Sauce Labs Guide | Based on verified user reviews

Ever wondered how Sauce Labs’s users think it performs? Our detailed guide, synthesized from honest user experiences, can help you figure out what works well and what doesn’t. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of Sauce Labs before making a purchase decision.

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Throughout the guide below, there are links directly to reviews. Select the reviewers most relevant to you, and those links will be highlighted in blue.

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Testing Platforms

Mobile Testing

Users generally praise Sauce Labs for its robust mobile testing capabilities. Reviewers consistently highlight the convenience of testing on a wide range of real mobile devices, including both Android and iOS platforms. The ability to run tests on actual devices ensures accurate performance evaluation and helps in identifying potential issues across different devices. Additionally, users appreciate the ease of setting up tests, the detailed test results provided, and the support for various test frameworks like Appium and Cypress. Despite some minor concerns such as latency and permission settings, Sauce Labs is widely regarded as a valuable tool for mobile application testing, particularly for cross-platform and cross-browser testing. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Sauce Labs is a great tool. It simulates native mobile apps really well although there is some latency. There is also some permission settings that we wish we can simulate and disable.” – Engineer in Engineering, Medical Device, 201-500 employees

“Sauce Labs is well suited for mobile device and app testing. It’s not appropriate for nonfunctional testing.” – Manager in Information Technology, Computer Software, 201-500 employees

“Sauce Labs is used for mobile application testing in the health care segment. It addresses the automation of testing across platforms.” – Manager in Information Technology, Computer Software, 201-500 employees

Browser Testing

Reviewers consistently highlight Sauce Labs’s browser testing capabilities as a standout feature, with many praising its ability to support multiple browsers and versions. Users appreciate the ease of cross-browser and device testing, noting that it streamlines their testing processes and enhances productivity. The platform’s support for various browser configurations and operating systems is commended for providing comprehensive coverage and reducing test suite run-times. While some users mention minor areas for improvement, such as specific browser version availability, overall sentiment leans towards the positive, with users valuing Sauce Labs for its effective browser testing solutions. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Sauce Labs allows us to rid ourselves of tech debt-heavy Selenium configurations and write quality tests. Additionally, the ability to cross-browser and device test using virtualized browsers and device farms simplifies our configurations and allows us to re-focus resources on what matters.” – Manager in Engineering, Hospitality, 10,001+ employees

“We support multiple browsers and we run our automation tests on Sauce Labs on different browsers. We can target different browser versions.” – Manager in Quality Assurance, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

“Sauce Labs has always been my choice for automation UI cross-browser testing tool. The technical knowledge of the Sauce Labs team is excellent.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees

Cross Browser Testing

Users unanimously agree that Sauce Labs excels in cross-browser testing capabilities. Reviewers consistently praise the platform for its ability to conduct thorough testing across various browsers and devices, ensuring optimal performance and compatibility. The technical expertise of the Sauce Labs team is highly regarded, with users appreciating the support provided in resolving any cross-browser testing issues. Additionally, the ease of test execution and the ability to replay tests contribute to a streamlined testing process, enhancing overall productivity. Multiple team members can collaborate simultaneously, further improving efficiency in cross-browser testing. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

“It helps in understanding the test cases issues in a much better way and with the help of test videos and logs it becomes very easy to rectify the issues.” – Employee in Information Technology, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“Sauce Labs has always been my choice for automation UI cross browser testing tool. The technical knowledge of the Sauce Labs team is excellent.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees

“We use Sauce Labs in our whole organization for cross-browser testing in all the projects. It fulfills our need for all types of mobile device testing like Android and IOS devices.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

Testing Types

Automated Testing

Users generally believe that Sauce Labs’s automated testing capabilities are a strong point. The platform’s ability to support a wide variety of devices and browsers for both manual and automated tests has been well-received. However, some users have expressed concerns about the execution time for certain test cases, particularly on mobile scripts, which can lead to delays in running tests efficiently. Despite these challenges, Sauce Labs is praised for its reliability in cloud-based environments and its provision of video recordings for easy debugging, saving time for developers and testers. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Running tests reliably in a cloud-based environment; Parallel test execution is easy and stable; Supports a wide variety of devices and browsers.” – Source

“Execution time is very long compared to other web driver setups; Because of the time it takes, we are not able to use our regression testing.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“Sauce Labs is obviously great for ensuring you can validate all your tests against cross browsers. This was our first priority as an organization and have been very happy with the ease with which we were able to integrate with Sauce Labs, the stability of the platform, and the analytics provided on our test runs.” – Director in Quality Assurance, Computer Software, 201-500 employees

Manual Testing

Users appreciate Sauce Labs for its robust manual testing capabilities, particularly for web and mobile applications. The platform’s support for manual testing on real mobile devices and virtual environments has been highlighted as a valuable feature by reviewers. While some users have mentioned occasional challenges, such as longer loading times for iOS simulators, overall sentiment towards Sauce Labs’s manual testing functionality remains positive. The ability to run manual tests efficiently across various browser and device combinations has been a key factor in enhancing testing processes for many teams. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Sauce Labs is well suited for web and mobile manual and automated testing needs. They also have a very good support system.” – Manager in Quality Assurance, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“Reduced manual QA efforts. Results in video show the errors and help debug with going to root cause early in test cycles.” – Director in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 501-1000 employees

“Sometimes running iOS scripts is a pain as it takes more time to load the simulator.” – Source

API Testing

Users’ feedback on Sauce Labs’ API testing functionality is diverse. While some reviewers praise its effectiveness and ease of use, others express more reserved opinions. The API testing feature seems to be a notable aspect of Sauce Labs for many users, with some highlighting its benefits in saving time, generating reports, and facilitating multi-browser testing. However, there are also instances where users mention areas for improvement or suggest enhancements to the API testing capabilities. This mixed sentiment indicates that while Sauce Labs’ API testing functionality is generally appreciated, there may be room for further refinement to meet the varying needs and expectations of users. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3)

“API testing feature works well.” – Employee in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees

“API testing!” – Employee in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees

“API testing.” – Employee in Information Technology, Telecommunications, 10,001+ employees

Testing Processes

Test Execution and Management

Users generally find that Sauce Labs excels in test execution and management capabilities, as highlighted in various reviews. The platform is praised for its ability to run test cases on real devices and emulators efficiently, providing a comprehensive selection of browser and platform versions for automation testing. Users appreciate the ease of debugging with Sauce Labs’ recordings and failure logs, which aid in identifying and rectifying issues effectively. However, some users have noted concerns about the execution time, especially for larger test suites, where Sauce Labs may lag behind other web driver setups. Despite this, the overall consensus leans towards Sauce Labs being a valuable tool for executing test cases across different environments and platforms. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“CONS: Execution time is very long compared to other web driver setups.; Because of the time it takes, we are not able to use our regression testing. We are using Sauce Labs only for creating test cases up to the test cases running successfully. If anything fails, we will get the video to fix the issue. After that we are using other web drivers to run the test suite. I can recommend Sauce Labs if we need to test if the given build is good or is working in all the browsers correctly. That means the scenario count is less than 10, so execution time does not matter here. But if we need to run a test suite with >100 then this is not suitable because it is 200% more time-consuming when compared to other web drivers.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“Having used some of the competitor’s tools over the year I would say that SauceLabs provides a lot of value for money if you plan to run long sets of tests with high frequencies. Paying for a single slot means you can run tests whenever you want without creeping costs but it does make running tests in parallel require an extra slot. Currently, our test suite takes over three hours to run and at the moment it is cost prohibitive to purchase an extra slot. However, having access to live testing and integration with Appium is great.” – Professional in Research & Development, Information Technology & Services, 11-50 employees

“It is being used across the whole organization for cross browser testing and for testing on real devices emulators. It helps in understanding the test cases issues in a much better way and with the help of test videos and logs it becomes very easy to rectify the issues.” – Employee in Information Technology, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Users generally appreciate Sauce Labs for its robust continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) capabilities, citing its ability to streamline testing processes and enhance deployment efficiency. While some users have highlighted minor drawbacks such as the lack of an integrated CI system and occasional delays in support case resolution, the overall consensus leans towards the positive impact of Sauce Labs in facilitating CI/CD integration for faster testing and deployment cycles. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

“Easy setup solution with CI GitHub Action Nice integration with Cypress Nice and fast contact support.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Insurance, 5001-10,000 employees

“Positive ROI with the ability to test older phones or niche phones that we don’t own.; Positive impact with CI/CD turn around time for possible sev1 bugs.” – Employee in Information Technology, Entertainment, 10,001+ employees

“Not as well suited when you want very quick feedback from tests and require the tunnel to be active, as it can take longer to perform the setup and execution.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospital & Health Care, 201-500 employees

Test Case Development

User sentiment regarding Sauce Labs’ test case development capabilities is mixed. Some users appreciate the platform’s ability to streamline test case creation and execution, particularly in the context of real device testing. However, others have expressed concerns about the efficiency and reliability of test case development within Sauce Labs, citing issues such as long waiting queues and challenges in managing a large number of tests. Despite these mixed reviews, Sauce Labs remains a popular choice for organizations seeking comprehensive test case development solutions. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Have to think how to manage 100+ tests to prevent long waiting queue.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Insurance, 5001-10,000 employees

“CONS: Mobile app state persistence without using real devices; More cost-efficient mobile push notification capability; Lack of VPC integration.” – Director in Research & Development, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“CONS: Frameworks for automation – pre built to get teams start off on automation.; Scriptless automation in App space as 50% of traffic is mobile now.” – Director in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 501-1000 employees

“One of the key advantages of Sauce Labs is its ability to provide an extensive range of real devices for testing, including both Android and iOS devices.” – Analyst in Quality Assurance, Banking, 51-200 employees

Testing Tools and Methods

Real Device Testing vs. Emulators and Simulators

Users consistently highlight the value of Sauce Labs’ real device testing over emulators and simulators. The ability to test on actual devices is seen as a significant advantage, ensuring accurate performance and functionality across various platforms. While some users have raised concerns about occasional interruptions and limited device availability, the general consensus leans towards the effectiveness and reliability of real device testing provided by Sauce Labs. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Access to specific devices is good, as well as access to a specific browser/platform. We are not able to connect our dev environments to Sauce Labs because the devices are put in our VPC. Some versions are not available like iPhone with iOS 12.1. With iOS, there is limited/no support for push notifications without real devices due to Apple’s provisioning profiles.” – Director in Research & Development, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“It is great for Cross-browser testing. It helps a lot in testing your apps with different real devices. It helps in correcting issues in test case by checking videos and logs.” – Employee in Information Technology, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“Mainly I’m using Sauce Labs to test on different mobile devices and also on different operating systems. It’s very difficult to test on real devices but using Sauce Labs I can launch the device by selecting an operating system and model and test my product across all types of devices.” – Professional in Quality Assurance, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

Cloud-Based Testing Solutions

Users generally praise Sauce Labs for its cloud-based testing solutions capabilities. The majority of reviewers appreciate the ease of running tests reliably in a cloud-based environment and the stable parallel test execution across a wide variety of devices and browsers. However, some users have noted occasional latency issues and delays in running mobile scripts, impacting the overall experience. Despite these minor drawbacks, Sauce Labs’s cloud-based testing solutions are seen as a valuable asset for organizations looking to streamline their testing processes and ensure comprehensive test coverage across different platforms. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)

“Sauce Labs is well suited in most cases. But since it is cloud-based application, one cannot use it without internet.” – Team Lead in Quality Assurance, Wholesale, 1001-5000 employees

“Running tests reliably in a cloud-based environment. Parallel test execution is easy and stable. Supports a wide variety of devices and browsers.” – Source

“Extremely well suited to manual testing in various browser combos and automated testing of regression tests through CI/CD with a bit of initial setup. Not as well suited when you want very quick feedback from tests and require the tunnel to be active.” – Engineer in Information Technology, Hospital & Health Care, 201-500 employees

Virtual Device Testing

User feedback on Sauce Labs’s virtual device testing capabilities varies among reviewers. While some users appreciate the comprehensive selection of browser and platform versions for test automation, others express concerns about the performance of virtual devices, particularly with outdated Samsung and Android devices. The ability to run automated regression testing across different browsers, devices, and operating systems is highlighted as a key benefit, but slow response times and limitations in testing on various browsers in both virtual and real devices are noted as drawbacks. Additionally, the lack of recording test runs on real devices is a point of contention for some users. Despite these mixed opinions, Sauce Labs is praised for its provision of virtual and physical devices for testing, as well as its support for both manual and automated test case execution. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

“Virtual devices are not up to date, especially Samsung and Android devices; No recording of test runs on real devices; Slow response times; Impossible or hard to test on different browsers in devices (virtual and real)” – Professional in Information Technology, Insurance, 11-50 employees

“Provide virtual devices for tablets and phones direct for use without Appium.; Decrease the lag time between automated test execution and console display.; Better integration publishing test execution results to external test case management systems such as Tricentis qTest.” – Team Lead in Research & Development, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

“If you currently have existing or planned to have appium tests, that Saucelabs is well suited as their real devices automation is unlimited.” – Professional in Information Technology, Insurance, 11-50 employees

Development and Debugging

Integration with Development Tools

Users consistently highlight Sauce Labs’s integration with development tools as a key strength, enabling streamlined development and debugging processes. The platform’s ability to seamlessly integrate with various development tools has been commended for enhancing efficiency and productivity in testing workflows. Additionally, users appreciate the ease of setup and the support for popular development tools, which contribute to a smooth and effective testing environment. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

“Sauce Labs has very good UI and it reduces the learning time for newcomers. Sauce Labs also provides very good integration with open-source tool sets to test automation.” – Manager in Quality Assurance, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“Sauce Labs will be used for cross browser testing. Sauce labs is used by UI developers for fixing and developing UI.” – Team Lead in Information Technology, Information Technology & Services, 10,001+ employees

“Provide virtual devices for tablets and phones direct for use without Appium. Decrease the lag time between automated test execution and console display.” – Team Lead in Research & Development, Financial Services, 10,001+ employees

Debugging and Troubleshooting

Users have consistently highlighted Sauce Labs’ debugging and troubleshooting capabilities as a standout feature, citing the ease of locating and understanding test videos and logs. The platform’s ability to provide detailed insights into failed tests and offer video recordings for easy debugging has been particularly well-received. While some users have mentioned minor issues such as the time taken to load iOS simulators, overall feedback indicates that Sauce Labs excels in streamlining the debugging process and saving valuable time for developers and testers. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

“Running WEB browsers tests on different versions.; I like Sauce Labs recordings for easy debug.; Even looking into failure logs helped me a lot.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“Debugging is easy as it provides a video of where things failed saving time for developers and testers to quickly deep-dive.” – Source

“Sauce Labs accelerates and optimizes the tests by running them through console logs, metadata, and Selenium with complete lists of compatible commands.” – Team Lead in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

Reporting and Documentation

Users consistently praise Sauce Labs for its robust reporting and documentation features. The majority of reviewers highlight the ease of use and thoroughness of the documentation provided by Sauce Labs. They appreciate the detailed reporting capabilities that allow for in-depth analysis of test results. Additionally, users value the screen recordings and video capture functionalities that aid in debugging and troubleshooting issues effectively. While some users have expressed minor concerns about outdated documentation in certain areas, overall, Sauce Labs is recognized for its strong reporting and documentation offerings. (Source Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

“Documentation/ease of use.” – Engineer in Engineering, Computer Software, 10,001+ employees

“Some of the documentation is old.; Some of the documentation is missing for pure beginners.” – Engineer in Quality Assurance, Banking, 10,001+ employees

“The screen capture of objective evidence.; Reporting of test results.” – Manager in Information Technology, Computer Software, 201-500 employees

Sauce Labs Product Guide