Cypress vs Karate – Top Key Differences

Modern software development follows an API-driven development approach, which helps to build and test independent components easily in isolation. When it comes to API testing, Karate and Cypress are the popular tools. Testsigma is another popular no-code tool that supports API Testing, UI Testing, and Regression Testing on the cloud. In this blog let us compare the pros and cons of Cypress vs Karate and also explore the alternative tools like Testsigma.

Cypress vs Karate – Overview

What is Cypress?

Cypress is an open-source test automation framework. It supports Javascript programming language for automation testing. 

• It was launched in 2015, It has quickly gained popularity because of its developer-friendly features and its unique architecture. 
• It was initially built for end-to-end (E2E) testing. 
• It allows to simulate the user interaction using the browsers. 
• Additionally, it supports integration testing, unit testing, and API testing.
•  Users can send HTTP requests and verify API responses directly in their test scripts. 
• Cypress is known for its faster execution.
•  Integrated debugging capability assists developers and testers in quickly identifying and resolving problems. 
• Furthermore, Cypress offers CI/CD integration and many third-party tools. 
• There is also a premium version of Cypress that includes additional and most advanced features.

Check here – Cypress Alternatives

What is Karate?

Karate is an open-source test automation framework launched in 2017. 

• It was initially built with a focus on API testing and now it supports both UI and API Testing. 
• Though Karate supports UI Testing the features might be limited and may require additional integrations. 
• It follows Gherkin-based syntax which helps to understand easily and also increases readability. 
• Karate Supports many different protocols for API Testing such as REST, SOAP, GraphQL, etc. 
• The framework can also be extended to Performance testing, data-driven testing, etc using available add-ons. 
• It also supports integration with CI/CD pipelines. 
• Apart from core capability, Karate can be integrated with Appium to enhance the framework for mobile testing. 
• Like Cypress, Karate also has premium paid subscription plans for advanced features.

Check here – Karate Alternatives

What is Testsigma?

Testsigma is a cloud-based no-code test automation platform. 

• It was launched in 2019. Due to its unique features, it has quickly become popular. 
• It supports many testing types such as functional testing, API testing, visual regression testing, end-to-end testing, cross-browser testing, etc. 
• It comes with built-in support for both mobile and web testing. 
• The Testsigma framework can be further enhanced to support Desktop testing. 
• It has many advanced features such as AI-driven test case creation, inbuilt integration with Copilot assistant, etc. 
• Customizable reports and dashboards are helpful in tracking the testing progress. 
• Additionally, Testsigma does not need any local installation, one can just sign up and start automation. 

Cypress vs Karate – Pros & Cons

Pros and Cons of Cypress

Cypress provides many developer-friendly debugging features and supports both UI and API Testing, mocks, and stubs, it also has the visual test runner and supports many integrations; however, it lacks many features such as parallel execution, limited assertions, etc. Let’s understand the pros and cons of Cypress.

Check here – Testcafe vs Cypress

Pros of Cypress

• The open-source version provides almost all capabilities; hence, the premium version is optional.
• Supports both visual execution mode and CLI-based execution.
• Provides developer-friendly debugging features.
• Supports both API and UI Testing; also supports cross-browser testing features.
• Hundreds of libraries to integrate. A lot of libraries are in the market developed by community members. One can reuse them to minimize the effort.
• Supports all major CI/CD platforms, many software development tools, and bug-tracking tools.
• Good community support, and extensive documentation.
• Easily controls, stubs, and tests edge cases without involving your server. You can stub network traffic however you like.
• Verify and control the behavior of functions, server responses, or timers.

Check here – Ghost Inspector vs Cypress

Cons of Cypress

• Cypress does not support parallel execution locally; setting up parallel execution is challenging.
• It requires good programming language expertise to configure and write the test cases.
• The learning curve may be high for beginners.
• Cypress only supports the JavaScript programming language.
• Many advanced features are part of the premium subscription, not covered in the open-source.

Check here – Cypress vs React Testing Library

Pros and Cons of Karate

Karate is primarily built for API Testing; it uses Gherkin-like syntax, so it makes it easier for beginners. Karate also supports UI automation and integration with Appium and other tools, which helps to enhance the capabilities of Karate. However, the UI testing capability is limited compared to other frameworks. Additionally, it lacks visual test runners and documentation, which makes it complex for beginners.

Check here – Karate vs Rest Assured 

Pros of Karate

• It provides both open-source and premium versions, which makes Karate affordable based on needs.
• The Gherkin syntax makes it easy for beginners to write the tests.
• Karate supports REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs, with built-in features for request/response validation and complex scenarios like file uploads and JSON schema validation.
• Karate can be enhanced to support performance and load-testing features which helps the team to run functional and performance tests together without relying on external tools.
• Karate can be used for UI testing and mobile with Appium integration
• Karate allows data-driven tests, where you can run the same test with different sets of input data.
• Data-driven tests are supported by Karate, allowing you to execute the same test using several input data.
• It supports parallel execution, which helps in reducing the execution time.
• It can be integrated with CI/CD pipelines and other tools.

Check here – Karate vs Postman

Cons of Karate

• Karate was initially designed for API Testing, and its UI testing capabilities might be limited.
• It uses its own modified scripting language, which may require additional learning to understand.
• Though Karate looks simple for basic testing, advanced features might require a good understanding of the framework and architecture, which results in a steep learning curve.
• Community support is comparatively less for Karate considering other open-source tools.
• Many users opined that it is challenging to debug Karate tests, and it is time-consuming.
• Although Karate provides basic reporting features, many users opined that the reporting needs more improvement.

Features of Testsigma

Testsigma is a unified test automation tool. It supports many automation testing capabilities, including API Testing, UI Testing, and visual testing features. All different testing types are supported using no-code automation technology, which is helpful for non-technical users. It also has many advanced features like AI-based API test case generation, co-pilot-based AI assistant, etc. Let’s understand the features of Testsigma:

• Testsigma supports API testing, UI Testing, and Visual Testing with no-code automation. 
• It supports both SOAP and REST-based API automation testing.
• Supports many types of body data for API Testing, including JSON, Form data, URL-encoded, Binary, Raw, GraphQL, etc.
• One can send a request for API testing with parameterized URLs.
• It supports many types of authorization for API Testing.
• One can also verify the response body, response headers, etc., with ease.
• Testsigma is a cloud-based platform that does not require local installation.
• It offers an intuitive and modern user interface, providing a smooth and rich user experience.
• Testsigma supports no-code test automation, allowing testers to automate without writing complex code. It includes record and playback options and a visual editor.
• It can be used for testing desktop, web, and mobile applications
• Testsigma offers a large list of environments for testing, including Linux, macOS, Windows, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, iOS, and Android.
• It supports cross-browser, cross-platform, cross-device, and visual testing, with 3000+ real devices. Additionally, tests can be executed parallelly on the cloud.
• AI-driven test automation enhances productivity with features like automated test case generation, AI-based API test case generation, auto-healing tests, etc.
• Testsigma supports parallel testing to reduce test execution time and provide faster feedback.
• Multiple projects can be managed easily with role management and user management capabilities.
• You can schedule test execution based on the need like daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
• Customizable dashboards and reports help to communicate with the stakeholders with graphical formats like charts, graphs, etc.
• Test reports can be generated in formats like PDFs and are easy to share with Stakeholders.
• Testsigma supports integration with 30+ tools including JIRA, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Bamboo. Also supports many bug-tracking and project-management tools.
• With no-code automation, Testsigma has a low learning curve, reducing the need for technical expertise and upskilling.
• Testsigma is budget-friendly, as it offers flexible pricing and cost-saving pricing plans.
• The Testsigma Marketplace provides 200+ add-ons developed by the community and the Testsigma team to extend functionality.
• 24×5 customer support is available via chat, email, call, and community forums.
• Detailed documentation with videos, screenshots, and steps helps to learn and quickly find the solution to the problem.

Testsigma vs Cypress vs Karate: Table comparison

Features	Testsigma	Cypress	Karate
Platform Type	Cloud-based	Requires Local Installation and setup	Requires Local installation and setup
Type of Test design	No-code automation	Requires scripting in programming language	Gherkin based. Advanced scenarios may require coding.
Learning curve	Low	High	Moderate
API Testing	Supports REST, SOAP, and GraphQL with no-code API testing	Supports API testing with JavaScript	Designed for REST, SOAP, GraphQL APIs
UI Testing	Supports UI, web, and mobile testing with no-code	Primarily designed for UI testing with API testing support	Limited UI testing capabilities. Can be enhanced with Appium for mobile
Parallel Testing	Supports parallel testing across multiple environments	Limited support for parallel execution locally	Supports parallel execution
Cross-Platform/Device Testing	Supports cross-browser, cross-platform, cross-device testing (3000+ real devices)	Limited support	Limited support
No-Code Automation	Yes, fully no-code	No, requires coding knowledge (JavaScript)	Limited support
AI-Driven Test Automation	Many AI-based features including automatic test case generation, AI-Assistant, etc	Limited support	No support
Test Reporting	Customizable reports and dashboards, shareable PDFs	Basic test reporting, less customizable	Basic reports, less customizable
Supported Programming Languages	No-code (Natural language)	JavaScript only	Java-like scripting language
Mobile Testing	Supported inbuilt	Not supported	Supported via Appium Integration
Pricing	Budget-friendly, flexible pricing, open-source option	Open-source version with basic features. Premium version for advanced features	Open-source version with basic features. Premium version for advanced features
Integration with Tools	30+ integrations (JIRA, Jenkins, GitHub, Azure DevOps)	Limited integration capability	Limited integration capability
Documentation	Detailed documentation with videos and guides	Extensive documentation, community-driven	Basic documentation, less beginner-friendly

Explore the various features of Testsigma [Start the free trial]

Testsigma vs Cypress vs Karate: Which one to Choose?

Cypress is an end-to-end test automation framework that supports both UI and API Testing. However, it requires coding and might also require add-ons or third-party tool integration to execute on the cloud. Additionally, it does not support parallel execution, which can significantly increase the test duration. 

Karate is good for API Testing as it supports many different protocols such as SOAP, REST, GraphQL, etc. Karate might lack the UI testing features, and some scenarios might even require integration with third-party tools like Appium. Its Gherkin syntax makes it easy for beginners for basic use cases, but advanced use cases might require additional learning. 

When it comes to mobile testing, both Cypress and Karate lack built-in capability. If you are looking for a unified framework that supports various testing types such as API Testing, Regression Testing, UI Testing, Visual Testing, etc., then Testsigma is a preferred choice. It is also a no-code automation tool that simplifies test case creation, encourages non-technical users to write the automation scripts, and accelerates the automation. Additionally, it has many unique features that are required for modern testing, such as AI-driven test case creation, cloud-based execution, cross-browser testing, cross-platform testing, built-in mobile testing support, etc. 

Overall, Testsigma is promising for organizations that want to accelerate automation and increase automation coverage. However, many factors may affect the decision on an automation tool, including organization-specific requirements. Once you evaluate the tools, you will be able to make the right decision.

Conclusion

As software development is adopting the API-driven development approach, API testing tools are crucial to align with software development. Executing API tests manually might be challenging as complex applications involve hundreds of APIs. Performing regressions and validating new features might take a lot of time. API automation tools come in handy to streamline the API testing process. Cypress, Karate, and Testsigma are all popular testing tools. However, Testsigma makes API testing better by supporting a no-code approach and providing many required features to test both UI and APIs. Additionally, as a unified platform, Testsigma reduces the learning curve, maintenance, and cost, as one platform supports everything. Testsigma can be a good alternative to both Cypress and Karate as it provides many more features compared to both of them.