Gatling
Software testing tools
Load testing tools
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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€89/month per month
Free TrialFree version
Small
Medium
Large
- Information technology and software
- Agriculture, fishing, and forestry
- Banking and insurance
What is Gatling
Gatling is a load and performance testing tool used to simulate user traffic against web applications and APIs. It is commonly used by QA, performance engineers, and developers to validate response times, throughput, and stability under expected and peak loads. Gatling scenarios are typically authored as code (Scala-based DSL), which supports version control and CI/CD automation. The product is available as an open source core with commercial offerings for enterprise features and managed execution.
Code-based test scenarios
Gatling uses a scripting approach (Scala DSL) that fits software engineering workflows such as code review, reuse, and version control. Teams can parameterize scenarios, manage test data, and compose reusable components in a structured way. This approach can improve maintainability compared with purely record-and-playback tools when test suites grow. It also aligns well with automated pipelines where tests run on every build.
Strong HTTP/API focus
Gatling is well suited for HTTP(S) performance testing of web applications and REST-style APIs. It provides detailed metrics around response times, errors, and request rates that help identify bottlenecks during load. The tool supports common needs like headers, cookies, authentication flows, and feeders for dynamic data. This makes it practical for backend and service-level performance validation.
CI/CD and automation friendly
Gatling is designed to run non-interactively, which supports integration with build systems and deployment pipelines. Test execution can be triggered as part of continuous testing to catch regressions in latency or error rates. Results can be generated as reports suitable for sharing with engineering teams. This automation orientation differentiates it from tools that emphasize manual test execution or qualitative feedback collection.
Higher learning curve
Authoring scenarios typically requires comfort with Scala and a developer-oriented workflow. Teams without programming experience may find it harder to get started than GUI-driven testing tools. Debugging scripts and managing dependencies can add overhead for smaller QA teams. Training and internal standards are often needed to scale usage.
Limited browser-level realism
Gatling primarily targets protocol-level load generation rather than full browser rendering and client-side behavior. It does not natively validate UI performance, layout, or real user interactions in the way browser automation tools do. For applications where front-end rendering time and client-side execution dominate, additional tooling is usually required. As a result, it is best positioned for backend and API performance testing.
Enterprise features may require paid tiers
While the open source edition covers core load testing, organizations may need commercial offerings for centralized management, advanced reporting, collaboration, or large-scale distributed execution. This can introduce licensing and vendor dependency considerations for enterprise rollouts. Some teams also prefer fully managed services to reduce infrastructure work. Evaluating total cost includes both licensing and operational setup.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | €99 per month (monthly) or €89 per month billed annually (€1,068/year) | Up to 60,000 VUs; 1 hour (60 minutes) of testing included; 1 Load Generator; 2 Seats; Community support. |
| Team | €396 per month (monthly) or €356 per month billed annually (€4,272/year) | Up to 180,000 VUs; 5 hours (300 minutes) of testing included; 3 Load Generators; 10 Seats; Distributed testing; Professional support. |
| Enterprise | On request (custom pricing) | Custom limits for VUs, hours, load generators, seats; all features & integrations; Premium support; contact sales. |
Seller details
Gatling Corp
Paris, France
2015
Private
https://gatling.io/
https://x.com/gatlingcorp
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gatling-corp/
