Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Appium vs Apple Xcode comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Appium
Ranking in Mobile Development Platforms
6th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
Regression Testing Tools (6th)
Apple Xcode
Ranking in Mobile Development Platforms
12th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Mobile Development Platforms category, the mindshare of Appium is 4.9%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Apple Xcode is 2.1%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Mobile Development Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

Abhishek-Tiwari - PeerSpot reviewer
Has cross-platform flexibility and a record-and-play option
The challenging part with Appium is that installation can be a bit tricky. It can be challenging to set up in Android versus iOS environments. Appium has some limitations in terms of writing code using simulators and online cloud devices. I faced challenges with native based scenarios, battery turn out percentage, battery charging percentage, and memory capacity. The other challenge I faced involved codes changing from device to device. For example, the piece of code that works in iOS version 10.1 won't work in iOS version 6.0. In upcoming releases, if they can reduce some more of the dependencies like SDK, UIAutomator, etc., it would be great. That is, I'd like to see a consolidated package or bundle release that is much more user-friendly.
Daniel Bell - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient, up-to-date, and straightforward installation
The scalability of Apple Xcode is good. It can scale to any engineer team size. I have worked at a company using this solution with 30 iOS engineers and the current company I work at has four engineers. Our numbers are growing and we will increase usage of the solution.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Appium provides a record-and-play option, and the commands are the same as those that Selenium uses. So a person who has some exposure to Selenium will be able to write a piece of code in Appium."
"The solution is stable."
"We do not need to pay for the solution. It’s free."
"The solution is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature is that it's easy to launch applications. Appium has everything that Selenium has. So many good tools support Appium. We can take some Excel sheets and use them to fill out the text box that's in there. We can also take screenshots of failures."
"The automation part is extremely helpful in streamlining our processes."
"The library is extensive so the driver interacts with most functions or actions on mobile devices."
"Appium's best feature is that it supports multiple frameworks."
"The most valuable feature of Apple Xcode is that it is up to date."
"Xcode is pretty smart. It's easy to set up and works perfectly on Android."
"It is stable and user-friendly."
"The tool's most valuable features are debugging and code management."
"It is complete and relevant to the job at hand."
"We like the ease of access and navigation that this solution provides."
"Xcode has quite a bit of code error checking built-in, which is great. It also goes a step further and suggests fixes."
 

Cons

"They should add an in-built framework."
"Configuring the project to be used in Appium is a little bit tedious."
"The setup and installation were a problem for us at first."
"Appium could improve by enabling record and run techniques similar to what they have in other licensing tools, such as Micro Focus. We have to all write the code, and then we can proceed."
"One thing which can be really helpful is that there is some kind of a recorder made available rather than scripting everything."
"The installation part of Appium is somewhat clumsy, requiring numerous dependencies and configurations."
"It needs to accommodate applications that use React.js and AngularJS."
"One area where I think Appium could improve is in addressing security concerns for our data. Currently, we're unable to use cloud solutions like CloudForm due to security restrictions on our servers. We also face challenges in updating packages for the same reason. It would be beneficial if the solution could provide better support for auto-reporting and easier connections to mobile device farms."
"We would like a 'light' version of this solution to be developed, as it currently uses a lot of memory space."
"There should be additional documentation on App Store deployment. In terms of features, they're pretty much on top of where they need to go. I've been happy with its progress so far. As things evolve, they need to evolve to match that need."
"As Apple has introduced more and more features on top of Xcode, it sometimes, but very rarely, hangs."
"It is a bit challenging to sign in."
"The size of Apple Xcode could improve. It is too large."
"There is a drag-and-drop visual system, but as soon as you do something dynamic, then you are unable to use it."
"It consists of multiple components and needs a simplified process. This particular area could be more stable."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no license for this solution because it is open-source."
"It's open source, so it's completely free."
"The price is good for people to be able to make a favorable decision for the value."
"The pricing of Appium is fine."
"The solution is open-source."
"It's completely 100% free, and there are no hidden fees."
"The solution is open source so it is free."
"I'm unsure if there's any cost associated with Appium. I got the free package which includes the server GUI application and the inspector application, and it was free to download, and that's all I need to get my work done. I'm not aware of any additional costs associated with the tool."
"You can start off using Apple Xcode for free but if you start using some more of their enhanced features, it's going to be hundreds of dollars a month. There are corporate licenses but most individual users will not be worried about the corporate license, only your CFO will or the person in charge of the software department."
"We don't have to pay for Apple Xcode's licenses."
"There are no licensing costs for Xcode and no hidden charges. You just download it."
"It has an annual renewal."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Mobile Development Platforms solutions are best for your needs.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
19%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Retailer
5%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
12%
University
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Do you recommend Appium?
I do recommend Appium. It is an open-source solution and completely free of charge. We use Appium and Appium Studio as our base for any type of mobile automation for testing. It has a great interfa...
What do you like most about Appium?
Appium helps me to do as much as much as I want to.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Appium?
My experience with Appium from a pricing perspective is favorable due to it being open source, making it a cost-effective option.
What do you like most about Apple Xcode?
The tool's most valuable features are debugging and code management.
What needs improvement with Apple Xcode?
Apple Xcode's usability for developers needs enhancement. It consists of multiple components and needs a simplified process. This particular area could be more stable.
 

Comparisons

No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Nuvizz, Coupa Software, Eventbrite, Evernote
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Appium vs. Apple Xcode and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.