Best 10 Backend Automation Testing Tools

Automation testing has many different types – frontend testing and backend testing are the most popular. Backend testing involves verifying the backend system (other than the user interface) such as API, Database, third-party library calls, server performance, etc. Though the backend testing seems complicated, the backend automation testing tools make your life easier.

Types of Backend Automation Testing?

Testing can be broadly divided into two types

• Front end testing
• Backend testing

Front-end testing focuses on visible elements of the application such as user interface, styles, alignments, borders, and fonts. Further, it also focuses on functionality using the UI. Front-end automation tools help to carry out the front-end testing.

Backend testing focuses on components behind the application such as the database, API, and libraries. Sometimes the backend testing also focuses on application infra and performance. Many backend automation tools can help you automate the backend testing tasks. Unlike front-end testing backend testing may not be straightforward as it requires deep-level technical knowledge not just the application functionality. However, with the help of the right tool, the complexity can be eased.

What Do the Tools for Backend Automation Testing Do?

The front-end testing is conducted on visible elements and workflows, however, backend testing doesn’t contain user elements. Backend testing validates non-UI components such as API calls, Server side tasks database queries, etc. For example, if you need to test the API then you need to send the request with a predefined body and you will get the text, status codes, error codes, etc. as a response hence there will not be any visible components, or styles in the backend testing.

Database testing is another part of backend testing, where the tester executes a set of queries on the database and expects the specific data as a response.  The database testing requires direct connection to the database server and queries will be sent to the connected server.

As mentioned earlier, the database testing also doesn’t involve any user interface, mostly command line tools or programmatic code will be used to carry out verification.

10 Best Backend Automation Testing Tools

As we discussed earlier the backend testing is more complicated than the front-end testing. Without the right tools, it would take a long time to complete the testing, in turn, it can affect the delivery cycle. The backend automation testing tools provide the capability of automation just like front-end automation tools. However not all the automation testing tools support backend testing.

Let’s look at the most popular backend testing tools

1. Testsigma

Testsigma is a cloud-based, AI-powered, codeless test automation platform that allows testers to automate back-end testing. You can also test web, desktop, mobile, API, Salesforce, and SAP applications. Testsigma has an intelligent AI agent, Atto, which helps in smarter test automation. Atto, along with its specialized suite of agents, performs various tasks to improve test efficiency.

• Sprint Planner Agent – Automatically plans your tests once a Jira sprint starts by detecting the new sprint. 
• Generator Agent – Generate tests from various inputs, including prompts, Figma designs, JIRA tickets, documents, videos, and even images, making it easy to go from idea to automation in seconds..
• Optimizer Agent – Continuously evaluates your test suite to improve performance and reliability.
• Runner Agent – Validates the generated tests and enables in-browser execution, making it ideal for quick sanity checks and low-effort test runs.
• Analyzer Agent – Provides actionable insights tied directly to code changes to understand the impact of updates, highlights affected test cases, and accelerates your release cycles.

• Bug Reporter Agent – Captures detailed logs, screenshots, and step-by-step execution trails for every failed test.

Features of Testsigma

• Parallel Testing – Run multiple test cases across devices and browsers to significantly reduce execution time.
• Extensive Device Lab – Access a cloud-based lab with 3000+ real and virtual devices for testing on different iOS and Android versions, screen sizes, and manufacturers without managing hardware.
• Cross-Browser Compatibility – Ensure your iOS web apps work seamlessly across all major browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, using real environments in the cloud.
• Reduced Flakiness – AI-driven self-healing tests and smart wait strategies automatically fix broken steps and adapt to UI changes, minimizing flakiness.
• Enhanced testing- Testsigma supports automated testing of both REST and GraphQL APIs, enabling validation of endpoints, queries, mutations, and complex data flows.

2. Cypress

Cypress is an open-source test automation tool. It supports both front-end and back-end API automation.  However, unlike Testsigma it is not a codeless automation tool. The test case automation needs to write a code and execute using the Cypress test runner. However, with Cypress, you can write component tests, UI tests, and API tests so entire testing types can be covered using the single tool.

Pros

• It is an open-source tool, and no cost is involved in setting up
• Easy to set up and use
• Provides various libraries for API automation
• Testrunner dashboard helps to view and execute test cases in one place
• Supports multiple reporters.

Cons

• Need a skilled resource to write the automation scripts
• No native support for database testing
• No inbuilt technique to generate the test data

Top updates in 2025

• Improved request chaining, analytics, and seamless REST/GraphQL integration.
• Direct Safari (WebKit) testing and no plugins needed.
• Screenshot-based UI regression and isolated framework component testing (React/Angular/Vue) enhanced.

3. Postman

Postman is a dedicated testing tool for API testing. It supports both manual and automation testing. The postman automation tests can be integrated into the pipeline using the tool called Newman. Postman comes in two flavors – free and paid. The free subscription has a limitation around requests and mocking, however paid version has full capability.

Pros

• Easy to install and set up
• Self-understanding GUI-based editor
• Supports both manual and automation of API testing
• API mocking and shared workspaces are unique features

Cons

• Supports only API testing, Database testing is not possible.
• Doesn’t support performance testing of database, API’s
• Requires the skilled resources to write automation scripts
• Beginners might have difficulty in writing test cases, as documentation is limited

Top updates in 2025

• Direct support for designing, testing, and monitoring AI agents and their dependent APIs. Integrates Model Context Protocol (MCP) for agent-tooling.
• Real-time API observability, monitor usage, detect failure patterns, and debug with reproduction mode.

4. TestRigor

TestRigor is an AI-based test automation tool that helps to build and execute test cases without writing the code. TestRigor automatically detects the test settings based on various factors and it suggests the modifications. It supports both front-end and backend API testing.

Pros

• It is a SaaS-based tool, no installation or setup is needed
• It is a codeless automation tool, that helps non-technical people to contribute to automation
• Supports API testing for backend testing
• Detailed reports and statistics help to analyze the test feedback.

Cons

• It is not a free tool, the organization needs to spend money on a subscription
• As it is mostly focused on front-end testing, except API testing no backend testing can be done
• Doesn’t support any type of performance testing.

Top updates in 2025

• Generative AI writes tests from prompts
• Plain English scripting for web, mobile, API, and desktop apps.
• Vision AI can verify visual elements and context-based image checks, handle iframes/dynamic UIs, and use OCR.
• End-to-end, visual, API, accessibility, LLM/chatbot, and real device/browser testing in a unified interface.

5. Hammerdb

HammerDB is a dedicated tool for database testing. It is an open-source tool and supports many Database servers such as Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL. You can write the script to execute the query and test the database performance. The industry standard database performance benchmark can be set using the HammerDB tool.

Pros

• HammerDB is a free and open-source tool
• Supports various database servers
• Database load and performance testing can be done easily
• Supports both Windows and Linux
• UI and command line  interfaces with full automation
• Easy to generate complex transactional workloads

Cons

• It is a dedicated tool for Database testing and doesn’t support any other type of testing
• Though it has documentation, beginners feel it’s complicated to follow
• Requires expert-level coding skills to write the test cases.

Top updates in 2025

• Supports various databases like MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, IBM Db2.
• Native driver/script support (Tcl/Python/PowerShell), Docker CI/CD, and improved job/result tracking.

6. SLOB

As mentioned earlier, the backend testing includes many server-side use cases such as CPU usage, database I/O, etc. The SLOB is a backend testing tool that helps to generate an I/O workload for the Oracle database. 

Pros

• SLOB is a free tool and is used by many reputed organization
• SLOB can be used to generate and test the I/O workload for the Oracle database
• It supports testing extreme REDO logging I/O

Cons

• One should be highly skilled in Database technologies to understand the concepts and implementation
• SLOB supports only database I/O testing
• It supports only the Oracle database
• Documentation comes in a single PDF file and it is complicated

7. TOAD

Toad is a database management toolset, that helps to generate the data for various databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, IBM DB2, SAP, and MySQL. It is a proprietary tool by Quest. Using the TOAD you can also automate frequent workflows and processes.

Pros

• Supports various databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, IBM DB2, SAP, and MySQL
• It can be used to generate the test data on any supported database
• TOAD can be used to automate administrative tasks
• TOAD is a database-focused tool that provides administration, management, analytics, and test data generation for databases

Cons

• TOAD tool is not DB testing focused however some of its features can be used for database testing.
• It is a proprietary tool, so cost is involved to use this tool.
• Difficult to map test case scenarios using TOAD automation, as it doesn’t support end-to-end database testing capability.

Top updates in 2025

• Automate complex DBA tasks, self-service script generation, and no/low-code database operations for broader accessibility.
• Support for cloud-native databases (Databricks, Oracle Cloud Fusion, etc.), and seamless macOS + Windows licensing.

8. Azure DATA Factory

The Azure Data Factory is cloud-based data integration tool. It can be used for creating data-driven workflows in the cloud to automate data movement and transformation. It helps to manage and monitor the workflows. The data factory offers both UI and programmatic ways to integrate and monitor the data. 

Pros

• It is a cloud-based tool for data integration and monitoring so no on-premise or local setup up required.
• Datafactory doesn’t store the data and helps to deal with local compliance standards
• Offers both UI-based and programmatic ways to create the pipeline
• Good level of documentation.
• The pricing is based on the activity performed so it helps the organization reduce the cost

Cons

• It is a proprietary tool so organizations need to spend on tools
• The tool is helpful only in integrating data transformation and monitoring

Top updates in 2025

• VNet Gateway Data Pipeline support available in preview for advanced enterprise integrations.
• Easier pipeline promotion, item-level REST APIs, and parameterized data connections for flexible deployments.

9. JMeter

The Jmeter is a well-known tool for performance testing. It supports backend automation of APIs and Databases (Using third-party plugins). It is an open-source tool and has a large community base. Simplified UI and drag-drop feature help beginners to easily start with backend automation.

Pros

• Open-source and free tool
• Supports API Testing, Performance Testing, Server Monitoring, Database Testing
• Comes with GUI drag and drop hence easy to create script
• Can be integrated into the DevOps ecosystem
• Supports multiple platforms Linux, Windows, and Mac
• Execution can be done using both command line and GUI
• Many inbuilt reporter support

Cons

• One needs to learn the Jmeter scripting to create the scripts in an effective way
• Database testing and Server monitoring can be carried out only using third-party plugins
• Jmeter tool becomes heavy during execution and needs to have good infrastructure to get the desired results

Top updates in 2025

• Multipart/Form-Data for PUT/DELETE of file uploads with JSON for more HTTP method flexibility.
• Thread names now auto-prefixed with engine hostname/port, improving test result clarity in complex infra.

10. Playwright

Playwright is open source test automation tool maintained by Microsoft. It supports both front-end automation and backend API automation. Playwright supports multiple languages such as Java, Javascript, Python, and C#. It has dedicated libraries to automate the API’s. It supports mocking and stubbing of the network.

Pros

• Open source tool, No need to spend on the tool
• Supports both Front end and Backend Automation
• Supports DevOps CI/CD ecosystem integration
• Multiple language support such as Java, Javascript, Python, and C#
• Good documentation

Cons

• One needs to have a proficient level of programming knowledge to implement the Playwright
• Doesn’t support database testing
• Cannot be used for Performance testing
• Doesn’t support Server side backend testing  

Top updates in 2025

• Capture session video/audio during headless runs for better CI/CD debugging.
• Native Apple ARM and Firefox Nightly/Edge compatibility.

Conclusion

Backend testing is the most important part of the testing due to backend system dependency. The backend testing focuses more on the Database, server activity, API and infrastructure, etc. Backend component failure can cause the whole system to be down and in turn it can damage the organization. Testing backend components is more complicated than the front-end components as it doesn’t involve any visible items like UI. Backend testing is non-browser-based testing hence there will not be any browser dependancy so it can be performed programmatically or via command line. 

Leveraging backend automation testing tools helps in swift feedback, and also it aligns with the modern DevOps and agile development framework. Remember, always choose the automation tool after carefully evaluating your requirements and limitations. Most automation tools require programming skills and organizations might have to spend a lot on upskilling resources. However codeless automation tool like Testsigma allows you to write the code in plain English language so even non-technical people can contribute to the backend test automation.

Frequently Asked Questions