User acceptance testing (UAT) is the ultimate phase of software development projects. During this phase, end-users test the software to ensure that it meets their requirements and functions as expected.
To make user acceptance testing more efficient and effective, developers and testers often use user acceptance testing tools or UAT tools. These tools have various features designed to streamline the testing process, improve stakeholder collaboration and help identify and resolve issues quickly.
This article discusses the most popular user acceptance testing tools available today. We will examine 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 UAT tool that allows end-users to report bugs and give feedback in just one click. It is a web-based tool that easily captures website feedback directly into your existing project management (PM) tools like Jira, GitHub, Trello, Asana, Slack and others.
Marker.io is a great UAT tool for teams looking for an easy-to-use and comprehensive solution for capturing website feedback and performing UAT testing. Its powerful annotations, deep PM tool integrations and session replay feature make it a valuable asset for any team looking to improve its software testing process.
Marker.io is a visual feedback tool that captures bugs directly from a WordPress website. When an end user comes across an issue, they can use this tool 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, contact top WordPress development companies.
Features
- Website annotations
- High customizability
- Seamless integration with existing PM tools
- Alpha and beta testing
- 2-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 both reporters and project managers
- Powerful annotations for visually conveying issues
- Automatic capture of environment and technical data with the bug report
- 2-way integrations help keep clients in the loop
- Guest and member forms for 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 technical knowledge for proper setup and use
Pricing
- Starter plan for 3 members - $39/monthly
- Team plan for 15 members - $99/monthly
- Company plan for 50 members - $259/monthly
2. Sentry
Sentry is a UAT tool that provides performance monitoring and advanced error tracking for both web application front-end and back-end. It alerts developers of critical errors during user acceptance testing, allowing them to resolve issues quickly.
Features
- General overview of all errors and console logs from web applications' front and back ends.
- Alerts on a dedicated Slack channel when a critical error occurs during user acceptance testing.
- Identification of the source of errors.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Helps improve the overall performance and stability of web applications by identifying and resolving errors quickly.
- Provides real-time alerts for critical errors during user acceptance testing, allowing developers to address issues before they become larger problems.
Cons:
- May not be as useful for smaller projects with less complex code.
- Some users may find the pricing too high, especially for small teams or individual developers.
Pricing
- Developer plan - free of charge
- Team plan - $26 per month
- Business plan - $80 per month
- Enterprise plan - pricing is available at the request
- Codecov (add-on to Team and Business plan) - $29 per month
3. UsabilityHub
UsabilityHub is a remote user testing and research platform that provides valuable feedback and allows making data-driven decisions. It offers tools designed to 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.
One of its key features is navigation tests that give users a task to complete and track their path, where they get stuck and how many can complete the task.
Features
- Navigation tests to uncover critical paths in the UI and improve the usability
- Suite of tools to identify bugs and issues during user acceptance testing
- Insights on how quickly users can find information, understand the interface or convert
- Tailored plans
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Navigation tests provide valuable insights into usability and help fix critical issues before the release
- Set of comprehensive testing tools for better quality assurance
- Identifies the issues before they reach the public, saving time and resources
- Tailored plans provide flexibility for different needs and budgets
- Helps answer questions related to the usability of the website or product
Cons:
- Setup can take time.
- Requires a learning curve for users who are new to the platform.
Pricing
- Free plan
- Basic plan - $75 per month
- Pro plan - $175 per month
- Enterprise - pricing available at request.
4. FullStory
FullStory is a video analytics tool for any website or web app that allows you to identify where users get stuck. It records sessions of users and visitors on your app or website, providing valuable insights for UAT testing.
With FullStory, you can also retrace a user's journey if they get stuck during the testing phase and set up a meeting to replay the session and ask them what was unclear.
The app also offers Marker.io integration, which provides the exact timestamp of when a tester reported a bug, allowing you to investigate what happened seconds before the report.
Features
- Recording testing sessions
- Identifying where testers get stuck
- Showing errors that pop up in the recording or console logs
- Retracing a user's journey to understand confusion or abandoned pages
- Marker.io integration
- Tailor-made plans based on usage
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Provides deep-dive video analytics to understand user behavior
- Allows for easy bug identification and reproduction
- Offers Marker.io integration for seamless bug tracking
- Tailor-made plans ensure cost-effectiveness based on usage
Cons:
- Pricing may be unaffordable for smaller businesses or teams
- Similar user acceptance testing tools may offer a cheaper alternative
Pricing
FullStory offers tailor-made plans (Enterprise, Advanced and Business plan) based on usage so pricing may vary depending on the user’s needs.
5. UserReport
UserReport is a UAT tool that consists of two widgets, a survey and a feedback widget. These two widgets help collect data from testers and provide feedback to build a better product.
The survey widget gathers data on testers during external user acceptance testing, uses Net Promoter Score to understand user satisfaction levels and helps identify areas for improvement.
The feedback widget helps gather bug reports and feedback for functional testing, provides a built-in feature prioritization tool and is 100% customizable.
Overall, UserReport is a useful UAT tool for collecting feedback and insights from testers. Its customizable widgets make it easy to set up and use, and its Net Promoter Score feature helps understand user satisfaction levels. However, it may not be suitable for more complex testing scenarios and lacks some advanced features of other automated user acceptance testing tools.
Features
- Two widgets: survey widget and feedback widget
- Data collection on testers during external user acceptance testing
- Net Promoter Score to understand user satisfaction levels
- Google Analytics integration
- Built-in feature prioritization tool
- 100% customizable
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free to use
- Easy to set up and customize
- Provides valuable feedback to improve products
- Helps understand user satisfaction levels
- Helps identify areas for improvement
Cons:
- Limited features compared to other UAT tools
- Might not be suitable for more complex testing scenarios
- Limited support and documentation available
Pricing
- UserReport UAT tool is currently free of charge.
6. Maze
Maze is a UAT platform that provides various testing tools such as prototype testing, tree testing, 5-second tests, video recordings, participant management and more.
It integrates with design tools to help designers and product teams create and run user tests to get instant feedback and insights from testers.
Features
- Prototypes testing.
- Website or app navigation and structure testing.
- Instant feedback in 5 seconds.
- Video recordings of testing sessions, so you can see how users interact with your product and identify issues.
- Managing participants and assigning tasks for testing.
- Integration with third-party software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, etc) to streamline the testing process.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Maze is easy to use and provides a variety of testing tools to choose from.
- It integrates with popular design tools, making incorporating user testing into your design process easier.
- Results from user testing are available quickly, within hours, according to their claims.
Cons:
- Pricing is on the higher side compared to other user testing platforms.
- Maze's reporting and analytics features may not be as advanced as in other tools.
Pricing
- Free plan
- Professional plan - $75 per month
- Organization plan - available at request
7. Atlassian Jira Software
Atlassian Jira Software 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 for running on-premise or as a hosted application.
Jira Software includes Scrum and Kanban boards, which you can customize to capture requirements, create user 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:
- Jira can be customized for test management, but it’s not specifically designed for UAT.
- Requires some level of technical expertise to set up and configure
- Can be overwhelming to use for those unfamiliar with Agile project management and issue-tracking methodologies.
Pricing
- Free for up to 10 users
- Standard plan - $7.75 per user ($77.50 per month)
- Premium plan - $15.25 per user ($152.50 per month)
- Enterprise plan - available at request
8. Zephyr for Jira
Zephyr for Jira is a native UAT tool that integrates with the Jira platform to provide high-quality testing capabilities to software development projects. It allows creation, execution and tracking 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 and 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 the Jira platform
- 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:
- It may require additional training for team members unfamiliar with Jira
- Limited functionality outside of the Jira platform
Pricing
- Free trial available.
- Pricing depends on hosting options (cloud, data center or server) and user number.
9. UserBrain
UserBrain is a UAT tool that lets you get recordings of people trying out your product or website for the first time. It enables you to set up UAT test cases and experience your app through your users' eyes. By watching these recordings, you can gain valuable insights into what users think of your product, what they love, what frustrates them and how to make your product better respond to user needs.
Thanks to UserBrain, you can gain valuable insights into user behavior and preferences, identify bugs and usability issues and improve the overall quality of your product.
Features
- Recordings of people trying out your product or website for the first time
- 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
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Provides a way to gain valuable insights from user testing
- Allows you to experience your app through the eyes of your users
- Helps identify bugs and usability issues
- Can help improve user experience and overall product quality
Cons:
- Pricing can be expensive, especially if you have many testers
Pricing
- Starter plan for 3 testers - $99 per month
- Pro plan for 10 testers - $299 per month
- Agency plan for 30 testers - $799 per month
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, including qTest Manager, qTest Explorer, qTest Scenario, qTest Pulse, qTest Insights, and qTest Launch, each with unique features and functionalities.
This UAT platform is designed to help teams manage their testing processes more efficiently and effectively.
Features
- qTest Manager manages and tracks test cases with an easy-to-use interface and workflows for teams that release software less than once a week.
- qTest Explorer tracks all testing interactions and automatically creates detailed test scripts and defect documentation.
- qTest Scenario is a Jira app that facilitates test scenario creation for teams practicing scale TDD, BDD and ATDD and ensures future traceability to Jira issues.
- qTest Pulse automates communication within a DevOps pipeline and includes workflows for teams that release software at least once a week.
- qTest Insights is a tool for customized reporting on all testing activities across the platform with shared dashboards.
- qTest Launch is a test automation interface for Agile and DevOps teams to manage, schedule, kick off, and report on automated tests across the organization.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Supports various methodologies such as Agile, DevOps and BDD.
- A comprehensive suite of testing tools.
- Integrates with issue trackers, development and test automation tools.
- Provides a flexible and scalable testing environment with enterprise architecture.
- Offers advanced features like test automation, exploratory testing and business intelligence.
Cons:
- The platform's features and functionalities can be complex for inexperienced users.
- Customization and integration may require additional effort and resources.
Pricing
- Pricing is available at request.
User Acceptance Testing Tools: Final Thoughts
User acceptance testing (UAT) is a crucial part of the software development life cycle. Using the right UAT tool can make the entire process more efficient and effective.
As you can see, many different automated user acceptance testing tools are available, each with its own purpose, unique set of features and pros and cons.
Figuring out which UAT tool best fits your user acceptance testing might be challenging, especially if you're a non-developer. If you're struggling, reach out to the top web development companies for their recommendations. These companies often have experience with various UAT tools and can provide expert guidance on which tool will best suit your specific needs.
Overall, investing time and effort in choosing the right UAT tool can save significant time and resources in the long run, resulting in a higher quality and more successful software product.
User Acceptance Testing Tools FAQ
1. What is a UAT tool?
User acceptance testing is the final stage of software testing conducted by end-users to ensure that a software system meets their business needs and requirements.
A user acceptance testing tool or UAT tool is a software application that helps automate the UAT process by streamlining 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 to identify issues more quickly, which can help reduce the testing process time and cost.
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, UsabilityHub, FullStory, UserReport, Maze, Atlassian Jira, Zephyr for Jira, UserBrain or qTest by Tricentis.
