In today’s digital landscape, virtually everything is now residing “in the cloud” – spanning from our shopping list applications to our logs tracking bugs and issues. Companies are finding themselves increasingly compelled to navigate the realm of cloud testing tools to ensure the security and dependability of any application or service hosted on cloud computing platforms. These real device testing tools empower developers to assess their applications during the developmental phase, offering rapid feedback and performance analysis. 

The top-tier cloud testing tools deliver heightened reliability, broader test coverage, multi-user testing capabilities, continuous testing, and shorter testing cycles. 

In this blog, we will delve into the finest cloud testing tools available, ones that can significantly enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your application development process.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. Users can leverage this platform to conduct testing on real mobile devices (both Android and iOS) and mobile websites, or they can opt for emulators and simulators to test across a wide array of configurations.

LambdaTest offers a secure, scalable, and dependable cloud-based Selenium Grid, accelerating the execution of Selenium tests. Furthermore, LambdaTest extends support for the Cypress CLI, enabling users to broaden their Cypress test coverage to encompass more than 40 browser versions on both Windows and macOS platforms. It also accommodates other testing frameworks like Playwright, Puppeteer, and TestCafe. The platform offers the flexibility to perform manual real-time testing and conduct visual regression tests as needed.

In addition to these features, LambdaTest introduces LT Browser, a revolutionary developer-centric tool that simplifies assessing website responsiveness. LT Browser streamlines mobile testing by allowing responsive tests across over 50 device resolutions. Users can also create custom devices or viewports and test local URLs without requiring extensions or tunnels.

Xamarin Test Cloud

Xamarin, acquired by Microsoft, provides a powerful platform for cross-platform app development, leveraging the C# programming language. Xamarin’s service offerings revolve around the detection and resolution of defects before deployment, accomplished through automated tests conducted on the very devices used by your target audience. This comprehensive testing encompasses a broad spectrum of user interactions, including complex gestures such as pinching, swiping, double-tapping, and scrolling. Additionally, the platform automatically identifies performance bottlenecks on various operating systems, offering detailed memory and performance tracking. The result is the creation of visually engaging and informative reports that empower informed decision-making when assessing the readiness for app launch.

Xamarin Studio platform even provides advanced functionalities like the manipulation of GPS locations, simulation of physical button presses, activation of device cameras, and the ability to switch between portrait and landscape modes.

New Relic

New Relic is an exceptional choice for gaining real-time insights into the performance of cloud-based applications and infrastructure. This powerful tool primarily focuses on application performance management and monitoring, functioning as a vigilant guardian for your software ecosystem, ensuring smooth operation 24/7, and promptly notifying you of any issues.

One compelling reason to opt for New Relic is its capacity for real-time analytics, enabling you to observe your software’s performance when it occurs. Additionally, its user-friendly dashboard facilitates a comprehensive understanding of your data. Moreover, New Relic boasts a robust alert system that promptly signals potential problems, allowing you to address them proactively. New Relic has an array of standout features encompassing backend monitoring, Kubernetes monitoring, mobile monitoring, model performance monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, log management, error tracking, network monitoring, vulnerability management, and browser monitoring. 

SOASTA CloudTest

CloudTest stands out as a top-tier application for cloud-based performance testing developed by SOASTA, a subsidiary of Akamai Technologies based in the United States. This platform offers organizations the convenience of assessing their production applications’ readiness directly from the cloud environment. The rationale behind choosing CloudTest is clear: it harnesses the power of cloud computing resources effectively, allowing DevOps teams to dedicate their efforts to delivering product features instead of constructing testing frameworks. 

CloudTest extends its support across various platforms, offering features such as browser recording (WebUI/Ajax), messaging (HTTP(s)), and SOAP/REST API service connectivity. This makes it particularly advantageous for enterprises, especially for conducting large-scale testing. Notable features of CloudTest encompass customizable dashboards, global test scaling, advanced big-data analytics, unlimited processing capabilities, dynamic ramp-up, traffic and load simulation, multi-user test aggregation, real-user scenario simulations, and an intuitive drag-and-drop test case creation interface.

Kobiton

While some device cloud services are integrated into comprehensive app development and testing platforms, Kobiton Inc., an Atlanta-based startup, focuses solely on device testing. Kobiton offers a mobile cloud platform for users to conduct manual or automated testing on physical iOS and Android devices. With a repository of 160 devices spanning various families, including iPhone7, Google Pixel, Galaxy S7 Edge, and iPads, Kobiton provides a diverse testing environment. Notably, it supports web automation and manual testing of web, native, and hybrid applications. Importantly, all the devices available are real, eliminating the use of emulators. While these devices cannot be employed for phone calls or SMS messages, their cameras are accessible for testing. 

Kobiton also accommodates application files of up to 500 MB in size. One of its standout features is the automatic generation of detailed activity logs, offering real-time reports and screenshots of issues. This functionality enables developers to expedite the app release process. Additionally, developers can manage and access internal devices from anywhere and anytime.

Visual Studio App Center

Visual Studio App Center emerges as the ultimate cloud-based mission control center for applications, meticulously crafted by Microsoft. This all-encompassing platform empowers developers to craft top-tier applications compatible with various media, whether Windows, Android, iOS, Cordova, UWP, or macOS. Described by Microsoft as the “next generation of Xamarin Test Cloud,” App Center inherits the capabilities of Xamarin Test Cloud while introducing additional features. Notably, it offers the ability to conduct Launch Tests on genuine devices through the App Center Test service. 

Furthermore, App Center extends its support with a Software Development Kit (SDK) and the infrastructure needed to construct, test, distribute, and securely deploy applications. During testing phases, it enables real-world usage monitoring, facilitating the collection of invaluable crash reports and analytical insights.

BitBar

Bitbar Cloud emerges as the preeminent mobile app testing platform dedicated to conducting tests on physical devices and emulators, all accessible through a cloud-based infrastructure. The rationale behind selecting BitBar Cloud is clear: it offers a multitude of advantages and features for mobile app testing. Notably, BitBar Cloud stands out due to its expansive collection of genuine devices, granting users the ability to assess their applications across a broad spectrum of devices and operating systems. This comprehensive device coverage ensures compatibility and optimal performance across diverse platforms, a crucial aspect of modern app development.

BitBar Cloud goes beyond basic testing by incorporating advanced capabilities, including parallel testing, automated testing, and performance testing. These robust features empower users to fine-tune their applications, guaranteeing optimal performance under various conditions and scenarios.

AppPerfect

AppPerfect stands out as a versatile cloud testing tool, offering a proprietary and fully automated suite for executing performance, load, and stress tests. The choice of AppPerfect is evident due to its broad compatibility with operating system platforms such as Windows, Linux, Solaris, UNIX-based systems, and macOS. It creates a realistic testing environment by simulating thousands of tests, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of your application infrastructure.

AppPerfect’s feature-rich toolkit is thoughtfully designed to cater to both quality assurance professionals and developers. It aids test teams in identifying issues and discrepancies within a software application, thus preventing potential problems in the production phase. Notably, no programming experience is required to effectively utilize AppPerfect, making it accessible to a broader range of users. Key features within AppPerfect encompass comprehensive test management, automation capabilities, test and browser recording for streamlined testing processes, agentless monitoring for efficient assessment, and the generation of ready-made scripts for convenience.

Wireshark

Wireshark is the ultimate network protocol analyzer testing tool, offering open-source packet sniffing capabilities for network vulnerability assessments and penetration tests. Its reputation as a packet sniffer is derived from its ability to function as a robust network monitoring and analysis tool. Wireshark was chosen for its capacity to provide security specialists and testers with an in-depth view of network structures, enabling efficient troubleshooting of issues. This versatile network and telephony analysis tool boasts compatibility with all major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Wireshark’s standout features encompass support for decryption, user-friendly color-coded schemes, protocol decoding capabilities, live packet capture, offline analysis for comprehensive assessments, deep packet inspection for a thorough examination, and powerful display filters to streamline data interpretation.

Firebase Test Lab

Formerly known as Google Cloud Test Lab, this service has been seamlessly integrated into the Firebase development platform, which also offers an array of backend services tailored to support the development of mobile applications. Firebase Test Lab for Android provides cloud-based infrastructure dedicated to the testing of Android apps. With a single operation, developers can initiate comprehensive testing of their applications across a diverse array of devices and device configurations. The results of these tests, including detailed logs, videos, and screenshots, are conveniently accessible within the Firebase console associated with their project. Even in cases where developers have not authored specific test codes for their apps, Test Lab is equipped to automatically exercise the application, actively detecting and flagging any potential crashes.

Firebase offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs: Spark, available for free with certain limitations; Flame, priced at $25 per month; and Blaze, which follows a pay-as-you-go model.

Experitest

Experitest Ltd. offers both online and onsite versions of its SeeTestCloud, complemented by automated and manual mobile functional testing, as well as mobile performance testing solutions. Their service is tailored to meet the demands of the contemporary mobile-driven economy where frequent application releases are essential. Recognizing that subpar quality or a poor user experience can have significant repercussions, Experitest emphasizes the importance of developing and testing applications with speed and precision. Their suite of mobile cloud testing tools is designed to accelerate the introduction of new devices and operating systems, increase test automation, and enhance collaboration across teams. Ultimately, this approach enables the delivery of superior applications at a faster pace.

Conclusion

In this blog, we’ve examined several top-tier device farms that can be employed to test your iOS and Android mobile applications. It’s undeniable that the advantages of utilizing cloud-based device farms on a larger scale are substantial. They streamline the challenges of conducting multi-device UI/UX testing, resulting in significant time savings and reduced labor expenses. If you desire a hassle-free and automated solution, it’s worth exploring a test-automation platform.