XQA vs DemoQA: The Definitive Comparison for 2026

Finding the Best Automation Testing Practice Website

If you're learning test automation or sharpening your Selenium skills, you've likely encountered DemoQA. It's been the default recommendation for years. But is it still the best choice in 2026? This comprehensive comparison examines DemoQA against XQA, a modern alternative that's gaining significant traction among QA professionals.

Quick Answer: XQA offers more advanced scenarios (including Shadow DOM in iframes), a modern ad-free interface, and better framework coverage. For most QA engineers in 2026, XQA is the superior choice.

Overview: What Each Platform Offers

DemoQA

DemoQA was created by ToolsQA as a companion practice site for their Selenium tutorials. It provides basic automation scenarios including elements, forms, alerts, and widgets. The site has remained largely unchanged for several years.

XQA

XQA is a modern automation testing practice platform built with Next.js. It offers 40+ scenarios including advanced features like Shadow DOM inside iframes, nested frames in Shadow DOM, and SVG element automation that aren't available elsewhere.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Number of Practice Scenarios

Feature	XQA	DemoQA
Total Scenarios	41+	30+
Shadow DOM	✅ Yes	❌ No
Shadow DOM in Iframe	✅ Yes	❌ No
Nested Frames in Shadow DOM	✅ Yes	❌ No
SVG Elements	✅ Yes	❌ No
Infinite Scroll	✅ Yes	❌ No
Context Menu	✅ Yes	❌ No
File Upload/Download	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
API Testing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

User Experience

DemoQA's interface shows its age. Built on Bootstrap 4, it includes intrusive advertisements that can interfere with test execution. Many users report that ad blockers are necessary for reliable automation.

XQA features a clean, modern interface built with React and Tailwind CSS. There are no advertisements, no popups, and no signup requirements. The site loads faster and provides a more professional experience for practice and demonstrations.

Framework Support

Both platforms work with any automation framework. However, XQA provides specific code examples for each scenario across 5 major frameworks:

• Selenium WebDriver (Java, Python, JavaScript)
• Cypress
• Playwright
• WebdriverIO
• Puppeteer

DemoQA only provides Selenium-focused examples, leaving users of other frameworks to figure out the implementation themselves.

Advanced Scenarios: Where XQA Excels

Shadow DOM Testing

Modern web applications increasingly use Shadow DOM for component encapsulation. XQA offers multiple Shadow DOM scenarios including the challenging "Shadow DOM inside iframe" pattern that reflects real-world enterprise applications.

DemoQA has no Shadow DOM scenarios, leaving users unprepared for one of the most common challenges in modern web automation.

Nested Frames in Shadow DOM

This complex scenario combines two of the most challenging automation patterns. XQA is currently the only practice site offering this specific combination, making it invaluable for engineers working with complex enterprise applications.

Dynamic Content and Spinners

XQA provides dedicated scenarios for handling loading spinners and dynamic content with various wait conditions. These scenarios teach proper wait strategies that prevent flaky tests.

Performance Comparison

XQA is built on Next.js with static site generation, resulting in faster page loads and more responsive interactions. DemoQA's older architecture often results in slower load times, particularly on first visit.

For automation testing, faster page loads mean faster test execution and more reliable timing when writing tests.

Who Should Use Each Platform?

Choose XQA If:

• You need advanced scenarios (Shadow DOM, SVG, nested frames)
• You work with modern frameworks (Cypress, Playwright)
• You want an ad-free, professional experience
• You're preparing for complex enterprise application testing
• You need code examples for multiple frameworks

Choose DemoQA If:

• You're a complete beginner learning basic Selenium
• You're following ToolsQA tutorials specifically
• You only need basic scenarios (forms, alerts, tables)

The Verdict

For QA engineers in 2026, XQA is the better choice for automation testing practice. It offers more scenarios, advanced features that reflect modern web development, superior user experience, and comprehensive framework coverage.

DemoQA served the community well for years, but it hasn't kept pace with the evolution of web applications and testing frameworks. The lack of Shadow DOM scenarios alone makes it insufficient for preparing to test modern applications.

Whether you're a beginner building foundational skills or an experienced engineer practicing advanced patterns, XQA provides the scenarios and experience you need to succeed in modern web automation testing.

Getting Started with XQA

Visit xqa.io/practice to start practicing immediately. No signup required. Choose any of the 40+ scenarios and begin automating with your preferred framework.