Gatling

What Gatling is

Gatling is a load testing and performance engineering platform for simulating traffic and finding performance bottlenecks in software. Tests can be built with code, generated through a no-code option, or brought in from Postman. Gatling scenarios can use Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Scala, or Kotlin. The load engine supports HTTP and JMS, with the ability to extend it for other protocols. Gatling supports API testing, stress testing, and distributed load; browser-based testing is not supported. Gatling Studio is a native app that runs locally on macOS, Windows, and Linux, while the listed platforms also include API, web, and self-hosted use. The Community edition has a free plan. Paid plans include Basic and Team, with Enterprise available on request; the pricing note says paid plans start at €89/mo (annual). Enterprise adds a web interface for managing and monitoring tests, real-time dashboards, CI/CD integration, advanced permissions, and hybrid or cloud deployment. Gatling lists integrations including GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, Datadog, Dynatrace, New Relic, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Gatling says it is SOC 2 Type II certified, follows EU and UK privacy regulations, and encrypts traffic in transit and stored data at rest.

Who it suits

Gatling suits developers and engineering teams that need to simulate load, stress test software, or test APIs, with test authoring available through code, a no-code generator, or Postman imports. Teams that need dashboards, CI/CD integration, advanced permissions, or hybrid and cloud deployment can consider Enterprise.

Limits

The free plan’s limits are not described here. Basic includes up to 60,000 VUs, one hour of testing, one Load Generator, and two seats. Team includes up to 180,000 VUs, five hours, three Load Generators, and ten seats; Enterprise limits are custom.

Getting started

1. Visit https://gatling.io/ to explore the product and plans.
2. Choose the Community free plan or a paid plan.
3. Download Gatling Studio for macOS, Windows, or Linux to run it locally.
4. Use the 14-day Enterprise trial, which requires no credit card, if evaluating Enterprise.

Verdict

Choose Gatling if you need load, stress, API, or distributed testing and want code, no-code, or Postman-based test authoring. Enterprise is the option for teams seeking real-time dashboards, CI/CD integration, advanced permissions, or hybrid and cloud deployment. Look elsewhere if browser-based testing is a requirement.