Side by side
FitNesse vs Karate
Both stand on bdd testing tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
FitNesse combines wiki-based requirements with runnable acceptance checks and has a free plan. Teams should configure access protections before relying on it for restricted content.
Visit FitNesse
Free plan Open source APIExtensionLinux+3
Karate offers a free framework spanning API, UI, mock, and performance testing, with paid plans for additional IDE and client features. The production CI/CD license condition for async protocols matters for teams evaluating Kafka, gRPC, or WebSocket testing.
Visit KarateThe facts
| FitNesse | Karate | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Extension, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | IDE Plus: $100 per user a year |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | fitnesse.org | karatelabs.io |
| On bdd testing tools | #5 of 30 | #1 of 30 |
FitNesse: what it does well
- Free open-source project with no commercial plans listed.
- Browser editing supports wiki syntax and rich text.
- Fit and Slim are built-in test systems.
- Extensions cover Selenium and REST service testing.
What to know first
- Requires Java Runtime Environment version 11.
- Page access protections are disabled by default.
- Searches and /files can be accessible without authentication.
- Extensive use may require a larger JVM heap.
Karate: what it does well
- Free MIT-licensed framework for commercial projects
- Supports REST, GraphQL, and SOAP testing
- Combines UI and API steps in tests
- API tests can be reused for performance testing
- Products run locally or in customer infrastructure
What to know first
- Free tier includes community support
- IDE Plus costs $100 a year
- Pro costs $640 a year
- Production CI/CD async testing requires an Enterprise runtime license
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