IBM Rational Performance Tester vs Zeenyx AscentialTest comparison

IBM and Zeenyx are both solutions in the Test Management Tools category. IBM is ranked #24, while Zeenyx is ranked #11 with an average rating of 10.0. IBM holds a 1.4% mindshare in TMT, compared to Zeenyx’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zeenyx users who would recommend it.

IBM Rational Performance Te...

Read 17 IBM Rational Performance Tester reviews

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56 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Zeenyx AscentialTest

Read 13 Zeenyx AscentialTest reviews

106 Views
23 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Rational Performance Te...

Zeenyx AscentialTest

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

IBM Rational Performance Tester and Zeenyx AscentialTest both compete in the performance testing tools category. IBM Rational Performance Tester seems to have the upper hand due to its pricing and support, while Zeenyx AscentialTest is preferred for its features.

Features: IBM Rational Performance Tester includes robust automation capabilities, extensive integration options, and valuable scalability features. Zeenyx AscentialTest offers user-friendly scripting, detailed reporting features, and comprehensive test management.

Room for Improvement: IBM Rational Performance Tester can improve its intuitive interface, better documentation, and more advanced reporting. Zeenyx AscentialTest needs enhancements in scalability, better cloud support, and a smoother user interface transition.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Rational Performance Tester is noted for its straightforward deployment process and responsive customer service. Zeenyx AscentialTest has a slightly more complex deployment but offers exceptional customer support.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Rational Performance Tester is recognized for competitive setup costs and strong ROI, appealing to budget-conscious buyers. Zeenyx AscentialTest, while potentially more expensive upfront, justifies the cost with sophisticated features and long-term benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Rational Performance Tester vs. Zeenyx AscentialTest Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Rational Performance Tester vs. Zeenyx AscentialTest

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IBM Rational Performance Te...

Ranking in Test Management Tools

24th

Average Rating

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Zeenyx AscentialTest

Ranking in Test Management Tools

11th

Average Rating

9.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Functional Testing Tools (17th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Test Management Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Rational Performance Tester is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zeenyx AscentialTest is 0.5%, down from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Test Management Tools

Featured Reviews

KashifJamil

CEO at Xcelliti

Supports web and mobile applications, very scalable, very stable, and wonderful support

There are some features that Micro Focus LoadRunner provides, but they are not available in IBM Rational Performance Tester. They should include such features. It can also have more reports similar to what HP provides. It might also need some improvement in terms of the tools and support for other technology areas. Certain technologies are not supported by every tool. They need to support all sorts of technologies and platforms on which web applications and mobile applications are built. They need complete support for all sorts of technologies.

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Tobias Roth

Software developer at Weiss GmbH Softwarelösungen

Robust automation with reusable steps and seamless integration

The concept of reusable steps in Zeenyx AscentialTest has significantly enhanced our test automation efficiency. Encapsulating common actions into modular steps reduces redundancy in test scripts and ensures consistency across scenarios. This approach streamlines maintenance efforts, allowing updates to be applied universally, making our test suite more agile and adaptable to evolving project requirements. The concept of reusable steps is a key factor in maximizing reusability and maintainability in our test automation strategy. AscentialTest's object recognition in snapshots is a robust feature that goes beyond standard elements, even accurately identifying objects within Datawindows. This capability ensures precise interaction with various components of an application's interface, further enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of our automated tests.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Technical support is very good. I'm very satisfied with the assistance we've received so far."

"It can support both web applications and mobile applications, and in certain cases, it can also support testing of desktop applications or software-based applications. You can write web applications, mobile applications, and software-based applications."

"AscentialTest's object recognition in snapshots is a robust feature that goes beyond standard elements, even accurately identifying objects within Datawindows."

"It’s been really easy to automate the same application TestComplete struggled with. I have been able to automate two of our key applications in just a few months. I haven’t even taken their training."

"If you use the PowerBuilder application, do choose AscentialTest without thinking twice."

"The most valuable feature of AscentialTest for us is that it fully supports PowerBuilder."

Cons

"There are some features that Micro Focus LoadRunner provides, but they are not available in IBM Rational Performance Tester. They should include such features. It can also have more reports similar to what HP provides. It might also need some improvement in terms of the tools and support for other technology areas. Certain technologies are not supported by every tool. They need to support all sorts of technologies and platforms on which web applications and mobile applications are built. They need complete support for all sorts of technologies."

"The solution is not easily scalable. If you want to extend the solution, you need to purchase a different kind of license. You also have to work with the IBM team to assist in scaling."

"The only thing I can't wait for is for Zeenyx to add automating Mobile apps."

"Streamlining the retrieval of results from individual test set runs would be beneficial."

"I would like to see an improvement in the User Interface."

"Classes are not as object-oriented as I would like, but I am a programmer and not QA so I expect a lot."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is much cheaper than Micro Focus LoadRunner. We need perpetual licenses. Support is included in the first sale. After that, you need to renew support every year."

"Once it starts generating ROI, which for us took between three and six months, one will not even think about the investment."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

31%

Computer Software Company

16%

Government

14%

Real Estate/Law Firm

Healthcare Company

21%

University

13%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

13%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Zeenyx AscentialTest?

AscentialTest's object recognition in snapshots is a robust feature that goes beyond standard elements, even accurately identifying objects within Datawindows.

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What needs improvement with Zeenyx AscentialTest?

While Zeenyx AscentialTest has proven to be a valuable asset in our testing processes, there are areas where improvements could enhance the overall user experience. One notable aspect is the user i...

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What is your primary use case for Zeenyx AscentialTest?

We use AscentialTest for automated testing of Powerbuilder applications via CI/CD pipeline with GitLab. We have fully integrated all tests in our CI/CD pipeline. Thanks to the integration, much wor...

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Comparisons

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Compared 26% of the time

Tricentis NeoLoad vs IBM Rational Performance Tester

Compared 18% of the time

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SmartBear TestComplete vs Zeenyx AscentialTest

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Rational Performance Tester

June 2025

Download IBM Rational Performance Tester product report

Buyer's Guide

Zeenyx AscentialTest

June 2025

Download Zeenyx AscentialTest product report

Also Known As

Rational Performance Tester

AscentialTest

Overview

IBM Rational Performance Tester is a performance testing solution that validates the scalability of web and server applications. Rational Performance Tester identifies the presence and cause of system performance bottlenecks and reduces load testing complexity.

IBM

AscentialTest™ by Zeenyx Software is an enterprise level Test Management System that encompasses Test Planning, Development, Data Management, Execution and Defect Tracking for applications running on Windows, the web, java, dotNet, terminals and PowerBuilder. This “next generation” testing solution allows users to build robust automated and manual tests from reusable components created by its powerful object recognition engine without recording or scripting. Our patented ‘snapshot’ technology generates graphical representations of the application under test which allows users to build ‘Steps’ by dragging and dropping objects in a visual test editor. Reusable Steps are combined to form a multitude of automated and manual tests that are easy to create and maintain. With AscentialTest, companies realize a dramatic reduction in test creation and maintenance times, resulting in increased productivity and lower costs.

Zeenyx

Sample Customers

andagon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon

TJX Companies, Nuance Communications, Ericsson Inc., Transatlantic Reinsurance Company, Accenture, Nutrition Coordinating Center, Univ. of MN, iConectiv, Fortress Software, and LMP Corp.

Buyer's Guide

IBM Rational Performance Tester vs. Zeenyx AscentialTest

June 2025

Free Report: IBM Rational Performance Tester vs. Zeenyx AscentialTest

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Rational Performance Tester vs. Zeenyx AscentialTest and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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