01
Automation frameworks: scripted UI tests
These drive a real browser through your flows and check the results. You write and maintain the tests in code.
- Selenium: the long-standing standard, with WebDriver bindings for Java, Python, C#, JavaScript and more; works with every major browser
- Playwright: from Microsoft; one API for Chromium, WebKit (Safari’s engine) and Firefox, with auto-waiting and built-in screenshot comparison
- Cypress: JavaScript tests that run inside the browser, with a fast interactive runner popular with front-end teams
02
Visual testing tools: did the look change?
These compare screenshots with an approved version and show what changed, catching what scripted tests miss.
- Percy (by BrowserStack): visual snapshots from your existing tests or Storybook, reviewed in a dashboard
- Applitools: AI-assisted visual comparison that ignores small rendering noise
- Chromatic: visual tests for Storybook components, from the Storybook team
- BackstopJS: open-source screenshot comparison you run yourself
03
Device clouds: real browsers and phones
BrowserStack, LambdaTest (now TestMu AI) and Sauce Labs give you real devices and browser versions to test by hand or to run your automated tests on. Use them when you need real phones, many browser versions or large parallel test runs.
04
Accessibility tools
axe (axe-core and the axe DevTools extension, by Deque) is the most used engine for automated accessibility rules; Lighthouse in Chrome includes a lighter accessibility audit. Automated rules catch a part of WCAG; keyboard and screen reader checks by a person cover the rest.
05
Automatic layout checkers: no scripts
UICheck loads a URL at every screen size in Chrome, Safari’s engine and Firefox and finds layout bugs (sideways scroll, cut-off text, overlaps, small tap targets), form problems, accessibility issues and launch mistakes, each with a screenshot and the fix. It needs no test code, checks whole sites, compares with Figma, and has a free plan with 5 checks a day.
06
Desktop GUI testing tools
For desktop applications rather than websites, GUI testing tools such as Ranorex, TestComplete and Squish drive native windows and controls. The web tools above don’t cover native desktop apps.
07
How to choose
- Critical flows that must keep working (sign-up, checkout): Playwright, Cypress or Selenium
- Catching unintended visual changes: a visual testing tool
- Real phones or many browser versions: a device cloud
- Every page’s layout on every screen size, without writing tests: an automatic checker such as UICheck
- Accessibility: axe plus a manual keyboard pass
Checklist
Questions
Which tool is used for UI testing?
For automated web UI tests, Selenium, Playwright and Cypress are the most used. Teams add Percy or Applitools for visual changes, BrowserStack or LambdaTest for real devices, axe for accessibility and an automatic checker such as UICheck for layout.
Is Selenium a UI testing tool?
Yes. Selenium automates real browsers, and its main use is automated UI and end-to-end testing of web applications.
Which tool is used for GUI testing?
For web apps, the same tools as UI testing: Selenium, Playwright and Cypress. For desktop applications, GUI tools such as Ranorex, TestComplete or Squish.
Is Playwright better than Selenium?
For new web projects many teams prefer Playwright for its auto-waiting, speed and one API across Chromium, WebKit and Firefox. Selenium has wider language support and a longer history. Both are solid choices.
What are examples of UI testing tools?
Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Percy, Applitools, Chromatic, BrowserStack, LambdaTest, axe and UICheck.