Manual Testing vs Automation Testing: Which One Should You Choose?

Choosing between manual testing vs automation testing can be tricky, but it is quite easy if you know when to choose what. In this blog, we’ll break down the key differences between manual testing vs automation testing that can help you decide which testing approach suits your needs best. Let’s dive in.

Manual Testing VS Automation Testing – Overview

What is Manual Testing?

It is a process in which test cases are executed manually without the help of any automated tool. It ensures that all the functions in the application are working, as defined in the requirement document. Since no tools are involved in Manual, it is slow, repetitive, costly, and time-consuming.

It is helpful where human interaction is required and better suited. For example, User Acceptance testing is a type of testing performed when human intervention is necessary to test the ready-to-use product before releasing it in the market.

It always takes place when human intervention is needed and needs to test the application from a user perspective. Let’s look at an example below to understand better how testing works.

Check here – Manual Testing Tools

What is Automation Testing?

Automation Testing is a technique that uses tools to write scripts and execute test cases. It is the best way to enhance the execution speed, effectiveness, and test coverage in software testing. Besides, it is cost-effective and helps find possible bugs quickly.

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Manual Testing vs Automation Testing – Key Differences

The difference between manual testing vs automation testing is that, you perform the tests step by step without the help of tools, whereas in automated testing, tests are executed automatically using automation tools & frameworks. The table below shows the key difference between automation and manual:

Criteria	Automation Testing	Manual Testing
Speed	Automation Testing is faster than a testing manually.	It requires human resources and is time consuming as well.
Exploratory Testing	Automation will not allow any random testing.	It is possible in case of testing manually
Investment	The initial investment for automation testing is higher.	The initial investment for manual is lower.
Reliability	Automation Testing is more reliable, as it is performed by tools and scripts.	It won’t be as accurate as there is a possibility of the human error.
Investment Type	Investment is needed for testing tools and automation engineers.	Investment is needed for human resources.
Cost-effective	Automation Testing is cost effective.	It is not cost effective as ROI is lower.
Test Reports	In automation testing, all stakeholders check test execution results by logging into automation system.	Manual Tests are usually updated in an Excel/Word, and test results are not readily available.
Performance Testing	Performance Tests like Stress Testing, Load Testing, Spike Testing, etc. have to be done by an automation tool only.	Performance Testing is difficult to do manually.
Set up	It needs less complex test execution set up.	It needs have a straightforward test execution setup.
Deadlines	Automated Tests will not have risks of missing out any test deadlines.	It has a higher chances of missing out the test deadlines.
Framework	Automation testing employs frameworks like Data Driven, Keyword, and Hybrid to speed up the automation process.	It won’t have frameworks but may use guidelines, checklists, and strict processes.
When to Use?	It is well suited for Regression Testing, Load Testing, Performance Testing, or repeatable functional test cases.	It will be suitable for Usability, Exploratory, and Adhoc Testing.

When to Use Automated Testing over Manual?

Choosing between automated and manual depends on several factors, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

Choose Automated Testing if:

• It would help if you ran repetitive tests frequently: Automated tests are ideal for tasks like regression testing, where you must ensure existing functionality remains intact after changes. Automated testing is much faster and more efficient than manual for repetitive tasks.
• You have a large volume of tests to cover: Automated testing allows you to create and run hundreds or even thousands of tests simultaneously, which is impossible to do manually. Thus, automated testing helps achieve wider test coverage faster.
• Consistency and accuracy are crucial: Automated tests follow the same script every time, eliminating human error and ensuring consistent results.
• You have limited testing resources: Automated testing can free up your manual testers to focus on more complex, exploratory testing where human judgment is crucial.
• You want faster feedback: Automated tests can be run overnight or on demand, providing quick feedback on code changes and regressions.

Choose manual if:

• You need to test complex user interactions or explore edge cases: Automated tests struggle with scenarios that require human intuition and judgment. It allows for flexible exploration and discovery of unexpected issues.
• Usability testing is a priority: Manual testers can provide valuable insights on user experience, navigation, and intuitiveness, which are difficult to capture with automation.
• The test is run infrequently or for a short-term project: Setting up and maintaining automated tests can take time, so it might not be cost-effective for short-term projects or infrequent testing needs.
• You need more technical expertise for automation: Implementing and maintaining automated tests often requires programming skills, which might not be readily available in your team.

Common Scenarios where Automation and Manual are Preferred

Here are some typical scenarios where automation and manual are preferred:

Automation Testing Preferred:

• Regression Testing: Repetitive tests that ensure existing functionality remains intact after code changes. Automation makes this process faster and more reliable.
• API Testing: Testing APIs for functionality, performance, and security, often involving numerous calls and data combinations. Automation tools can handle this efficiently.
• Performance Testing: Evaluating system responsiveness and load capacity under different conditions. Automated tools can simulate various user loads and measure response times.
• Smoke Testing: Basic functionality checks after code changes or deployments. Automation enables quick verification before further testing.
• Data-driven Testing: Testing with large datasets that would be impractical to test manually. Automation tools can handle large datasets efficiently.

Testing manually Preferred:

• Exploratory Testing: Unplanned testing to discover potential issues and edge cases. Human judgment and intuition are crucial in this scenario.
• Usability Testing: Evaluating user experience, navigation, and overall ease of use. Manual testers can provide subjective feedback and insights.
• Accessibility Testing: Ensuring the product is accessible to users with disabilities. Manual with assistive technologies is often necessary.
• Security Testing: Identifying vulnerabilities and potential security risks. Manual testers can use different techniques and tools to explore various attack vectors.
• Localization Testing: Verifying the product’s functionality and language accuracy in different locales. Manual testers with cultural awareness are crucial for this process.

Scenarios where both are combined:

• Large-scale projects: Automated tests cover regression and core functionalities, while manual focuses on exploratory and usability aspects.
• Complex applications: Automation handles repetitive tasks, and manual delves into intricate user interactions and edge cases.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines: Automated tests run frequently in CI/CD pipelines, with manual conducted at key stages for deeper evaluation.

Remember, the best approach often involves a combination of automation and manual, leveraging their strengths to achieve comprehensive and effective testing.

Why Use Automation Testing Over Manual?

It is the process of manually testing software or applications without help from automated tools or scripts. Here, testers create test cases and execute tests; hence it takes a lot of time and effort.

Let’s say we want to test a significant functionality of an app across 50-60 multiple web browsers, devices, and operating systems; manual is not the ideal approach. Instead, using automation tools, you get access to hundreds of browsers-devices-OS combinations, saving time & effort.

These are some key reasons to choose automation testing over manual:

Time-saving: Obviously, manual is repetitive and time-consuming, slowing the entire software development lifecycle. Automation testing saves considerable time by automating all the repetitive tasks and boosts the software development life cycle.

Less Manual Tasks: In automation testing, you can write the test cases once and use them over and over again. Some good automation tools also enable the generation of a detailed bug report for the failed case, making automation even more precise and powerful.

Cost-effective: A dedicated testing team will be required to perform manual on industry-grade software. But in automation testing, the whole testing workflow can be automated with a minor team or even by a single person.

Team collaboration: When it comes to performing complex testing, team collaboration plays an important role, manual makes it considerably difficult, but in automated testing, you can easily add team members to review the test cases or contribute.

Easy to manage: Automation testing is relatively easy to manage than manual. In automation testing, the whole testing workflow can be automated and handled using a single graphical user interface.

Can Automation Testing Replace Manual?

Automation testing can’t replace manual. We need both manual and automation testing. It is helpful for complex test cases, whereas automated testing is preferred for simple and repetitive tests. Test automation is to help the testers to execute testing faster and more reliably. But it won’t replace humans.

I would like to give you an example to make you understand better. While returning to your home from the office, let’s say walking will take around half an hour. But you will get there in a car in two minutes. The car will help you reach faster, saving you a lot of time. But still, it needs a human driver. In contrast with automation testing, you can use it to test most of your repetitive and boring tests to save time and energy. It helps to focus on testing essential functionalities.

Manual vs Automation Testing: Which Approach is the Best Choice for your Business?

Conclusion

Now that you know the differences between manual and automation testing, you can choose them wisely according to your testing needs. Automated testing allows you to automate complex, time-consuming tasks, get high coverage, and help you achieve high test ROI. 

It can be time-consuming, error-prone, and costly, but it is most valuable in scenarios where manual intervention is crucial. A combination of both manual and automated testing can be powerful for any business.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is manual easier than automation?

Ans: Though it may seem simple, manual isn’t easy as it takes care of complex test cases. On the other hand, automated testing looks after simpler and more repetitive tests. Although Manual is still essential, having automated testing in SDLC makes your manual tests more efficient.

2. Which testing is more in demand- automated testing or manual?