User acceptance testing (UAT) is the final phase of software development projects, where end-users test the software to ensure it functions as expected and meets their requirements. For an effective and efficient UAT process, developers and testers leverage user acceptance testing tools designed to streamline the testing process, improve stakeholder collaboration, and quickly identify and resolve issues.
In this article, our experts share the most popular UAT tools, outlining their key features, pros and cons, and pricing models to help you determine the best fit for your project.
Table of Contents
1. Marker.io
Marker.io is a leading UAT software that allows end-users to report bugs and give feedback with just one click. This web-based platform captures website feedback directly into your existing project management tools like Jira, GitHub, Trello, Asana, Slack, and others.
Marker.io is a great option for teams looking for an easy-to-use and comprehensive solution for capturing website feedback and performing UAT. Its powerful annotations, deep PM tool integrations, and session replay features make it an asset for any team looking to improve its software testing process.
Its visual feedback tool captures bugs directly from WordPress websites. When an end user comes across an issue, they can use it to take a screenshot of the page, annotate the screenshot with notes, and submit it as a report. This can help WordPress developers identify issues that ruin the user experience. If you need help testing WordPress products, you can contact the top WordPress development companies.
Features
- Website annotations
- High customizability
- Seamless integration with existing project management tools
- Alpha and beta testing
- Two-way integrations for communication with clients and end-users
- Guest and member forms for reporting bugs and feedback
- Session replay to reproduce scenarios
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface for reporters and project managers
- Powerful annotations to convey issues visually
- Automatic capture of environment and technical data with the bug report
- Two-way integrations keep clients in the loop
- Guest and member forms enable testing with different types of users
- Session replay for developers to quickly reproduce scenarios
Cons:
- Pricing can be a bit high for small teams or individual use
- Some features may require advanced technical knowledge
Pricing
- Starter plan for 3 members: $59/month (billed monthly) or $39/month (billed annually)
- Team plan for 15 members: $149/monthly (billed monthly) or $99/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise plan for unlimited members: Custom pricing
- All plans include a 15-day free trial.
2. Sentry
Sentry is one of the best UAT tools that provides performance monitoring and advanced error tracking for the front-end and back-end. Reports provide a general overview of all errors and console logs encountered during user acceptance testing. When a critical error occurs, alerts are promptly sent to a dedicated Slack channel, pinpointing the source of the errors to inform developers and help them quickly diagnose and resolve issues.
Features
- Error monitoring for JavaScript, Python, Ruby, Node, Go, .NET, iOS, Android, and more
- Session replay and visual debugging
- Custom dashboards for error visualization
- End-to-end path tracing
- Profiling insights for developers
- Real-time user feedback
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Real-time alerts for critical errors
- Trace the root cause of errors
- Dozens of app integrations for product management and documentation
- Open-source software
Cons:
- May not be as useful for smaller projects with less complex code
- May be too expensive for small teams
Pricing
- Developer plan for solo users: free
- Team plan: $29/month (billed monthly) or $26/month (billed annually)
- Business plan: $89/month (billed monthly) or $80/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise plan: Pricing available upon request
3. Lyssna
Another excellent UAT tool is Lyssna. It is a remote user testing and research platform that provides valuable feedback and allows developers to make data-driven decisions. Its tools identify bugs and issues during user acceptance testing.
The platform helps answer questions related to the usability of the website or product, such as how easily users can find information or understand how the interface functions. Its key features include navigation tests that give users specific tasks and track their path, identifying where they get stuck, and how many can complete the task.
Features
- Navigation tests to uncover critical UI paths and improve usability
- Insights on how quickly users can find information, understand the interface, or convert
- Navigation tests for valuable insights into usability
- Integrated panel to recruit research participants
- Tailored plans provide flexibility for different team needs and budgets
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive testing methods for top-notch quality assurance
- User-friendly tools and a streamlined testing process
- User-centric results
- Market research features
Cons:
- Setup can take time
- Requires a learning curve for users who are new to the platform
Pricing
- Free plan
- Basic plan: $89/month (billed monthly) or $75/month (billed annually)
- Pro plan: $199/month (billed monthly) or $175/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Pricing available on request
4. FullStory
FullStory is a video analytics tool for any website or web app that allows you to identify where users encounter errors. It records sessions of users and visitors on your app or website, providing valuable insights for UAT. You can also retrace a user's journey and set up a meeting to replay the session and ask them what happened.
The platform provides Marker.io integration, which gives users the exact timestamp of when a tester reported a bug. This makes it easy to investigate the exact nature of the error.
Features
- Recorded testing sessions
- Detailed records and console logs
- User journey tracing to identify abandoned pages
- Marker.io integration
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Deep-dive video analytics to understand user behavior
- Easy bug identification and reproduction
- Tailor-made plans ensure cost-effectiveness based on usage
Cons:
- Pricing may be expensive for small teams
Pricing
FullStory offers tailor-made plans based on usage. Pricing varies depending on the team’s needs.
5. UserReport
UserReport is one of our favorite user acceptance testing tools. It consists of two widgets: one for surveys and another for user feedback. These collect data from testers and provide actionable insights for developers to build a better product.
The survey widget gathers data on testers during external user acceptance testing, uses Net Promoter Score (NPS) to understand user satisfaction levels, and helps identify areas for improvement. The feedback widget collects bug reports and feedback for functional testing, provides a built-in feature prioritization tool, and is 100% customizable.
UserReport is a fantastic UAT tool for collecting feedback and insights from testers. Its customizable widgets make it easy to set up and use, and its NPS feature helps developers understand user satisfaction levels. However, it may not be suitable for more complex testing scenarios and lacks some advanced features that other tools provide.
Features
- Net Promoter Score to measure user satisfaction
- Google Analytics integration
- Built-in feature prioritization tool
- 100% customizable
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free
- Easy to set up and customize
- Feedback widget only requires a code snippet
- Unlimited demographic information
Cons:
- Limited features compared to other UAT tools
- Might not be suitable for more complex testing scenarios
- Limited support and documentation available
Pricing
- UserReport is free.
6. Maze
Maze is UAT software that provides various tools such as prototype testing, tree testing, 5-second tests, video recordings, participant management, and more. It integrates with design tools that enable designers and product teams to create and run user tests to get instant feedback and insights.
Features
- Instant feedback in 5 second
- Video recordings of testing sessions
- Participant management and task assignment features
- Integration with third-party apps (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and more)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Various testing tools
- App integrations make it easy to combine user testing with the design process
- Results from user testing are available within hours
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- Reporting and analytics features may not be as advanced compared to other tools
Pricing
- Free plan (for 5 teams and one study per month)
- Starter plan: $99/month or $1,188/year
- Organization plan: Custom pricing available upon request
7. Jira by Atlassian
Jira by Atlassian is an Agile project management and issue-tracking tool commonly used for UAT in web development. It is platform-independent, compatible with many different operating systems and browsers, and can be licensed to run on-premises or as a hosted application.
Jira Software includes Scrum and Kanban boards, which you can customize to capture requirements, create stories, facilitate communication, track issues, plan sprints, distribute tasks, create reports, and more.
Features
- Agile project management and issue tracking
- Compatible with many different operating systems and browsers
- Can be licensed for running on-premises or as a hosted application
- Configurable Scrum and Kanban boards
- Customizable native components (i.e., issue type, workflows, etc.)
- Integration with a variety of testing tools and frameworks
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Widely used in the industry for software development
- Highly customizable to fit specific needs
- Integrates with many testing tools and frameworks
- Provides a visual representation of project progress and status through Scrum and Kanban boards
Cons:
- Not specifically designed for UAT
- Requires technical expertise to set up and configure
Pricing
- Free for up to 10 users
- Standard plan: $7.16/user/month (billed monthly) or $21,500 billed annually for an unlimited number of users
- Premium plan: $12.48/user/month (billed monthly) or $37,500 billed annually for unlimited storage
- Enterprise plan: Pricing available upon request
8. Zephyr by SmartBear
Zephyr by SmartBear is a native UAT tool that integrates with the Jira platform to provide high-quality testing capabilities to software development projects. It allows the creation, execution, and tracking of tests within Jira, with customizable metrics dashboards to monitor testing progress.
Zephyr features one-click integration with automated testing frameworks such as Jenkins CI, Selenium, Appium, Cucumber, and SmartBear products. It has machine learning algorithms to optimize test case implementations and predict defect trends.
Features
- Create, view, modify, and execute tests within Jira
- Assign test executions to team members
- Create test cycles and add tests to test cycles
- Machine learning algorithms
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Jira
- Customizable metrics dashboards to monitor testing progress
- One-click integration with popular automated testing frameworks
- Machine learning algorithms to optimize test case implementations and predict defect trends
Cons:
- May require additional training for team members unfamiliar with Jira
- Limited functionality outside of the Jira platform
Pricing
- Pricing depends on hosting options (cloud, data center, or server) and number of users.
9. Userbrain
As one of the best UAT tools, Userbrain enables users to access recordings of people trying out a product or website for the first time. By watching these recordings, you can gain valuable insights into how users navigate the interface, what they love, what frustrates them, and how to make your product better respond to their needs.
With this tool, you can gain valuable insights into user behavior and preferences, identify bugs and usability issues, and improve the overall quality of your product.
Features
- UAT test cases to experience your app through the eyes of your users
- Insights on how first-time users understand your value proposition
- Valuable insights into user behavior and preferences
- Recruitment from a pool of 120,000 qualified testers
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Testing templates for ease of use
- Customized tests with various tasks, questions, and ratings
- Targeted testing features
- Automated test reports and clips
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
Pricing
- Starter plan (3 testers per month): $124/month (billed monthly) or $99/month (billed annually)
- Pro plan (10 testers per month): $374/month (billed monthly) or $299/month (billed annually)
- Agency plan (30 testers per month): $999/month (billed monthly) or $799/month (billed annually)
10. qTest by Tricentis
Tricentis qTest is a comprehensive test management platform that supports various methodologies like Agile, DevOps, and BDD. It offers six different tools, each with unique features and functionalities: qTest Manager, qTest Explorer, qTest Scenario, qTest Pulse, qTest Insights, and qTest Launch.
This UAT platform is designed to help teams manage their testing processes more efficiently and effectively.
Features
- Flexible and scalable testing environment with enterprise architecture
- Test automation, exploratory testing, and business intelligence
- Automated detailed test scripts and defect documentation
- Test scenario creation for teams practicing scale TDD, BDD, and ATDD
- Automated communication within the DevOps pipeline
- Customized reporting on all testing activities across the platform
- Test automation interface for Agile and DevOps teams
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface and workflows
- Shared dashboards
- Supports various methodologies (Agile, DevOps, and BDD)
- Integrations with issue trackers, development, and automation tools
Cons:
- Complex features
- Customization and integration may require additional resources
Pricing
- Pricing is available on request.
User Acceptance Testing Tools: Final Thoughts
User acceptance testing has become a crucial part of the software development life cycle. In fact, 34% of software development teams perform UAT one or more times per week.
The software testing market is set to reach a market value of $15.49 billion by 2027. This growth is powered primarily by automation, which has replaced 50% of manually conducted tests. Cutting-edge tools have enabled software development teams to streamline the testing process.
Using the right UAT tools can make the entire process more efficient and effective. Many different options are available, each with its own purpose, unique set of features, and pros and cons. To gain insight into the best UAT tools for your project, consider consulting the top usability testing agencies to help you choose.
User Acceptance Testing Tools FAQs
1. What is a UAT tool?
A user acceptance testing tool is a software application that automates and streamlines the user acceptance testing process. UAT tools ensure that testing is performed consistently and according to predefined procedures; they also provide real-time feedback on test results and help identify bugs and issues. These tools can be leveraged to reduce testing costs and timelines.
2. Which tools are used for user acceptance testing?
Depending on the project's specific needs and requirements, you can choose some of the top 10 UAT tools we discussed: Marker.io, Sentry, Lyssna, FullStory, UserReport, Maze, Jira by Atlassian, Zephyr by SmartBear, Userbrain, or qTest by Tricentis.
3. What are the differences between manual and automated UAT?
Automated UAT involves cutting-edge tools and scripts that can run without human intervention. These tools can be expensive, but they are ultimately worth the investment because they can run numerous tests continuously, without breaks that humans would need. It makes UAT more efficient and effective.
With manual UAT, human testers manually input data, follow test cases, and validate software. This requires a lot of manpower and can be very time-consuming.
4. What is an example of user acceptance testing?
To validate that an online banking app has a user-friendly interface and that all features function correctly, the app’s QA team recruits testers to go through real-world scenarios on the app. Testers perform tasks such as balance transfer to see if the process is intuitive and bug-free.
Test results are recorded, and discrepancies are identified and corrected by the development team. User feedback is collected to measure ease of use and satisfaction.
5. Why is user acceptance testing important?
Before launching to the public, UAT involves end-users testing the software to ensure it meets their requirements. UAT uncovers issues that may not have been detected in other testing phases and reduces the risk of post-release failures and bugs. Thorough user acceptance testing ultimately ensures a successful product launch.
