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Loader.io vs Locust: What are the differences?
# Introduction
1. **Deployment Options**: Loader.io provides a cloud-based solution, enabling easy deployment without the need for server configuration whereas Locust requires manual deployment on your own hardware or cloud infrastructure.
2. **Scripting Language**: Loader.io uses a proprietary scripting language for test scenarios creation while Locust utilizes Python for scripting, allowing flexibility and ease of use for developers familiar with Python.
3. **Real-time Monitoring**: Loader.io offers real-time monitoring and reporting features during test execution whereas Locust provides basic monitoring options and requires third-party integrations for in-depth monitoring.
4. **Cost Structure**: Loader.io follows a subscription-based pricing model with plans based on the number of users, tests, and duration while Locust is an open-source tool, offering cost-effective performance testing without any additional fees.
5. **Scalability**: Loader.io is designed for large-scale testing with the ability to simulate thousands of concurrent users efficiently whereas Locust is more suitable for smaller-scale testing due to limitations in scaling capabilities.
6. **Pre-built Integrations**: Loader.io offers pre-built integrations with popular testing tools and services for seamless workflow integration, which is not readily available in Locust, requiring manual setup for integrations.
# Summary
In Summary, Loader.io and Locust differ in deployment options, scripting languages, real-time monitoring, cost structure, scalability, and pre-built integrations, catering to varying performance testing needs.
I have a team that is not heavy on programming skills. I am looking for a load testing tool that is easy to use. Preferably, the tool should be a record and playback tool without much programming. Also, the tool should be able to test APIs apart from web-based applications. What tool should I opt for?
My choice would be Apache JMeter, It's free and opensource plus it comes with lots of plugins and extendability. Apache JMeter needs a small amount of a learning curve and a basic understanding of Network, Protocols (TCP/IP ports, HTTP(S) and REST/SOAP, etc.) for initial setup. But it doesn't require programming skills. it has a nice record and playback option. You can still carry on without the developer skillset if you follow these steps. 1. Take backup. 2. Start recording and interact with the application. 3. stop recording and save the test case. This will give you your test-bed, after this, after these steps, every time just do Restore from backup and then Playback and observer results.
If you have longer recordings then an understanding of how to modify the recorded scripts will come handy.
For some of the advanced features such as Configuring variables, implementing loops, throttling adding think time, and automating test scaling to the number of users will require good planning of test scenarios and a Developer experience but this is true for any tool (even loader.io)
Disclaimer: I work at k6, and I recommend you try our tool.
It might require some coding skills, but we support a few options to record a user session to autogenerate the load test. Read How to record a browser session with k6 OSS.
The k6 Cloud also supports recording a user session with a Browser Extension. Additionally, it provides a Test Builder UI to generate a load test for testing APIs.
If you have questions or need help, you can ask on Slack and the Community forum.
Pros of Loader.io
- Easy to use9
- Free tier6
- Heroku add-on3
Pros of Locust
- Hackable15
- Supports distributed11
- Open source7
- Easy to use6
- Easy to setup6
- Fast4
- Test Anything2
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Cons of Loader.io
Cons of Locust
- Bad design1
