This blog guides developers and QA teams seeking alternatives to Applitools for visual testing. It examines the top options available, outlining their specific advantages and disadvantages. The aim is to help you select the most suitable tool for your team to identify visual regressions before they impact end-users effectively.

Best Applitools Alternatives for Effective Visual Testing

Are visual bugs slipping through your QA process?

Many Applitools users seek alternatives for better control or lower costs.

This blog helps developers and QA teams needing reliable visual testing without being locked into one tool. We explore the best Applitools alternatives, covering their strengths and weaknesses.

Learn to pick the right fit for your team to catch visual differences before users do. Continue reading to find the best visual testing solution for your needs.

Why Teams Look Beyond Applitools

Applitools is fast, AI-powered, and feature-rich, but it comes with an additional cost, false positives, or a steep learning curve for many teams. Teams often need a cost-effective, open-source, or more flexible testing tool—especially when managing many automated tests, testing on different devices, or trying to avoid time-consuming test maintenance.

Key Factors When Choosing Applitools Alternatives

Before selecting the best Applitools alternative, consider:

• Test execution speed across various browsers and devices

• Support for responsive design and dynamic content

• Accuracy in visual regression testing to reduce false positives

• Support for CI CD, multiple programming languages, and automation tools

• Ability to detect visual discrepancies in user interfaces

• Flexibility for code-based tests and integration with the existing test suite

Top Applitools Alternatives for Visual Testing

1. Percy by BrowserStack

Percy supports visual testing with pixel-level accuracy and CI CD integration. It's ideal for teams focusing on web applications and responsive design.

Key Features:

• Cross-browser testing with support for different screen sizes

• Easy integration with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket

• Visual comparison via baseline images

• Supports automated visual testing and visual regression

Pros:

• Supports visual testing across web pages and mobile applications

• Detects visual differences with minimal false positives

Cons:

• Not an open-source tool

• Paid plans may be expensive for startups

Best for: Teams seeking a quick-start visual testing tool with solid integration and performance

2. Visual Review

Open-source tool that enables teams to self-host and control their visual testing environment.

Key Features:

• Server-client architecture for managing visual tests

• Compare screenshots and perform visual regression

• Customizable test execution workflows

Pros:

• Completely cost-effective

• Great for small teams with custom integration needs

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve

• Fewer advanced features compared to paid tools

Best for: Developers wanting full control over their visual regression testing

3. Reg-Suit

Reg-Suit is another open-source tool designed for visual regression with flexible integration in CI CD environments.

Key Features:

• Works well with static site generators and SPAs

• Uses baseline images for comparing screenshots

• Integrates with S3, GitHub, GitLab, etc.

Pros:

• Customizable output and comprehensive reports

• Easy to plug into any test suite

Cons:

• Limited support for mobile applications

• Basic UI

Best for: Teams needing flexible visual testing in web projects with Git-based workflows

4. BackstopJS

Highly popular as an open-source tool for visual regression testing in web applications.

Key Features:

• Configuration-driven with CLI support

• Emulates different devices, screen sizes, and operating systems

• Rich plugin ecosystem

Pros:

• Works with multiple browsers

• Effective at detecting visual discrepancies

Cons:

• It can be overwhelming for non-technical users

• False positives require test tuning

Best for: Frontend devs testing UI across devices and different browsers

5. Loki

Loki is a visual testing tool designed for React components. It performs visual testing at the component level.

Key Features:

• Tight integration with Storybook

• Test execution happens in headless Chrome

• Detects visual differences in isolated components

Pros:

• Fast, isolated visual comparison

• Supports multiple programming languages like JavaScript and TypeScript

Cons:

• Not suitable for full web page regression

• Limited cross-browser support

Best for: Teams with component-driven UI architecture and Storybook

Feature Comparison Table

When to Choose the Best Applitools Alternative

Use Percy if:

• You want cloud-based speed with automated tests

• Your test cases involve dynamic content or responsive design

• You need integration with CI CD and version control

Use BackstopJS if:

• You're testing full web pages across multiple browsers

• You need visual regression for every release

• You're okay with writing config files instead of using a GUI

Use Loki if:

• You’re doing component-level UI work

• You prioritize test execution speed and want plain English diffs

Understanding Visual Regression With a Diagram

This workflow helps you identify visual differences during test execution by comparing new screenshots with previously accepted baseline images.

Final Thoughts

The best Applitools alternative depends entirely on your needs, from responsive design challenges to CI CD and budget requirements. Some tools prioritize simplicity and cloud speed; others allow total customization and code-driven workflows. You don’t have to settle for a one-size-fits-all testing tool. Instead, match your stack, team skill level, and test suite complexity with the right visual testing tool to reduce false positives, improve performance, and identify UI bugs fast, unlike Applitools, which may not always align with every use case.

Choose a tool that helps you test better, identify errors earlier, and adapt to evolving web and mobile demands without compromising speed or accuracy.