HeadSpin Reviews

Name: HeadSpin
Brand: HeadSpin
Rating: 4 (6 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

6 reviews
100% willing to recommend

What is HeadSpin?

Headspin is a data science-driven Mobile APM platform that leverages an AI platform to combine global device infrastructure, test automation, machine learning-driven performance, and quality of experience analytics. HeadSpin was founded to answer the demand for a global testing, performance monitoring, and quality of experience (QoE) management platform to assist businesses in ensuring optimal digital experiences across mobile, audio, online, and video delivery channels.

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HeadSpin is the #6 ranked solution in top Mobile APM solutions, #7 ranked solution in top Mobile App Testing Tools, and #19 ranked solution in top Functional Testing Tools. PeerSpot users give HeadSpin an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. HeadSpin is most commonly compared to Dynatrace: HeadSpin vs Dynatrace. HeadSpin is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 65% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 22% of all views.

Helped 814,649 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Saorabh Singh

Senior Manager - QA at Games24x7

We use HeadSpin for automated, manual, and performance testing of our apps. Presently, we have 70 users, including QA, developers, product managers, and the operations team HeadSpin allowed us to manage remote work during Covid, enable continuous automation execution, and facilitate collaboration…

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Shiba Sahoo

Automation Engineer at GlobalLogic India

First of all, it's very laggy. Not with the UI, but when you interact with the remote devices, I think the latency is seven to nine seconds. That means that there is a seven- to nine-second delay on average when you click on certain things. If you want to do some testing or check the devices manually or check the application in a particular device manually, it is really laggy. That's a disappointment because sometimes we would like to do manual testing when our local devices are not available. Secondly, tvOS devices can't be connected to Wi-Fi. For example, suppose you are doing multi-region testing, meaning you want to test one application in multiple regions. You have to change the location and use a different Wi-Fi or VPN for each device. Mobile devices can be connected, but it's not there yet for tvOS devices. Here's another example: Apple TV is connected to LAN, and if you have LAN, it cannot switch between regions because the LAN is for a particular user. Since the Wi-Fi support is not there, you can't switch it to, let's say, UK or Denmark because it's connected to LAN. That's one drawback and disadvantage we are facing because our application supports around 12 to 14 regions.

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Abhishek-Mehta

Associate Vice President at Onnivation

There is definitely room for improvement in terms of marketing. Marketing is something that is not that great. If you look at some of the other companies in the space, they have a lot of published case studies and tested models. They make a lot of noise. They have got some of their best customers talking about them, which is where HeadSpin needs to work. They should automate their onboarding. A lot of things are still manual. They can create a video assistant or something like that to completely automate the entire process. There is a great scope to improve professional services. The time to deploy is quite long. They can increase and improve the scope of their professional services and set up automation through scripts. They do it at this stage, but they're very expensive. I would love to see them come up with project-based costing for companies that are startups or low on funds. Apart from these, they have been on top of the game in terms of features. I can't think of any other new set of features at this point in time because they're already on top in terms of innovation.

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HeadSpin mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of HeadSpin in the Functional Testing Tools category stands at 0.7%, down from 0.8% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Functional Testing Tools

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Aug 13, 2024

Valuable Features

HeadSpin's most valuable features are its all-in-one platform, user-friendly documentation, and excellent performance testing. Its AV box testing is unique and essential for streaming quality. Integration with other solutions allows quick debugging. Valuable performance parameters and seamless connectivity with automation suites are highlighted. Continuous enhancements are appreciated. Management values ERP reports and social media analysis to assess customer behavior for tailored offerings.

"The initial setup of HeadSpin was very easy and user-friendly. It was easy to configure and write a script."
"The most valuable features of the product are the performance parameters it gives us."
"The technical support is really helpful because we can set up direct calls with them if we want to. We can use Zoom or Google Meet to interact with them directly, and if there is an issue in our system, they will help us by reproducing the issue in their machines and trying to figure out a solution. The support is really smooth, and we like that they're very supportive."

Room for Improvement

Support and pricing need enhancement. Web application support lags behind mobile. Marketing efforts are subpar compared to competitors. Onboarding processes should be automated. Professional services can be faster and more affordable. User interface for iOS is poor, often lagging. tvOS devices face connectivity issues. Code coverage metrics are absent. Hardware requires improvement for battery life. Reporting capabilities should be expanded for better management insights.

"HeadSpin needs to improve the hardware. With the mobile, the battery life reduces and must be continuously charged."
"Sometimes, devices go offline and some features are not functioning on some devices, specifically on iOS."
"If you want to do some testing or check the devices manually or check the application in a particular device manually, it is really laggy. That's a disappointment because sometimes we would like to do manual testing when our local devices are not available."

ROI

HeadSpin significantly improved performance monitoring and debugging capabilities, leading to optimized application performance and reduced time spent on issue resolution. Users experienced accelerated development cycles and an increase in productivity, resulting in enhanced user experiences and efficiency gains.

Pricing

HeadSpin's pricing varies with different enterprise packages and versions, offering yearly licenses with no project-based options. Though considered expensive, the cost reflects its premium benefits. Licensing costs differ across companies, but users find the pricing competitive and worthwhile. Enterprises appreciate its comprehensive solution, encompassing hardware, license, and software. Startups may need more flexible pricing models for budget-friendliness.

"I believe the licensing cost is cheap because it's a total solution, hardware, license and software."
"We have a yearly license for 16 devices."
"It has a yearly license. There is no other option. It is expensive. There are a lot of other cheaper players in the market, but it is like a Mercedes. You pay an extra premium for it, but you get the benefits.I would love to see them come up with project-based costing. Companies that are low on funds or new-age can do with pricing that is easily digestible. They can give them a pricing model for three months. They can provide a startup package."

Popular Use Cases

The primary use case of HeadSpin is testing mobile apps on various devices, including Android, Apple phones, and Apple TV. Users leverage it for automated, manual, and performance testing, debugging apps, and simulating real-life conditions. It supports remote testing and reduces dependency on local devices and internet issues. Users include QA teams, developers, product managers, and operations teams. Integration with CI tools like Bitrise facilitates seamless test runs.

Service and Support

Customer service and support of HeadSpin are helpful, resolving issues quickly. The support team is knowledgeable and offers direct communication via Zoom or Google Meet, reproducing issues to find fixes. Users appreciate the initial hand-holding for complex features and performance testing. Some think the support team needs expansion to match demand, while others note that after deployment, their need for assistance declines. Overall, they rate support highly, emphasizing the team's quick response and proactive assistance.

Deployment

The initial setup of HeadSpin is described as easy and uncomplicated. Users found the deployment on Cloud simple, while on-premises took longer. Some suggested automating onboarding to reduce deployment time. Documentation was helpful, making implementation straightforward. Integration with CI tools was necessary. Basic feature setup was user-friendly, although advanced features required training. Deployment timelines varied, with some completing it in a day, others taking longer based on specific requirements. Maintenance and operation commenced within a year for some users.

Scalability

HeadSpin is highly scalable, supporting cloud infrastructure and handling extensive device loads efficiently. Organizations have successfully used it with over 100 users and large numbers of devices. The flexibility to distribute testing across multiple devices enhances speed and performance. Some users report scalability depends on device access and testing requirements, while reported performance remains consistent and satisfactory.

Stability

Many users find HeadSpin stable, citing minimal downtime and compliance with ISO standards. Occasionally, users experience performance issues like lag and device downtime, particularly during maintenance. Stability varies by device type, being generally more reliable on Android than iOS. External factors like internet connectivity and hardware maintenance also impact performance.

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

Download our HeadSpin Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

22%

Manufacturing Company

15%

Computer Software Company

14%

Legal Firm

Media Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Healthcare Company

Insurance Company

University

Energy/Utilities Company

Government

Marketing Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Hospitality Company

Educational Organization

Pharma/Biotech Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Retailer

Engineering Company

Non Profit

Logistics Company

Printing Company

Compare HeadSpin with alternative products

Learn more about HeadSpin

Headspin facilitates seamless collaboration between product managers, SREs, developers, QA/release engineers, and support staff to:

Quicken development times using intelligent automation in test and production.
Optimize digital performance across devices, networks, and apps.
Automate insights discovery with practical, context-aware AI and analytics.

Headspin Features

Headspin has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Global device infrastructure allows end-to-end monitoring and testing with thousands of devices in numerous locations on real carrier and WiFi networks around the world. SDK is not required.
Test automation and APIs integrate into CI/CD workflows to enable functional and performance testing pre and post release. Support for all testing frameworks.
Performance, QoE, and machine learning automatically expose issues and points to underlying root causes across all layers of the stack, from quantifying audio/video quality of experience to code and packet visibility.
Insights-to-actions delivers regression and aggregation insights throughout the digital experience lifecycle. These insights take you from planning and development to troubleticketing and operations. Trending, alerts, and analytics.

More features include:

Hosted Device Cloud
On-prem Device Appliance
Performance & Experience Analytics
Professional Services & Support
Education, Certification & Training

Headspin Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Headspin. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Use data science to identify problems and root cause analysis

Empower QA and DevOps teams with data science insights and test automation

Global teams can work together using remote access

Capture performance and UX issues

Reviews from Real Users

Headspin stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Some of these include its easy setup, scalability, and robust customer support. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

Abhishek M., Associate Vice President at Onnivation, notes, “A lot of companies that are using other solutions do not get access to the kind of metrics that HeadSpin captures…HeadSpin is highly advanced. It has got all the performance structures to provide visibility into how my app is performing in the real world. It also helps to identify the gaps.”

Shiba S., Automation Engineer at GlobalLogic India, writes, “The technical support is really helpful because we can set up direct calls with them if we want to…They support multiple devices. Plus, they support distribution testing.”