Robot Framework
Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based keyword-driven automation framework for test automation, ATDD, BDD, and RPA, maintained by the Robot Framework Foundation in Helsinki. It is funded through corporate Foundation memberships, certification exams, and community events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Robot Framework does
Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based automation framework for test automation, acceptance test-driven development (ATDD), behavior-driven development (BDD), and robotic process automation (RPA). Originally developed in 2008 at Nokia Networks, the framework is maintained and governed by the Robot Framework Foundation (Robot Framework ry), a Finnish non-profit consortium established in 2016 to ensure long-term continuity after copyright was transferred from Nokia. The framework uses a human-readable, keyword-driven tabular syntax that supports testing across web, API, mobile, desktop, embedded systems, and databases through a modular library architecture including SeleniumLibrary, Browser Library (Playwright-based), AppiumLibrary, RESTinstance, Database Library, and SSHLibrary, with 24 built-in language localizations and multiple data formats (space-separated, pipe-separated, reStructuredText, JSON).
The core product is distributed free of charge under Apache License 2.0 through standard open-source channels including the Python Package Index (PyPI), GitHub, and the official documentation site, with no commercial licensing motion. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: (1) annual Foundation membership fees ranging from €500 (1–2 users) to €12,000 (251+ users), with over 100 member organizations including ABB, Nokia, Cisco, ING Group, and Eficode; (2) Robot Framework Certified Professional (RFCP) certification exam fees (with 20% discount for Foundation members); and (3) event revenue from the annual RoboCon conference (Helsinki in-person and online editions) and quarterly World Wide Workshop Wednesday (WWWW) online workshops. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on Foundation membership, conferences, local meetups, Slack and forum support, the official Medium blog, and a partner ecosystem including consulting (Eficode, Eliga, Henix) and technology (Checkmk/Robotmk, Copado, TestMu AI) partners.
Robot Framework is not a venture-backed commercial entity and discloses no revenue or ARR figures; the Foundation operates from Kampinkuja 2 in Helsinki, Finland, with 11–50 staff and contributors. Active development continues with version 7.4.2 (March 2026) as the latest stable release, v7.5 milestone targeted for June 2026 adding Markdown support to Libdoc, and the next RoboCon scheduled for Helsinki (March 2027) and online (April 2027). The named customer base spans more than ten distinct industry verticals, with public users including Nokia, Juniper Networks, Charter Communications, ABB, KONE, Finnair, Airbus, ING Group, Slovenská sporiteľňa, Mews, Condé Nast, the Finnish Tax Administration, Signant Health, FICOSA, Kistler, and Zymr.
Robot Framework firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Robot Framework
- Legal name
- Robot Framework Foundation (Robot Framework ry)
- Website
- https://robotframework.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based keyword-driven automation framework for test automation, ATDD, BDD, and RPA, maintained by the Robot Framework Foundation in Helsinki. It is funded through corporate Foundation memberships, certification exams, and community events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Robot Framework industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Test Automation Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA) & Digital Robotics (HDAAAIAI)
Keywords
Where Robot Framework is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Helsinki
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Robot Framework business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Open Source Distribution: Robot Framework is distributed free of charge under Apache License 2.0 with no revenue directly generated from software licensing. Development is funded by the Robot Framework Foundation through member contributions and sponsorships.
- Foundation Membership Fees: Companies can become members of the Robot Framework Foundation by paying annual fees ranging from 500€ (1-2 users) to 12,000€ (251+ users). Membership provides visibility, discounted RoboCon tickets, and 20% discount on RFCP certification exams.
- RFCP Certification: Robot Framework Certified Professional (RFCP) exam offered at 20% discount for Foundation members. Revenue from certification exam fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Open Source Core - Free for all users |
| Subscription | Annual | Foundation Membership - 1-2 users |
| Subscription | Annual | Foundation Membership - 3-10 users |
| Subscription | Annual | Foundation Membership - 11-50 users |
| Subscription | Annual | Foundation Membership - 51-250 users |
| Subscription | Annual | Foundation Membership - 251+ users |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | RFCP Certification Exam |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Robot Framework product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based automation framework for test automation, acceptance testing, ATDD, BDD, and robotic process automation (RPA). It provides a human-friendly keyword-driven tabular syntax and is extensible through libraries written in Python, Java, and other languages, with a rich ecosystem of third-party libraries for web, API, mobile, desktop, database, and embedded testing. The framework is distributed under Apache License 2.0 and maintained by the Robot Framework Foundation.
Product overview
Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based automation framework for test automation and robotic process automation (RPA), maintained by the Robot Framework Foundation. The core Robot Framework product provides the keyword-driven tabular syntax, built-in test libraries (BuiltIn, OperatingSystem, Collections, String, etc.), and execution engine. Its ecosystem consists of hundreds of third-party external libraries developed independently, including Browser Library (Playwright-based web testing), SeleniumLibrary (Selenium-based web testing), HTTP RequestsLibrary (API testing), AppiumLibrary (mobile testing), RESTinstance (JSON API testing), Database Library (database testing), and SSHLibrary (remote execution). The Foundation also supports a certification program (RFCP — Robot Framework Certified Professional), organizes the annual RoboCon conference (Helsinki and online editions), and runs the World Wide Workshop Wednesday online workshop series. The framework supports extending through Python, Java, and other languages, and integrates with CI/CD systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Robot Framework Open-source, Python-based automation framework for test automation and robotic process automation (RPA), supporting acceptance testing, ATDD, and BDD with a human-friendly keyword-driven tabular syntax. Distributed free under Apache License 2.0 via the Robot Framework Foundation; extensible through libraries in Python, Java, and other languages.
- Browser Library (robotframework-browser) Modern Robot Framework web testing library powered by Microsoft Playwright, supporting Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit browsers for browser automation and web UI testing.
- SeleniumLibrary Robot Framework web testing library that uses Selenium WebDriver internally for browser automation and web UI testing.
- HTTP RequestsLibrary (Python) Robot Framework HTTP-level testing library using Python Requests internally, designed for REST/API testing.
- AppiumLibrary Robot Framework library for Android and iOS mobile application testing using Appium internally.
- RESTinstance Robot Framework test library for HTTP JSON APIs, enabling REST/JSON API testing.
- Database Library (Python) Python-based Robot Framework library for database testing, working with any Python interpreter including Jython.
- SSHLibrary Robot Framework library enabling execution of commands on remote machines over SSH connection with SFTP file transfer support.
- Robot Framework Certified Professional (RFCP) Certification Official Robot Framework Certified Professional certification exam offered by the Robot Framework Foundation; Foundation members receive a 20% discount on the exam.
- RoboCon Conference Annual Robot Framework conference organized by the Robot Framework Foundation, with in-person editions in Helsinki and online editions, featuring talks, workshops, and community sessions (ticketed event with member discounts).
- World Wide Workshop Wednesday (WWWW) Full-day online event of expert-led Robot Framework workshops, live and hands-on, sanctioned by the Robot Framework Foundation and open to anyone with internet access.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supports 24 built-in languages and multiple data formats (space-separated, pipe-separated, reStructuredText, JSON)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Robot Framework
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Robot Framework technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature6 records
Robot Framework partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ABBcoreABB is a leading global technology company and Foundation member using Robot Framework for hardware and software testing of multiple product lines including variable frequency drives and power distribution automation. ABB employs about 5000 people in Finland.
- NokiacoreNokia develops and delivers telecommunications equipment and software. First versions of Robot Framework were developed at Nokia and Robot Framework is extensively used and developed further at Nokia today.
- CheckmkcoreCheckmk is one of the leading tools for IT infrastructure monitoring. With Synthetic Monitoring based on Robotmk, Checkmk administrators can monitor availability, performance and functionality of business-critical applications. Elabit, CEO Simon Meggle, invented Robotmk integration.
- CopadocoreCopado Robotic Testing empowers 175+ global customers with low-code, multi-cloud testing solution embedded into Copado's DevOps platform for testing Salesforce, SAP, ServiceNow and beyond.
- EficodecoreLeading DevOps company in Europe with over 400 professionals in seven countries. Provides Robot Framework expertise and services. Co-exhibits with Robot Framework Foundation at events.
- EligaminorOne-man company owned by Pekka Klärck, the original author and lead developer of Robot Framework. Offers first-class training and consulting services related to Robot Framework.
- AutomationSTARminorRobot Framework Foundation has a booth at AutomationSTAR conference. Community discount code available for attendees. Annual event for software testing professionals.
- EuroSTAR Software Testing ConferenceminorRobot Framework Foundation sponsors EuroSTAR conference with booth presence alongside Eficode. Community discount code available.
- NiceProject (Wrobocon)minorPolish IT company playing pivotal role in fostering Robot Framework community by organizing Wrobocon conference since 2022, dedicated to intelligent automation.
- ING GroupcoreDutch multinational banking and financial services corporation. Uses Robot Framework at the heart of the bank in the Netherlands (NL Corebank) to test applications.
- CiscocoreCisco's Customer Experience (CX) supports testing & validation of Cisco and 3rd party solutions deployed by customers. Uses Robot Framework in Solution Validation Services (SVS) as part of NetDevOps CI/CD process.
- HenixminorFrench consulting company specializing in software quality assurance. Leading pure player test company in France using Robot Framework. Publisher of Squash Open Source testing suite that interfaces natively with Robot Framework.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Robot Framework competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UiPath: Leading commercial RPA platform serving enterprise automation buyers. Competes with Robot Framework in the RPA use case with much larger commercial resources, broader integrations, and a paid licensing model, while Robot Framework serves the same buyer personas via an open-source model.
- Tricentis: Enterprise test automation vendor offering Tosca and related tools. Targets the same enterprise QA personas that Robot Framework serves, but as a paid platform with model-based test automation rather than open-source keyword-driven syntax.
- Automation Anywhere: Established commercial RPA platform competing directly with Robot Framework's RPA positioning. Targets the same enterprise automation buyers with a fully commercial model, AI-driven document automation, and a global GTM motion.
Direct peers
- Appium: Open-source mobile test automation framework for iOS and Android. Robot Framework's AppiumLibrary wraps Appium internally, and many mobile QA teams use Appium directly as a peer automation approach for the same use cases.
- Playwright: Microsoft-backed open-source browser automation framework. Robot Framework's Browser Library is built directly on Playwright, and many Robot Framework users adopt Playwright standalone as a direct alternative for web test automation.
- Katalon: Test automation platform serving QA professionals across web, API, mobile, and desktop. Competes head-on with Robot Framework on ease-of-use positioning, with both a free tier and paid enterprise offerings targeting similar small-to-mid QA teams.
- Cypress: Open-source web test automation framework popular among front-end engineers. Competes with Robot Framework's Browser Library and SeleniumLibrary for the same JavaScript/web testing persona and CI/CD-integrated QA workflows.
- Selenium: Foundational open-source web browser automation framework. Robot Framework's widely adopted SeleniumLibrary wraps Selenium WebDriver, and many QA teams use Selenium directly as an alternative for the same web-automation use cases.
- Cucumber: Open-source BDD/ATDD testing framework with gherkin-style specifications. Overlaps with Robot Framework's ATDD/BDD positioning and shares the same 'human-readable test syntax' value proposition for QA-led teams.
Emerging players
- Copado: DevOps platform with a 'Copado Robotic Testing' offering explicitly built on Robot Framework. Sits at the intersection of a partner and peer — extending Robot Framework into a low-code, multi-cloud testing product for Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow environments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Robot Framework social profiles
Digital presenceRobot Framework financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Robot Framework leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Robot Framework funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Robot Framework M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Robot Framework
What does Robot Framework do?
Robot Framework is an open-source, Python-based automation framework for test automation, acceptance testing, ATDD, BDD, and robotic process automation (RPA). It provides a human-friendly keyword-driven tabular syntax and is extensible through libraries written in Python, Java, and other languages, with a rich ecosystem of third-party libraries for web, API, mobile, desktop, database, and embedded testing. The framework is distributed under Apache License 2.0 and maintained by the Robot Framework Foundation.
Is Robot Framework a public or private company?
Robot Framework is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Robot Framework founded?
Robot Framework was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Robot Framework based?
Robot Framework is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Robot Framework make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Open Source Distribution is the primary driver. The others are foundation Membership Fees and RFCP Certification.
Who are Robot Framework's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are UiPath, Tricentis and Automation Anywhere. Direct peers are Appium, Playwright, Katalon, Cypress, Selenium and Cucumber. Copado is listed as an emerging player.
Does Robot Framework have an API?
No public API is recorded for Robot Framework.
What industry is Robot Framework in?
Robot Framework's product category is Test Automation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAI, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) & Digital Robotics. Its NAICS code is 5415 and its SIC code is 7372.