By stack · Legacy .NET / WinForms
Test automation for legacy .NET / WinForms (2026)
Legacy .NET and desktop hybrid estates are the case where Playwright and Cypress fall short. The right tools are Ranorex, TestComplete, and Tosca.
Direct answer
Our take: Ranorex for most mid-market .NET shops; TestComplete if you already own SmartBear products; Tosca only when the estate is large and SAP-adjacent.
Shortlist
Three tools to look at first
Ranorex + TestComplete + (Tosca only if procurement runway and SAP overlap exist).
Caveats
Things to watch
- Per-seat licences get expensive fast above 10 seats; consider floating licences.
- Self-heal claims help less here than in SaaS UI; the surface area is more stable.