Side by side
phpspec vs Serenity BDD
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 LinuxSelf-hosted
phpspec provides a focused, free workflow for specifying PHP class behavior before and during implementation. Its generators, matchers, test doubles, configurable formatters, and extensions support structured local development.
Visit phpspec Free plan AndroidiPhoneLinux+4
Serenity BDD offers several testing approaches and detailed reporting, with integrations for CI/CD and cloud testing. Teams relying on JUnit 4 should account for its planned removal in Serenity 6.0.0.
Visit Serenity BDDThe facts
| phpspec | Serenity BDD | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted | Android, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | phpspec.net | serenity-bdd.github.io |
| On bdd testing tools | #20 of 30 | #16 of 30 |
phpspec: what it does well
- Free PHP toolset
- SpecBDD workflow guides implementation
- Generates spec and source files
- Matchers cover common value types
- Supports stubs, mocks, and spies
What to know first
- Requires PHP 5.6 or 7
- Linux and self-hosted setup
- No Gherkin support
- Installed through Composer
Serenity BDD: what it does well
- Open source library with no listed price.
- Reports tested requirements and step details.
- Supports Selenium, RestAssured, Cucumber and Playwright.
- CI/CD guidance covers three systems.
- Includes BrowserStack and LambdaTest integrations.
What to know first
- Playwright setup requires Java 17 or later.
- Playwright setup requires Maven 3.8+ or Gradle.
- JUnit 4 support is deprecated and slated for removal.
Alternatives to phpspec Alternatives to Serenity BDD The whole list