What is StormRunner Load?
StormRunner Load was the cloud-based variant of HP/Micro Focus LoadRunner, designed for teams that wanted LoadRunner-style enterprise load testing without the heavy on-prem deployment. Micro Focus renamed it LoadRunner Cloud in 2020, and OpenText, which acquired Micro Focus in January 2023, now sells it as OpenText Core Performance Engineering (as of October 2026).
If you're searching for a StormRunner Load alternative, you're likely either evaluating cloud load testing tools as a replacement for the StormRunner Load era, or you're maintaining a deployment under the new LoadRunner Cloud branding and exploring options.
StormRunner vs LoadRunner: what is the difference?
They are the same product family sold in three ways. All three run VuGen scripts; what changes is who runs the load generators.
- LoadRunner (later LoadRunner Professional, now OpenText Professional Performance Engineering): VuGen and the Controller installed on your own machines. See LoadRunner alternatives.
- Performance Center (later LoadRunner Enterprise, now OpenText Enterprise Performance Engineering): a shared server that lets several teams book load generators and share tests. See Performance Center alternatives.
- StormRunner Load (later LoadRunner Cloud, now OpenText Core Performance Engineering): the SaaS version, where OpenText hosts the controller and the cloud load generators.
So "StormRunner vs LoadRunner" is mostly a question of hosting. If you want LoadRunner without running the infrastructure, StormRunner was the answer. If you want cloud load testing without VuGen at all, that is where the alternatives below come in.
When LoadRunner Cloud (formerly StormRunner Load) is the right tool
- OpenText/Micro Focus ecosystem customers. Teams already invested in OpenText's broader testing portfolio.
- LoadRunner-script compatibility needs. If you have existing VuGen scripts, LoadRunner Cloud runs them.
- Enterprise SLA + support. OpenText provides enterprise-grade support contracts.
- Multi-protocol enterprise testing. SAP, Citrix, Oracle, mainframe protocol support inherited from LoadRunner.
Where StormRunner Load / LoadRunner Cloud stops being enough
- Sales-quoted pricing. Self-serve sign-up is limited; meaningful evaluation requires sales engagement.
- Heavy enterprise positioning. Pricing scales rapidly with VU count and protocol licensing.
- VuGen-style proprietary scripts. Not native JMeter or k6 (the modern OSS standards).
- No native page speed monitoring. Load testing only.
- No native API monitoring. OpenText sells separate products for that.
LoadFocus vs StormRunner Load (LoadRunner Cloud): feature comparison
| Feature | LoadFocus | Core Performance Engineering (ex StormRunner) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free tier; from $29/mo ($19/mo billed yearly) | Sales-quoted |
| Free tier | Yes (no credit card) | Trial only |
| Deployment model | Cloud SaaS | Cloud SaaS |
| Test definition | Web UI + JMeter/k6 scripts | VuGen, TruClient, DevWeb, JMeter, Gatling or Selenium scripts |
| JMeter (.jmx) script support | Yes (native, 68 plugins preinstalled) | Yes (one .jmx per upload; no Open Model Thread Group or thread and scheduling plugins) |
| k6 (.js) script support | Yes (native) | No |
| VuGen script support | No | Yes (specialty) |
| Geographic test coverage | 25+ cloud regions | Multiple cloud regions |
| Max throughput | Up to 20,000 VUs (Enterprise) | Plan-dependent (very high) |
| Multi-protocol (SAP, Citrix) | No (HTTP, REST and WebSocket through JMeter and k6) | Yes (specialty) |
| CI/CD integration | Yes (CLI + GitHub Action) | Yes (Jenkins) |
| AI-generated analysis | Yes (all plans) | Yes (Aviator for Analysis, a paid add-on) |
| Page speed monitoring | Yes | No |
| API monitoring | Yes | No |
| Combined platform (load + speed + API) | Yes | Load only |
When LoadFocus is the right alternative
You want self-serve transparent pricing
LoadFocus's free tier and published pricing eliminate sales-driven procurement. LoadRunner Cloud requires sales engagement.
You want JMeter or k6 as first-class formats
k6 and JMeter are the open-source formats most teams already write. LoadFocus runs JMeter scripts and k6 scripts as they are, or you can build a cloud load test from a list of URLs in the web UI.
You don't need enterprise-protocol coverage
If your testing is web/HTTP/REST (not SAP, Citrix, mainframe), LoadRunner Cloud's protocol breadth is overkill.
You want consolidated load + page speed + API monitoring
LoadFocus combines all three on one platform.
Migration from StormRunner Load / LoadRunner Cloud
- Sign up at loadfocus.com/signup.
- Upload any JMeter scripts you already run in Core Performance Engineering as they are.
- For VuGen, TruClient or DevWeb scripts there is no automatic converter. Walk through the flow in your browser, save it as a HAR file, and turn it into a script with the free HAR to JMeter or HAR to k6 converter. Then re-add correlation and parameters.
- Upload the new scripts to LoadFocus.
- Configure VU count and ramp-up to match your StormRunner setup.
- Run from a LoadFocus region (Pro and Enterprise can split the load across several).
FAQ
Is StormRunner Load discontinued?
The product continues; the name does not. StormRunner Load was renamed LoadRunner Cloud in 2020, and as of October 2026 OpenText sells it as OpenText Core Performance Engineering.
What is the difference between StormRunner and LoadRunner?
Hosting. LoadRunner runs on machines you install it on; StormRunner Load was the SaaS version, where the vendor hosts the controller and load generators. Both use VuGen scripts. Today they are OpenText Professional Performance Engineering and OpenText Core Performance Engineering.
Can LoadFocus run my old StormRunner scripts?
JMeter scripts, yes. VuGen, TruClient and DevWeb scripts, no: they are OpenText formats. Re-record those flows as a HAR file and convert it to JMeter or k6.
How does pricing compare?
LoadRunner Cloud is sales-quoted. LoadFocus starts at $29/mo ($19/mo billed yearly) with a free tier.
Will my CI/CD setup still work?
LoadFocus provides a CLI and GitHub Action.
Can I use both tools?
Yes, many teams keep LoadRunner Cloud for enterprise-protocol-specific tests and add LoadFocus for cloud-distributed HTTP load + page speed + API monitoring.
Try LoadFocus free
If you're evaluating StormRunner Load alternatives or want self-serve cloud load testing, LoadFocus offers transparent SaaS pricing with native JMeter and k6 support. Sign up for a free tier at loadfocus.com/signup.
