Softwr

Testing · head to head

Percy vs Tricentis Tosca

Percy logo

Percy

Testing

Visual regression testing owned by BrowserStack, with a permanent free tier for low screenshot volume

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tricentis Tosca logo

Tricentis Tosca

Testing

Model based test automation for enterprise applications, with deep SAP and mainframe coverage

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Percy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Percy pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.; Tricentis Tosca licensing is quoted per workstation at enterprise figures, so the tool only pays back where testing headcount is already large; a team of five will not recover the cost.
  • They diverge on capability: Percy covers Screenshot diffing, Tricentis Tosca covers Model based test design.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Percy and Tricentis Tosca actually diverge.

Attributes where Percy and Tricentis Tosca differ
AttributePercyTricentis Tosca
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFreemium, paid tiers by screenshot volumequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Testing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Percy

  • Screenshot diffing
  • Framework integrations
  • Responsive and cross-browser snapshots
  • Review workflow
  • Build history
  • BrowserStack platform integration

Only in Tricentis Tosca

  • Model based test design
  • SAP coverage
  • Risk based test selection
  • API and message layer testing
  • Test data management
  • Distributed execution

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Percy

  • A team already on BrowserStack for device testing that wants to add visual regression without a separate vendor relationshipnot Tricentis Tosca
  • A low-traffic project that can run indefinitely on the 5,000-screenshot free tier without paying anythingnot Tricentis Tosca
  • A team wanting a lower cost per screenshot than Applitools and willing to tolerate more manual false-positive triagenot Tricentis Tosca
  • A Cypress or Playwright test suite adding visual checks without changing its existing test runnernot Tricentis Tosca

Tricentis Tosca

  • Regression testing an SAP estate through an S/4HANA migration where thousands of transactions must be verifiednot Percy
  • A regulated organisation that needs auditable evidence of what was tested before each releasenot Percy
  • Testing a mixed estate of browser, Windows desktop and mainframe applications from one suitenot Percy
  • A test centre of excellence with dozens of testers where per screen maintenance beats per test maintenancenot Percy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Percy

  • Pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.
  • It is billed separately from core BrowserStack device testing, and stacking Percy with other BrowserStack modules such as Accessibility Testing materially increases total contract value beyond the headline device testing price.
  • Paid tier pricing above the free tier is not transparently published as a fixed number, requiring a quote to know actual cost at scale.
  • The free tier's 5,000-screenshot cap is easy to exceed for any team running visual tests across multiple browsers and viewports on every commit, pushing many active projects into a paid tier faster than the free number suggests.
  • As part of a larger acquired portfolio, Percy's roadmap priority within BrowserStack's broader product strategy is less certain than it would be as a standalone company's sole focus.

Tricentis Tosca

  • Licensing is quoted per workstation at enterprise figures, so the tool only pays back where testing headcount is already large; a team of five will not recover the cost.
  • Building the initial application model takes months and is usually done with paid consultants, meaning value arrives long after the invoice does.
  • The authoring environment is Windows only and heavy, which sits awkwardly in organisations whose engineers work on macOS or Linux.
  • Tricentis has assembled its portfolio through acquisitions, so products sold together vary in how deeply they are integrated and a buyer should verify the joins rather than the diagram.
  • Skills are specific to Tosca and not transferable, so recruiting testers means hiring for a niche tool and losing a trained one hurts more than losing a Selenium engineer.

Pricing, plan by plan

Percy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5,000 screenshots a month
    • Unlimited users and projects
    • 30-day build history
  • Percy$undefined/month
    • Priced by screenshot volume above the free tier
    • Sold separately from core BrowserStack device testing plans
    • Get a current quote before assuming bundled pricing with other BrowserStack products

Tricentis Tosca

On request
  • Tricentis Tosca$undefined/year
    • Quoted per workstation licence with separate execution agents and module packs
    • Implementation is normally sold with partner services, which typically exceed first year licence cost

Which should you pick?

Choose Percy if

  • You need screenshot diffing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want framework integrations.
Percy review

Choose Tricentis Tosca if

  • You need model based test design.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want sap coverage.
Tricentis Tosca review

Questions people ask

Is Percy or Tricentis Tosca better?
Neither clearly leads. Percy starts at Free and Tricentis Tosca at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Percy or Tricentis Tosca?
Percy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Percy and On request for Tricentis Tosca.
Does Percy or Tricentis Tosca run on more platforms?
Percy runs on Web. Tricentis Tosca runs on Windows, Web.
Can I use Percy for free?
Yes. Percy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tricentis Tosca starts at On request.
What is Percy best used for?
Percy is most often used for a team already on browserstack for device testing that wants to add visual regression without a separate vendor relationship, a low-traffic project that can run indefinitely on the 5,000-screenshot free tier without paying anything, a team wanting a lower cost per screenshot than applitools and willing to tolerate more manual false-positive triage, a cypress or playwright test suite adding visual checks without changing its existing test runner. Of those, a team already on browserstack for device testing that wants to add visual regression without a separate vendor relationship and a low-traffic project that can run indefinitely on the 5,000-screenshot free tier without paying anything are not what Tricentis Tosca is typically brought in for.
What can Percy do that Tricentis Tosca cannot?
Percy covers Screenshot diffing, Framework integrations, Responsive and cross-browser snapshots, Review workflow. Tricentis Tosca covers Model based test design, SAP coverage, Risk based test selection, API and message layer testing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Percy: Is Percy free?

Yes for up to 5,000 screenshots a month with unlimited users and projects; beyond that it is a paid, quote-priced module.

Tricentis Tosca: Is Tosca scriptless?

Test assembly is scriptless, but non trivial estates still need TQL queries and custom modules, which is programming under another name.

Percy: Is Percy included if I already pay for BrowserStack device testing?

No, it is billed separately by screenshot volume, not bundled into core device testing plans.

Tricentis Tosca: Why does it dominate SAP testing?

It holds SAP certification, covers SAP GUI and Fiori at transaction level, and is sold through the same integrators that run SAP programmes.

Percy: How does it compare to Applitools?

Percy uses pixel-based diffing, which is generally cheaper per screenshot but produces more false positives than Applitools' AI-based perceptual comparison.

Tricentis Tosca: Can it replace Selenium for a web only product?

It can, but the economics do not work. Model based testing pays off across large heterogeneous estates, not one web application.

Share

Related pages

More on Percy

More on Tricentis Tosca

Keep looking

Other head to heads