Apache JMeter Reviews

Name: Apache JMeter
Brand: Apache
Rating: 4 (85 reviews)

Vendor: Apache

3.9 out of 5

85 reviews
86% willing to recommend

3,029 followers

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What is Apache JMeter?

Apache JMeter is an open-source Java application that tests load and functional behavior and performance in applications. Created initially to test web applications, it has expanded its functionality to test other functions. For instance, you can test a server to see how efficiently it works and how many user requests can be handled simultaneously.

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Apache JMeter is the #1 ranked solution in top Performance Testing Tools, #1 ranked solution in top Load Testing Tools, and #3 ranked solution in top API Testing Tools. PeerSpot users give Apache JMeter an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Apache JMeter is most commonly compared to Apigee: Apache JMeter vs Apigee. Apache JMeter is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 70% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 19% of all views.

Helped 802,829 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

AlexLogan

Senior Manager, Performance Engineering at Enel Group

JMeter is used by a team of four performance engineers. We monitor tasks on the API level, so all of the requests are hitting individually JMeter has helped us streamline our applications by identifying multiple bottlenecks in our systems and exercising tasks against APIs. JMeter is a free tool…

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Alex Logan

Senior Manager, Performance Engineering at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees

We use Apache JMeter to test the performance of our platforms and applications The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free. If not for that, we would be using a different tool. The graphical user interface could be improved. In this tool, automation in general is almost…

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VASUDEVA UNGATI

Senior Director - Quality Engineering at mobileum

Most of our products and the entire industry operate on APIs now. The end user interacts with the user interface, but the entire backend runs on APIs. Even when one application needs to interact with another, we use APIs. It's an API-driven world, and Apache JMeter supports API testing. We had some challenges testing HTTP/2 APIs, which are becoming more prevalent with advancements like 5G. So, we added another plugin to help with HTTP/2 API load testing. Apache JMeter, with additional plugins, now supports HTTP/2, which is critical as everyone moves from HTTP/1 to HTTP/2. We used many features, and we like all of them. It's hard to say which one is better than the other. The ability to simulate heavy loads from multiple users is definitely a standout. We can increase the number of threads, ramp up, ramp down, and run stable load tests. We've validated all these use cases. The tool's reports are user-friendly and self-explanatory. It has good visualization aspects as well. Performance and stability are key industry requirements. Often, functionality testing is prioritized, but performance and stability are crucial once the product is in production.

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Apache JMeter mindshare

Product category:

As of September 2024, the mindshare of Apache JMeter in the Performance Testing Tools category stands at 25.7%, up from 21.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Performance Testing Tools

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Sep 11, 2024

Valuable Features

Apache JMeter offers valuable features like ease of use, open-source accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. Users appreciate its API, database, and MQ testing capabilities. Key features include a friendly UI, extensive plugin support, integration with Jenkins, and robust reporting. Its flexibility, scalability, and large community support are also highlighted. Performance testing is enhanced by thread groups, scripting capabilities, and customizable extensions, allowing heavy load simulation from multiple users.

"It is scalable. It is cloud-based."
"Any front-end technologies like Angular, React, or others might access the services. Therefore, you must ensure that using SAP with JMeter works fine. Unless you ensure this, the front-end team may not access the services properly."
"We had some challenges testing HTTP/2 APIs, which are becoming more prevalent with advancements like 5G. So, we added another plugin to help with HTTP/2 API load testing. Apache JMeter, with additional plugins, now supports HTTP/2, which is critical as everyone moves from HTTP/1 to HTTP/2."

Room for Improvement

Apache JMeter needs a more user-friendly interface and enhanced reporting features. It struggles with handling large user loads, recording scripts, and integration with CI/CD tools. Memory usage is high, causing performance issues. Some users find its documentation insufficient, making it hard for newcomers. JMeter does not support all necessary protocols and lacks built-in automation for certain tasks. Users also seek better stability, scalability, and synchronous or asynchronous capabilities for high TPS testing.

"There is room for improvement in the scripting concepts. The scripting and even the results and reports were very elaborative and informative in LoadRunner, but not in JMeter because everything has to be done manually."
"From an improvement perspective, consider a scenario where your application needs to retrieve data from PayPal and store it in an Excel file in an external network."
"To the best of my knowledge, the documentation could be improved. It should be enhanced to better support newcomers. Currently, only people with some experience can easily understand the content. Including more sample programs, applications, and use cases would help many more people adapt to using the solution."

ROI

Apache JMeter demonstrates a scalable application for frequent performance testing with at least a few thousand users. Users observed a significant reduction in license costs compared to HP Performance Center, claiming five times more return on investment and less financial commitment. Many appreciated Apache JMeter for its minimal maintenance expenses and effectiveness in lightweight applications. Several noted its power, stating it was beneficial for prototyping and resource allocation without a heavy financial burden.

Pricing

Apache JMeter is an open-source solution, free to use with no licensing costs. Enterprise users can leverage its cost-effective nature without financial burden. Organizations typically use the free version, but additional enterprise support and tools like BlazeMeter might incur fees. Comparatively, JMeter provides a budget-friendly alternative to pricier options like LoadRunner. Infrastructure costs may arise, but they are generally minimal. Users appreciate JMeter's ease of use and zero-cost adoption.

"It is free."
"The tool is open-source."
"Since it's free, there's no need for extensive support or improvements in pricing."

Popular Use Cases

Apache JMeter is primarily used for performance and load testing. It supports API testing, website testing, and database performance testing. Users leverage it for simulating user engagement, validating concurrent user performance, measuring response times, and identifying application bottlenecks. It assists in various testing scenarios, including stress, endurance, and spike testing, and integrates with other tools for automation and CI/CD pipelines. The cost-effectiveness and open-source nature make it popular for POCs and diverse testing needs.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for Apache JMeter rely heavily on a large, active user community rather than official technical support. Users can find extensive documentation and receive assistance through forums and community channels. Some companies find the community support effective and responsive, while others note the absence of dedicated support teams and the occasional delay in getting responses. Issues typically get resolved through online resources and user interactions.

Deployment

Users found Apache JMeter's initial setup to be generally straightforward and easy. Most installations were completed within minutes to a couple of hours, depending on technical expertise. Initial downloads and configurations were simple, with some users noting that more complex setups required additional time. Many appreciated detailed documentation, though technical skills benefited the process. Some encountered challenges with advanced configurations or version-specific issues. Most agreed that maintenance was minimal once Apache JMeter was running.

Scalability

Apache JMeter is scalable according to many users, but experiences with scaling vary. Some users scale it without issues, while others encounter limitations and complexities as they attempt to manage higher user loads. Users often incorporate cloud solutions or additional tools like BlazeMeter to enhance scalability. Many suggest it supports up to a few thousand users effectively but highlights resource consumption concerns and configuration challenges for larger implementations.

Stability

Apache JMeter is generally stable, though issues arise with high loads and many threads. It reliably handles lower to moderate loads but may encounter stability problems during intensive testing. Users have noted memory consumption issues with multiple users. While updates sometimes improve the tool, new features can occasionally impact stability. Most users find it reliable for lightweight web applications, not as much for enterprise-level tasks. Stable versions are available, supported by a large community.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Apache JMeter Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

19%

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Educational Organization

Energy/Utilities Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

University

Comms Service Provider

Media Company

Transportation Company

Logistics Company

Construction Company

Legal Firm

Non Profit

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Outsourcing Company

Hospitality Company

Consumer Goods Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Performing Arts

Pharma/Biotech Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Marketing Services Firm

Compare Apache JMeter with alternative products

Learn more about Apache JMeter

You can use JMeter to test functional performance and regression tests on different technologies. This Java desktop application has an easy-to-use graphical interface which uses the Swing graphical API. You can run JMeter on any environment that accepts a Java virtual machine, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac.

What protocols does JMeter support?

Web - HTTP, HTTPS
Web services - SOAP/XML-RPC
Email service - POP3, IMAP, SMTP
FTP service
Database via JDBC drivers
LDAP
Native commands or shell scripts
TCP
Java objects

How does JMeter work?

JMeter sends requests to a target server by simulating a group of user requests. Then it collects and calculates statistics on the performance of the target. This target can be a server or an application.

You can test the performance of static resources, such as JavaScript or HTML, and dynamic resources, such as JSP, Servlets, and AJAX. It is also helpful to determine how many concurrent users your website can handle.

There are two main tests you can carry out with JMeter: load test and stress test. The load test models expected usage of a server by simulating multiple users accessing the web server simultaneously. The stress testing aims to find the maximum load capacity of the server or application.

Apache JMeter Key Features

JMeter enables fast test plan recording, building, and debugging via a featured test IDE (integrated development environment).
Command-line mode allows carrying out load tests from any OS compatible with Java.
JMeter can extract data from most popular response formats, such as HTML, JSON, XML.
JMeter is entirely portable.
A multithreading framework allows you to simultaneously test multiple samplings and separate thread groups.
Thanks to the caching feature, you can conduct offline analysis or replay test results.

Apache JMeter Benefits

As open-source software, it is freely available and continuously improved.
The setup is user-friendly, and no installation is needed.
The GUI (graphic user interface) is intuitive and easy to use.
You can write your own tests and use the visualization plugins to extend the testing.
It is a platform-agnostic tool. For example, JMeter can work with Linux by clicking on the JMeter shell script. On Windows, you can call up JMeter by starting the jmeter.bat file.
Since the test plans are stored in XML format, you can generate a test plan using any text editor.
You can simulate a heavy load on a server, a group of servers, a network, or an object. Use JMeter to test an application or server's strength and performance under different load types.

The JMeter extensible core has numerous benefits:

Unlimited testing capabilities via pluggable samplers.
You can choose multiple load statistics with pluggable timers.
Visualization plugins and data analysis enable customization.
Continuous integration via third-party open-source libraries (Maven, Gradle, and Jenkins).

Reviews from Real Users

Stephen B., I.T. Architect, Analyst, and Developer at an educational organization, says, "The scripting ability is most valuable. It is easy to use. There is a UI, and you can go in there and figure those things out. After you've got a good set of tests, you basically have a scripted document that you can grab and execute in a pipeline. It is pretty quick to set up, and you can scale it and version control it."

"I like the fact that JMeter integrates well with other tools," adds the Founder and Principal Consultant at a tech services company.

A Quality Engineering Delivery Leader at a financial services firm says, “The performance of the solution is excellent. They have designed the product so that it is very easy to configure. You can basically do anything you like with the product. It's not very restrictive. We like the fact that the technology is open-source.”

Apache JMeter was previously known as JMeter.

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Apache JMeter customers

AOL, Orbitz, Innopath Software, PrepMe, Sapient, Corporate Express Australia, CSIRO, Ephibian, Talis, DATACOM, ALALOOP, eFusion, Panter, Sourcepole, University of Western Cape