Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Sauce Labs VS Appium

Compare Sauce Labs VS Appium and see what are their differences

Sauce Labs logo Sauce Labs

Test mobile or web apps instantly across 700+ browser/OS/device platform combinations - without infrastructure setup.

Appium logo Appium

Appium is an open source test automation framework for use with native and hybrid mobile apps.
  • Sauce Labs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23
  • Appium Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

Sauce Labs features and specs

  • Extensive Browser and OS Coverage
    Sauce Labs offers a wide range of browser and operating system combinations, allowing for comprehensive cross-browser testing.
  • Real Device Testing
    Provides access to a large number of real mobile devices for testing, ensuring accurate results compared to emulators.
  • Integration with CI/CD Tools
    Seamlessly integrates with popular Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment tools like Jenkins, CircleCI, and Travis CI.
  • Detailed Reporting
    Offers in-depth test reports, screenshots, and videos, which help in debugging and improving the quality of tests.
  • Parallel Test Execution
    Supports running multiple tests in parallel, significantly reducing test execution time and speeding up the development cycle.
  • Scalability
    Highly scalable platform that can cater to both small projects and large enterprises, making it flexible for various needs.

Possible disadvantages of Sauce Labs

  • Cost
    The pricing can be quite high, especially for small teams or individual developers, making it less accessible for budget-constrained projects.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a steep learning curve for new users who are not familiar with automated testing platforms.
  • Latency Issues
    Some users have reported latency issues and slower test execution times compared to local testing environments.
  • Complexity
    Setting up and configuring tests to run on Sauce Labs can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a good understanding of the platform and automated testing best practices.
  • Dependency on Internet Speed
    As a cloud-based service, the performance can be heavily dependent on the tester's internet speed, potentially affecting test execution and debugging processes.

Appium features and specs

  • Cross-Platform
    Appium supports multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Windows), allowing the same code to automate tests across different environments without significant modification.
  • Language Agnostic
    Appium supports various programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, C#, and more, making it flexible for diverse development teams.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, Appium is free to use and has a strong community that contributes to its continuous improvement and provides support.
  • Full Access to Back-End APIs and Databases
    Appium allows testers to access back-end APIs and databases directly, offering more control over the automated testing process.
  • Supports Real Devices and Emulators
    Appium works well with real devices, emulators, and simulators, providing flexibility in how tests are run and validated.
  • No App Modification Required
    Appium does not require any modification of your application code or recompilation, making it easier to integrate into existing development workflows.

Possible disadvantages of Appium

  • Performance Overhead
    Appium can introduce performance overhead due to its reliance on the WebDriver protocol, which may lead to slower test execution compared to some native test frameworks.
  • Complex Setup
    Setting up Appium for the first time can be complex and challenging, particularly for beginners, due to its wide range of configuration options and dependencies.
  • Limited Support for Older Devices
    Appium may have limited support for older versions of iOS and Android, which can be a problem for testing applications that need to support a wide range of devices.
  • Lack of Advanced Gesture Support
    While Appium supports basic gestures, handling complex multi-touch actions and advanced gestures can be cumbersome and sometimes unsupported.
  • Flakiness of Tests
    Automated tests using Appium can sometimes be flaky, meaning they may pass or fail inconsistently due to various external factors like network speed, timing issues, and device state.
  • Limited Support for Web Components
    Testing mobile web applications via Appium can be challenging due to limited and sometimes unstable support for web components.

Analysis of Appium

Overall verdict

  • Appium is generally considered a good tool for mobile app automation due to its cross-platform capabilities and extensive support for multiple languages, making it suitable for diverse development teams and projects.

Why this product is good

  • Appium is a popular open-source tool for automating mobile applications across various platforms, such as iOS and Android. It supports multiple programming languages, allowing flexibility for developers. Its community is active, providing continuous support and updates. Appium enables testing on real devices as well as simulators and emulators, enhancing its effectiveness for a variety of test scenarios.

Recommended for

    Appium is recommended for mobile app developers and QA engineers who are looking to automate the testing process for both Android and iOS applications, especially those who need cross-platform support and the ability to test on real devices.

Sauce Labs videos

Overview of Sauce Labs

More videos:

  • Review - How an Automated Test Works With Sauce Labs
  • Review - Sauce Labs Analytics

Appium videos

Appium Architecture Explained | How Appium Works | Appium Online Training | Edureka

More videos:

  • Review - Jenkins CI Pipeline using Appium tests for Android and iOS by Vivek Upreti & Naresh Jain #AppiumConf
  • Review - The Xamarin Show | Episode 15: Appium Mobile Automation with Glenn Wester

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Sauce Labs and Appium)
Website Testing
100 100%
0% 0
Automated Testing
80 80%
20% 20
Browser Testing
77 77%
23% 23
Software Testing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Sauce Labs and Appium

Sauce Labs Reviews

Top Selenium Alternatives
Sauce Labs is a cloud-based platform that offers automated testing tools for web and mobile applications. It provides a secure and scalable environment for running tests across a wide range of browsers and operating systems. With features like parallel testing, real device testing, and live debugging, Sauce Labs focuses on improving test execution times and overall efficiency.
Source: bugbug.io
Top 20 Best Automation Testing Tools in 2018 (Comprehensive List)
Sauce Labs is a selenium cloud-based solution that offers automated testing over cross-browsers and multiple platforms. It has support for both mobile and desktop apps. It is known for significantly accelerating test cycles.

Appium Reviews

Top 5 Selenium Alternatives for Less Maintenance
Appium and Playwright closely resemble Selenium in terms of functionality but offer unique features and advantages. Both of these solutions require coding experience. Leapwork, a commercial vendor, uses Selenium under the hood to power their visual automation approach.
Top 20 Best Automation Testing Tools in 2019 (Comprehensive List)
It supports automation of native, hybrid and mobile web applications built for iOS and Android. Appium uses vendor-provided automation frameworks and is based on client/server architecture.
Top 20 Best Automation Testing Tools in 2018 (Comprehensive List)
It supports automation of native, hybrid and mobile web applications built for iOS and Android. Appium uses vendor-provided automation frameworks and is based on client/server architecture.

Social recommendations and mentions

Appium might be a bit more popular than Sauce Labs. We know about 19 links to it since March 2021 and only 17 links to Sauce Labs. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Sauce Labs mentions (17)

  • 11 Most Popular Tools for Logging and Monitoring API Calls
    Sauce Labs used to be called API Fortress, and under that name, it generated a bit of a reputation as a cloud-based REST API monitoring solution. Setting up Sauce Labs for monitoring involves establishing secure connections to ensure data integrity and security. Sauce Labs continues this success by providing testing, monitoring, and reporting, but for those looking principally for API log tooling, Sauce Labs can... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Top 10 iOS Automation Testing Tools for 2025 (with Key Features)
    #2 SauceLabs SauceLabs also offers a cloud-based platform for testing iOS apps, as well as capabilities to build, organize, and run tests for delivering high-quality applications. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Free Cross Browser Testing Tools to pick in 2025
    5. Sauce Labs (Free Plan) Sauce Labs provides a cloud-based testing platform that includes real device testing and supports Selenium, Appium, and other popular automation frameworks. While its free tier limits access to testing minutes and device options, it’s ideal for smaller testing needs and early-phase bug hunting. Paid plans enable larger teams to scale with access to additional device environments. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • 🛑 Stop resizing your browser: improve testing for responsiveness
    Platforms like Browserstack or SauceLabs offer virtual instances of real devices and browsers for manual and end-to-end testing. Caveat: subscriptions cost money and are on a per-seat basis. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • React Native Testing Options Overview
    Appium is an open-source test automation framework. You can use it with native, hybrid, and mobile web apps. It drives iOS and Android apps using the WebDriver protocol. Appium is sponsored by Sauce Labs and a community of open source developers. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
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Appium mentions (19)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Sauce Labs and Appium, you can also consider the following products

BrowserStack - BrowserStack is a software testing platform for developers to comprehensively test websites and mobile applications for quality.

Selenium - Selenium automates browsers. That's it! What you do with that power is entirely up to you. Primarily, it is for automating web applications for testing purposes, but is certainly not limited to just that.

LambdaTest - Perform Web Testing on 2000+ Browsers & OS

Apache JMeter - Apache JMeter™.

TestComplete - TestComplete Desktop, Web, and Mobile helps you create repeatable and accurate automated tests across multiple devices, platforms, and environments easily and quickly.

AT Internet - Transform your data into action with our powerful and flexible digital analytics solution.