What is Loadster?
Loadster is a cloud load-testing service from BrickHouse Labs, designed for ease of use with browser-based test recording. Pitch: record-and-replay browser scenarios + scale to cloud-distributed load testing without writing scripts. Where it falls short for many modern teams: proprietary Loadster scripting format (Loadster recorder, not JMeter/k6 portable), no native synthetic API monitoring, no Core Web Vitals depth, smaller probe location coverage, and pricing scales with concurrent users that adds up for serious campaigns.
When Loadster is the right pick
- Your team has no scripting expertise and wants record-and-replay browser load testing.
- You need a simpler tool than enterprise BlazeMeter/LoadView.
- You don't need synthetic monitoring or Core Web Vitals.
Where Loadster leaves gaps
- Proprietary scripting. Loadster's recorder format doesn't port to JMeter/k6.
- No native synthetic API monitoring. Load-test-only product.
- No Core Web Vitals depth. No Lighthouse / page-perf coverage.
- Limited probe locations. Fewer geographic options than larger SaaS competitors.
- Concurrent-user pricing. Per-VU tiers add up for serious campaigns.
LoadFocus vs. Loadster: comparison
| Feature | LoadFocus | Loadster |
|---|---|---|
| JMeter cloud execution | Yes, .jmx unchanged | No (Loadster recorder only) |
| k6 cloud execution | Yes, .js scripts | No |
| Browser record-and-replay | Limited (k6 browser-mode) | Yes (Loadster's strength) |
| Synthetic API monitoring | Yes, included | No |
| Core Web Vitals depth | Full Lighthouse | No |
| Pricing model | Flat SaaS tier | Per concurrent VU |
| Entry price | ~$19/mo | ~$99/mo+ |
| Free tier | Forever | Limited trial |
| Probe locations | 20+ regions | Fewer |
When LoadFocus is the right pick
- You write JMeter or k6 scripts and don't need record-and-replay.
- You need load testing + synthetic monitoring + Core Web Vitals in one tool.
- You want flat predictable pricing: no per-VU metering.
- You need global probe coverage (NA/EU/APAC).
- You want a permanent free tier for prototyping.
Migrating from Loadster
- Inventory existing Loadster scenarios by parameters: URLs, user count, ramp, duration.
- Rebuild as JMeter (.jmx) or k6 (.js) scripts: manual rebuild from Loadster scenario configs. No automated converter (proprietary format).
- Upload to LoadFocus: runs on upstream Apache JMeter / k6.
- Compare results side-by-side for one cycle to verify p95/p99/error-rate parity.
- Cancel Loadster subscription once side-by-side confirms.
FAQ: LoadFocus vs Loadster
Can I import Loadster scenarios into LoadFocus?
Not via automated converter. Loadster's recorder format is proprietary. Manual rebuild as JMeter (.jmx) or k6 (.js) is the migration path.
Is LoadFocus cheaper than Loadster?
Generally yes. LoadFocus Pro starts ~$19/mo flat; Loadster entry tier is ~$99/mo and scales with concurrent users. For typical campaigns LoadFocus is 5-10× cheaper.
Does LoadFocus do browser record-and-replay?
Limited, via k6 browser-mode you can script browser flows in code. For pure GUI record-and-replay polish, Loadster wins. For modern dev workflows, k6 browser is preferable (versioned, CI-friendly).
What about synthetic monitoring?
Loadster doesn't do synthetic monitoring. LoadFocus includes it, single tool for monitor + load.
Can LoadFocus replace Loadster fully?
For JMeter/k6-based or HTTP-protocol load testing, yes + with more features. For pure record-and-replay convenience without scripting, Loadster's UI is more polished. Most teams moving off Loadster adopt k6 browser-mode as the modern replacement.
What about Core Web Vitals?
LoadFocus runs scheduled Lighthouse audits. Loadster has no equivalent.
Get started with LoadFocus
Sign up free and upload your first JMeter .jmx or k6 .js, flat pricing, broader stack than Loadster.
