Mobile apps are growing very fast. Companies want to test apps quickly, safely, and on many devices. In 2025, mobile automation tools have become smarter, faster, and easy to use.

1. Appium 2.0

Appium is still the most popular tool in 2025 for mobile automation.
It supports Android, iOS, hybrid apps, and even desktop apps through plugins.

Why it is useful

• Open-source and free

• Large community

• Supports multiple languages like Java, Python, JavaScript

• Plugin system (Appium Inspector, Images plugin, XCUITest plugin)

• Works with real devices, emulators, and cloud devices

Learn More

• Appium Official Docs: https://appium.io/ (Outbound)

2. Playwright for Mobile Web Testing

Playwright is mainly for web testing, but in 2025 it has strong support for mobile browser automation, especially for Chrome and Safari.

Why it is useful

• Very fast automation

• Supports mobile viewport emulation

• Easy parallel execution

• Great for responsive testing

Learn More

• Playwright Docs: https://playwright.dev/ (Outbound)

3. Detox

Detox is used for React Native mobile app automation.
It runs tests inside the app, making them very stable.

Why it is useful

• Best for React Native apps

• Runs tests fast

• Supports CI/CD

• Good debugging support

Learn More

• Detox GitHub: https://github.com/wix/Detox (Outbound)

4. Espresso (Android)

Espresso is Google’s official Android UI testing tool.
It is stable and perfect for testing Android apps deeply.

Why it is useful

• Very stable

• Fast execution

• Runs inside the app

• Best for Android native apps

Learn More

• Espresso Docs: https://developer.android.com/training/testing/espresso (Outbound)

5. XCUITest (iOS)

XCUITest is Apple’s official UI testing tool for iOS.
It is the best choice for testing on iPhones and iPads.

Why it is useful

• Very stable for iOS

• Runs fast

• Deep integration with Xcode

• Best for iOS native apps

Learn More

• XCUITest Docs: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest (Outbound)

6. BrowserStack App Automate

BrowserStack is a cloud device platform.
You can test on real Android and iOS devices without buying them.

Why it is useful

• 3000+ real devices

• Supports Appium, Espresso, XCUITest, Playwright

• Easy CI/CD integration

• Excellent for teams

Learn More

• BrowserStack: https://www.browserstack.com/ (Outbound)

7. pCloudy

pCloudy is another cloud testing platform for mobile apps.

Why it is useful

• Real device lab

• Supports Appium

• Network simulation

• Audio/video testing

Learn More

• pCloudy: https://www.pcloudy.com/ (Outbound)

8. Kobiton

Kobiton offers AI-powered mobile testing.

Why it is useful

• AI-based locator healing

• Real device testing

• Performance monitoring

• Visual testing

Learn More

• Kobiton: https://kobiton.com/ (Outbound)

9. Applitools Eyes (Visual Testing)

Applitools is the best visual testing tool in 2025.
It checks UI changes automatically.

Why it is useful

• AI-powered visual checks

• Detects layout shifts

• Works with Appium and Playwright

• Saves a lot of debug time

Learn More

• Applitools: https://applitools.com/ (Outbound)

10. TestGrid

TestGrid offers cloud devices + low-code automation.

Why it is useful

• Scriptless automation

• Runs Appium tests

• API testing, performance testing

• No setup needed

Learn More

• TestGrid: https://www.testgrid.io/ (Outbound)

Conclusion

2025 brings many powerful tools for mobile test automation.
Whether you test Android, iOS, or mobile web apps, these tools help you test faster, smartly, and with less effort.

For beginners, start with:

• Appium 2.0 for automation

• BrowserStack or pCloudy for device cloud

• Applitools for visual testing

As you grow, you can explore Espresso, XCUITest, Detox, and Playwright.