Over $13.5 million. By 2026. It is the estimated global market for mobile app testing.
Even now, 45% of businesses lack mobile apps. It means that demand will increase even after 2026. The secret to a refined user experience, increased revenue, and surpassing your competitors when they launch their mobile apps, is carefully testing your mobile app before launch.
This is why you need a comprehensive mobile testing checklist. It contains all the necessary set of areas you need to keep an eye on before you launch your business mobile app. However, if you do not have an experienced team of mobile testers in your team, Radheapps can ensure you get an app that is launch-ready.
Most businesses that test mobile apps by themselves & face the consequences of the following things:
- They suffer from launch delays due to limited test resources.
- They struggle to handle sensitive data because of a lack of specialized knowledge.
- They are not able to handle battery efficiency across devices while maintaining functionality.
And tons of other reasons, too.
But, if you do not want to be one of them, we can ensure not to let you face any of the consequences. We not only test mobile apps. We do it under budget constraints. Some of our tested apps have reached up to 12+ countries.
If you want to learn about our mobile app testing process, how it will work, and how we will communicate when we test your app, we offer a 30-minute free consultation call. This call will address your doubts, and by the end, you will have the exact clarity you are looking for.
Get your doubts answered so you can focus on your core responsibilities
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TL;DR – Mobile Application Testing Checklist
Want to skim and jump right on to the relevant point? Check out this comprehensive checklist:
- Test app for cross-platform compatibility
- Assess security standards
- Evaluate customization features
- Measure memory consumption
- Handle interruptions
- Validate location and language support
- Perform accessibility testing
- Analyze visual design
- Run performance tests
- Inspect payment workflow
- Test media interaction
- Simulate real-world network conditions
What is Mobile Application Testing?
A process that checks a mobile app’s functionality, usability, and performance across various devices and platforms is called mobile app testing. It ensures an app meets quality standards and offers a seamless user experience in the pre-release phase.
Here are some of the key aspects of mobile app testing:
Functionality: It checks if an app does what it is supposed to do.
Usability: It is to analyze how user-friendly and intuitive it is.
Performance: It evaluates how the app works under different conditions.
Compatibility: It is to test the app’s performance across multiple operating systems.
Security: It protects user data and ensures safe usage.
Benefits of a Well-Tested Mobile Application
A well-tested mobile app increases a business’s effectiveness and overall success. Here is how it becomes possible:
Enhanced User Experience
Mobile testing ensures that an app works smoothly. It gives users a smooth and hassle-free experience.
This leads to higher user satisfaction, positive reviews, and increased customer loyalty, ultimately retaining users and attracting new ones.
Reduced Development Costs
It is less expensive to find and fix bugs earlier in development than after the app has been released. Testing well reduces the chances of major problems downstream.
This pre-testing saves both time and money for the business.
Improved Brand Reputation
A solid mobile app will reflect a positive company reputation. It also reduces the possibility of bad user experiences and public relations disasters due to error-free activities.
Increased Revenue
More precise results in the app might spur user engagement and conversions. This accuracy helps in revenue generation.
Businesses can achieve higher ROIs if the apps work well. Therefore, it is worthwhile to thoroughly test them.
Competitive Advantage
In the relatively crowded app marketplace, there are numerous businesses that can offer stable, reliable, and user-friendly apps.
Through quality assurance by testing, such businesses will be able to stand out and attract users who value seamless mobile experiences.
Forecasting User Experience
The test allows the developers to go through and test the app under the view of a user.
It ensures that navigation is clear and straightforward. This evaluation predicts user retention rates and overall satisfaction with the app.
Comprehensive Mobile Application Testing Checklist
You need a thorough mobile application testing checklist for optimal conditions and to satisfy users’ needs across all conditions. Here are the key testing areas:
1. Test App for Cross-Platform Compatibility
The app should work perfectly across different platforms and devices to reach a wider audience. Here are two things to look for:
Ensure Seamless Functionality Across Devices and OS Versions
When you do test, it should be carried out on all available operating systems, namely iOS and Android, along with their respective versions, to pinpoint differences in the way it operates.
For instance, an app might run smoothly on the latest version of Android but crash on older versions.
The test must include multiple screen sizes and resolutions. This ensures that the user’s experience does not change depending on the device.
Validate UI Consistency on Various Screen Sizes
UI components should be scalable to fit the different screen sizes without losing functionality or appeal.
It includes checking for font sizes, button placements, and overall layout to ensure the user can easily navigate the application on any device.
2. Assess Security Standards
Thorough security testing is essential to secure user data and maintain trust. Checkout for these two things:
Check Data Encryption During Transmission
Verify data encryption in transmission. All sensitive data transfers between the app and servers must be encrypted through industry-standard protocols.
It prevents malicious actors from intercepting sensitive data during transfer. It keeps users’ data private and away from any regulation violation, such as GDPR.
Conduct Vulnerability Scans
Scan vulnerabilities periodically. It will help indicate possible security loopholes in the application.
Among them are usual vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and improper API endpoints so that developers might fix them and not be easily hacked.
3. Evaluate Customization Features
Customization allows users to customize their experiences, which fosters engagement and satisfaction. Look out for these two things:
Verify User Preferences Remain Intact
Any user-specific settings or preferences must be saved appropriately.
This could ensure that theme choices, notification preferences, or language preferences are preserved during sessions and upgrades.
Ensure Settings Persist Across Updates
Users expect their settings to remain the same after an upgrade.
Testing should verify that an upgrade does not reset or modify user preferences and, therefore, preserves a seamless experience across versions.
4. Measure Memory Consumption
The amount of memory the app consumes is critical to performance, especially on low-end devices. Make sure you test these two things here:
Test on Low-End Devices
Test the app on low-end devices to see how it performs under constrained resources.
It identifies potential memory leaks or excessive resource consumption that may cause crashes or slow performance.
Optimize App for Minimal Resource Usage
The developers should use efficient coding practices and resource management techniques to minimize memory usage.
This way, the app runs smoothly even on devices with limited processing power and memory capacity.
5. Handle Interruptions
Mobile apps must gracefully handle interruptions like incoming calls or notifications. Evaluate these two things:
Test Responses to Calls and Notifications
Think about how the app behaves when a call comes in or receives a notification.
The app should pause or save its state appropriately so users can return without losing progress.
Evaluate App Behavior Under Low Battery or Network Loss
The app should not crash or cause data loss when experiencing low battery conditions or sudden network loss.
The implementations, such as auto-save, can be very helpful in relation to user experience with these interruptions.
6. Validate Location and Language Support
Location-based services must work while offering appropriate language support. Here are two evaluations to make it seamless:
Test GPS Accuracy
Determine if the app’s location service gives reliable results by testing in various settings indoors and outdoors.
Because geolocation is heavily used, these apps depend on the mapping or ride-share feature to provide adequate functionality.
Ensure Proper Localization and Language Adaptations
Localization Testing verifies, among other factors, that text appears in the correct language and is culturally appropriate for a region.
However, there may be an adjustment to the lay out if text lengths vary by language or the left-hand versus right-hand orientation of text from one culture to another.
7. Perform Accessibility Testing
Accessibility ensures that users with disabilities can access the application effectively. Here are two things to test out that will ensure perfect accessibility when needed:
Check for Screen Reader Compatibility
See how well it performs with the screen readers, which visually impaired individuals use.
All interactive elements are correctly labeled so that voice-over can work.
Verify Touch Target Sizes and Contrast Ratios
Touch targets. It includes buttons and links. These should be sufficiently large for people to interact efficiently. The color contrast must be adequate, as per accessibility requirements.
This allows a user with a motor or visual disability to navigate the application better.
8. Analyze Visual Design
A well-designed application has an attractive appearance that attracts and delights the users. Here are two things that make it into reality:
Ensure Consistency Across Resolutions
Test the app’s visual elements across different screen resolutions to ensure that images, icons, and text are rendered correctly without distortion or misalignment.
Check for Intuitive Navigation and Clear Layouts
Ensure that users can navigate through the app intuitively. Clear layouts with logical flow help users find what they need quickly, enhancing overall usability.
9. Run Performance Tests
Performance testing tests out how well the application performs under different conditions. Below, you will find the two to look for:
Monitor App Load Times and Responsiveness
Assess how fast your app loads within the startup stages and when turning pages. Slow times may frustrate users and induce abandonment.
Evaluate App Performance Under Stress Conditions
Do stress tests by simulating high-traffic scenarios and check how they will handle increased loads. This will discover possible bottlenecks that may be an issue with performance during peak usage times.
10. Inspect Payment Workflow
Payment workflows must be reliable and secure for good user trust in transactions with the app. Below are two things that make it seamless:
Ensure Secure Transactions
Verify that all payment processes utilize secure protocols (e.g., HTTPS) and comply with industry standards like PCI DSS.
It protects sensitive payment information from breaches during transactions.
Test Payment Gateways Across Multiple Scenarios
Think about payment scenarios (successful payments, failed transactions, refunds) to ensure all workflows function correctly under different conditions.
It includes testing multiple payment methods, like credit cards, digital wallets, etc., for comprehensive coverage.
11. Test Media Interaction
Media interactions are crucial for apps that contain images, videos, or audio content. Look for these two things while testing:
Evaluate Load Times for Images, Videos, and Audio
Test how fast media files load within the app. Slow load times can degrade the user experience, especially in media-intensive applications like streaming services.
Ensure Stable Performance with Large Media Files
Test how well the app handles large media files during playback or loading.
The application should maintain performance without lagging or crashing when processing high-resolution content.
12. Simulate Real-World Network Conditions
Test the networks under various conditions to ensure reliability in diverse environments. Here are two things you should evaluate:
Test on 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi
Test how the app would perform under the typical conditions for each.
The testing conditions typical of each network would allow the developers to identify performance-related issues that may occur in slower connections.
Verify App Functionality in Offline Scenarios
Ensure that the most basic features work offline. Add offline features to maximize user-friendliness by giving users persistent access without the need for internet connectivity.
Categories in Mobile Application Testing
Mobile app testing consists of various categories. This category ensures that every app meets quality standards based on different factors. Here are six of them:
Cross-Platform Application Testing
This category ensures that a mobile application operates smoothly across various operating systems, such as iOS and Android.
It happens by cross-checking against OS versions and the screen sizes that have to be catered for a while to ensure user-friendliness on all of them.
Comprehensive Security Testing
Security testing is essential if you want to safeguard user data and establish trust.
It includes:
Review of Security Compliance: This means checking the application against the best security practices to find vulnerabilities.
Encryption of Data: Encryption of data while transferring sensitive information to prevent unauthorized access.
Vulnerability Scans: Regular scanning of the application for potential security threats and weaknesses.
Accessibility Testing
Accessibility testing ensures that apps are accessible to people with disabilities.
This includes:
Screen Reader Compatibility: It ensures the screen works well with screen readers for visually impaired users.
Touch Target Sizes and Contrast Ratios: Checking whether buttons and interactive elements have good touch target sizes and are visible enough with high contrast.
Visual Design and Usability Testing
This category checks on the visual appeal and how user-friendly the application is.
It entails:
Consistency Across Resolutions: Visual elements display correctly across different screen sizes and resolutions.
Intuitive Navigation: Testing to see if it is easy to navigate the application without confusion.
Performance Testing for Reliability
Performance testing measures how an application will react to various circumstances.
The key factors include:
Load Times and Responsiveness: This evaluates how long the app takes to load and how well it responds to user input.
Stress Testing: A performance test heavily used to test stability and reliability.
Steps to Implement Automation in Mobile Application Testing
The implementation of automation in mobile application testing is multifaceted, with some fundamental steps.
Here’s a structured approach based on the latest insights:
Define Goals and Objectives
Clear goals on what you want to achieve through automation.
For instance, reduced time spent in testing or increasing the coverage of test cases.
You have to know what you want.
Create a Test Plan
Outline the scope of testing. It includes features to automate and the type of tests that should be performed. These could be functional, performance, or security tests.
Identify the target devices and OS versions to test.
Identify Test Cases for Automation
Choose repetitive, high-risk, or frequently executed test cases.
Regression tests are examples of results that are predictable and can benefit from automation.
Choose the Right Automation Tools
Evaluate and select appropriate automation tools based on the type of app (native, hybrid, web) and expertise of your team.
Popular ones are Appium, Selenium, and Espresso.
Develop Test Scripts
Write the test scripts of the identified test cases.
Such scripts should be reusable and maintainable to reflect future changes in the application.
Set Up the Test Environment
Configure the test environment by putting into place all the required software and devices to be tested on. No matter they are real devices, emulators or simulators, run Tests.
Execute Tests
Run automated tests on various devices and OS combinations to ensure thorough coverage. Observe the execution for failure cases and defects.
Analyse Results
Analyse results of automated tests and determine defects or potential improvements. Compare expected results with the outcome to confirm functionality.
Maintain Test Scripts
Update, review, and modify test scripts in light of changes in the functionality of the application or user demands.
This ensures the continued relevance and effectiveness of your automated tests.
Integrate with CI/CD Pipeline
Integrate your automated testing framework with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
This enables automated testing during every build cycle, which helps to get quicker feedback loops.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Why Is Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing Important?
It is important because it helps to reach a wider audience, maintains consistency of user experience, and reduces maintenance costs.
What Makes Usability Testing Essential for Apps?
Usability testing is crucial because it enhances user satisfaction, improves retention rate, and identifies user’s pain points.
How Do You Optimize App Performance for Low-End Devices?
If you optimize apps for low-end devices, you have to reduce resource consumption, minimize background information, and test on targeted devices.
What Are the Key Aspects of Testing Payment Workflows?
Security assurance, functionality verification, error handling, and user experience are the key aspects of testing payment workflows.
Conclusion
Mobile application testing is a part of the app development lifecycle.
It is to ensure that applications are functional, secure, and user-friendly across various devices and platforms. The benefits are enormous. You will get enhanced user satisfaction, reduced development costs, and improved brand reputation.
Once you follow the entire checklist as a developer, you can systematically discuss critical areas with others. The checklist includes cross-platform functionality, security features, usability testing, and app performance. Each of them is important to fulfill the user’s expectations of the app.
However, It takes time to master mobile app testing. If you are developing your business app right now and want to ensure it works properly, you need someone who has done it hundreds of times, as you only have one shot to pull this off.
How well your mobile app is tested before the launch will decide how successful the launch will be. It is where Radheapps can save you. We will save you time when completing the checklist. You no longer need to get resources to teach your team about mobile app testing.
Frankly, any software development agency can say this. Then, why should you pick us? It is about our experience. We have developed more than 4,000 apps for our clients. We provide personalized support at every stage of development. Our agile process helps us deliver apps on time and cost-effectively.
If you want a roadmap for your app or have any specific questions about how we will create the cash cow app, we are offering a 30-minute free strategy at this moment. You can book a call using the link below.
