are detected and addressed early in the development cycle.
Support For Common Scripting Languages – In a functional testing tool, scripting language refers to the programming language used to write automated test scripts and simulate user interactions with the application. Any tool you choose should be able to support a scripting language that the team is comfortable using.
Reporting and Analytics – Advanced reporting and analytics provide valuable insights into test results, including details of trends over time, pass/fail rates, and defect tracking. This is helpful for teams as it makes it easier to understand test outcomes, as well as indicating the software quality and identifying areas that could be improved.
User-Friendly Interface – An intuitive and easy-to-use interface is important as this allows testers, including those with limited technical expertise, to create, manage, and execute test cases efficiently. A user-friendly interface also accelerates the adoption of the tool within the team.

Mirren McDade

Senior Journalist & Content Writer

Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts. She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts. Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.

Laura Iannini

Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is an Information Security Engineer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida. Laura has experience with a variety of cybersecurity platforms and leads technical reviews of leading solutions. She conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.