Tool profile
Katalon: cost, fit and limits
Katalon is a software quality platform made by Katalon, Inc. that combines web, API and mobile test authoring, record and playback, AI agents for generation, self-healing and root cause analysis, and test execution for QA teams.
What to know first
Katalon treats mobile as one part of a wider testing workspace. All three plans include web, API and mobile testing, and the price list is short: a free tier for local authoring, Professional at $1,800 per seat per year and a custom Enterprise contract. AI features start at Professional, and running tests in CI needs a separate Runtime Engine add-on. Teams that only want a device cloud priced by minutes will find it a different shape.
Katalon at a glance
| Maker | Katalon, Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free Studio; from $84 per seat per month |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI Mobile App Testing Software in 2026, rank 7 of 10 |
| Website | katalon.com |
Who Katalon is best for
QA teams covering web, API and mobile
One workspace and one seat price cover all three test types, so a team does not buy separate tools for each layer of an app release.
Testers who prefer record and playback
Mobile record and playback is basic on Free and fully included in Professional and Enterprise, which suits testers who author through a UI.
Regulated organizations
Enterprise lists SSO and SAML, SCIM, RBAC, audit logs and private cloud or on-premises deployment, which matches procurement checklists. The contract terms are quoted for each customer.
Katalon plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Author and run tests locally with record and playback and local execution. A 30-day trial is included, and no AI features are listed. |
| Professional | $1,800 per seat per year | AI agents for low-code authoring, failure analysis and self-healing, AI script generation, unlimited AI sessions, an MCP server, Jira and Azure DevOps. |
| Enterprise | Custom annual contract | Adds SSO and SAML, SCIM, RBAC, audit logs, private cloud or on-premises deployment, premium support with an SLA and the option to bring your own AI provider. |
Checked October 2026.
What Katalon does
- Mobile test authoring
- Android and iOS apps can be tested across devices and operating systems from the same Studio that handles web and API tests, with record and playback.
- AI agents
- Professional and Enterprise list agents for low-code authoring, failure analysis and self-healing, plus AI script generation and AI root cause analysis. Unlimited AI sessions are listed for both paid plans, so usage is not metered per prompt.
- MCP server
- Connects Katalon Studio to an AI stack, so assistants in other tools can work with test projects according to the pricing page. The pricing page names it among the Professional and Enterprise capabilities.
- Test management links
- Paid plans connect to Jira, Azure DevOps, qTest, TestRail, TestLink and Rally, tying test results to tickets and requirements. Git-based source control is included in every plan, including Free.
- Bring your own AI
- Enterprise lets a company connect its own AI provider, which helps if policy requires a specific model vendor. The choice is limited to Enterprise buyers, and the pages do not list which providers are supported.
How Katalon handles your data
The privacy policy names Katalon, Inc. at an Atlanta address and says content on managed accounts is kept as long as the administrator requires. After termination customers must request their data within 30 days, and Katalon may delete it afterward. It states that thumbs-up and thumbs-down feedback on AI and the content of inquiries to assistants and chatbots are analyzed to improve quality, and that usage data may support research and new products. For on-premises deployments it says it does not store or transmit your content apart from limited feedback and anonymized usage data. The text read did not say whether customer content trains AI models,.
Where Katalon falls short in practice
- CI needs an extra component. Running tests from Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps or GitLab requires a Runtime Engine add-on, so the seat price is not the full price of automated runs.
- Device access is not the product. The pricing page describes testing across devices, but it does not print a real device count or minutes, so a team often pairs Katalon with a device cloud.
- AI starts at the paid tier. The Free plan lists no AI features, so teams cannot evaluate self-healing without the trial or a Professional seat. Buying one seat first is the practical way to test AI.
Works with
Alternatives to Katalon
Katalon: common questions
What does Katalon cost for mobile testing?
Mobile testing is included in all three plans. Free costs nothing and runs tests locally, Professional is $1,800 per seat per year billed annually, and Enterprise is a custom contract. CI runs require a Runtime Engine add-on whose price the pricing page does not show.
Does Katalon include AI in the free plan?
No. The pricing page lists no AI features on Free. AI agents for authoring, failure analysis and self-healing, plus AI script generation and an MCP server, start at Professional, and bringing your own AI provider is limited to Enterprise. Expect to start a paid plan or trial to try them.
Can Katalon run on my own servers?
Enterprise lists private cloud or on-premises deployment, with SSO, SCIM, RBAC and audit logs. The privacy policy adds that for on-premises deployments Katalon does not store or transmit your content, except limited feedback, anonymized usage and clickstream data. Setup details were not described on the pages read.
How do I export my data when leaving Katalon?
The privacy policy says that after termination customers must request their data within 30 days, and Katalon may delete it afterward unless law requires otherwise. Tests authored in Studio live in git repositories on every plan, so keep a copy there.
Which tools does Katalon integrate with?
All plans connect to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure Repos. Paid plans add Jira, Azure DevOps, qTest, TestRail, TestLink, Rally and Slack. CI with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps and GitLab needs the Runtime Engine add-on. Free is limited to email sharing.