Difference between Performance Testing and Load Testing

Performance Testing: Performance Testing is a type of software testing that is carried out to determine system performance in terms of sensitivity, reactivity, and stability under a particular workload. 

Load Testing: Load Testing is a type of software testing that determines the performance of a system, software product, or software application under real life based load conditions. 

Difference between Performance Testing and Load Testing:

S. No.	Performance Testing	Load Testing
1.	Performance testing is the process of determining the system’s performance that includes speed, and reliability under varying loads.	Load testing is the process of determining the behavior of the system when multiple users access it at the same time.
2.	In performance the load on which the system is tested is normal.	In load testing peak load is used for testing.
3.	The main goal of performance testing is to determine how an application will operate under typical conditions.	The load testing has the main objective of increasing the load on a web application.
4.	It checks the behavior of the system under normal load.	It checks the behavior of the system under extreme load.
5.	In performance testing, the limit of the load is both below and above the threshold of a break.	In load testing, the limit of the load is the threshold of a break.
6.	It validates that the performance of the system is proper.	It determines the operating capacity of the system or software application.
7.	Speed, scalability, stability, and reliability are tested during performance testing.	Only the sustainability of the system is tested during load testing.
8.	Performance testing tools are less costly.	Load testing tools are highly costly.
9.	Performance testing is useful in validating the application’s functionality, finding, analyzing, and fixing performance issues, checking the adequacy of hardware for load handling, and more.	Load testing is useful in finding bugs like memory leaks, etc., finding the adequacy of current infrastructure in running the applications, determining the number of concurrent users that an application can handle, checking for the application’s scalability for accommodating more users, and more.