Top 16 Manual Testing Tools You Need to Know

Manual testing is an important pillar of the quality assurance process and plays a critical role in developing high-quality software. Companies offering software development services usually employ a combination of automated and manual testing tools to get a full understanding of the software quality and fix any problems early on.

As technology advances rapidly, we can expect 2024 to have a range of sophisticated manual software testing tools offering advanced features and capabilities. That is why you must choose the right set of manual software testing tools for software quality assurance. These tools are meant to enhance your app quality and ensure that the software you develop is aligned with your development workflows and user requirements.

In this article, we will explore the top 16 manual testing tools in 2024 and share their top features so that you can make an informed decision about which ones to use.

Let’s start!

What is Manual Software Testing?

Manual testing, as the name implies, is performed manually by human testers without the use of automated testing tools. The person performing the test assumes the role of the end-user to evaluate whether the software’s quality and features are in line with those specified in its document.

Testers systematically follow predefined test cases, input data, and expected outcomes to assess the software’s functionality, usability, and overall quality. This approach allows testers to simulate end-user interactions, providing a real-world perspective on how the application performs under various conditions.

Manual testing is particularly valuable during the early stages of software development services, when test cases may need frequent modifications. It is an essential part of the testing process alongside automated methods.

Significance of Manual Software Testing

Companies are not without reason for offering manual testing services as part of their overall software quality assurance (SQA) services. Although it takes more time than automated testing, manual testing is a necessary part of QA testing as it ensures that software is free of bugs and errors.

The number one reason manual software testing services are important is that they add a human element to the testing process. When you test an application by donning the hat of an end-user, you are more likely to identify weaknesses in the app features or UI and rectify them. Automated test scripts cannot identify such issues.

Manual testing also gives you a bird-eye view of how the system operates. This lets you validate the software much more comprehensively than automated testing would, not to mention that automated testing may provide false negatives and positives.

Top 16 Manual Testing Tools

Here is the list of the top 16 manual software testing tools.

1. LoadRunner

LoadRunner is one of the most popular performance testing tools out there. Its goal is to offer performance testing for various methods and app settings. It allows testers to identify and categorize performance-related problems quickly.

LoadRunner features include:

• It is compatible with several protocol stacks, dev tools, and technologies.
• It offers detailed performance test information.
• It reduces distributed load testing costs while helping you track deployments.

2. Citrus

Developed using Java, Citrus is one of the leading tools for integration testing, and companies use it to test messaging solutions. It sends and receives server- and client-side requests to validate XML JSON files. Moreover, Citrus supports various protocols like HTTP, SOAP, JMS, etc., to enable end-to-end use case testing.

Citrus features are:

• Citrus can emulate interface partners autonomously, regardless of their transport protocols, encompassing HTTP, JMS, SOAP, TCP/IP, and many others.
• Integration of Citrus tests into continuous integration environments is seamless, ensuring consistent assessment of effective QA practices throughout the development process.

3. ZAP

ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is an open-source web app security scanner. It is developed in Java and is one of the best open-source tools for performing dynamic application security testing on web apps.

Zap features are:

• It has a plugin-based architecture.
• It can work across several operating systems, including Linux and Windows.
• It offers an online marketplace where you can purchase the latest features.
• The graphical user interface (GUI) control panel for ZAP is user-friendly and straightforward.

4. NUnit

NUnit, an acronym for “dot net unit,” is a widely used, free, and open-source unit testing framework for the .NET platform. It has been developed in the C# programming language. NUnit is a pivotal tool in software testing; it operates as a dynamic framework for executing unit tests on .NET applications, providing essential support for developers to ensure the robustness and reliability of their code.

Features of NUnit are:

• It accelerates the testing process by offering parallel testing.
• It offers extensive support for data-driven testing, allowing developers to execute tests with different sets of input data.
• NUnit provides a flexible testing environment. Developers can use attributes to define test fixtures, behaviors, and expectations, contributing to a highly extensible and customizable testing framework.
• It has cross-platform compatibility, supporting various operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS.

5. JIRA

JIRA is a popular project management and issue-tracking tool. It is widely embraced for its effectiveness in streamlining software development processes. It is also a manual testing tool that directly interacts with code development environments, making it a top preference for developers.

Features of JIRA include:

• It supports agile quality assurance methodologies by offering robust tools for sprint planning, backlog management, and real-time collaboration among development teams.
• Its flexible and customizable workflows enable teams to tailor JIRA to match their specific project requirements.
• It provides incredible reporting and dashboard capabilities.
• It integrates with a wide array of development and collaboration tools, fostering a connected ecosystem that enhances overall efficiency and communication within the development lifecycle.

6. SonarQube

SonarQube is a widely utilized open-source platform designed for continuous inspection of code quality. It is a part of the SonarSource suite of code quality management tools. SonarQube facilitates static code analysis to identify code smells, bugs, and security vulnerabilities in various programming languages.

Features of SonarQube include the following:

• It supports a broad spectrum of programming languages, making it versatile for projects with diverse tech stacks. It provides consistent code quality analysis across languages like Java, C#, JavaScript, Python, and more.
• It generates comprehensive code metrics that offer insights into code complexity, duplication, and maintainability.
• It comes with security-focused rules and plugins to identify and rectify potential vulnerabilities in the codebase, thus enhancing overall application security.
• The platform provides an intuitive dashboard with detailed reports, allowing teams to visualization in service design and understand the overall health of their codebase.

7. JMeter

JMeter is developed by the Apache Software Foundation. It is primarily recognized as a performance-testing tool commonly used for load-testing web applications. However, its versatile capabilities extend beyond performance testing, making it a valuable asset for manual testing as well.

Features of JMeter are:

• You can use JMeter to perform functional testing of web apps by simulating user interactions. You can create test plans to mimic user actions such as clicking buttons, submitting forms, and navigating through the application, providing a way to verify that the application functions as expected.
• JMeter’s scripting capabilities allow testers to create and execute test scripts for repetitive test scenarios.
• You can use JMeter to assess the impact of heavy user loads on application responsiveness by simulating concurrent user activity.
• JMeter supports API testing. It allows manual testers to validate API functionality by crafting HTTP requests and inspecting the responses. This is particularly useful for applications that rely on web development services.

8. Bugzilla

Bugzilla is another open-source manual software testing tool. It is a bug-tracking system that helps software developers track and manage defects and issues in their projects. Many companies rely on it due to its reliability and flexibility in managing software issues. The Mozilla Foundation developed it.

Bugzilla features include:

• It provides a centralized platform for tracking and managing bugs, issues, and enhancements throughout the software development lifecycle.
• It allows you to customize bug fields, workflows, and other parameters to align Bugzilla with your specific project requirements.
• You can create custom queries to filter and analyze bug data, which facilitates efficient bug triage and resolution. Bugzilla also supports the generation of reports for better project visibility.
• You can integrate Bugzilla with other development tools, version control systems, and continuous integration environments.

9. MantisBT

MantisBT is the short form for Mantis Bug Tracker. It is an open-source web-based bug-tracking platform made to streamline the management of software defects and project issues. It is compatible with a range of operating systems and lets users extend its capabilities by using plugins. That is why many development teams opt for Mantis as their go-to issue-tracking tool.

Features of MantisBT include:

• Its user-friendly web interface simplifies bug tracking, making MantisBT accessible to both technical and non-technical team members.
• You can customize the tool to meet your project needs.
• Email notifications help you stay informed about updates to bugs, new bug submissions, and other relevant changes within the system.

10. Tessy

Tessy is a popular integration and embedded software testing tool developed by Razorcat. It is also used for unit testing and lets you gauge an app’s code coverage. Tessy can perform test management, business requirements, traceability, and coverage amount analysis.

Tessy features are:

• It provides comprehensive test reports.
• It can work with several programming languages.
• It is often integrated into popular integrated development environments (IDEs) used for embedded software development, enhancing its usability as part of the overall development workflow.

11. TestLink

TestLink is one of the best open-source software testing tools. It was developed by Teamst and helps with test case management, execution tracking, and overall test project management. It also offers a centralized platform for organizing and managing test cases, making it a valuable asset in software testing and quality assurance processes.

TestLink features are:

• It lets you create, organize, and manage test cases in a structured manner by allowing you to categorize test cases.
• Your team can execute and track the status of test cases, recording pass/fail outcomes and tracking progress over multiple test cycles.
• You can use it on a browser.
• It’s very user-friendly.

12. Trac

Developed by Python, Trac has also made it to our list of top 16 manual testing tools because of its versatility. It is an excellent platform for various project management purposes. Trac combines a wiki, ticket tracking, and version control, thus providing an integrated environment for collaborative development issue resolution.

Trac features are:

• It is a web-based program.
• Its built-in wiki serves as a knowledge base where team members can document project details, specifications, and processes.
• You can easily integrate it with popular version control systems like Subversion and Git.
• It is compatible with several databases like MySQL, SQLite, etc.
• It offers features for defining project roadmaps and milestones, helping teams set goals and track progress.

13. ALM

ALM stands for Application Lifecycle Management. HP owns it after acquiring it from Mercury Interactive Corporation, which initially developed it. It has a considerable user base and has been consistently offering top-notch services to app developers.

ALM features are:

• It provides a clear direction for how your app will be developed.
• It supports test case management, execution, and defect tracking.
• It helps you plan and manage software releases and development cycles.

14. Sikuli

Sikuli is an open-source automation tool that uses visual recognition to automate repetitive tasks involving graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It allows users to create scripts that interact with elements on the screen by matching images. This makes it particularly useful for automating tasks in applications where traditional automation tools may face challenges.

Sikuli features include:

• It can automate the development of Flash Websites or Flash Objects.
• It is platform-independent and can be used on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• It offers a very simple API.
• It offers dynamic interaction with changing UI elements. Since it relies on visual patterns rather than specific identifiers, it can adapt to variations in element positions or appearances.

15. Jenkins

Jenkins is a fantastic open-source software quality assurance testing tool that facilitates continuous integration and continuous delivery CI/CD pipeline. Many companies around the world use it to automate the various stages of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including building, testing, and deploying applications.

Jenkins features are:

• It automates the process of integrating code changes from multiple contributors into a shared repository. It triggers builds automatically whenever changes are detected. This ensures that the integrated codebase remains consistently up to date.
• It supports several plugins that you can use to extend its functionality.
• Jenkins supports distributed builds. This means that you can distribute tasks across multiple machines or loads.
• It boasts a thriving community that contributes to its development and maintenance.

16. Postman

Last but not least, we have the Postman API testing tool as part of this list. It is a leading platform for API development that also includes testing capabilities. While it’s primarily known for API testing, it has features that extend its utility to manual testing as well. Postman allows testers to design, test, and document APIs, making it a valuable tool for both developers and testers involved in manual testing processes.

Postman features are:

• It doesn’t have to go through hundreds of lines of code to manage API requests.
• It helps you ensure software consistency by giving you the option to run various tests.
• It offers a collaborative environment that ramps up efficiency levels.

Conclusion

As the demand for high-quality software increases with each passing day, the need for efficient manual testing tools is also rising. These manual testing tools owe their popularity to the effectiveness they offer in finding bugs, planning tests, and strengthening the software development process. They succeed where automated tools often fall short. Hence, every developer and tester must know about these tools. We hope this article will help you find the tool that works best for your project requirements.

If you need any further assistance with software quality assurance, send us a message at [email protected].