10 Open Source Mobile Test Automation Tools

Here is a list of top ten open source mobile test automation tools to allow you to automate mobile apps and mobile web. Some open source tools for mobile automation can be used for both Android and iOS as well as Native, Web and Hybrid.

Appium(Android and iOS)

Appium is an open-source tool for automating native, mobile web, and hybrid applications on iOS and Android platforms.Native apps are those written using the iOS or Android SDKs.Mobile web apps are web apps accessed using a mobile browser (Appium supports Safari on iOS and Chrome or the built-in ‘Browser’ app on Android). Hybrid apps have a wrapper around a “webview” — a native control that enables interaction with web content. Download Appium



Calabash (Android and iOS)

Calabash is an automated acceptance testing framework for mobile apps. Calabash could be compared to Selenium WebDriver. However, it is important to realize that interacting with a web app from a desktop computer is vastly different than interacting with a native app using a touch screen. Calabash provides APIs that are specialized to native apps running on touch screen devices.Download Calabash



Frank (iOS)

Frank allows you to write structured text test/acceptance tests/requirements (using Cucumber) and have them execute against your iOS application. Frank also includes a powerful “app inspector” (called Symbiote) that you can use to get detailed information on your running app. Download Frank



MonkeyTalk (Android and iOS)

MonkeyTalk automates real, functional interactive tests for iOS and Android apps – everything from simple “smoke tests” to sophisticated data-driven test suites. Native, mobile, and hybrid app, real devices or simulators. Download MonkeyTalk



iOS UI Automation (iOS)

Use the Automation instrument to automate user interface tests for your iOS app through test scripts that you write. These scripts simulate user actions by calling UI Automation, a JavaScript programming interface that specifies actions to be performed in your app as it runs. During the tests, the system returns log information to you.
When you automate tests of UI interactions, you free critical staff and resources for other work. In this way you minimize procedural errors and shorten the amount of time needed to develop product updates. More information



Robotium (Android)
Robotium is an Android test automation framework that has full support for native and hybrid applications. Robotium makes it easy to write powerful and robust automatic black-box UI tests for Android applications. With the support of Robotium, test case developers can write function, system and user acceptance test scenarios, spanning multiple Android activities. Download Robotium



iOS-driver (iOS)
Automate any IOS native, hybrid, or mobile web application using the Selenium / WebDriver API. ios-driver is fully compatible with the Selenium / Webdriver API. IOS automation is therefore as easy as automation for a browser.
ios-driver fully integrates with Selenium Grid so you can reuse your existing web automation infrastructure including your helper and utility classes (i.e. data creation, page objects etc.)
Download iOS-driver



Ui Automator (Android)

The uiautomator testing framework lets you test your user interface (UI) efficiently by creating automated functional UI testcases that can be run against your app on one or more devices.
The uiautomator API is bundled in the uiautomator.jar file under the /platforms/ directory. The API includes these key classes, interfaces, and exceptions that allow you to capture and manipulate UI components on the target app. More information



KeepItFunctional (iOS)

KIF, which stands for Keep It Functional, is an iOS integration test framework. It allows for easy automation of iOS apps by leveraging the accessibility attributes that the OS makes available for those with visual disabilities.
KIF builds and performs the tests using a standard XCTest testing target. Testing is conducted synchronously in the main thread (running the run loop to force the passage of time) allowing for more complex logic and composition. Download KIF



Selendroid (Android)

Selendroid is a test automation framework which drives off the UI of Android native and hybrid applications (apps) and the mobile web. Tests are written using the Selenium 2 client API.Download Selendroid

Automated Mobile Testing Tools

Automating the testing of mobile applications is especially challenging as mobile devices are less accessible and less open than standard desktop environments or web-based applications. Vendors of automated testing tools usually offer specialized modules or additional tools as part of their products designed for mobile applications. There are also a couple of free open source tools that you can use to automate your mobile application tests.

Commercial

DeviceAnywhere

DeviceAnywhere is available in multiple editions and allows you to test your apps and websites on different devices and automate your mobile tests.

Commercial

Ranorex

Ranorex can be used to automatically test mobile applications on iOS, Android and Windows 8 devices. Ranorex allows you to directly record your tests on your device to build your tests.

Commercial

eggPlant

eggPlant is another test automation tool that also supports various mobile development platforms such as iOS, Android and Windows Mobile/Phone.

Commercial

Silk Mobile

Silk Mobile is a test automation tool for web, iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone devices, which allows you to build and run your automated tests without having to jailbreak your devices.

Commercial

SeeTest

SeeTest is a test automation tool for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone. It allows you to record your tests on real devices and can be used to build cross-platform test automation suites.

Open Source

MonkeyTalk

MonkeyTalk is an open source test automation tool for mobile devices. It can be used to automate real, functional interactive tests for native, mobile, and hybrid iOS and Android apps, everything from simple smoke tests to more complex data-driven test suites.

Open Source

NativeDriver

NativeDriver is an implementation of the WebDriver API which drives of the UI of a native application rather than a web application. The project is working on drivers for Android, iOS and Windows/Windows Phone devices and applications.

OPEN SOURCE! THE TOP 10 IOS AND ANDROID AUTOMATION TOOLS

• Appium (iOS/Android) is a splendid open source tool used for automation of native and web as well as hybrid apps. What I mean by that is the fact that it is good for automation of apps written on original Android or iOS SDKs (native), web applications that are accessible via a mobile browser (web) and applications that are wrapped around the ‘webview’- the native control feature which enables various interactions with web contents (hybrid).
• Calabash (iOS/Android) is an acceptance testing automation framework. It may be compared with the famous Selenium Web Driver. Yet every tester has to realize the difference between testing the app on a desktop machine and on a touchscreen devise. Especially when dealing with a native application. Calabash may provide the necessary API full of ‘touchscreening’ experiences.
• Frank (iOS) actually allows you to write structure text tests as well as acceptance tests and requirements (via Cucumber) and all that fun will be executed against your iOS app. You can also get all the required info about your running app via Frank’s Symbiote, the app inspector in other words.
• MonkeyTalk (iOS/Android) can automate all possible real and functional interactive tests. Everything from little “Smoke Tests” to the tough data-driven test suits. It does bot real device and simulation tests with native and hybrid as well as mobile apps.
• iOS UI Automation (for iOS)  This one is an instrument. The one you can use for automating your user interface tests through some written test-scripts.
• Robotium (Android)  A great tool for both native and hybrid apps. Robotium makes black box testing fairly easier. With it test case developers are free to write function and system as well as user acceptance test scenarios.
• iOS Driver (iOS)  is capable of complete integration with the Selenium grid. Thus you will have the possibility of reusing the already existing wen automation infrastructure. This also includes the helper as well as the utility cases.
• UI Automator (Android) This UI Automation framework allows you to test your UI via creation of automated functional test cases. They will be able of running against your app on a single or multiple devices.
• KeepItFunctional (iOS) KIF is an integration test framework. KIF is building and performing cases with a standard XCTest testing target.
• Selendroid (Android) is but one more test automation framework. It is driven of the UI of both native and hybrid apps as well as the mobile web. So the tests will be written via Selenium 2 client API.