Best Performance Testing Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Artillery is ranked #1 of 34 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Keysight Eggplant Test and Gatling. The best-ranked option with a free plan is LoadFocus. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Gatling at €7.42/mo.
When you need to understand how software behaves under demand, performance testing tools can help frame tests around load, stress, and target types. Compared on load testing, stress testing, distributed load, and maximum virtual users, the entries provide several dimensions to assess. Artillery, Keysight Eggplant Test, and Gatling are among the options. Check whether API testing or browser-based testing fits your targets, and whether the deployment model suits your environment. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add cost context to those technical considerations.
34 performance testing software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
34ranked
9free plans on this page
€7.42/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Performance Testing Software 25 channels on this page · 161 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromLoad testingStress testingBrowser-based testingDistributed loadAPI testingDeployment model Spec sheet Score
01 Artillery Free planYesPaid from$199/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 8/8spec lines stated 7.8
02 Keysight Eggplant Test Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 6/8spec lines stated 7.5
03 Gatling Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingNoDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 7.4
04 LoadFocus Free planYesPaid from$19/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelcloud 8/8spec lines stated 7.4
05 Taurus Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingnot statedBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 6/8spec lines stated 7.4
06 Locust Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 7.3
07 Apache JMeter Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingNoDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 7.2
08 BlazeMeter Free planYesPaid from$99/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 8/8spec lines stated 7.2
09 Fortio Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingnot statedBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadnot statedAPI testingYesDeployment modelon-premise 3/8spec lines stated 7.1
10 OctoPerf Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 7.1
11 Grafana k6 Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 7.0
12 Loader.io Free planYesPaid from$99.95/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelcloud 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
13 OpenText Core Performance Engineering Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 6/8spec lines stated 6.8
14 Blackfire.io Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLoad testingnot statedStress testingnot statedBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadnot statedAPI testingnot statedDeployment modelcloud 2/8spec lines stated 6.7
15 OpenText Enterprise Performance Engineering Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 6/8spec lines stated 6.3
16 Tricentis Testim Free planNoPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 6.3
17 WebLOAD Free planNoPaid from$499/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 8/8spec lines stated 6.3
18 Xceptance LoadTest Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingnot statedDeployment modelhybrid 6/8spec lines stated 6.3
19 Speedscale Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingNoDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 6.2
20 Tsung Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingNoDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 6.2
21 HammerDB Free planYesPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadYesAPI testingnot statedDeployment modelon-premise 5/8spec lines stated 6.1
22 StresStimulus Free planYesPaid from$180/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 7/8spec lines stated 6.0
23 Apica LoadTest Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingnot statedDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 5/8spec lines stated 5.9
24 LoadForge Free planNoPaid from$67/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelcloud 8/8spec lines stated 5.9
25 LoadView Free planNoPaid from$129/moLoad testingYesStress testingYesBrowser-based testingYesDistributed loadYesAPI testingYesDeployment modelhybrid 8/8spec lines stated 5.9
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Load testing | Stress testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Artillery | 7.8 | Free plan | $199/mo | Yes | 199 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | Keysight Eggplant Test | 7.5 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | Gatling | 7.4 | No | €7.42/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | LoadFocus | 7.4 | Free plan | $15.80/mo | Yes | 19 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Taurus | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 6 | Locust | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 7 | Apache JMeter | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 8 | BlazeMeter | 7.2 | No | $8.25/mo | Yes | 99 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 9 | Fortio | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | — | — | Yes | — |
| 10 | OctoPerf | 7.1 | Free plan | €649/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 11 | Grafana k6 | 7.0 | Free plan | $19/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | Loader.io | 6.9 | Free plan | $99.95/mo | Yes | 99.95 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | OpenText Core Performance Engineering | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 14 | Blackfire.io | 6.7 | No | €33.25/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 15 | OpenText Enterprise Performance Engineering | 6.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Tricentis Testim | 6.3 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 17 | WebLOAD | 6.3 | No | — | No | 499 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Xceptance LoadTest | 6.3 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | Speedscale | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 20 | Tsung | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 21 | HammerDB | 6.1 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 22 | StresStimulus | 6.0 | No | — | Yes | 180 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 23 | Apica LoadTest | 5.9 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 24 | LoadForge | 5.9 | No | — | No | 67 /mo | Yes | Yes |
| 25 | LoadView | 5.9 | No | — | No | 129 /mo | Yes | Yes |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which performance testing software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Artillery is ranked #1 of 34 with a score of 7.8. Keysight Eggplant Test is second and Gatling third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Gatling has the lowest first paid tier we found: €7.42/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.
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