Today people do not run to their computer to watch content, browse the internet, send emails, or conduct meetings. The handheld devices we have now have the ability to take care of our everyday necessities. Those who create your application software for our mobile devices have become a critical asset in today’s modern society; we need them to deliver flawless apps to simplify our worlds.

Since the mobile industry has been increasing in demand consistently, the market is becoming flooded with millions of apps. How do you stand out and leave your mark?

With such high demand and competition, you need to offer something innovative, interesting, and free from glitches and bugs. It is why the demand for mobile app testing is becoming increasingly important. As an app provider, you need to have a proper concern with the speed of the app components, quality of the navigations, and the further stuff that is up while working on any recommended device.

This article reviews the mobile app testing process that may be called Quality Assurance of mobile apps that includes the proper testing strategies and significance.

Significance of Mobile Application Testing

Mobile apps can be more challenging to test than web and desktop services for three reasons. Let’s understand the underlying reason why mobile app development services are really influenced by the testing approach and why is there so much emphasis on QA. The article is not an ordinary one because it could be the mobile app testing guide.

  • The larger variety of mobile devices

When you compare the number of smartphone types to the kinds of desktops that are available, it is easy to see which is more technologically diverse. 

Each mobile device has different aspect ratios for the screen not to mention the hardware configuration, processing speed, and memory available for each device. 

  • The different operating systems

Android and iOS differ dramatically when it comes to how they perform, but those are just the most well-known systems. More specifically, Android keeps offering a different version of its OS and the features also come out to be the benchmark for the app developers to withstand. Withstanding such competition is really a task for mobile app development companies, that cannot be ignored.

  • The constant upgrades to operating systems

Systems do not stay in one play for a long time with all the developments and upgrades. The mobile application must be compatible with each version of the operating system for optimal performance. With the advancement and constant upgrades over the development frameworks, mobile app testing methods also got their newer and effective components.

If testing is not compatible with each system, it leads to your application having bugs. When the client reach is in the millions, bugs will be able to cost you even more. Launching a faulty app decreases brand credibility, how your client will view their experience with you, not to mention the monetary losses and legal issues flawed apps lead to.

What is Mobile App Testing?

Mobile application testing identifies issues in design, performance, and catches bugs before your app hits the market. This ensures you will deliver your clients the highest quality software because you tested the functionality, usability, and consistency before it reached them. Mobile Application testing is the most important part of your app’s development process, which comes almost after the development but cannot be ignored. Pardon! Here you would read later how the QA goes in hand in hand with development.

What is the Need for App Testing?

If you have an app that crashes, freezes, loads slowly, or your overall experience is not good, you will delete your application in seconds; not minutes. Along with bad reviews on your app store, that’s all it takes to ensure your app will not be at the forefront of your client’s mind. That’s really a nightmare for any mobile app development company, putting months of effort and cost to develop a mobile app.

In many cases, once an app is gone due to a bad experience, it won’t be redownloaded. Instead of losing the customer from the beginning and trying to make up for it, catch the problems before they arise by testing first. This increases the likelihood of a positive experience, leading to positive reviews and ratings.

Ideal apps will be flexible to various conditions like airplane mode, with and without Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or turning the device on and off. So, with effective and quality mobile application testing, you can ensure better adaptability and immense scalability for your mobile application. Amateur or non-tech business owners end their app development budget with the cost to hire app developers and period. But in fact, App development is direly incomplete without app testing. Let’s move to the next! The kinds of mobile app development.

Mobile App Types You Should Test

While deciding the mobile application testing approach you must understand that the approach is greatly affected by the kind of mobile app. Unlike, you hire mobile app developers with different skills for all three platforms, mobile app QA doesn’t differ so much, but there is a slight difference that can be handled by the same QA engineer. Let’s understand the three groups of mobile apps to test:

1. The Native Applications

These apps are native to the specific platform, iOS or Android, downloaded via the specific store. These are applications developed by Java/Kotlin for Android or Objective-C/Swift for iOS and integrate cross-platforms with frameworks, like Flutter, Native Script, and React Native.

2. The Hybrid Applications

Like the native apps, you install this application through your OS store but unlike the native, it is coded with web technologies. Hybrid applications use the browser engine to convey HTML and process JavaScript locally. These apps are similar to web apps but with some advantages and differences.

3. The Responsive Web Applications

As the name implies, these applications are accessible from a mobile browser or simply put give an appropriate response to the different devices. These are either responsive site versions that extend mobile-friendly features or progressive web applications. Responsive mobile app automation testing is common among tech companies, cause almost 90 percent of the app development is directly aimed at building responsive apps and a variety of users.

Types of Mobile App Testing

Different types of testing for mobile apps will ensure you have the best-performing application possible because it provides testing from all angles. Testing the application for usability, functionality, and consistency will ensure your mobile app development service performs flawlessly post-launch. Mobile phones are today loaded with several apps and being an app development company, you need to ensure, that your app is no way less than the competing apps. Adding up some extra mobile app testing costs is not harmful to the development lifecycle and can give a huge appraisal later.

There are two kinds of mobile app testing: Manual and Automated. Whether it is Android or iOS mobile app testing, the components stay the same. The thing is that iOS apps have some strict behavior towards glitches, whereas iOS puts strict rules for the same. Let’s understand both kinds of testing.

Manual Testing

Simply put, this is testing the software manually without automation tools. The goal of the QA of mobile apps is to recognize defects and make the final product bug-free. This testing method is best used for specific features in the product-development phase.

  • White Box Testing

White box testing tests each individual line of the code before giving it to the QA team.

  • Black Box Testing

Black box testing is a performance test to ensure it is accomplishing the customer’s desires.

  • Gray Box Testing

This testing is a combination of the two white and black box testing and is performed by someone who knows both coding and testing.

Automated Testing

After your application is completely developed, testers use automatic systems to test scenarios keeping the user’s perspective in mind while testing the performance, usability, and functionality of your application. Mobile app testing cost is higher with automation testing and causes several mobile app development tools to be associated with the process. Mobile app automation testing methods are oriented to test the system identifying system defects and bugs using the automotive tools.

A) Performance Testing

Performance testing, tests speed, response time, stability, reliability, usage, and scalability of non-functional software apps performing a specific task. The goal is to detect and remove the obstructions in the software.

This Authenticates:

  • Response time to various requests
  • Working capacity with increased loads
  • Behavior with high user performance
  • Long-term performance under normal circumstances.
Types Of Performance Testing

There are multiple types of performance testing that you can apply while assessing your app. Do you know about these diverse types of performance testing? Have a look below to get an understanding-   

1. Stress Testing

This tests the performance under extreme workloads to see how your application handles a large volume of traffic data processing. The goal is to push your app to its breaking point in order to document it.

2. Spike Testing

Testing that identifies your application’s reaction to spikes in traffic. 

3. Scalability Testing

This testing establishes your app’s efficiency in scaling to manage rising user numbers.

4. Endurance Testing

Endurance testing sees how the application handles the estimated traffic over extended periods.

5. Volume Testing

This testing reads app behavior when large amounts of data are inserted into the database.

6. Load Testing

Load testing catches performance blockages by checking the performance under anticipated user loads.

B) Functional Testing

The functional mobile app testing method tests the functionality of updates, installations, login, signup, error messages, etc. Thus, reducing the risk of meeting low expectations, quality, customer satisfaction.

This Authenticates:

  • Business functions
  • Impact of app interruptions
  • Installation
  • Running
  • Influence of OS updates on your application
Types of Functional Testing

Here are some of the different types of functional testing that you can use to validate your software system appropriately. Check these out-

1. Unit Testing

Scriptwriters perform this test to see if individual components of your app meet the required needs. It tests code path coverage, considers method coverage and line coverage.

2. Smoke Testing

Smoke testing the QA team verifies software stability is complete and effortless.  

3. Regression Testing

This testing warrants the mobile app development services to remain unaffected during codebase changes, therefore not triggering instability within your application. By re-issuing tests that failed in earlier versions ensuring new code doesn’t create old issues.

4. Sanity Testing

After smoke testing, sanity testing guarantees your application’s functions are working flawlessly within the other components. 

5. Usability/Beta Testing

This is the customer testing stage that checks how easy a user will be able to use your application, this feedback is a vital asset to future code improvements.

This Authenticates:

  • Speed of response
  • Multitasking abilities
  • Ease of navigation
  • Design and layout
  • Termination and resume
  • Appearance and button/icon size
  • Clarity of text

6.  Integration Testing

The integration testing certifies that each module implements as expected when running in unison.

C) Interruption Testing

Interruption testing tests your application’s execution when interrupted by other apps. 

D) Security Testing

This testing brings to light the vulnerabilities, threats, and risks an application has and prevents cyber-attacks. Mobile app development services are very much prone to attacks because they can bring useful data and sensitive information from the user. Security testing ensures security from such attacks.

This Authenticates:

  • Protection from attacks
  • Cookies
  • File caching
  • Login and password information
  • The encryption system 
Types of Security Testing

You must apply security testing to be aware of the vulnerabilities, threats, and consequences involved with the app and to avoid upcoming malicious attacks on the software systems. These are as follows-

1. Risk Assessment 

The risk assessment classifies high, medium, and low-security risks that are observed.

2. Ethical Hacking

Ethical hacking reveals the system’s security flaws by a controlled member.

3. Penetration Testing

This test mimics hackers’ attacks by analyzing the system to identify potential risk factors keeping your application vulnerable to a hacking attempt. 

4. Security Scanning

This scans the system to identify network and system weaknesses and offers solutions beforehand to reduce these risks.

5. Vulnerability Scanning

Vulnerability scanning is completed by an automated tool that scans against vulnerability signatures.

6. Security Auditing

This audit reviews the code in your application checking for security flaws in the operating system.

7. Posture Assessment

The posture assessment unifies security scanning, risk assessments, and ethical hacking to showcase the comprehensive security standpoint. 

E) Outdated OS Testing

The outdated OS testing method is really exciting and handy for the apps which are longing with the changes over changes. It ensures the system will work well on outdated systems and is vital since you cannot rely on the user to update their OS regularly. Developers who craft a solution that will perform well on older OS versions will have the upper hand while also putting mobile app testing costs for the same. 

F) Installation Testing

The installation mobile app testing process ensures your application is installing and uninstalling correctly. More importantly, it guarantees the updates are uninterrupted and error-free.

G) Compatibility Testing

The compatibility testing certifies your app has the ability to perform on many devices, network environments, operating systems, and with various hardware specifications.

This Authenticates:

  • The application’s performance with different OS and versions
  • The compatibility over various browsers.
  • Top performance over changing networks and factors
  • The application works well on diverse devices.
The Compatibility Testing Types:

It is known as one of the types of non-functional testing that makes sure the app is compatible with different types of devices, network environments, operating systems, and browsers. Get to know about them below-

1. Forward

This tries your application behavior with the latest software. 

2. Backward

Examine your mobile application’s behavior with the older software versions.

H) Localization Testing

Localization mobile app testing approach confirms your solution is flexible to your potential users’ languages and cultures. This is done by adapting to the location. The goal is to have every business reach millions of customer globally. Teaming up with natives will ensure the cultural details and translations are correct. 

I) Operational Testing

This application testing checks your app’s behavior over various events like powering on/off, WiFi on/off, the insertion/removal of a data cable, and the device in airplane mode.

J) Design Testing

The design testing aspect makes sure your application is easy to navigate through its functions, thus keeping the users engaged.

K) Acceptance Testing

This testing confirms your application offers the best functionality, usability, and performance to meet the user’s needs while producing a steady experience across the various platforms. Beta testing is a crucial part of acceptance testing.

Both Google and Apple have programs available for beta testing. Google’s is available through the Play Store and Apples through the App Store supporting up to 10,000 beta testers invited via facebook email finder to join in your testing process.

The Stages of Mobile Application Testing

The mobile app testing process is categorized into several stages.  These stages are distributed along the mobile app development process and therefore the QA team needs to work in parallel to the development team you hire. Mobile app automation testing is preferably considered appropriate for the apps working today. The majority of the apps today are working with AI and ML APIs; then how could the old QA methods survive.

Let’s understand the stages of how QA test suffice with tech upgrades.

Stage 1: Documentation Testing

The documentation stage of testing is the very beginning where those performing the tests go over layouts, navigational charts, and other design elements. 

Analyzing the necessities for completeness and consistencies. Every inconsistency found here will be fixed before your app development begins. 

This is the phase that indicates the creation of requirements, Test Cases, Traceability Matrix, and Test Plans.

Stage 2: Functional Testing

Functional testing helps you ensure your application works as it is supposed to for the requirement specifications.

Helpful Considerations:

  • The functionality of your app
  • Your target audience
  • Ideal distribution channels

The base factors you need to verify in the functional testing process are:

  • The installation and running of the application
  • Business functions testing
  • Fields testing
  • Interruption’s testing
  • Update testing
  • User feedback testing
  • Device resource testing

Stage 3: Usability Testing

This vital testing point verifies your application offers a convenient browsing experience to your customers creating an instinctive interface that is widely accepted by industry standards. 

Easy-to-use applications and their usability are determined by three criteria:

  • User satisfaction
  • User efficiency
  • Business effectiveness

 Stage 4: Testing of User Interface

It is required to test the mobile app UI to ensure the retention of the users. In the other words, your mobile application GUI should be integrating all the necessary specifications. It enriches your app’s user experience.

Stage 5: Compatibility Test

The configuration testing or the compatibility test shows the expected performance of your developed app on different devices. The compatibility of your app is supposed to be qualified on size, version, screen resolution, hardware, and various other factors of the devices. It also includes different configurations like Device Configuration, Browser Configuration, Network Configuration, OS Configuration, and Database Configuration.

1. Cross-platform

In the case of cross-platform testing, the mobile application compatibility is tested with various available operating systems like Android, iOS, Blackberry, and windows. While in cross-browser testing, it is tested in different browsers like Opera mini, Google Chrome, Mozilla, etc.

2. Database 

It is important to test the mobile app compatibility with the different databases like DB2, MySql, Oracle, Sybase, etc. 

3. Different Devices 

Here, the device configuration projects itself as an important part of the compatibility test. The compatibility of the mobile app on different devices is based on type, configuration, version, etc. It includes the processor type, battery, RAM, screen resolution, etc. 

4. Network

Furthermore, testing of a network configuration for your mobile app with different network GSM, TDMA, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G is also needed most. 

Stage 6: Performance Test

For testing the performance of your mobile app under a specific workload and the result, you need this mobile app testing approach.

The entire process of testing the performance can be further divided according to the attributes:

Volume: The volume testing shows the capability and performance of your app while handling the huge data volume.

Load testing: It shows the behavior of your mobile app with ordinary and extreme workloads.

Stability testing: It is conducted to test the mobile app’s consistent performance within normal load in a longer period.

Multiple users: The concurrency test is conducted for testing the mobile app performance with multiple users logged in.

Stage 7: Security Test

Every mobile application ensures the safety of the user’s data. Here, the security testing ensures the trusted security features. It analyses the probable risk of hacking, unauthorized access, viruses, protection of sensitive data.

Stage 8: Recovery Test

The mobile app must have the ability to recover from expected and potential technical issues. The recovery testing tests the performance of your mobile app in effectively recovering from hardware failures, software issues, or relevant problems.

Stage 9: Target Audience

Here, to test the ability of the mobile app of targeting specific users, you need to do a localization test. The audience based on different specifications would be better served by testing the localization of the mobile app.

Stage 10: Beta Test 

It is important to detect performance through functionality, usability, reliability, and compatibility testing. The beta test is conducted on real devices by real users. There are further factors important before doing the beta test:

  • Demographic extent
  • Cost of test
  • Duration of the test
  • Testing Participants

Stage 11: Certification

The certification testing cannot be compromised, and it is needed to test whether your mobile app meets with required standard or not. Here, it is conducted to know about licensing agreements, standards, terms of use, and conditions and requirements of different stores like Windows, Google Play, and App store.

What is the Cost Evaluation for Mobile App Testing Process?

Similar to any other stage in the mobile app development process, the testing phase also has its own significance. With the increasing number of mobile apps, the testing process is also getting hiked. Without going through the testing phase, you can’t launch the app in the market as you will never know about the involved bugs that can slow down the app’s performance and can make it unsuccessful compared to other tested apps.

Businesses that are going to have app testing services have always been curious about how much it costs to test an app? The app testing relies on various factors. What are they? Keep scrolling-

  • OS Type

What type of testing strategy and process to follow will depend upon the type of operating system and it highly affects the overall cost.

  • Domain-Specific Testing

Hire mobile app testers according to your specific domain so that you can check the necessary experience and their previous track records in a similar field.  

  • Different Screen Sizes

Multiple devices will hold multiple screen sizes and your app must be compatible with all of them to provide users a better experience.

  • Number of Devices

Similar to screen sizes, you must check if your app is consistent with all kinds of devices. In this reference, if your app needs a blend of real devices and emulators, then you must higher up the budget.

  • Diverse Testing Types

With every type of testing, there are associated different benefits but each of them needs your efforts and time.

  • Third-party Integration

The cost remains unalterable if you are going to have a standalone app but if you have any third-party integration, then the cost will vary.  

  • Testing Cycles

If you are having multiple cycles of testing into the app, every cycle will bring a difference in the cost. Hence, you need to confirm the number of testing cycles.

After considering all these factors, the mobile app testing cost would be around $3,000 to $10,000 including all the stages. If you require any additional services, they will vary and can go higher than estimated.

Wrap up

Mobile app testing is an important component in the development process. With the realization of the bugs and glitches, the app makes while working over different operating systems or devices, QA has gained more importance. Above mobile app testing methods are standard and more or less used by companies on different stages. Every sprint of development makes some changes in the app which require assurance for being bug-free.

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I am a versatile techy with vast experience in a wide array of technologies. As a director at Semidot Infotech I oversee the technology wing of the company. I have extensive experience working for multinational companies and know what it takes to take a company to the next level.

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