How To Select Mobile App Testing Platforms

A little over 62,000 mobile applications were released in the Google Play Store in November 2023, according to Statista. This illustrates how there seems to be an app for almost everything in our life these days. Consumers are becoming more picky about the caliber of the digital experiences they receive. When it comes to shopping, making doctor’s appointments, or enrolling in fitness courses, users anticipate smooth, well-thought-out, and extensively tested applications.

Customers can easily switch from apps that don’t live up to their expectations because to the abundance of options, whether it’s due to subpar features or an unfriendly user interface. The ability to uninstall and look for alternatives in this cutthroat market serves as a constant reminder to people how spoiled for choice they are.

Thorough mobile app testing is necessary to make sure an app fulfills and beyond user expectations. To find and fix such problems, testing in various settings that simulate real-world usage scenarios is essential. The choice of the best mobile app testing tool becomes crucial to completing this process successfully.

What is Mobile App Testing?

Testing mobile applications entails assessing programs made for contemporary mobile devices to guarantee their performance, usability, and functionality. The growing ubiquity of mobile internet usage underscores the need of mobile testing. It is imperative to provide a pleasant mobile app experience since consumers are spending more time on their phones. Automated or manual mobile testing ensures that the application satisfies user expectations and business objectives.

Mobile App Types

Explore the following three primary categories of mobile applications that require testing:

1. Native Apps: Created especially for a single mobile operating system (often iOS or Android), these applications are usually downloaded and set up via app stores such as Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
2. Responsive Web Apps: These programs are intended to be used with mobile browsers, can be either a progressive web app (PWA) with extra mobile-friendly features or a mobile-friendly version of a website.
3. Hybrid Apps: It serves as a middle ground between installable hybrid apps via app stores, native apps, and online apps. While they may include some native functionality, they partially rely on operating as web apps encapsulated in a native shell.

Factors to Consider While Selecting A Mobile Testing Platform

Considering these distinctions is vital to developing a comprehensive mobile testing strategy and ensuring the optimal performance of diverse mobile applications. Therefore, one must keep the following factors in mind before selecting the ideal platform for your mobile testing needs:

1. Testing on Real Mobile Devices

Regardless of the app type, real mobile device testing is essential to observe how the app performs in actual user conditions, as emulators and simulators lack the full replication of real-world scenarios. While creating an in-house mobile device lab with multiple devices and operating systems is an option, it involves ongoing efforts and significant time and financial investment. Therefore, it is important to select a platform that offers real-device testing.

2. Integration with Testing Frameworks & Tools

Valuable mobile testing tools aim to simplify the lives of developers and testers. When opting for cloud-based tools, prioritize those with seamless integrations with commonly used tools and frameworks, eliminating the need for additional downloads.

3. Ensuring Data Security

Top-notch mobile testing tools prioritize customer data security, which is crucial in the collaborative environment of app development. The distribution of builds during testing increases vulnerability, making it essential to thoroughly test the tools for solid data security measures and regular system upgrades against potential threats.

4. Test Reporting, Error Capture & Debugging

Effective app testing tools should capture test failures and generate detailed reports pinpointing the exact moment of failure. These reports should include comprehensive information about the environment and test conditions at the time of failure, aiding developers in resolving errors.

The chosen Android or iOS app testing tool should generate detailed reports, including screenshots of specific test steps, and be capable of exporting reports in various formats for viewing on different devices and operating systems.

5. Support for Diverse Testing Techniques

The selected testing tool should receive regular updates to accommodate evolving testing techniques. From scriptless testing to performance testing, it should give end-to-end solutions under one roof. Look for tools that can adapt to future releases and trends with the latest updates. 

6. Device Diversity and Platform Compatibility

Once the app is launched, it needs to function across various devices with different screen sizes, resolutions, OS versions, and carrier settings. Testers and developers should ensure that the testing tools are compatible with multiple platforms. An efficient tool that supports a wide range of platforms aids in cost optimization and convenience, making it essential to verify its compatibility and cross-browser testing capabilities.

7. Testing Across Varied Network Settings

With diverse devices using different internet connectivity frequencies, bandwidths, and mediums, it’s crucial to assess app performance under various network conditions. 

8. User-friendly interface

Testing tools often become complex, especially in advanced stages. To overcome this challenge, it’s advisable to choose a tool with a user-friendly interface that developers, test automation engineers, and non-programmers can easily handle and maintain.

9. Consideration for Project Team and Processes

The skills and capabilities of developers and testers, their familiarity with testing and communication tools, and their ability to collaborate with internal teams affect tool selection. Understanding the mobile app development company, their processes, and tech stack is crucial in choosing the right testing tools.

10. Cost Analysis

Pricing and budget factors play a significant role in selecting an automation tool. A comprehensive budget should be devised for testing operations, considering the prices of different tools in the market. The cost should be justified by assessing ROI, including additional add-ons, support, and update expenses. Businesses should identify tools that offer higher ROI for effective investment.

Conclusion

Selecting a mobile app testing platform is a critical decision that can highly impact the success of your application in a competitive market. Testgrid emerges as the ideal solution that fulfills all the parameters essential for comprehensive testing, whether manual or automated. 

With the ability to test on a diverse range of real devices, including Android (Samsung, Oppo, Pixel) and iOS, Testgrid ensures that your app performs seamlessly across various platforms. The platform’s auto-healing feature enhances testing reliability by automatically handling errors, contributing to a robust testing environment. The capability to test hand gestures on remote devices adds a layer of realism, enabling you to assess user interactions comprehensively. In addition, it enables you to conduct automated visual regression testing efficiently, ensuring your mobile app offers the best possible experience to its users.

Whether you choose to upload app files or install directly from the app stores, Testgrid streamlines the testing process, allowing you to begin testing instantly. Additionally, Testgrid’s codeless automation facilitates end-to-end testing without the need for coding, covering everything from functionality to performance and API testing. It meets and exceeds the criteria for effective mobile app testing. Testgrid empowers you to release mobile apps faster and with confidence, ensuring a positive and seamless user experience.