Best website load testing services

By: Iryen
  |  May 1, 2023
Best website load testing services

Website load testing services determine how websites deal with online traffic. Too often, people equate it with performance testing. However, load testing is just a type of website performance testing. Other types of performance testing include endurance testing, volume testing, scalability testing, spike testing, and stress testing. 

In website deployment, it is common that transactions may fail and systems crash. It is due to concurrent demands on the website and adjustment over resources. Also, there might be untested codes that trigger failure. These situations arise, but developers fail to realize that it is associated with load design and testing. 

Most often, developers conduct load testing as part of the project finale. It is only at the end of the development that developers focus on load implementation. It is a risky and often incorrect approach as it misses out on the benefits of load testing at the start of the development. 

Also, website load performance failures are due to additional problems like page speed, resource exhaustion, buffer overflows, timeouts, and inconsistent behavior. Thus, website development needs website load testing services at the very start. 

Let’s talk more about load testing. 

What is Load Testing?

Load testing is a type of software testing method. It tests software (websites, web apps) with multiple user simulation. It answers how many users can access your website at once. Also, how will your website function under multiple users or a sudden increase in volume? 

Load testing offers vast performance benefits, such as: 

  • Decreases the possibility of downtime
  • Enhances the deployment quality of an application
  • Enables developers to find performance bottlenecks
  • Assures customer satisfaction
  • Provides tangible statistics to website developers

Load testing is an essential feature of software quality assurance. An ineffective load testing procedure may result in financial loss and project delays. Hence, it is valuable since it ensures the website’s efficiency related to customer usage.

There are several ways to have an efficient load testing procedure. You can opt for the basic load testing tools available. Or, you can go after advanced Application Performance Management (APM) solutions like Retrace

Retrace helps eliminate additional costs of fixing problems by running an effective performance testing procedure. It proactively improves your website performance. You can explore its Sandbox or start your FREE trial today. 

Top 10 Website Load Testing Services

Building a website is a significant element of any business today.  Everybody wants to have a fantastic-looking website brimming with valuable information. However, there is always a constant struggle when it comes to performance. 

When you have a slow website, chances are you lose customers and revenue. Thus, it is vital to establish your load testing procedures and determine what website load testing services to use. 

Just like all types of testing, load testing has been around for a long time. Developers either choose traditional standard load testing methods such as protocol-based website testing. However, as websites are getting complex, the demand for modern and automated load testing techniques is prevalent.

Remember, protocol-based website load testing simulates virtual users. It works by generating many specific protocol requests. Then, it measures website performance based on request-response behavior.  

For example, HTTP servers generate user load for the website and performance parameters. Such parameters include response time, response delay, computation time, and network delay.  It then measures these parameters under peak conditions. 

Let’s examine different website load testing services based on their features and protocols used.

WebLOAD

WebLOAD is an enterprise-scale load testing tool that is also capable of stress testing. It applies to both web and mobile load testing and analysis. RadView Software offers a comprehensive IDE, Load Generation Console, and a sophisticated Analytics Dashboard. Above all, WebLOAD combines performance, scalability, and integrity as a single tool for web and mobile applications.

Features: 

  • Performs easy test scenario creation
  • Provides efficient correlation engine
  • Has automatic bottleneck detection
  • Generates fast load on-premise or in the cloud
  • Supports native JavaScript scripting

Protocols: 

  • HTTP/HTTPS
  • XML
  • Enterprise applications
  • Network Technology
  • Server Technologies

LoadNinja

“Load testing doesn’t have to be difficult,” according to LoadNinja. This tool from Smartbear allows easy creation of scriptless sophisticated load tests. As a result, it reduces testing time by half.  

Instead of testing the protocol, it assesses the actual end-user experience across tens of thousands of browsers using its TrueLoad technology. It saves 60% of the effort. It requires no maintenance nor setup requirements but provides the most accurate understanding of performance quickly. 

Features:

  • Performs scriptless load test creation and playback
  • Provides real browser load test execution at scale
  • Has VU Debugger that debugs tests in real-time
  • Provides VU Inspector that manages virtual user activity in real-time
  • Implements browser-based metrics with analytics and reporting features

Protocol

  • HTTP/HTTPS
  • SAP GUI Web
  • WebSocket
  • Java-based protocol
  • Google Web Toolkit
  • Oracle forms

SmartMeter.io

If you lack a reliable performance tool, then SmartMeter.io offers in-depth testing with precise results. It provides easy scriptless test scenario creation using the so-called Recorder. However, users can still make advanced edits to the test to fit with their current environment. Further, it has excellent test reporting mechanisms and makes use of functions.

Features:

  • Provides scriptless test scenario creation
  • Offers comprehensive reporting with automatic evaluation
  • Performs GUI test run with real-time results
  • Provides state of the art response body extractor
  • Supports CI/CD(continuous integration and continuous delivery or continuous deployment)

Protocols:

  • HTTP
  • JDBC
  • LDAP
  • SOAP
  • JMS
  • FTP

LoadView

LoadView empowers developers and DevOps teams as it uses real browser-based load testing. It caters to websites, web applications, and APIs. Users create multi-step scripts to simulate users’ interaction with the website or application. Dotcom-Monitor builds this tool to show the actual performance of your websites and applications under enormous load.

Features:

  • Performs cloud-based load testing in real browsers
  • Supports rich internet applications
  • Offers quick and easy building of test scripts without touching a line of code
  • Tests compatibility on mobile browsers and devices
  • Ensures scalability and identifies bottlenecks

Protocols:

  • Flash-based protocols
  • Silverlight- based protocols
  • Java-based protocols
  • HTML5-based protocols
  • PHP-based protocols
  • Ruby-based protocols

ApacheJMeter

ApacheJMeter is an open-source performance tool that caters to performance and load testing. It analyzes and measures the performance of a variety of website services. 

Features:

  • Supports multiple load injectors by a single controller
  • Offers highly portable and supports all the Java-based apps
  • Provide less scripting efforts 
  • Generates intuitive charts and graphs for analyzing key load-related statistics and resource usage monitors
  • Supports integrated real-time, Tomcat collectors for monitoring

Protocols:

  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
  • XML
  • SOAP
  • Java-based protocols
  • FTP

LoadRunner

LoadRunner is a testing tool that checks the website’s performance under load. It performs application testing, system behavior measurement, and load performance. Micro Focus designs LoadRunner to simulate thousands of users concurrently using application software. It records and analyzes performance key points in real-time. 

Features:

  • Offers lower hardware and software expenses with an accurate prediction system 
  • Pinpoints the root cause of the website’s performance problems quickly and accurately
  • Provides effective tool utilization tracking
  • Allows Browser-based access to global test resources and optimal usage of load generator farm

LoadRunner supports all major web protocols.

H3: AppLoader

AppLoader is a load testing solution for business applications. It allows web or web app testing by mimicking the same user experience from all different access points. Thus, it helps website owners simulate user actions. It allows you to build any scenario with the AppLoader Station without scripting. Such use cases include mouse events, keyboard inputs, if conditions, and others. 

Features: 

  • Performs entire business flow testing
  • Replicates the users’ interactions 
  • Creates scripts automatically 

AppLoader supports all major web protocols.

Silk Performer

Silk Performer is an enterprise-class load testing tool. It tests multiple application environments with thousands of concurrent users. Also, it supports a wide range of protocols.

Features:

  • Requires minimum hardware resources
  • Simulates modifiable virtual users
  • Supports integrated server monitoring
  • Offers customer-friendly licensing
  • Provides user-friendly correlation and parameterization
  • Offers NO licensing requirement for controllers

Protocols:

  • HTTP/HTML
  • HTTPS/HTML
  • Flash
  • Email (SMTP/ POP)
  • FTP, TCP/IP, LDAP
  • XML/SOAP

NeoLoad

NeoLoad is an innovative website performance testing platform. It automates test design, maintenance, and analysis for Agile and DevOps teams. Also, it integrates with continuous delivery pipelines to support performance testing, specifically load testing.

Features:

  • Performs automated test design 
  • Integrates with CI servers for automated test runtime
  • Offers shared test scripts and reports
  • Provides hybrid on-premise and cloud load generation from over 70 global localizations

Protocols:

  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
  • SOAP
  • REST
  • Flex Push
  • AJAX Push

LoadPro UI

LoadUI Pro creates scriptless sophisticated load tests and distributes them on the cloud using load agents. It monitors serves’ performance as load increases. Detailed reports are available in real-time to quickly automate your load tests.

Features: 

  • Provides scriptless load test creation
  • Supplies preconfigured load test templates like spike, baseline, stress, smoke
  • Offers drag and drop load tests on distribution agents on cloud
  • Has sophisticated analytics and statistics features for reporting
  • Supports quick conversion of functional tests

Protocols:

  • HTTP
  • REST
  • SOAP
  • JSON
  • API Blueprint
  • JSON Schema
  • XML Schema

Make the most out of Load Testing 

Websites should be able to handle the amount of traffic it receives. Website load testing services are great at overcoming this performance issue. However, not every organization thinks about this before they start the website development process. 

Mostly, companies choose the best website developers thinking that their sole expertise helps build a fast website. But, the focus must not rely on human resources alone. Yes, a good web developer can design and adjust the design into something that can handle the online traffic. Yet, there are still instances that a website receives sudden traffic spikes and needs tools.

Website monitoring is essential to business operation. Although companies can run several performance tests, not all have the capability to run tests on their own. It is where you can hire companies to check your website regularly.

There are many options for website load testing. The top requirement is choosing a provider that has experience is very important, like how Retrace from Stackify stay ahead of the game with some companies. With APM like Retrace, the testing is granular. It involves more than just clicking on different features around the website. It covers total application performance management.

Lastly, Stackify can help you in close monitoring and testing of your website performance. Visit Stackify and learn more about it. 

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