Top 5 web application testing services & how to choose

Many teams outsource web application testing to ship faster and free developers from test maintenance — without the cost and complexity of hiring in-house QA engineers.

The right web application testing service can deliver on that promise. But most don’t. Instead, they introduce new issues into the testing process:

1. They fail to detect bugs that a real human would catch because they test behind-the-scenes code, not the UI.

2. They frequently block new releases due to outdated tests. Engineering leaders are forced to wait for service providers to update tests before they can release new features.

3. They fail to fully understand the application’s functionality due to frequent tester changes. None of them have time to really get to know your app, leaving engineering leaders to rectify the work of outsourced testing experts.

4. They work outside U.S. time zones, causing delays in replies and releases.

5. They only test user flows within the browser, letting bugs outside the browser sneak into production. For example, testing services might validate form submissions and navigation in the browser but miss broken file downloads and faulty desktop notifications.

6. They write code-based test scripts in their own systems, creating a barrier where engineering leaders, product managers, and other team members can’t see what’s being tested.

7. They offer either manual or automated testing services, but rarely both.

Before outsourcing, ask how their testing service tackles these seven issues.

In this guide, we show how our web application testing service, Rainforest QA, solves these problems. We also review alternative options so you can evaluate their testing practices against these seven considerations.

Book a call to see how Rainforest QA can streamline your testing process and help you ship with confidence.

1. Rainforest QA

Web application testing service that evaluates the UI, enabling accurate end-to-end testing

Rainforest QA uses no-code software to run functional tests on web applications — including websites, web portals, ecommerce sites, SaaS products, and more.

Our test grid of virtual machines (VMs) simulates real user interactions across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, covering a wide range of operating systems and ensuring browser compatibility with over 40 browsers — including multiple versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. We can even test how your web solution performs outside the browser window.

Rainforest integrates with any CI/CD pipeline through our CLI for fast, continuous, parallel testing.

And the best part? You’ll never have to create or maintain a test again. Our test managers get to know your application and take QA off your plate entirely.

Factor #1: Rainforest’s no-code software tests the UI, not just the underlying code

Many outsourced QA teams miss visually obvious bugs due to their testing approach.

Instead of validating the actual visual elements (like buttons, icons, or forms), QA teams rely on locators in the code to represent them. This method only tests the code, not the UI that users interact with, allowing visual bugs to slip through.

For example, the screenshot below shows the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button missing from Google’s homepage:

However, let’s say the element locator for the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button is present in the code. The button is there, but it’s positioned off-screen due to a CSS error. If we scroll to the right, we can see the button.

In this scenario, tests that only evaluate the code might miss the bug. They’d see the element locator for the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button in the code and assume it’s rendering on-screen, allowing the bug to slip into production.

This is just one example, but there are countless scenarios where code-based tests can overlook obvious bugs.

To ensure your web application meets end-user quality standards, you need to test the end-user experience.

Rainforest’s no-code software validates the end-user experience by finding and interacting with visual elements in the UI. This visual validation allows us to find bugs that aren’t present in the underlying code.

For example, our test case would look for the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button in the visual layer. Since the test couldn’t find it without scrolling right, it would notify the software development team of the bug.

Here’s how tests are created in Rainforest:

Factor #2: Our tests don’t require constant maintenance

The second issue engineering leaders face when outsourcing quality assurance (QA) is delays in the release pipeline due to test maintenance.

The root of this problem lies in the fact that many testing services write test scripts that evaluate an application’s code, which break whenever code changes occur — even if the change has no impact on the user flow.

For example, a software development team may change the sidebar’s element ID from “primary-sidebar” to “main-sidebar.” The old test will still search for “primary-sidebar” and break because it cannot find it. These breaks can also occur due to minor typos, as tests require an exact match.

To maintain test coverage, service providers must update their tests with every code change, which can block releases.

Naturally, the more coverage you have and the more code changes your team makes, the longer you wait for outsourced quality assurance engineers to update tests.

With Rainforest, our tests interact with visual elements in the UI, making them immune to code changes that don’t affect the user flow. This reduces disruptions to the release pipeline by eliminating the need to update tests for minor code changes.

However, if a code change does impact the UI, it could break visual validation tests. To minimize noise from small UI changes, we’ve designed Rainforest with a patent-pending AI feature that mimics a manual tester’s decision-making.

Our AI gauges the significance of a UI change and determines whether a real user would notice. If it’s not noticeable, the AI will self-heal and pass the test while notifying developers of the change. Rainforest tests only break if the change negatively affects the user experience.

Rainforest automatically creates a Jira ticket with a video recording of the bug and sends it to the relevant developer whenever an issue arises.

Developers can then compare the failed and successful tests to pinpoint the cause of the break. The failed steps are highlighted in red with an explanation, eliminating the need to sift through lines of code to find the issue.

Note: For early-stage web applications with frequent UI changes but stable element locators, Rainforest can match against the code.

Factor #3: Rainforest test managers integrate into your team like an internal hire

Engineering leaders often report that managing outsourced test engineers and fixing their mistakes takes up a significant amount of time.

The main reason outsourced testers require constant management is that many testing services rotate their personnel, causing knowledge gaps with each change. Engineering leaders must invest time training new testers on the team’s testing priorities, internal workflows, quality standards, and communication protocols.

Rainforest solves this problem by not rotating personnel. Our test managers seamlessly integrate into your team, working within your workflows and communication channels while developing test plans. While they may need some initial guidance, over time, as they become familiar with your application and your operations, you can scale back management oversight until it’s no longer necessary.

Factor #4: Rainforest test managers work within U.S. time zones and speak fluent English

Many testing services employ testing teams outside the U.S., making it challenging for engineering leaders to get same-day replies. Additionally, communication issues can arise if outsourced testers aren’t fluent in English.

Rainforest test managers work within U.S. time zones, ensuring quick response times. They are also fluent in English, eliminating any potential communication issues.

This means you won’t have to bottleneck the release pipeline waiting for a response from your testing team, nor will you face language barriers that could disrupt communication.

Factor #5: Our tests go beyond the browser tab and can test anything on the screen

Most testing services miss visual bugs because their tests are limited to what happens inside the browser tab. That means they can’t verify things like installing a web extension, downloading an invoice and checking its contents, or sending a confirmation email after a form submission.

Rainforest runs tests inside VMs, so we can validate anything on the screen — not just what’s in the browser. We cover both desktop and web versions of your application to ensure cross-platform consistency and catch bugs others miss.

Here’s an example of a Rainforest test downloading and installing Brave Browser:

Factor #6: Clients can see what we’re testing and have full control over test suites

Many website testing services replicate your entire web application environment in their own workspace and test independently, creating a barrier between your team and the testing process. You can’t access the test code, review test steps, see what’s being tested, or examine other test details. They write tests in a black box environment that you can’t see or contribute to.

Rainforest is collaborative. We handle QA while providing full transparency. You and your team have access to all tests, so you can review test steps, results, and fully understand how your application is performing.

Since our platform is entirely codeless and easy to use, anyone, including non-technical team members, can gain insight into what we’re testing. You can even create your own tests.

Factor #7: Rainforest offers both automated and manual testing services

Certain testing conditions are better suited for manual testing rather than test automation.

For instance, when an application is still in development, automated test scripts may break frequently, making manual testing more practical. Or, if the software development team needs to identify bugs in unconventional user flows, human intuition may be required.

Rainforest addresses this by offering access to a community of crowd testers for manual testing. This allows you to manage both automated and manual testing within a single platform.

Whether you or your Rainforest test manager are handling it, creating manual tests is straightforward with our Plain-Text Editor.

We send test instructions to our crowd tester community, and you receive video recordings of the entire test run — often including multiple manual tests — within 17 minutes of submission. Rainforest crowd testers are available after hours, on weekends, and during holidays.

For the best results, we use different approaches depending on the type of manual testing:

1. Scripted testing, like regression testing: We send test instructions to different crowd testers, preventing nose blindness. This is a phenomenon where someone has tested your application repeatedly and starts overlooking small changes. By switching up manual testers, we ensure they catch all bugs. (Manual testing is still overseen by your test manager, who is familiar with your application.)

2. Exploratory testing: When the goal is to find bugs in unconventional user paths, it’s best to work with manual testers who have deep familiarity with your application and its typical user flows. To ensure thorough testing, we assign four dedicated manual testers to learn your app and perform exploratory testing.

Here are a few additional factors that set Rainforest apart from other manual testing services:

1. Crowd testers run manual tests on clean VMs, meaning that test results aren’t affected by the tester’s device.

2. We send each set of test instructions to two manual testers and will only pass if both testers arrive at the same result. If there’s a discrepancy, we assign more testers to validate test instructions until they all reach a consistent result. We deploy up to seven testers on your project, but you only pay for one.

3. Most crowd testers have worked with us over five years, so you can be confident in their results.

4. Our software automatically generates a Jira ticket when a bug is found, assigning it to a developer. The ticket includes a recording of the issue, browser logs, time spent on each step, mouse activity, and HTTP logs.

Bonus: Creating tests in Rainforest is 3x faster than coding

Rainforest test managers write natural language scripts within our user-friendly software, enabling them to create tests quickly and ship new updates faster. Writing tests in Rainforest is 3x faster than coding.

Here’s a comparison between creating functional tests in Rainforest vs Playwright:

Rainforest also includes a library of randomized data — first and last names, email addresses, credit card numbers, etc. Test managers don’t need to generate dummy data from scratch, further reducing the time spent on test creation.

Another feature that speeds up test creation is embedded tests. Test managers can copy and paste existing tests into new user flows. For instance, when testing a new user journey, they can use pre-built sign-up, checkout, and onboarding flows as a base to create the new test.

Once tests are created, test managers can trigger them directly from your CI/CD pipeline, integrating seamlessly into your software development lifecycle. This allows you to automatically test new changes upon deployment and run hundreds of tests in parallel. Alternatively, test managers can also initiate tests manually through the UI.

Get Started

Schedule a quick call to see how Rainforest QA can help you scale testing for your web application without adding headcount.

2. MuukTest

MuukTest provides web app testing services designed to help development teams increase test coverage while minimizing the burden of test creation and maintenance.

It integrates with CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous testing without disrupting development workflows. With no-code and low-code testing solutions, MuukTest is a practical option for non-technical teams.

Key features include AI-powered test automation, personalized test strategies, support for various testing types (end-to-end, API, regression), and detailed reporting with actionable insights.

3. Test IO

Test IO offers fully managed, crowd-powered software testing services, with the unique ability to onboard new clients in under 24 hours. By deploying independent testers worldwide, Test IO evaluates applications across a variety of devices and environments.

Specializing in automated regression testing, unit testing, and cross-platform validation for iOS and Android applications, Test IO’s scalable crowd testing model helps businesses identify compatibility issues early. It also integrates seamlessly with continuous delivery pipelines through DevOps.

Leveraging open-source testing tools like Playwright, Selenium, and Cypress for automation, Test IO supports code-level testing. However, these frameworks focus on the underlying code, not the application’s UI, which can result in slower releases and the risk of unreported bugs.

4. A1QA

A1QA is a software testing company specializing in functional testing services, including regression, integration, smoke, and API testing.

Their testing methodology combines manual and automated testing with detailed regression analysis to identify defects early in development. By integrating functional testing into CI/CD pipelines, A1QA delivers fast feedback, enabling companies to accelerate time to market. A1QA’s services cover web apps, mobile apps, enterprise software, and more.

In addition to functional testing, A1QA offers security testing, performance testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, and load testing services.

With a cloud-based infrastructure, A1QA supports parallel test execution, reducing delays in feedback loops. Their expert testers also manually review test results to minimize false positives and flaky tests, ensuring reliable QA without adding maintenance burdens to development teams.

5. Teslio

Testlio provides remote functional testing services that combine a global network of expert freelance testers with proprietary technology to help businesses release high-quality software.

Testlio’s on-demand testing model validates web and mobile applications across diverse devices, locations, and real-world conditions, reducing the risk of bugs slipping into production.

Focusing on collaborative QA, Testlio integrates into development pipelines, enabling faster and more efficient testing cycles. It supports both structured and exploratory testing, making it an ideal solution for agile teams in need of scalable, on-demand testing solutions.

Scale testing for less than half the cost of a QA engineer with Rainforest

Schedule a quick demo with our team to see how Rainforest can help you outsource QA and avoid the common issues that most testing services face.