The development and delivery of software products is a leading market in today’s tech-savvy world. The demands are all-encompassing and perpetually escalating. Testing processes have been swift and perfect for a bug-free release to keep up with the ever-increasing demand. To make this entire course of testing free from significant errors, choosing the appropriate test management tool is a must. These frameworks can streamline the test procedure and effectively decrease the number of bugs that could have been overlooked.
Software development and QA teams use these test management tools to keep track of all their requisites to plan, manage, execute and report tests. There are a lot of test management tools available today. This blog will discuss the 10 best test management tools to help you test your product more quickly and smartly.
What is Test Management in QA?
The different phases of test management include the following:
- Test Planning: Which involves the strategy to be used in the testing of software.
- Test Case Design: Which is where specific tests are developed to ensure that the software functions correctly.
- Test Execution: Where tests are run and results recorded.
- Defect Management: Which involves reporting and fixing issues found during testing.
- Test Reporting: Which summarizes test results and metrics generated during testing, including status reports, progress reports, etc.
- Risk Management: Identifying and reducing potential risks associated with testing efforts.
- Tools and Infrastructure: Using tools to manage and automate testing processes.
What are Test Management Tools?
These are the tools for managing tests, below are some functions they perform:
- The creation and management of test cases: Effortlessly create, edit, and organize test cases.
- The implementation and monitoring of tests: Manually or automatically run tests, monitor progress, record results.
- The defect management system: Detect bugs during testing; identify them, log them and keep track of them.
- Reporting is what you should do: produce reports on the results of tests, spot trends, and keep tabs on your progress.
Top Test Management Tools - Comparison
Here is a table for you to have a look at the top five in this list
| Feature | Testsigma | Tuskr | Xray | TestRail | Kualitee |
| Cloud-Based | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integration | CI/CD, Jira, Slack, Git | CI/CD, Jira, Git | Jira, CI/CD | Jira, CI/CD | Jira, CI/CD |
| Automation Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Test Case Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting & Analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| User Interface | User-friendly | User-friendly | Complex | Clean | User-friendly |
| Pricing | Subscription-based | Flexible | Higher | Subscription-based | Affordable |
| Mobile Testing | Yes | Yes | Limited | No | Yes |
| Customizable Workflows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Customer Support | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent | Good |
Best Test Management Tools List
We understood that employing test management tools can reduce the need for manual testing and prevent bugs and issues in the software release, right? Now, let’s learn more about the different test management tools so that you can choose the ones that will be most helpful to you. Given below is the list of the 10 best software test management tools.
Testsigma
Testsigma has a range of test management features built into the platform that can help you manage your software testing activities efficiently.
- Test case management:Testsigma allows you to create, manage and organize test cases in a centralized repository. You can group test cases into test suites, add tags for better categorization, and assign test cases to specific team members.
- Test execution:You can execute your tests on multiple platforms and browsers simultaneously, and also schedule them for automated execution. Testsigma provides detailed reports on test execution results, including metrics such as test coverage and pass/fail rates.
- Test data management: Testsigma provides built-in repository to store, manage, and use test data which can be generated or imported using data import features.
- Test environment management: You can configure and manage your test environment settings such as test data, test settings, and environment variables.
- Collaboration: Testsigma allows multiple team members to work together on test cases, with features such as comments, notifications, and task assignments.
- Integrations: Testsigma can integrate with a range of tools, including JIRA, Jenkins, and Slack, which can help streamline your test management and automation workflows.
Tuskr
Tuskr is a test management tool well appreciated for its complete collection of test management features at an affordable price.
With Tuskr, you can generate and execute flexible test runs. These involve the filtered and complete test cases within the current system or project. It provides a comprehensive test management solution for all categories of IT professionals like QA testers, product administrators, and development teams. The features provided in this platform are robust and astonishingly easy to learn and use. The user interface is simple yet highly intuitive. The test cases can be generated using the WYSIWYG editor and rich-text formatting. Perceptible test data can be effortlessly arranged into test cases using HTML tables.
While drawing results, custom fields can also be incorporated during the generation of flexible test runs. Using this software, custom result scenarios that correspond to specific conditions can be obtained, while the bulk mode attribute allows you to reassign these test cases or annex custom results. Tuskr also offers the provision for generating a detailed status report and exporting the same in PDF format for sharing with the clients and stakeholders. It also provides a workload chart, which helps distinguish which testers are entrenched and underutilized. With this feature, you can compare the planned performance and actual performance charts to differentiate the top-notch performers from the average resources.
Xray
Xray is a Jira-based test management software that leverages Jira-native issues to manage testing resources. It enables testers to handle automated and manual tests as native Jira issues, customizing the fields, screens, and workflows.
As an all-in-one test management tool, Xray for Jira enables the organization, design, implementation, and reporting of the various advancements of the testing process. With this too l, you can create data-driven tests with parameterized test cases, enabling you to test a diverse array of iterations easily and quickly. This helps the development team to understand whether the tool is ready to deploy or not.
Jira native issue types are used by Xray, where all the requisites are linked to test cases. Hence no one will ever fail to notice any test. With the integration of Jira with the Xray test management tool, developers and testers can work in an identical unified platform. This way, all the assignments exist in the same stream, every test case is reckoned for, and everyone can do the work in the same scripting language. This will induce additional transparency into the job, increasing the operation’s visibility and enhancing coordination between the dev and QA teams.
Using this tool, Development managers can use agile methodology to keep an eye on the requirement status and check the testing progress in real-time. Also, the tool has a robust reporting facility with built-in reports that enhances traceability and coverage analysis. A dashboard with multiple widgets is also provided for a smooth investigation of the testing operation.
Xray also features built-in REST API for integration with the finest Integration tools, such as Jenkins and Cucumber. It also supports testing in BDD using Gherkin-based infrastructures. Premier testing automation architectures like Junit, Cucumber, NUnit, and Robot framework can also be integrated with Xray.
TestRail
TestRail is a complete test management tool involving customized dashboards and features extensive integration. This platform dispenses customizable templates to create test plans and execute test cases.
TestRail is a test management platform that enables development and QA team members to manage, plan and execute various tests and track the progress for automated and manual testing. It allows the organization of test cases into different sections and folders and customizing of the test cases using in-built statuses, templates, and fields.
TestRail consists of dashboards and reports which facilitate teams to track test cycle progress, report test pass or fail rates and measure the current risk level of the new release. Using the TestRail API, automation engineers and QA analysts can push test results to this platform from other automated scripts. This is done to track results for automated and manual tests.
TestRail platform can be integrated with GitHub, Jira, Asana, GitLab, and many other defect management or Issue-tracking tools. Reporting tests run using any other test automation tool or framework like Cypress, Selenium, Cucumber, Appium, TestNG, Junit, and Pytest are also supported in the TestRail API. Integration with several CI/CD pipelines like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and GitLab CI is also available using TestRail.
Kualitee
Kualitee is well known as a test management tool for defect management. This tool helps perform test, project, and defect management in a unified ecosystem.
Kualitee is also an advanced tool with a cloud-based test management tool that supports automated and manual testing. Testers can use this platform to build or import various test cases and link them with the requirements for comprehensive end-to-end traceability. With its defect management feature, Kualitee enables the execution of a streamlined testing flow, from planning to test performance and tracking any issues found. It is a complete ecosystem with all the developers, testers, and project managers working in collaboration.
Kualitee includes all the specifications and functionalities needed for requirement planning with user-friendly and intuitively designed interactive dashboards. This tool enables QA testers to execute custom tests and track test execution reports. The platform integrates itself with Selenium, Jira, Bitbucket, and Jenkins. It even features a mobile application for enhanced smoothness and ease of use.
QA Wolf
The most significant feature of this test management platform is that QA Wolf features an entirely managed end-to-end test coverage.
QA Wolf is a testing automation framework with end-to-end test coverage which offers a team of expert QA professionals to script, execute, and repeat all the crucial tests. It is both a ‘tool’ and a ‘service,’ taking off a load of in-house QA jobs from your shoulders. Gumroad, Mailchimp, MainStreet, Padlet, and Replay are some companies using QA Wolf for their test management.
QA Wolf performs bug testing by enabling their teams to run and inspect the failures. Then, they write up the issue or bug report with all the repro steps, log, a video recording, and any remaining data required. You can sign in to the tool to track the progress at any time or hold on for the arranged review session.
The key features of QA Wolf include the following:
- end-to-end test coverage
- failure triaging and test maintenance
- high-quality bug reports
- a comprehensive test plan strategy
- fast and parallel test execution infrastructure
- an easy-to-use application for real-time status updates.
QA Wolf integrates with numerous tools such as Salesforce, Stripe, email providers, SMS, Auth0, GitHub, and many more through its flexible API.
Aqua ALM
Testers, developers, project managers, and business owners use Aqua ALM as a test management tool for quality assurance, full-cycle software testing, and workflow management. QA members can build test reports and data visualizations by utilizing the drag-and-drop interactive interface of this tool.
QA Wolf is a testing automation framework with end-to-end test coverage which offers a team of expert QA professionals to script, execute, and repeat all the crucial tests. It is both a ‘tool’ and a ‘service,’ taking off a load of in-house QA jobs from your shoulders. Gumroad, Mailchimp, MainStreet, Padlet, and Replay are some companies using QA Wolf for their test management.
An intuitive, easy-to-use German test management framework, Aqua ALM is well-known for providing business–level service to all customer enterprises with an affordable package. Aqua allows test engineers to organize test cases and execute testing scenarios of scale or complexity. It can smoothly manage all test cases starting from manual to automated testing. The enterprise-level reports and real-time analytics clarify the QA and dev process cycle.
Since 2008, Aqua ALM has served as the most favorable test management tool and ALM solution for the most significant German enterprises. In 2022, an SMB cloud tier will be launched. This includes enterprise-level flexibility and support for managing the test cases.
Aqua ALM is priced at 39 euros per month. A remarkable feature of this subscription is that you can join an infinite number of primary free users, who can only view the reports and create and execute manual tests. Hence, it saves expenses where testing managers and automation testers can only use the paid version.
Micro Focus Silk Central
The most popular feature of the Silk Central test management tool is its bug and issue recreation. This platform is highly preferred for setting up and executing test scripts for recreating issues and bugs.
Using Silk Central, you can unify all the test assets into single, easy-to-use planning, execution, tracking, and reporting hub. Silk Central makes it easy to recreate the bugs and issues within the software.
Silk Central also provides insight into test execution with the intuitive and interactive TestBook dashboard panel for manual testing. Testers can raise questions and share comments by posting them directly to TestBook during testing, leading to improved collaboration among the team members. You can also keep track of who worked on what and what is the test progress.
Silk Central also enables third-party integrations, which include IBM Rational ClearQuest, IBM DOORS, Jira, Bugzilla, and Git. Any further integrations are also allowed through their API.
The price for Silk Central is provided upon request, along with a free trial version.
TestLink
TestLink is one of the few open-source test management platforms. In this platform, users can manage users, create test plans and test cases, and visualize test progress and results by reporting and statistics.
Since it’s open-source, testers can customize the test cases to fit their needs. Along with creating test plans and executing test cases, TestLink also helps manage users and keeps track of the test progress and results through different statistics and reports. It offers a simple yet intuitive approach for exporting and importing test cases. TestLink also provides a smooth and easy method to assign test cases to several users.
Silk Central also provides insight into test execution with the intuitive and interactive TestBook dashboard panel for manual testing. Testers can raise questions and share comments by posting them directly to TestBook during testing, leading to improved collaboration among the team members. You can also keep track of who worked on what and what is the test progress.
TestLink offers easy integration with multiple defect management and other tools like Katalon, Selenium, Jira, TeamForge, and Studio.
Test Collab
Test Collab is one of the best known for allowing the creation of reusable test case steps. Its interactive dashboard provides the testers with defects overviews, executed tests, the total number of test cases, and many more.
Test Collab supports automated and manual testing procedures with a user-friendly test management platform. Users can efficiently work on the test planning and designing test cases, create the test requirement document and note the custom reports on test case distribution and their respective executions.
The framework also allows QA teams to customize the filters and fields to filter or sort several test cases and execution to obtain relevant insights. Test Collab also offers requirement management and acceptance criteria, an in-built time tracker, and the capability to build up reusable steps that might be re-purposed in various test cases.
Test Collab is a platform that integrates itself with Redmine, Jira, Bugzilla, Asana, GitHub, and another diverse array of tools. It also provides an API for any additional integrations.
TestGear
TestGear is another highly-ranked test management tool that uniquely combines manual testing with automated ones. This platform enables you to create and edit several test cases and plan and perform manual and automated tests.
With 30 years of existence in the QA industry, the TestGear development team builds tools for testers and by testers. This platform reduces the time spent on the QA routine to a significant extent so that testers can give more time to other creative work.
The essential features which TestGear provides are as follows:
- Create test cases from autotests
- Real-time tracking of the progress of your automated tests
- high-quality bug reports
- Get screenshots and error stack traces
- Track the progress of autotests for any time frame
- Use the error classification provided by the system, or create your own
- Get summary reports automatically using regular expressions
- Operate the integration of automated testing
- Control test runs
- Real-time access to autotest results through API
This tool can help accelerate release time and reduce time spent on mundane chores. TestGear can be integrated with any other CI/CD system leveraging webhooks.
How to perform test management using
Testsigma TMS?
Testsigma Test Management System, also known as Testsigma TMS, is a testing tool provided by Testsigma. The user-friendly interface of Testsigma TMS is designed to include crucial features required by the industry, ensuring that the software is not overloaded with unnecessary functionalities.
Due to its cloud-based nature, Testsigma TMS requires minimal resources from the user’s system, effectively reducing unnecessary overhead and providing an efficient testing experience.
Testsigma TMS is :
- Easy to use: as it’s designed to be simple and clear, so even new team members can learn it quickly.
- Pre-made templates: to help you create test cases faster.
- Step-by-step: you can create tests one step at a time.
- No duplicates: You can reuse steps to avoid repeating yourself.
- Easy bug reporting: as you can report bugs directly from Testsigma.
- Organized testing: You can group test cases together for better management.
- A smart feature like GenAI: in this testing platform is a Big plus.
- Flexible: It can adapt to changes in your testing needs.
Importance of Test Management Tools
And now, we arrive at the significance of Test Management Tools distilled down into its essence:
- Efficiency & Organization: Similar to automation, these tools weave neatness into the testing process— from task centralization to fostering a culture of meritocracy in reportage.
- Improved Quality: They ensure thorough testing by managing all aspects, leading to higher-quality software.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Communication is key! Test management tools facilitate smooth information sharing and collaboration between testers, developers, and other stakeholders.
- Better Visibility: Revealing through these insights not just what has been tested but how far along the process has come— and what it has resulted in.
- Cost Savings: It can be achieved through bug detection at an early stage, which helps improve efficiency, save time and resources— a point that was highly unexpected.
Who needs Test Management Tools?
- Test management tools are not universal silver bullets— but they do produce substantial rewards for diverse software development groups that use them. All those who play a part in testing can take advantage of it!
- Testers can now create, manage, and keep track of their tests without breaking a sweat. Developers benefit from better communication which grants them visibility into how far the testing has progressed.
- Project managers get an oversight platform (for the testing lifecycle) where they can make decisions based on actual information; even non-tech stakeholders have access to clear reports that depict the quality and progress made during testing.
- In essence, test management tools don’t favor any one group: be it technical or non-technical. Instead, they help everyone involved in delivering top-notch software find their way through processes laden with collaboration— ensuring all hands-on deck have a smooth sail towards development journey.
Core Functionalities of Test Management Tools
- Planning and designing tests: Test management tools help plan your testing strategy by deciding which tests are manual and which can be automated.
- Requirements Capture:Here, you must ensure that your tests cover every feature and aspect important in the software application. You must be fully aware of what your software is meant to be doing.
- Execution and analysis of tests: The core of test management lies here. You must organize test resources and ensure test plans are executed properly. Test management tools should also alert you of any bugs and document all tests and their results.
Trends in Test Management Tools
These are some current trends related to Test Management Tools.
- The move to Cloud-Based Solutions: Rising adoption levels of cloud-based test management tools not only for scalability, accessibility, and collaboration but also their flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
- Merging with DevOps and Agile Procedures: The choice of tools that effortlessly fit into the CI/CD pipelines, Agile methodologies as well as DevOps practices thus ensuring that testing is continuous and speedy.
- AI and Machine Learning Capabilities: Infusing AI plus ML technologies in the area of test automation— as well as predictive analytics along with intelligent generation for test cases.
- Transitioning towards Automation of Testing: Many tools present powerful features for test automation — with the aim of improving effectiveness while minimizing manual intervention in the testing workflow.
- Enhanced Reporting and Analytics: Tools featuring refined report dashboards, live analytics, and metrics that paint a picture of the progress and quality of your testing efforts.
- Empowering Cross-Browser & Cross-Platform Compatibility: Tools like Testsigma, TestRail,etc streamlining tests across divergent browsers, gadgets, and OS platforms — thereby guaranteeing a blanket approach towards test coverage.
- Collaboration and communication features: Integration of collaboration tools, chat, and notification systems within test management platforms to improve team communication and productivity.
- Security and regulatory controls: Emphasis on tools which enhance security testing capabilities as well as ensure compliance with various standards especially needed in high risk industries such as finance or healthcare.
- Accessibility through interfaces: Striking a balance between simplicity and rich feature set in user interface design to make sure all members of the team— regardless of their technical skills — can easily use it.
- Evolution of Open Source and Community Backing: You can see there is an increase in the fame of open-source test management tools. Added to that there are also contributing communities, evolving along with their growth and development.
Types of Test Management Tools
Different types of test management tools can be classified generally based on what they do and why they exist:
1. Manual Test Management Tools
- These assist in controlling manual testing work.
- They let testers create, run, and oversee manual tests.
- Their functionality might consist of control over test cases, supervision over test execution progress, and maintenance of the defect register.
Some examples are TestRail, PractiTest, and TestLodge.
2. Automation Test Management Tools
- These concentrate on making the process of running tests automatic.
- They are equipped with functions for writing scripts, setting schedules, and launching automated checks.
- One of the features may be script recording, another one test script management, plus integration with CI/CD pipelines.
Consider these examples: Selenium, HP UFT (formerly QTP), and TestComplete.
3. Integrated Test Management Tools
- These tools merge manual and automated test management into a single entity.
- This creates a centralized place for handling all testing actions holistically.
- Features can vary from test planning to tracking of both manual and automated tests— including reporting and connection with other software engineering tools.
For instance: Zephyr, Xray (for Jira), and QTest.
4. Cloud-Based Test Management Tools
- The tools are cloud-hosted, allowing scalability, flexibility and accessibility.
- They promote collaboration among distributed teams.
- They include features like test case management, execution tracking, real-time reporting, and integration with cloud-based development platforms.
For example: TestRail Cloud, PractiTest Cloud, TestLodge Cloud.
5. Open Source Test Management Tools
- These tools are developed and managed by the open-source community which allows flexibility for customization with no user restrictions — only contributions to the collective development work and support of user communities typically available.
- Functions differ but normally they encompass test case management, tracking of execution and reporting capabilities at a basic level.
Some examples are TestLink, Kiwi TCMS, and Kualitee.
Benefits of Test Management Tools
Listed below are a few advantages of employing a Test management tool:
- Capturing requirements.
- Designing test cases.
- Providing robust tools for testing.
- Real-time test execution reports.
- Test planning for tracking progress.
- Assessing progress with interactive and informative dashboards and reports.
- Enhancing test coverage by requirement management.
- Consolidation of execution reports providing visual insights.
- Minimizing data duplication.
- Creating room to run numerous tests on autopilot, hence saving time.
- Allowing flexibility to adapt to the unique requirements of different projects.
- Enhancing team productivity.
How to Find the Right Test Management Tool?
- Selecting the appropriate test management tool demands thoughtful reflection on your team’s requirements and project details. Here are some signposts to guide you through the selection journey:
- Know Your Needs: First and foremost, grasp the essence of your team — size, testing methodologies (are they more manual or automated?) — as well as the complexity of your projects. What features would make a difference (such as reporting or integrations)?
- Do Research: When comparing tools, you must evaluate the features and functionality. The first step is to carry out research on various tools and their respective functions. Identify what features would best suit your requirements — this involves not only the feature set itself but also how easily it can be used, its scalability, and whether it integrates well with any other existing tools you use.
- Budget consideration: It is important when dealing with pricing. Test management tools offer different price structures. Decide on a budget and find those options that meet your needs without overspending.
- Many provide free trials so that you can test the tool’s functionality before making a commitment. Some options may be more pocket-friendly than others, yet still address what you are looking for in a tool.
- User Interface & Usability: A user-friendly interface is key for your team to adopt the tool easily. Try out demos or free trials to assess ease of use and intuitiveness.
- Customer Support: In troubleshooting situations where the maximum utilization of tools is important, reliable customer support is necessary. Opt for a tool with a responsive customer support team that will be able to promptly resolve any issues that you may have.
Comparison Criteria for Test Management Tools
While choosing the perfect test management tool, it is essential to check the specifications and functionalities. A comprehensive summary of our evaluation criteria for the top 10 testing tools is listed below:
- User Interface (UI): This is the most crucial criterion. Testing tools must have a clean and attractive user interface in the first place to attract users.
- Usability:Next, it is significant to check the usability of the test management tool. The usability specifies whether it is easy to learn the features of the testing tool. It also determines the level of user support, tech support, training, and tutorials the management tool provides.
- Test planning: The test management tool must be able to create and record the test plans, test cases, and test runs. It is important to check which tool helps the QA teams plan test designs and then easily create test suites.
- Requirements management: Testing management tools should enable the development teams to specify and track the requirements during the testing operation.
- Test execution: This is another critical criterion. The test management tool must support multiple forms of testing like manual testing, automated testing, integration testing, continuous testing, and many more.
- Reporting and analytics: A good test management tool enables QA teams to create a detailed and helpful report on the progress and test result throughout the testing.
- Integrations: A good test management tool should provide seamless integration with all the other software, tools, or add-ons used for the development process. These software and tools can be anything like issue-tracking software, bug-tracking tools, project management software, application lifecycle management (ALM) software, continuous integration tools, or automated testing applications.
- Value for money: No organization has infinite resources. The price should be appropriate concerning the features and functionalities of the tool.
Final Thoughts
Test management tools smooth the management and development process. Most of these frameworks available in the market are designed to integrate with all other tools used in the development and testing life cycle. So we can say, a test management tool is a must to enhance efficiency and flexibility in your development process by utilizing the least possible financial resources.
There is an increased demand for test automation in today’s tech-savvy world. We have seen that each test management tool has merits and demerits. To address all issues with the existing tools, we at Testsigma have created an ecosystem to help plan, develop, execute, analyze, and report for continuous testing in Agile and DevOps.
Testsigma is a test automation ecosystem that helps to plan, design, develop, execute, analyze, and report for continuous Agile and DevOps testing. The platform has taken care of significant challenges with traditional tools, such as huge initial time, cost, and resources, slow test development speed, high maintenance cost, less or no reusability of test cases, support for collaboration, and many more.
What differentiates Testsigma from other tools?
- Codeless automation, not just limited to basic tests
- Real-time tracking of the progress of your automated tests
- Lets everyone on your team automate testing – including QAs &SMEs
- Platform with all the essential elements for continuous testing
- Enhance the platform’s automation capabilities for all your custom needs
- In sprint test automation for fast-faced Agile and DevOps teams
- Customizable object spy for every application that makes your tests robust
- AI to reduce maintenance and improve the team’s efficiency
- Reduce regression testing from weeks to minutes
- Increased maintainability, reusability, and reliability
Check out pricing for Testsigma here, and for more details, you can book a demo session with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I choose a test management tool?
Which test management tools provide integration with Selenium?