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Mobile app testing alternatives

Sidekick compared with VibeView, EAS Simulator, BrowserStack, Expo EAS Build, Limrun, Appetize, AWS Device Farm, LambdaTest and Sauce Labs — sourced, dated, and explicit about where each one is the better choice.

What these pages are

Head-to-head comparisons written by us. We are not a neutral party, so we make every claim checkable: each page carries sources with check dates, names the rows where the competitor wins, and never uses ratings or scores — just a 28-row feature table where 🛣️ means a public, dated roadmap item (open source, so you can watch it land).

Which one to read

If you're choosing between the two agent-native loops: VibeView is the closest full-stack rival — the page concedes Roku, Duo and record-replay, and shows where any-stack builds and self-host answer.

If you're an Expo shop: EAS Simulator is the shortest path inside the preview — the page covers the waitlist, the missing price, and what phones-only means for TV apps.

If the blocker is the build itself: EAS Build compiles and submits RN apps — the page prices per build and shows what a device adds.

If the blocker is cost per person: AWS Device Farm meters the device; LambdaTest prices per parallel. Both pages work out what the fourth teammate costs.

If the blocker is who can get in: Sauce Labs requires logins to watch; our share links need no account.

If you weigh hardware against reach: BrowserStack puts builds on real hardware; we put them in front of non-engineers.

If you're already sold on embedding: Appetize is the closest embed comparison — two differences pointing opposite ways.

If you're evaluating the other agent-native incumbent: Limrun is the closest CLI match — the page concedes video, tokens and regions.

Alternatives guides

VibeView alternative

27–22

The closest full-stack rival: cloud builds, iOS/Android/TV/Roku, agent skill + MCP, record-replay AI testing — closed, RN-only builds, no self-host.

claims checked 28 Sep 2026 · Free $0 · Dev $19/mo · Starter $49/mo · Pro $249/mo (+$0.04/min)

EAS Simulator alternative

27–10

Remote iOS/Android on EAS infra with agent-device control and iOS browser preview — limited-access preview, Expo-centric, nothing for TV/Roku or non-RN stacks.

claims checked 28 Sep 2026 · Waitlist preview — no published price; sessions draw plan compute allowance

BrowserStack alternative

27–10

30,000+ real devices and the deepest hardware matrix on earth — but no builds, no agent verbs, no self-host.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · App Live $39/mo · App Automate $199/mo per parallel

Expo EAS Build alternative

27–10

The best React Native build service on earth. It just stops where the device starts: no simulator, no agent driving, no verification.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · Free (30 builds) · Starter $19/mo · Production $199/mo

Limrun alternative

27–16

Genuinely the nearest product: remote Xcode, cloud sims, agent CLI+MCP. We differ at the ends of the loop — and we're open source.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · Unpublished — 'split between idle and build time'

Appetize alternative

27–9

The fastest browser emulators and the embed king — but no builds, no agent verbs, and network capture is their row, not ours.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · Free 30 min (public) · Starter $59/mo · Premium $319/mo

AWS Device Farm alternative

27–5

Real devices on AWS billing — brutal per-minute math at scale, us-west-2 only, and nothing for agents or non-engineers.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · $0.17/device-min · $250/slot/mo · 1,000 min one-time trial

LambdaTest (TestMu AI) alternative

27–12

Reborn as TestMu AI with KaneAI agents and 10,000 devices — strong on web+AI test authoring, silent on builds, TV and agents holding phones.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · Live $15/mo · Real Device $39/mo · per-parallel automation

Sauce Labs alternative

27–10

10,000 devices plus 2026's programmable Access API with MCP — the legacy cloud closest to agents, still gated by seats and logins.

claims checked 27 Sep 2026 · Live $39/mo · Virtual $149/mo · Real $199/mo per parallel

Every rival, every row, one table

The full 28-row comparison across all 9 vendors. Sidekick's column is ✅ Yes, 🛣️ In Roadmap (public, dated) or ❌ No — nothing else. Scroll sideways to audit every cell against the per-page sources.

What you are deciding	Sidekick	VibeView	EAS Simulator	BrowserStack	Expo EAS Build	Limrun	Appetize	AWS Device Farm	LambdaTest (TestMu AI)	Sauce Labs
Build
Remote Xcode build (no Mac needed)	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Android / Gradle cloud build	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Signing handled (certs, profiles, keystores)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Store submit from terminal (TestFlight + Play)Sidekick: TestFlight today; Play roadmap Q1	🛣️ In Roadmap	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Devices
iOS simulators	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Android emulators + adb tunnel	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial
Apple TV / tvOS + Android TV	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Roku (real hardware)Sidekick: Beta hardware pool Q1	🛣️ In Roadmap	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Foldables (posture + rotate verbs)Sidekick: iPhone Duo-style hinge API	🛣️ In Roadmap	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Real physical devices	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Agent control
CLI with device verbs (tap, type, screenshot)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial
Agent skill file (skill install)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No
MCP server	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
UI / accessibility tree reads	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	➖ Partial
Batch actions (ms precision)	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Session video recordingSidekick: Per-step screenshots today; video roadmap	🛣️ In Roadmap	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
App logs + network captureSidekick: App logs today; network capture roadmap	🛣️ In Roadmap	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Sharing
Live share links (no login needed)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No
Embeddable player (iframe / SDK)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Live collaboration + human takeover	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	➖ Partial
Testing
Record once, replay everywhereSidekick: Recorder beta Q1	🛣️ In Roadmap	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No
Visual regression per stepSidekick: Ships with recorder	🛣️ In Roadmap	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
AI / plain-English testingSidekick: Agent-fix on moved elements	🛣️ In Roadmap	✅ Yes	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	➖ Partial
CI runner + GitHub checksSidekick: Actions + checks Q1	🛣️ In Roadmap	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Platform
Self-hostable (BYO Mac minis)	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No
Source-available (FSL → Apache-2.0)	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Public pricing + free tier, no card	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	✅ Yes	❌ No	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	➖ Partial	❌ No
Per-instance sandbox tokens + region pinSidekick: Tokens today; regions roadmap	🛣️ In Roadmap	➖ Partial	❌ No	➖ Partial	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	➖ Partial

✅ Yes · 🛣️ In Roadmap = public, dated, lands in the open (self-host nightlies available) · ➖ Partial · ❌ No. Competitor claims checked Sep 2026 — see each guide for sources, prices and check dates.