Mobiles have become the go-to device for scores of users when it comes to accessing online platforms to derive a host of products, services, or information. The plethora of apps available for users across domains comes to a whopping 2.87 million in 2022 (source: Buildfire.com), and the whole app ecosystem costs around $170 billion (source: Forbes). With so much riding for the mobile apps, there are security concerns galore. These include the risk of data leakage, phishing attacks, network spoofing, unsecured Wi-Fi, broken cryptography, spyware, and improper session handling, among others. It is not without reason that business enterprises are queuing up to implement mobile application testing in their value chain. Mobile test automation using mobile testing tools is the best way to validate the efficacy of mobile apps in terms of functionality, performance, security, and usability, among others.

How to select the appropriate mobile testing tools

The success of any mobile application testing strategy is underpinned by the type, quality, and coverage of mobile testing tools used. Let us know the key features of 5 best mobile testing tools for your business:

• Easy to learn and use.
• Features cover key mobile-specific testing activities.
• Native integration with CI/CD systems and/or other platforms.
• Provide both scripted and scriptless processes.

Types of mobile app testing

There are several types of mobile app testing as discussed below:

Functional testing: It checks the functionalities of a mobile application as per pre-defined specifications.
Memory testing: Checks the optimized memory usage by the application.
Performance testing: Checks performances related to the application, server, and network.
Interruption testing: Checks for interruptions while the application is in use. The interruptions can be in the form of incoming calls, low memory, incoming SMSs, and low battery, among others.
Installation testing: Checks whether the application can be installed, updated, or uninstalled easily.
Usability testing: In this type of mobile automated testing, the efficiency and effectiveness of the application when used by end-users in real-time are tested.

The top 5 mobile testing tools in 2022

The top five mobile testing tools for Android, iOS, and Windows platforms are mentioned below:

1. TestComplete: Developed by SmartBear Software, TestComplete allows the creation and execution of mobile test automation for Android, Windows, and iOS applications.

Key highlights

• Develops and executes robust UI tests for both native and hybrid mobile apps on Android, Windows, and iOS devices.
• Automates UI tests on virtual machines, real mobiles, or emulators.
• Uses script-free recording and replay activities to create test scripts.

2. Katalon Studio: It is an all-encompassing tool for testing mobile applications and does not entail building a mobile application testing framework from scratch. Katalon Studio is compatible with many operating systems - iOS, Android, Linux, and Windows.

Key highlights

-Built-in keywords, record and playback, and templates to create test cases quickly.

• Easy toggle using manual and script mode for scripting and low-code options.
• Conducts testing on real devices, emulators, or cloud-based devices for remote, local, and cross environments.
• Locates and captures visual elements through image-based testing.
• Speeds up troubleshooting with an advanced reporting mechanism.

3. Appium: As a well-known mobile application testing framework, Appium inherits the popularity of Selenium and allows the testing of hybrid, native, and mobile web applications.

Key highlights

• The scripting languages used are Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, and C#.
• Easy for testers working with Selenium.
• Easy to integrate with other testing platforms and frameworks.
• Eliminates the need to recompile other codebase, applications, or frameworks.
• Allows re-usability of tests and code across operating systems.

4. Robotium: Allows mobile test automation for Android v1.6+ apps both hybrid and native. It requires the presence of JDK Ready, Android Development Kit, Eclipse, and Android SDK.

Key highlights

• Quick test creation using a simple API.
• Java is the available scripting language.
• Allows test execution on real devices and emulators.
• Allows the writing of system, functional, and user acceptance tests.
• Supports CI/CD integration.

5. Flutter: Developed by Google to create and test mobile and web applications, Flutter has gained popularity among developers and testers.

Key highlights

• Allows easy alteration and update of code on real devices, emulators, and simulators.
• Allows background caching using service workers.
• Allows the creation of expressive UIs using rich motion APIs, widgets, among others.

Conclusion

The right mobile application testing methodology can help QA teams to automate tests quickly and efficiently. However, while choosing the best framework or tool to write test scripts, focus on the key specifications or features offered. A robust mobile testing solution should be compatible with various mobile platforms, programming languages, and cross-platform integrations. It is advisable to start a project with features such as built-in keywords, record and playback, pre-made templates, and advanced reporting, among others.