Top 40 Commercial Alternatives to Applitools Eyes

Introduction

Visual testing has evolved alongside web, mobile, and desktop automation. Early UI testing focused on DOM locators and scripted assertions (for example, Selenium for browsers), which excel at functional verification but often miss pixel-level regressions. As design systems grew and UI complexity increased, teams needed a way to validate not just behavior, but also layout, typography, color, and rendering differences across browsers and devices.

Applitools Eyes emerged to fill that gap with AI-powered visual testing. It provides SDKs for popular languages (JavaScript, Java, Python, .NET) and platforms (web, mobile, desktop). Its Ultrafast Grid accelerates cross-browser and cross-device visual coverage by parallelizing rendering, and its Visual AI can minimize noise in diffs (like dynamic content or anti-aliasing). These capabilities made it popular with front-end teams and QA organizations looking to catch subtle UI regressions, improve confidence in releases, and streamline visual reviews.

However, no single tool fits every team, workflow, or budget. As test strategies mature—often blending API, performance, synthetic monitoring, model-based testing, RPA, and visual checks—many teams look at commercial alternatives that either replace or complement Applitools Eyes, depending on the use case. Below, we break down 40 commercial options across visual testing, device clouds, low-code/AI test automation, RPA/desktop UI testing, synthetics, and performance tooling.

Overview: Top 40 Alternatives to Applitools Eyes

Here are the top 40 alternatives for Applitools Eyes:

• Applitools for Mobile

• Automation Anywhere

• BitBar

• BlazeMeter

• Blue Prism

• BrowserStack Automate

• Burp Suite (Enterprise)

• Checkly

• Cypress Cloud

• Datadog Synthetic Tests

• Eggplant Test

• Functionize

• Happo

• IBM Rational Functional Tester

• Kobiton

• LambdaTest

• LoadRunner

• Mabl

• Micro Focus Silk Test

• Microsoft Playwright Testing

• NeoLoad

• New Relic Synthetics

• Percy

• Perfecto

• Pingdom

• RPA Tools (UiPath)

• Ranorex

• ReadyAPI

• Repeato

• Sahi Pro

• Sauce Labs

• Squish

• TestCafe Studio

• TestComplete

• Testim

• Tricentis Tosca

• UFT One (formerly QTP)

• Virtuoso

• Waldo

• testRigor

Why Look for Applitools Eyes Alternatives?

• Baseline management overhead: Visual testing requires maintaining baselines. In fast-moving UIs or across many locales/themes, keeping baselines clean can add operational overhead.

• Dynamic content and false positives: Highly dynamic pages (ads, dates, content feeds) can create noisy diffs that require extra configuration and review.

• Cost and licensing constraints: Visual grids and enterprise features can be expensive at scale, prompting teams to explore tools that better match their budget or usage patterns.

• Scope beyond visual diffs: Some teams prioritize API, performance, or RPA-driven UI flows; they may prefer platforms that cover broader testing needs end-to-end.

• Stack preferences and vendor consolidation: Organizations may prefer a single vendor for device clouds, functional automation, synthetics, and analytics, simplifying procurement and integration.

Detailed Breakdown of Alternatives

1) Applitools for Mobile

• What it is: A visual testing solution designed specifically for iOS and Android, leveraging the same Visual AI as Eyes.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: It is part of the Applitools ecosystem and targets mobile use cases more directly; it shares the benefits and constraints of baseline-driven visual testing.

• Best for: Front-end and QA teams ensuring mobile UI consistency release to release.

2) Automation Anywhere

• What it is: An RPA/desktop UI platform for Windows with overlapping capabilities for automating repeatable UI workflows.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on automating flows rather than visual diffs; complements or replaces visual checks with workflow validation.

• Best for: Teams automating end-to-end business processes on Windows desktops and legacy systems.

3) BitBar

• What it is: A cloud device/browser grid (from SmartBear) offering real devices for mobile and web testing.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Provides infrastructure for running tests; you can combine it with visual tools, but BitBar itself is not a visual AI platform.

• Best for: Teams needing reliable device/browser coverage in the cloud.

4) BlazeMeter

• What it is: A SaaS performance and load testing platform for web, API, and protocols.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: A different category—performance and reliability rather than visual diffs; complements visual testing with resilience insights.

• Best for: Performance engineers and DevOps teams running stress and load tests.

5) Blue Prism

• What it is: RPA/desktop UI automation for Windows, suitable for repeatable UI tasks in enterprises.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Targets process automation rather than visual validation; can verify outcomes via UI interactions instead of image diffing.

• Best for: Organizations scaling RPA across business units.

6) BrowserStack Automate

• What it is: A large real device and browser cloud for web and mobile automation.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Not a visual diff engine; often paired with visual tools (including Applitools or Percy) to provide rendering coverage at scale.

• Best for: Teams needing cross-browser and cross-device execution infrastructure.

7) Burp Suite (Enterprise)

• What it is: A DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) platform for web and APIs.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Security-focused rather than visual QA; relevant when broadening test strategy beyond UI regressions.

• Best for: Security, DevOps, and QA teams integrating automated security checks into pipelines.

8) Checkly

• What it is: A code-first synthetics and end-to-end testing platform for web and APIs, based on Playwright.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Verifies behavior and availability rather than visual layout; can be extended with visual assertions via code.

• Best for: Teams that want synthetics and E2E checks with developer-friendly workflows.

9) Cypress Cloud

• What it is: A SaaS runner and insights platform for Cypress tests.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on managing and scaling Cypress tests; for visual diffs, teams often add a visual tool to Cypress.

• Best for: Teams standardized on Cypress seeking faster and more reliable runs.

10) Datadog Synthetic Tests

• What it is: Browser and API synthetics with CI/CD integrations and observability tie-ins.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Prioritizes availability and functional checks rather than visual diffs; complements production monitoring.

• Best for: DevOps and SRE teams needing continuous production coverage.

11) Eggplant Test

• What it is: Model-based and AI-driven testing with image recognition for desktop, web, and mobile.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Both leverage visual analysis, but Eggplant emphasizes computer vision and model-based flows; it can validate UI visually while driving interactions.

• Best for: Teams testing desktop, embedded, or mixed-platform UIs with model-based approaches.

12) Functionize

• What it is: An AI-assisted end-to-end testing platform for web and mobile with ML-powered selectors.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Emphasizes resilient functional automation; can include visual checks, but core strength is ML-based locator stability over time.

• Best for: Teams wanting to reduce flaky tests through AI-driven element handling.

13) Happo

• What it is: A visual regression platform for web components with snapshot diffs in CI.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Narrower scope—component snapshots rather than full page AI-based diffs; simpler setup for component libraries.

• Best for: Front-end teams with design systems and component-driven development.

14) IBM Rational Functional Tester

• What it is: Enterprise functional UI testing for desktop and web.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Functional UI automation over visual AI; can be paired with visual checks if needed.

• Best for: Enterprises with legacy tech stacks and complex desktop/web apps.

15) Kobiton

• What it is: A cloud device platform for mobile testing and automation.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Provides device infrastructure, not visual AI; teams can add visual assertions or diffing separately.

• Best for: Mobile teams needing reliable device coverage.

16) LambdaTest

• What it is: Cross-browser testing on web and mobile platforms.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Infrastructure for execution; for visual diffs you combine with a visual testing layer.

• Best for: Teams standardizing on a flexible execution cloud.

17) LoadRunner

• What it is: Enterprise performance and load testing for web, API, and protocols.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Addresses performance risks rather than visual regressions; complements UI testing with scalability validation.

• Best for: Performance engineering teams in large enterprises.

18) Mabl

• What it is: A low-code and AI-enabled end-to-end testing platform for web and API.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on robust functional automation with some visual coverage; less emphasis on AI-driven visual diffing.

• Best for: Teams seeking low-code authoring with AI assistance.

19) Micro Focus Silk Test

• What it is: Functional UI testing for desktop and web with enterprise roots.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Emphasizes functional UI automation; visual validation requires complementary tooling.

• Best for: Organizations maintaining long-lived desktop and web applications.

20) Microsoft Playwright Testing

• What it is: A managed cloud service for running Playwright tests at scale.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Execution service rather than visual AI; can be combined with Playwright-based visual checks if needed.

• Best for: Teams standardized on Playwright.

21) NeoLoad

• What it is: Enterprise load and performance testing for web, API, and protocols.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on performance, not visual layout; complements broader non-functional testing needs.

• Best for: DevOps and performance teams focusing on reliability under load.

22) New Relic Synthetics

• What it is: Scripted browser checks and API monitoring in production.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Production-focused synthetics; not a visual AI diff engine. Can monitor critical paths and catch outages.

• Best for: SRE and DevOps teams monitoring user journeys in production.

23) Percy

• What it is: A visual testing solution for the web with CI integrations and snapshot-based diffs.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on snapshot diffs rather than AI-driven visual analysis and Ultrafast Grid rendering; simpler for many web teams.

• Best for: Front-end teams needing visual diffs integrated into PR workflows.

24) Perfecto

• What it is: An enterprise device cloud for mobile and web testing.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Execution infrastructure rather than visual AI; often paired with visual testing tools.

• Best for: Enterprises with rigorous device coverage requirements.

25) Pingdom

• What it is: Synthetics for web and API with uptime and transactional checks.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on availability and transaction health, not visual diffs; complements post-deploy monitoring.

• Best for: Ops and DevOps teams ensuring production readiness.

26) RPA Tools (UiPath)

• What it is: RPA and desktop UI automation for Windows and macOS; often used for regression UI automation.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Automates workflows and validations primarily via UI interactions rather than visual AI diffs.

• Best for: Organizations pursuing RPA and regression UI automation together.

27) Ranorex

• What it is: Codeless/scripted E2E testing for desktop, web, and mobile with an object repository.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Primarily functional automation; can capture screenshots, but not AI-driven visual comparison by default.

• Best for: QA teams spanning desktop and web apps.

28) ReadyAPI

• What it is: API testing for SOAP/REST/GraphQL with a commercial feature set.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Backend/API-focused; pairs with UI/visual tools to cover full-stack testing.

• Best for: Backend and QA teams validating APIs extensively.

29) Repeato

• What it is: Codeless/computer-vision-based mobile UI testing for iOS and Android.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Leans on computer vision for interaction and validation on mobile; comparable in spirit to visual-first checks, but focused on mobile UI automation.

• Best for: Mobile teams wanting codeless, vision-driven tests.

30) Sahi Pro

• What it is: E2E UI testing for web and desktop with enterprise robustness.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Functional UI testing rather than visual diffing; screenshots/validation can be layered in as needed.

• Best for: Teams automating intricate end-to-end flows.

31) Sauce Labs

• What it is: A cloud platform for web and mobile testing with real devices/emulators and analytics.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Execution and analytics platform; pair with visual testing for layout verification.

• Best for: Teams needing scalable, reliable test infrastructure.

32) Squish

• What it is: GUI E2E testing for Qt, QML, web, desktop, and embedded systems.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Functional GUI automation with strong toolkit support; add visual checks if required.

• Best for: Engineering teams testing Qt/QML and embedded UI applications.

33) TestCafe Studio

• What it is: A codeless IDE variant of TestCafe for web E2E UI testing.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Functional browser automation without built-in AI visual diffs; can integrate screenshots and assertions.

• Best for: Web teams favoring codeless authoring and stable E2E tests.

34) TestComplete

• What it is: Codeless/scripted E2E testing for desktop, web, and mobile from SmartBear.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Full-stack UI automation; visual checks typically require additional tooling or custom assertions.

• Best for: Mixed-application teams (desktop/web/mobile) needing one platform.

35) Testim

• What it is: An AI-assisted E2E testing tool for the web with self-healing locators.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Prioritizes resilient functional automation with smart locators; visual diffs are not the main focus.

• Best for: Teams struggling with flaky selectors in UI tests.

36) Tricentis Tosca

• What it is: Model-based E2E testing for web, mobile, desktop, and SAP with enterprise capabilities.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Comprehensive E2E platform; can include screen validations but not dedicated to AI visual diffs.

• Best for: Enterprises standardizing testing across diverse applications.

37) UFT One (formerly QTP)

• What it is: Enterprise GUI automation for desktop and web by OpenText.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Functional automation heritage; visual regression testing would be additive rather than core.

• Best for: Enterprises with long-standing UFT investments.

38) Virtuoso

• What it is: An AI-assisted E2E testing platform for web and mobile with NLP-driven authoring.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Uses AI for authoring and resilience; visual validation is part of the story but not centered on AI diffing like Eyes.

• Best for: Teams seeking faster authoring via natural language and AI.

39) Waldo

• What it is: A no-code mobile UI testing platform for iOS and Android with cloud execution.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Focuses on mobile UI flows; visual diffs are not the primary mechanism.

• Best for: Mobile teams who want fast, no-code test authoring.

40) testRigor

• What it is: A natural-language E2E testing platform for web and mobile.

• Strengths:

• How it compares to Applitools Eyes: Emphasizes readability and maintainability of functional tests; not centered on AI visual comparison.

• Best for: Teams prioritizing low-maintenance, human-readable test suites.

Things to Consider Before Choosing an Applitools Eyes Alternative

• Project scope and test types: Do you need visual diffs, functional flows, API testing, performance, synthetics, or desktop/RPA? Many teams choose a combination rather than a single tool.

• Language and framework support: Ensure SDKs, scripting languages, and framework compatibility (Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Appium, etc.) match your team’s stack.

• Ease of setup and authoring: Consider whether your team prefers codeless/low-code authoring, model-based approaches, or code-first tests.

• Execution speed and scale: Look for parallelization, grid/device cloud availability, and fast feedback features (such as intelligent retries or flake detection).

• CI/CD and DevOps integration: Verify native integrations with your pipelines, test management, reporting, and alerting systems.

• Debugging and observability: Screenshots, videos, network logs, console logs, and analytics are essential for diagnosing failures quickly.

• Baseline and maintenance strategy: If you adopt visual testing, evaluate baseline workflows, ignore regions, and handling of dynamic content to minimize noise.

• Collaboration and review workflows: For visual reviews and test approvals, check how stakeholders interact with diffs and test results.

• Security and governance: For enterprise environments, confirm access controls, audit trails, data residency, and compliance features.

• Scalability and total cost: Assess licensing, data usage, concurrency limits, and long-term cost as your test suite and teams grow.

Conclusion

Applitools Eyes remains a powerful solution for AI-driven visual testing across web, mobile, and desktop. Its Ultrafast Grid and SDKs help teams catch visual regressions that traditional assertions miss. Still, many organizations explore alternatives to address different needs: simpler component-level diffs (Happo, Percy), device and browser coverage at scale (BrowserStack Automate, Sauce Labs, LambdaTest, Perfecto, BitBar, Kobiton), AI/low-code functional automation (Mabl, Functionize, Testim, Virtuoso, testRigor), RPA and desktop focus (Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, UiPath, Ranorex, UFT One, Silk Test, Squish), production synthetics (Checkly, Datadog Synthetic Tests, New Relic Synthetics, Pingdom), and performance testing (BlazeMeter, LoadRunner, NeoLoad).

The best choice depends on your priorities. If pixel-perfect UI parity is critical, visual-first tools or component-level visual regression may shine. If your bottleneck is flaky selectors and maintenance, AI-assisted functional tools can help. If you need broad platform coverage or production monitoring, a device cloud or synthetics platform is a strong complement. Many teams find success by combining a visual-testing layer with a scalable execution cloud and a developer-friendly E2E framework—balancing coverage, speed, and maintainability to fit their stack and organizational goals.