AegisRunner vs Katalon
Katalon Studio has been around since 2015. AegisRunner takes a fundamentally different approach: instead of recording clicks or writing Groovy scripts, our AI generates tests from a URL. Here's how they compare.
Why teams switch from Katalon to AegisRunner
Minutes, not hours
Katalon requires installing a desktop IDE, setting up projects, and recording or scripting tests. AegisRunner starts with a URL and generates tests automatically in minutes.
10x cheaper
Katalon's paid plans start at $175/mo. AegisRunner starts at $9/mo with a generous free tier. No per-execution costs, no Runtime Engine license.
No vendor lock-in
Katalon tests are in a proprietary format. AegisRunner exports standard Playwright TypeScript — run them anywhere, commit them to your repo, no lock-in.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Katalon | AegisRunner | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Record-and-playback + scripting (Groovy/Java) | AI-generated tests from a URL — zero coding |
| Getting Started | Download desktop IDE, configure project | Paste a URL in the browser |
| Test Creation | Record actions or write Groovy scripts | AI crawls site and writes tests automatically |
| Page Discovery | Manual — you pick what to test | Automatic — AI finds every page and state |
| Selector Strategy | XPath-heavy, Object Repository | Resilient: text, role, aria-label, data-testid |
| Visual Testing | Katalon TestOps add-on (paid) | Built-in pixel-level diffs |
| A11y / SEO / Security | Not included | Built-in on every crawl |
| CI/CD Integration | Katalon Runtime Engine (paid license) | GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, webhooks — included |
| SPA Support | Limited — requires wait commands | Full — Playwright engine handles JS natively |
| Code Export | Katalon-proprietary format | Standard Playwright TypeScript |
| Scheduling | Katalon TestOps (paid) | Built-in scheduler |
| Notifications | Email (TestOps) | Slack, Discord, Jira, email, webhooks |
| Pricing | Free tier limited; paid from $175/mo | Free tier; paid from $9/mo |
| Desktop App Required | Yes (Katalon Studio) | No — fully browser-based |
| Mobile Testing | Yes (Appium-based) | Web only (responsive viewport support) |
| API Testing | Built-in | Built-in (REST & GraphQL) |
Katalon is a trademark of Katalon LLC. This comparison is based on publicly available information as of March 2026.
When Katalon might be a better fit
Mobile app testing
Katalon supports native mobile testing via Appium. AegisRunner focuses on web applications (though it supports responsive viewport testing).
Desktop app testing
Katalon Studio supports Windows desktop application testing. AegisRunner is web-only.
Try AegisRunner free — no download required
No desktop IDE to install. No Groovy to learn. Enter a URL and see your test suite in minutes.