NBomber
Introduction
NBomber is a distributed load-testing framework for .NET. It is designed to test any system regardless of the protocol (HTTP/WebSockets/AMQP) or a semantic model (Pull/Push). It allows developers to write distributed load test scenarios entirely using plain C# or F#.
NBomber aims to provide a lightweight framework for writing load tests to simulate various production workloads and validate proof-of-concept projects.
Licensing
NBomber shifted its licensing model starting with version 5.
- NBomber v5+: Requires a commercial license for organizational use. Personal use remains free. It is distributed via NuGet under the NBomber License Agreement v2.0. This version is closed-source.
- NBomber v4: Remains under the Apache 2.0 license, free for all uses. The source code available on GitHub corresponds to this version.
The distinction between the NuGet package license (v5+) and the GitHub source code license (v4/Apache 2.0) was clarified in a GitHub issue discussion.
Key points from the commercial license agreement (v2.0):
- Grants a limited, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, non-transferable, revocable license for the subscription period for the customer's internal operations.
- Prohibits distributing license keys, selling/sub-licensing/renting/leasing the software, distributing it standalone or as part of another product, removing proprietary notices, and reverse-engineering.
- The software might include third-party open-source components provided "as is".
- NBomber LLC is not liable for damages from incorrect software usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I use NBomber for free? | v5+ is free only for personal use. Organization usage requires a paid license. v4 remains free under Apache 2.0. |
| Can multiple teams use the same license within one organization? | Yes, a single commercial license can be shared across the whole organization. |
| How many users from the same organization can use the license at the same time? | Unlimited. |
| Can I run NBomber Cluster without purchasing a license? | Yes, the Local Dev Cluster mode can be used for trial purposes. |
| How many instances can be installed with one NBomber license? | Unlimited. |
Alternatives
- Apache Bench - Also known as
ab - Apache JMeter
- Artillery
- Azure Load Testing
- BenchmarkDotNet
- DFrame (MIT license)
- Gatling
- JMeter DSL .NET
- k6
- Netling (MIT License)
- West Wind WebSurge
Links and References
- NBomber Website: NBomber
- NBomber GitHub Repository: NBomber
- NBomber NuGet Package: NuGet Gallery | NBomber
- NBomber License Agreement v2.0: nbomber.com/assets/NBOMBER-LICENSE-AGREEMENT-2.0.pdf
- GitHub Issue: NBomber License #596