Alpha Vs Beta Testing: What’s the Difference?
Before we start alpha vs beta testing, We should know what is alpha testing and what is beta testing.
What is Alpha Testing?
Alpha testing is conducted to determine defects before releasing the final product to end users or to the public. Then the main goal of alpha is to identify the tasks that a typical user might perform and test them.
What is Beta Testing?
Beta testing is a type of software testing which is performed by real users of the software in a real environment. Beta testing is also one type of user acceptance testing. This testing helps the tester to test products in the customer’s environment.
Difference: Alpha Vs Beta Testing
The difference between alpha vs beta testing is as below:
| Alpha Testing | Beta Testing |
|---|---|
| Alpha testing needs a testing atmosphere or a lab for testing. | Beta testing doesn’t need a testing atmosphere or lab for testing. |
| Alpha testing may need a lengthy execution cycle. | Beta testing needs only a few weeks of execution. |
| In alpha testing, developers can directly address critical bugs or fixes. | Most of the bugs or feedback collected from the beta testing will be executed in future versions of the product. |
Test Goals
| Alpha Testing | Beta Testing |
|---|---|
| The goal of alpha testing is to estimate the quality of the product. | The goal of beta testing is to estimate customer satisfaction. |
| To confirm Beta eagerness | To confirm release eagerness |
| Concentrate on finding defects or errors | Concentrate on gathering recommendations/feedback and consider them effectively |
| Confirm that, does the product works properly without any bugs. | Confirm that, do clients like the released product. |
Test Duration
| Alpha Testing | Beta Testing |
|---|---|
| Multiple test cycles performed | Only performed 1 or 2 test cycles |
| Separately each test cycle stays for 1 – 2 weeks | Separately each test cycle stays for 4 – 6 weeks |
| The duration of the cycle also depends on how many bugs are found and how many new features are added during alpha testing. | The duration of the cycle may expand based on the end user’s feedback/recommendation. |
Expectations
| Alpha Testing | Beta Testing |
|---|---|
| An acceptable number of bugs were missed in earlier testing activities. | Major finished product with very a much smaller number of defects and crashes. |
| Incomplete components and documentation. | Almost finished components and documentation. |
