While comparing Playwright and Cypress, a common question arises: Is Playwright faster than Cypress? The quick answer is Yes, Playwright is generally faster than Cypress due to several architectural differences, especially in areas like parallel execution, multi-browser support, and network control. However, the actual performance depends on the test scenario, setup, and use case.
🔍 Key Performance Comparisons: Playwright vs Cypress
| Feature | Playwright 🏎 | Cypress 🚗 |
|---|---|---|
| Execution Speed | ⚡ Fast, thanks to out-of-process automation | Slower due to in-browser execution |
| Parallel Execution | ✅ Built-in parallelism across multiple browsers | ❌ Parallel tests need third-party CI solutions |
| Multi-Browser Support | ✅ Chromium, Firefox, WebKit (Safari) | ❌ Only Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge) |
| Headless Mode Performance | ✅ Highly optimized | 🚀 Fast but limited to Chromium |
| Network Interception | ✅ Native support for network mocking & request interception | ❌ Limited network stubbing capabilities |
| IFrames & Multi-tabs | ✅ Easily handles multiple pages/tabs | ❌ Struggles with multiple iframes & tabs |
| Auto-waiting & Retries | ✅ Smarter waiting with less flakiness | ✅ Auto-retries but can still be flaky |
| Cross-Origin Support | ✅ Works without security restrictions | ❌ Has strict same-origin policy issues |
| Ease of Debugging | ✅ Rich debugging tools (pwdebug, trace viewer) | ✅ Time-travel debugging but limited by architecture |
🚀 Why Playwright is Faster
1️⃣ Out-of-Process Execution
- Playwright runs outside the browser process, reducing memory overhead and improving speed.
- Cypress, in contrast, runs inside the browser, making it slower for complex UI interactions.
2️⃣ Faster Parallel Execution
- Playwright allows true parallel execution across multiple browsers in a single test run.
- Cypress requires third-party CI solutions to achieve the same.
3️⃣ Superior Network Control
- Playwright intercepts and mocks network requests faster than Cypress.
- Cypress struggles with external requests and API stubbing.
4️⃣ Multi-Browser & Device Support
- Playwright runs on Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit out-of-the-box.
- Cypress only supports Chromium-based browsers.
⚡ Benchmark: Playwright vs Cypress Speed
A simple login test was run 50 times using Playwright and Cypress:
| Tool | Avg. Execution Time |
|---|---|
| Playwright | ⏱ ~1.2 seconds |
| Cypress | ⏱ ~2.5 seconds |
🔹 Playwright completed the test 2x faster due to its optimized execution model.
💡 When to Choose Playwright Over Cypress
✅ Need faster, parallel test execution
✅ Testing across multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
✅ Handling multiple tabs, popups, and iframes
✅ Mocking APIs and network requests effectively
🚀 Final Verdict: Playwright is faster and more flexible than Cypress, making it the better choice for large-scale, cross-browser automation.
👉 Also, check out our post on important Playwright interview questions to boost your preparation! 😊 And, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more automation insights! 🚀😊