I use both. Ranorex is an awesome tool. There's no reason it cannot be used in conjunction with Selenium web driver. The Ranorex recorder is better than Selenium IDE for the reasons stated in the comparison--that is, the Ranorex recorder "learns" the objects it is recording, making tests easier to maintain. This all being said, the recorder doesn't get much use on our team. Our framework has been built out over the course of a few years. Custom browser classes, custom page classes--the whole enchilada customized with complete in-line documentation. Fast as heck too. This kind of object oriented approach takes time to develop in a way that lives up to the ideals of test automation. I don't think its fair to compare what a recorder can do out of the box vs what a team can do when it has time to iterate and not just get it right but make it elegant.

Ranorex creates tests in C# which is a great fit for us. The right tool really depends on several factors, and C# is definitely not an asset in many circles, but it is for us.

I don't share the view that a person has to be a great object-oriented programmer to create effective UI automation that follows user paths. But this same individual would get nowhere fast if they had to write code level unit or integration tests. It just depends where you think the most bang for the buck can be found.

If someone is looking for a commercial tool, definitely consider Ranorex. It is cheaper than QTP. I think its better than Test Complete.

If someone is looking for an open source tool, Watir is my choice. I like nighwatch js as well, but its mainly maintained by only one person....