Web Server Stress Test Tool Open Source

Highlighted open source tools. There are countless commercial and open source cybersecurity tools available, with more released every day. The list below highlights several open source tools that. K6 is a cloud-based, open source load testing tool that’s provided as a service. One of the things that makes this tool interesting is that it is priced on a variable-use model which means that the cost of entry can be relatively low depending on your needs. It is, however, mainly developer-centric.

Load testing tools (also called performance testing tools—one in the same depending upon which side of tech you’re coming from) are an important part of ensuring that your website, web application, API or other web device is able to handle the load of users and function properly under that load.

There are a variety of options when it comes to load testing tools—there are lots of open source tools, which are suitable for a variety of situations, and then paid load testing tools which are often better-suited to commercial performance testing environments. Finally, there are some performance testing tools that are essentially enterprise tools, that are designed and developed from the ground up to be functional in large, enterprise situations.

In this load testing tools guide, we’re going to look at a variety of load and performance testing tools, provide reviews/details, and explain where some of them may be best used. We’ll go over the pros/cons/features, and a variety of other details. We’ll also look at some of the most popular, frequently asked questions about load and performance testing tools, and answer many of them in order to provide some context for individuals and companies looking to find the best solution for their load testing needs.

One quick thing to note about this guide—we may have affiliate, professional, advertising, or other relationships with some of the tools mentioned on this page. But believe us when we say that this does not affect our analysis in any way, shape or form!

We just believe in being transparent and honest! So, with that said—we might receive an affiliate commission if you click a link on one of these tools and purchase services (hosting or otherwise). We may also be compensated in other ways—but please know that we are proud to be unbiased (we call out bad companies left and right on this site)—so don’t worry about that! 😊

Load Testing Tools – A Quick Intro

Do you have experience with load testing tools? Are you a seasoned DevOps professional? Or just someone looking to better-understand the process of load testing and the options that are out there?

Regardless of where you’re coming from, this guide to load testing tools is for you! We’re going to look at what we believe are the top 20 options, break down the pros/cons, and also have an FAQ section where we answer some of the most popular questions around load testing tools (as mentioned above).

So, no matter where you’re coming from in the load testing world (noob or professional or enterprise company), this guide is for you. So, let’s jump in!

The Best Load and Performance Testing Tools – A Complete List

5, 10, 20—how many load testing tools is it appropriate to list? And what makes a list complete vs. incomplete?

We believe that a true, honest, good list of load testing cools should run the gamut—it should have some open source load testing tools, some lower-level paid tools, and also some enterprise tools that are appropriate for larger companies. So, that’s what we’ve created—a list that really goes full circle.

No matter where you are on the load testing spectrum, the following list should have something for you! So, without further ado, let’s jump in and take a look at some of the best load and performance testing tools that are available today!

1. LoadView

When it comes to load testing tools, LoadView is pretty much the most versatile tool on the market. Why is this? Well, it can do small, one-off tests affordably, but can also handle large, enterprise situations. This is quite rare, because most tools are either small-time, open source tools, or large enterprise options that are anything but tenable for small-to-medium-sized businesses. This is one of the ways that LoadView really shines, because it’s so versatile. Some important points to note about LoadView are:

LoadView uses real browsers. This means more than just HTTP pings—LoadView, of any tool on the market, gives you the best emulation of real users. If you care about accuracy, this is incredibly important
LoadView can test anything, really. Their support is phenomenal and if you’re looking to test something that isn’t part of their pre-defined options, they’re able to do custom scripting and make just about anything work. If you’ve got any experience with load testing tools, you know this is quite rare
LoadView is a good value. Yes, for what you get and the fact that pricing is on-demand—LoadView is a great deal honestly. Can some people get by with a free open source tool instead? Sure, no doubt. But if you could benefit from something better (it’s likely that you can if you’re a business), LoadView is absolutely worth considering

2. Apache JMeter

No matter where you come from in the load testing world, Apache’s JMeter load testing tool is the gold standard of open source tools. It was developed by Apache to help load test servers in order to ensure that they’re able to meet the performance demands of a variety of scenarios. The best part about JMeter is that it’s free—so no cost to anyone looking to test it! Even if you find it’s not for you, it’s still probably worth a look. Some cool things to note about JMeter:

It’s completely free, so what do you have to lose taking a look at it? JMeter doesn’t cost a thing, and although it doesn’t have support, if you’re technically-seasoned enough, you might want to take a look at it
It’s totally open source. This means there are no surprises in the source code, and nothing sketchy that might pop up—it’s totally open source, and everyone’s been through the code. This also means that you can modify it if you’re savvy enough
It’s used by individuals and professionals alike. JMeter isn’t just a tool for small, one-off website owners—big businesses use it too in certain cases. So, no matter who you are, it’s worth considering—it might be a good fit!

3. Locust

As a load testing tool, Locust has been around for quite some time. And not only that, but it’s used by some big corporations for load/performance testing, such as Intel, Amazon, Mozilla, and more! The cool thing about Locust is that it’s coded in Python, which makes it incredibly easy to manipulate (if you didn’t know, Python is one of the most user-friendly OOP languages around. Some cool things to note about Locust include:

Python is the language of choice, which makes it super easy to use/modify
Even though it’s open source, it has the option for a GUI, which is nice
It supports a variety of load tests (distributed, scalable, and more)

4. Tsung

When you think of open source load and performance testing tools, it’s hard to have that thought without thinking of Tsung. While it’s not the flashiest of load testing tools, it’s definitely one that’s on the go-to list for a number of developers. It’s right up there with JMeter and does a great job of load testing and providing the necessary data. Some important things to note about Tsung include:

Tons of different protocols supported (you’d be surprised how many)
Comes with a slick little web-app dashboard
Includes the option for operating system monitoring if your testing requires that (obviously not if you’re load testing a web application or API, but in other cases you might need or want this feature)

5. Grinder

Grinder (also known as “The Grinder”) is one of those performance testing tools that is about as close as you’ll get to JMeter in terms of functionality. It’s got most of the features (like load injectors and so on) that you’d expect from a quality open source tool. It’s also very compatible with Java, so bonus if you’re developing an Android app or load testing something else where Java is the language of choice. Some things to note about Grinder include:

Awesome testing capabilities for all things Java
Option to create your own scripting in a variety of languages
Management options for web applications and sites that require cookies

6. Loadster

Loadster is a load testing platform that specializes in testing APIs, web applications, and websites. It’s used by some of the biggest, most notable organizations on the planet including Harvard University and Wells Fargo. Loadster is a paid tool (unlike many of the open source load testing tools listed on this page). One cool thing about Loadster is that if you need to do on-premise load or performance testing, they have self-hosted load engines that can be deployed at no additional cost. Some other cool things about Loadster include:

24+ data centers located all over the world for low-latency load testing no matter where you are
On-demand and unlimited pricing available
Browser-based editing of scripts, so you can create everything in a browser without the need to write code in an IDE

7. NeoLoad

Neoload is primarily focused enterprise load testing, with big clients such as Dell, Home Depot, and more, they’re a solid name in the load and performance testing business. Neoload caters to the DevOps community, and is exceptional at testing APIs, infrastructure, and simulating user behavior. Some important things to note about NeoLoad include:

Codeless design, drag-and-drop interface, but still allows JavaScript to be written if you need it
Great for testing web applications, and integrates at the application level for performance testing web apps
Completely scalable depending upon the needs of your organization

8. LoadComplete

Created by the Internet testing powerhouse SmartBear, LoadComplete is a load testing tool that’s specifically designed for performance testing web servers and services. As part of the SmartBear suite, it’s fully-integrated into all of their other tools, so if you’re already a SmartBear user, it’s not difficult at all to add LoadComplete to round out your testing. Some interesting features of LoadComplete include:

Super easy integration with other SmartBear monitoring products
Automate load testing based on a variety of needs
Ability to monitor server metrics such as CPU usage

9. RedLine13

Known as “almost free” load testing, Redline13 is open architecture software that can assist you in running a load test using AWS and other methods. With Redline13, you’re essentially provided a framework similar to some of the bigger paid tools, but almost for free. Redline13 is as cheap as free, and the next paid plan up from that is $75 per month, which is quite a bit cheaper than running load tests with some of the big enterprise testing companies, and depending upon what you’re trying to test—it may work just find for your situation. Here are some interesting points to note about Redline13:

Completely free option, where you only pay for your server resources (such as an AWS instance)
Integrates with JMeter, Jenkins, and other popular load testing tools
Real-time graphs, charts, and integrations with other browsers/technologies

10. LoadRunner

LoadRunner is a load testing tool that was originally developed by HP as part of their enterprise testing division, but has since been acquired by Micro Focus and integrated into their software. Micro Focus has improved on product and simplified other aspects of its use since acquiring it from HP as well. A few interesting things to note about LoadRunner are:

LoadRunner supports the widest range (50+) protocols, technologies, and application environments
Patented auto-correlation engine helps identify failure causes and other problems
Uses minimal hardware and leverages the cloud to keep costs low

11. Rational Performance Tester (IBM)

Created by IBM (who everyone knows is a massive player in the tech world), Rational Performance Tester is a DevOps testing tool that helps identify system performance problems, bottlenecks, and validates the scalability of web servers. Rational Performance Tester is used a bit more frequently for software than external load testing, but it’s still used in other situations too. Some notable features of Rational Performance Tester are:

Reduced complexity over other software load testing tools
Advanced test scenarios can be created with Java
Created to work directly with IBM products such as Tivoli and J2EE applications

12. Apica

Apica is one of the most popular enterprise-grade application and load testing suites around. Catered to business applications, Apica provides a unique toolset to do load and performance testing of APIs, websites, and web applications. Apica can also test mobile apps, games, cars, IOT devices, video streaming, and more. Some important things to note about Apica include:

Global data centers available including China
Script load test scenarios without writing any code
Test a variety of IOT protocols like MQTT, REST API, X.509 and more

13. SoapUI

Created by SmartBear, SoapUI is a load testing tool that’s pretty much focused on API performance testing, and it does a pretty good job at that. SoapUI is used by giant software companies like Apple, BMW, MasterCard, and more. It’s pretty much the king (or almost the king) or API load testing. Some notable features of SoapUI include:

The ability to security test APIs for SQL injection and other common attacks
SoapUI includes an integrated GUI to for functional testing of APIs, making things really easy
Best-in-class API performance testing that integrates seamlessly with their LoadUI tool

14. SmartMeter.io

SmartMeter.io is a tool that allows enterprise level testing, with the familiar JMeter user interface. Because it’s built on this familiar open source software, it starts as cheap as $39/month, and goes up from there. $39/month is extremely low cost for load testing software and for $99/month you’re able to get email support, which also isn’t a bad price. Some notable features of SmartMeter.io include:

Similar to JMeter but with a lot more features
Offers an embedded browser to create load testing scenarios in minutes
In-depth automatic reports that allow for performance tuning and tweaks

15. WAPT

WAPT is a universal load testing tool that creates tests using browsers or mobile applications. It’s remote and distributed, so it’s cloud-based and easy to set up. It’s got a variety of options for testing different protocols and generating detailed reports. Some notable features of WAPT include:

Flexible error handling when load and performance testing
Ability to chart instant test results at runtime
Support for all of the top web development frameworks

16. LoadUI Pro

LoadUI Pro is a special load testing quite that integrates with SoapUI, SmartBear’s comprehensive suite of load testing tools. LoadUI Pro allows you to create stress and endurance tests with just a few clicks. SmartBear is skilled at integrating their tools internally, and LoadUI Pro is no exception here. If you’re already using SoapUI, it really makes sense to give LoadUI a look. Some notable features of LoadUI include:

Reuse functional API tests built on SoapUI
Create function load tests with a few clicks
Deploy high performance tests within minutes

17. K6 Cloud (Formerly Load Impact)

Load Impact is one of the most popular load testing tools in existence, and there’s a good reason for that—it’s used by huge companies, is extremely reliable, and is also cost-effective. With that said, Load Impact has re-branded to be K6 Cloud, a new name on a slightly new platform. Some notable features of K6 Cloud are:

Open source and super easy to use
Runs in the cloud, so no messing with servers and other annoying hardware
Offers GUI and code-based testing

18. WebLOAD

WebLOAD is a performance testing tool created by the company Radview, which is known for their DevOps and shift left-focused tools. It has native support for JavaScript, server-side performance testing, and also mobile load testing. WebLOAD is trusted by massive companies like eBay and even NASA. Some notable features of WebLOAD include:

Integrates with Dynatrace, Nagios, AppDynamics, and a variety of other website monitoring tools
Allows for smart automatic scripting, which reduces the time needed to create load testing scenarios
Specifically tailored to DevOps teams and practices

19. BlazeMeter

BlazeMeter heralds itself as “the only shift-left testing platform for enterprise,” which makes it a unique tool among the rest on this list here. Is it the only tool that can meet the needs of enterprise clients? Absolutely not, but nevertheless—it’s an interesting tool. BlazeMeter’s top competitor is most likely LoadRunner, and they’re each interesting enterprise testing tools in different ways. Some unique features of BlazeMeter include:

Selenium functional testing without having to write and code
Access 55+ geolocations from around the world
Virtualize and test all parts of your system even if you don’t have access to that particular environment

20. Test Studio from Telerik

Created to assist in functional test automation for a variety of modern web applications, Test Studio is one of the most popular functional UI testing tools for a variety of scenarios. Test Studio has a robust GUI interface and makes it easy to create, run, and record load and performance tests. Notable features of Test Studio include:

Offers functional UI testing, a web dashboard, and RESTful API testing all in one package
Import third-party libraries and schedule distributed runs
Bug tracking integration with TFS and Jira

Open Source Load Testing Tools—Are They Useful?

Open source load testing tools are incredibly useful for a variety of reasons, and we’ll get into some of those in this section. There are two main reasons why open source load and performance testing tools are so useful: 1) they reduce cost and still get the job done, 2) they allow you to see into the source code, enabling you to make customizations/modifications as you see fit.

Open Source Load Testing Tools Can Help Reduce the Cost of Testing

This is one of the main (if not the main) benefits of using open source load testing tools. They’re free—so you don’t really have anything to lose using them, other than your time. But the good thing about open source load testing tools is that most of the tools that are widely available are fairly refined, so it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll be wasting your time—it’s really just a matter of finding a tool that fits your needs.

Open Source Performance Testing Tools Allow You to Customize the Code for Your Needs

If you’re paying for a professional load testing tool, there’s not doubt that you’ll likely get a lot of features. But one of the problems with this scenario, is that you don’t always get the features that you need for your specific load testing scenario. The good thing about open source tools is that you can see into the source code, so you can modify the tools to meet your specific needs (assuming you have some coding experience).

Open Source Performance Testing Tools – Things to Know

When it comes to open source performance testing tools, there are some important things to know about how they function, what to look for in a good tool, and why they’re worth considering over some of the paid tools.

First of all, let’s first understand what open source performance testing tools are (and what they are not). In contrast to paid performance testing tools, open source tools are generally free, and maintained be a community or an organization. An example of an open source performance testing tool is Apache’s JMeter, which is maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. This tool is free to download, use, modify etc.

In addition to JMeter, there are a variety of other open source tools (listed above on this page). Which one is best really just depends on your individual needs, but it’s always a good idea to evaluate a number of load testing tools before deciding on one specifically. And since the open source tools are free, you really don’t have much to lose other than some time that you devote to testing.

Finally, when it comes to paid vs. open source performance testing tools, again—this really depends on what you need. If you’re running a small test, then it’s possible that an open source tool will do the job just fine. However, if you’re running a larger test or have more in-depth needs or requirements, you may want to consider a paid tool that will typically be more robust and have more features.

Load Testing Tools vs. Stress Testing Tools – What’s the Difference?

In the load and performance testing world, there are two classifications that are frequently thrown around with respect to testing tools—load testing and stress testing. So, this raises the question—what is the difference between a load and stress testing tool?

Generally speaking there is no fundamental difference between load testing tools and stress testing tools in terms of software and web application/website performance testing—the difference really lies in how the tools are used (although there are some tools that obviously have specific features geared toward one type of test or another).

A load test is generally done to see how a website, web application, or piece of software performs under and expected level of load. A stress test is typically done to push the same application, software, or website to its breaking point instead of an expected level of load. Both are incredible useful for capacity planning and other similar tasks.

Free Load Testing Tools – Do They Exist?

Absolutely! Free load testing tools are simply a group of tools that are also known as open source load testing tools. Some people just call them “free” because, essentially, there are free—but a more accurate term is “open source.” That said, there are a few other situations that may need to be addressed for complete accuracy here.

First, there are some free load testing tools that may not be completely open source, but are still available at no cost. These tools may be “lite” versions of paid tools that load testing companies release.

Also, there are “free trials” for a variety of load testing tools. These eventually end and you have to pay for a product, but it’s still worth nothing because they are technically free in the short term, and sometimes they’re a great way to test out a tool to see if it’s a good fit without committing to a larger expense.

Additionally, if you’re able to save money on the cost of your web hosting, it may leave you more funds for load testing. To help with that, check out our Bluehost coupon and SiteGround coupon pages to get a great deal on web hosting.

Paid vs. Free Load Testing Tools – How to Know What’s Right for You

We’ve spent a lot of time so far talking about the difference between free (typically open source) and paid load testing tools, but not a lot of time talking about how to know which one is right for specific situations.

The good news is that it’s not too complicated. It really boils down to what your needs are, and then you just go from there. Obviously, the free and open source load testing tools are going to be less feature-rich than the paid tools, so that’s something to take into consideration.

Really, the best strategy is to outline your load testing needs, and then start by looking at the open source tools, and see if any of those meet your needs. If not, then you can look at some of the paid tools. However, if you want help/support and ease of use, it may make sense to look at some of the paid tools. It really just comes down to assessing your needs and finding a tool that meets them—it’s not much more complicated than that.

Load Testing Tools for Web Applications – Which Tools Work?

When you’re load testing a web application, it’s important to make sure the tool you’re using has the option of scripting different interactions with your web application as it’s likely that you’re going to need to run more than just a simple HTTP load test.

In terms of tools that allow scripting, LoadView is an excellent option because they have a custom script recorder that works quite well with web applications (it was actually created specifically for web applications). There are also some other tools like BlazeMeter that do a pretty good job of this. Ultimately, you’ll need to look at the testing needs of your web application and evaluate what specifically needs to be tested, and which tools allow for this type of testing.

The Ultimate Load Testing Tools FAQ

In order to help answer some of the most common questions about load testing tools that haven’t already been answered on this page, we created the ultimate load testing tools FAQ!

Below, you’ll see some popular load testing tools questions and answers, to help you become better informed.

Where can I find AWS load testing tools? Are they easy to use?

Amazon has some of other own distributed load testing tools built into their AWS platform. They have a complete deployment guide and breakdown that you can find here.

What are the best command line load testing tools?

Many load testing tools offer the option to do command line testing aside from the GUI testing that they often mention as a feature. This also depends what you’re looking to test too.

If you need a command line load testing tool in order to test a web server, you may want to consider looking at Apache Benchmark. Otherwise, if you’re testing an API, software, a website or web application, you may want to just evaluate tools individually.

Which load testing tools are best for web applications?

Generally speaking, open source load testing tools aren’t as robust for testing web applications and don’t offer the ability to run point-and-click scripting—paid tools are typically needed for this.

With that said, LoadView is a great choice for these situations. BlazeMeter is also another good option.

What’s the best way to run a load test using Visual Studio?

Luckily, Microsoft’s Visual Studio has some built-in load testing features that are actually quite robust, and they have an entire guide on it in their support docs. You can find that here.

Where can I find performance testing tools .NET applications?

There are a variety of performance testing tools available for .NET applications both from Microsoft and third-party companies. However, we think that the Microsoft load testing tools are a great place to start.

What are the best virtual machine performance testing tools?

Running a performance test on a virtual machine is a bit different than running one on an API, web application, or something that is externally accessible.

Again, if you’re running a Windows virtual machine, there are some built in tools you can use. However, if you’re looking for something a bit more robust, Solarwinds Virtualization Manager is worth checking out.

Is there a difference between cloud-based load testing tools and other load testing tools?

Web Server Stress Test Tool Open Source Example

Yes, there is absolutely a difference. Load testing tools that are not cloud-based require a physical server to operate or must be installed in your local machine or instance that you’re testing. Cloud-based load testing tools can run from anywhere and are easier to scale, and also typically easier to instantiate and operate.

What are the best database load testing tools?

Which type of database load testing tool you use is generally dependent upon which type of database you want to load test. Some tools work better with SQL databases where others work better with NoSQL databases. If you’re using an SQL database, Microsoft SQL Server is a good option, otherwise SolarWinds has a good product (Database Performance Analyzer) as well.

What are the best tools for website load testing?

When you’re talking about website load testing, you’re usually talking about HTTP tests or web applications. For plain HTTP testing, you might be able to get buy with an open source tool like JMeter.

However, if by “website” you mean a web application, you may want to consider a paid tool like LoadView or something that’s designed from the ground up (or at least has a lot of features) for web applications.

Are paid load testing tools worth it?

Web Server Stress Test Tool Open Source Example

If you need the extra features they provide, then yes—they are! Paid tools generally provide more data, have more features, and also have support. So, if one of more of these things is important to you, then paid tools might be an option worth considering. The truth is that even if you have the best WordPress hosting, it can still fail and get overloaded, so it’s still important to have good load testing tools in your toolbox.

Web Server Stress Test

Load and Performance Testing Tools Recap

Web Application Stress Tool Download

Whew—we covered a lot of different aspects of load testing tools from open source to paid to performance testing—you name it, this article covered it!

That said, at the end of the day, it’s important to take the time to thoroughly evaluate your load testing needs, and determine which type of tool (free/open source or paid) is the best fit for the API, software, website, or web application that you’re looking to test.

Web Server Stress Test Tool Open Source Download

We hope this guide has been helpful—and if you’ve got any additions or suggestions about this guide, feel free to reach out via our contact page.