What is our primary use case?
My main use case for BrowserStack is to test things on real devices, hosted real devices and also to run automated tests on these devices to support multi-platforms, multiple different browsers, different platforms, and different devices. That is the use case we have to run tests.
A quick specific example of using BrowserStack for this kind of testing is when a big automobile company had a configurator for their vehicles, and we were using BrowserStack to test that the configuration of these vehicles can be done by customers on smaller mobile devices, iPads, or different laptops and platforms which the user uses. We also have the dashboards of the tests that were run on these devices.
What is most valuable?
The best features that BrowserStack offers include the ability to run manual and automated tests on real devices. We can create bugs, integrate it with other platforms like Jira or Azure, and use self-healing scripts with Selenium. We also have the test runs for different versions or with different frameworks, not just Selenium but with Playwright as well. Additionally, there are real-time dashboards and notifications sent when tests fail or when we need screenshots or recordings of test executions, and we can easily integrate this into our pipelines.
BrowserStack has positively impacted my organization by providing an out-of-the-box solution for whole test executions across different projects for our automobile customers. We have worked on around twenty to thirty projects, and the need for a stable, customizable single test execution platform that supports different platforms has been met. It has helped manage the entire quality assurance of the product efficiently.
The measurable improvements due to BrowserStack include a significant efficiency gain, allowing the whole team to collaborate on testing and communicate faster. Also, the easier integration with project management tools has been beneficial. The documentation of findings has improved, which helps us share insights with different project stakeholders.
What needs improvement?
Going forward, one way BrowserStack could improve is by incorporating AI concepts to create tests automatically from provided URLs or user intentions, generating scripts without needing users to write automation scripts. This could include natural language prompting for both test creation and insights from results.
While pricing for BrowserStack is acceptable, usability could improve with easier onboarding and understanding of features. An AI-driven chat interface could simplify managing the entire product using natural language instead of manual settings adjustments in various sections.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using BrowserStack for approximately eight to nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
BrowserStack's scalability is enhanced by its auto-scaling capabilities on AWS, allowing us to increase the number of parallel testing instances as needed.
How are customer service and support?
BrowserStack customer support is excellent, with knowledgeable staff assisting throughout onboarding, setup, and understanding our needs to provide tailored solutions. I would rate the customer support an eight on a scale of one to ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we used LambdaTest but switched to BrowserStack for greater stability and performance, bolstered by excellent documentation and support.
How was the initial setup?
The process of getting started and managing licenses was straightforward. BrowserStack provided the number of parallel users we wanted, such as five or ten, along with the number of parallel executions possible. Their documentation also made it easy to set up.
What about the implementation team?
I have unique aspects about how I use BrowserStack because sometimes we had to use our own AWS deployment of it because we cannot use the deployed BrowserStack by itself. We used a closed API with AWS for that managed instance, having the CI/CD pipeline to run the tests on AWS pipelines. We hosted BrowserStack on AWS and auto-scaled as needed or managed images and observability, and everything is managed on AWS.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment with significant time savings. For instance, pipeline executions that used to take eight hours have been reduced to one hour, enhancing continuous deployment and providing quicker feedback cycles. This has proven vital for various projects needing parallel executions, making our deployment much faster and more reliable. Some measurable KPIs included the number of tests executed in parallel in one hour, the reduction of bugs, and managing hotfixes, which has decreased due to efficient testing and execution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing was that it was a bit on the higher side, around three hundred dollars per user per month, and I hoped it could be reduced.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing BrowserStack, I evaluated alternatives including Selenium Grid, Selenium Box, Copado, and LambdaTest, and ultimately found BrowserStack to be superior to all these options.
What other advice do I have?
We also use AWS Code Pipelines to integrate BrowserStack, triggering Selenium tests with it and executing test cases in parallel. This was one of the most important features to execute tests faster, along with automatically saving screenshots, logs, and videos on an S3 bucket for later use or analysis.
For others considering using BrowserStack, I advise that if your project involves complexities requiring continuous deployments or if you have a large test team, BrowserStack is a good choice, especially if you face flakiness in tests. It is great for well-documented and communicated results.
I give BrowserStack a rating of seven on a scale of one to ten. I rate it a seven because I have used it extensively for the last seven to eight years and see it as a good product. However, there are competitors in the market offering similar features, and BrowserStack needs to highlight more unique selling points. Although it has a good market share and stability, I believe there are improvements and features that could elevate it to a nine or ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)