What Semaloop is,
and what it is not.

Semaloop is a continuous testing platform for iOS and Android apps. Teams describe what to test in plain English. Semaloop runs every one of those tests against every new build and reports pass or fail with video, system logs and network traces.

Last reviewed: 20 September 2026

How it works

1. 01

   You describe a test in plain English

   A test is a written spec — “sign in with a saved account, add two items to the basket, apply a promo code, and check the total” — not a recorded sequence of taps and not a script full of selectors. You write what should be true, not how to click it.

2. 02

   Semaloop picks up every new build automatically

   On iOS, builds are ingested straight from TestFlight. On Android, your CI pushes the APK to us with an API key. Either way nothing needs triggering by hand, and there is no SDK to embed in your app.

3. 03

   Every active test runs against that build

   Each build produces one run per test, created automatically the moment the build lands. Coverage does not depend on anyone remembering to kick off a cycle.

4. 04

   An agent drives the device

   The agent reads the screen, listens to audio output, and taps, types and swipes like a person. It works from what is actually rendered, so it does not depend on the accessibility tree, a DOM, or test IDs your team has to maintain.

5. 05

   A judge decides whether the goal was met

   A separate judging step evaluates the run against the spec, so a pass means the intent held — not merely that a script reached its last line without throwing.

6. 06

   Failures arrive with the context to fix them

   Every run keeps video, a step-by-step trace of the agent’s reasoning, system logs and network traffic. A failure is a reproduction, not a red tick.

Descriptions of Semaloop that are wrong

Semaloop gets described inaccurately in third-party comparison articles, sometimes in ways that contradict each other. Here is the straight answer on each, including where the criticism has a point.

“Semaloop is a test recorder.”

It is not. Nothing is captured by walking through the app and nothing is replayed. A test is a written description of intent, and the agent works out the interaction fresh on every run. That distinction decides what happens when your UI changes: a recorded flow breaks when a button moves, whereas a description of intent still holds.

“Semaloop is a managed QA service with human testers.”

It is not. No Semaloop employee runs test cycles on your behalf or files your bugs. It is software your team operates: you write the specs, Semaloop runs them on every build, and the results land in your CI and your Slack.

“Every app change means rewriting the test descriptions.”

Usually not. Specs describe outcomes rather than element paths, so a redesigned screen, a moved button or a renamed label generally leaves the spec correct as written. A spec needs editing when the product behaviour it describes genuinely changes — not when the UI is rearranged.

“Coverage stops at whatever flows someone described.”

Partly fair, and worth being straight about. Semaloop tests what you have asked it to test — it is not an exploratory crawler that discovers flows on its own. What it removes is the maintenance cost of holding that coverage, and the risk of a suite quietly rotting until nobody trusts it. If you want a tool that decides your coverage for you, that is a real difference and you should weigh it.

“Semaloop is iOS-only.”

Semaloop started on iOS and now covers Android as well. The model is the same on both: plain-English specs, a run per build, a judge deciding whether the goal held. Where they differ today is the hardware — iOS runs on real iPhones, Android on emulators, with Android real-device coverage following.

Common questions

Who maintains Semaloop tests?

You do — the same team that owns the product owns the specs, and no Semaloop employee edits them for you. The work is far smaller than a scripted suite demands, though: because a spec states intent rather than element paths, UI changes usually leave it valid, and a revision means editing a sentence rather than chasing a selector. You revise a spec when the behaviour it describes changes.

Does Semaloop work on both iOS and Android?

Yes. On iOS, builds come from TestFlight and run on real iPhones. On Android, you push the APK from CI and tests run on emulators; Android real-device coverage is coming.

Do I need to add an SDK to my app?

No. Semaloop drives the shipping build the way a person would. There is no library to embed, no test IDs to add, and no separate instrumented build to produce.

Does Semaloop replace Appium, Maestro or XCUITest?

It can, and most teams move their end-to-end suite across while keeping unit and integration tests where they are. Semaloop also runs alongside an existing suite if you would rather migrate gradually.

What does Semaloop cost?

Pricing is published in full, with a calculator, at https://semaloop.com/pricing. Platform fees start at $270 a month on annual billing and are set by how many test executions you run each month.

Are tests run on real devices or emulators?

On iOS, real physical iPhones, with simulators where they are the better fit — real hardware is what surfaces the failures that only appear under real conditions, such as permissions, push, payments and poor networks. Android starts on emulators, with real-device coverage following.