Grafana k6 vs Locust

Grafana k69.3Visit Locust8.8Visit

Higher score Grafana k6 #1 in Performance Testing Software 9.3/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Grafana k6

vs

Locust #7 in Performance Testing Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Locust

• Grafana k6 fits best

  Open-source teams building scripted test suites

• Locust fits best

  Python teams building flexible open-source tests

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Side by side

Feature	Grafana k6 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Locust 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.8
Ranking	#1 in Performance Testing Software	#7 in Performance Testing Software
Best for	Open-source teams building scripted test suites	Python teams building flexible open-source tests
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	Free plan · 14-day trial	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	14 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Grafana k6 5/5 · Locust 5/5
Load testing	✓	✓
Stress testing	✓	✓
Browser-based testing	✓	✓
Distributed load	✓	✓
API testing	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Hybrid	Hybrid
Max virtual users	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	JavaScript and TypeScript authoring with local execution HTTP, API, browser, distributed, and Kubernetes testing Integrations with Prometheus, Datadog, Grafana Cloud, and others	Define test scenarios in regular Python code Run real-time, headless, or distributed tests Extend workloads with protocols, clients, and integrations
Cons	Cloud Enterprise requires a minimum $25,000 annual commitment Browser testing relies on Chromium automation Cloud Pro includes 500 virtual user hours per month	Self-hosted deployment places operations on your team Browser testing uses documented Playwright or Selenium extensions Core HTTP/HTTPS coverage may require extensions for other protocols
Our verdict	Grafana k6 is an open-source load and performance testing tool for developers, SREs, and QA teams. Tests are scripted in JavaScript or TypeScript and can run locally, across distributed machines, on Kubernetes, or through Grafana Cloud k6.… Read the review →	Locust is an open-source performance and load testing tool for developers and test engineers who want to define simulated behavior in Python. It supports load, stress, browser, distributed-load, and API testing across web, Windows, macOS,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Grafana k6 — where it wins

  • JavaScript and TypeScript authoring with local execution
  • HTTP, API, browser, distributed, and Kubernetes testing
  • Integrations with Prometheus, Datadog, Grafana Cloud, and others

  Where it doesn't

  • Cloud Enterprise requires a minimum $25,000 annual commitment
  • Browser testing relies on Chromium automation
  • Cloud Pro includes 500 virtual user hours per month

• Locust — where it wins

  • Define test scenarios in regular Python code
  • Run real-time, headless, or distributed tests
  • Extend workloads with protocols, clients, and integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment places operations on your team
  • Browser testing uses documented Playwright or Selenium extensions
  • Core HTTP/HTTPS coverage may require extensions for other protocols

• Grafana k69.3/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A scriptable performance testing tool with local, distributed, browser, and hosted execution.

  Visit Grafana k6Full verdict →
• Locust8.8/10 · Free plan

  A flexible Python-based load testing tool for teams that want self-hosted control.

  Visit LocustFull verdict →