What are the best mobile app testing practices for a tight budget?

Para testar aplicativos móveis eficientemente com um orçamento limitado, concentre-se em práticas como priorizar os casos de teste mais críticos, cobrindo funções essenciais e fluxos de usuário comuns. Utilize ferramentas de teste automatizadas para otimizar o tempo e reduzir custos a longo prazo. Aproveite as plataformas de teste beta e crowdsourcing para obter feedback de usuários reais sem grandes investimentos. Incentive uma cultura de teste contínuo na equipe de desenvolvimento, garantindo que todos estejam atentos à qualidade desde o início. Por fim, use uma variedade de dispositivos reais e emuladores para testar, equilibrando custo e representatividade do público-alvo.

In the process of selecting testing tools, it's crucial to define clear testing objectives, assess compatibility, consider scalability and ease of use, prioritize automation capabilities, evaluate community support, factor in cost-effectiveness, ensure seamless integration with CI/CD, prioritize flexibility and customization, check for security features, review performance metrics, and gather feedback from your testing team to ensure the chosen tools align with project needs and contribute to efficient, high-quality software development.

Like choosing the best flip-flops for a day at Copacabana, pick tools that won’t break after two steps. Go for the 'Havaianas' of testing tools – reliable yet won’t cost you a caipirinha and a pastel.

From my experience you can use some free tool to setup CI. There are either have a limited use (I personally used the one from GitHub) or free but implied a lot of maintenance such Jenkins + fastlane (I used them in my previous job). CI should not be left aside because it ensure your app does not have regression. It is a crucial business decision because it implies extra works but money can decrease the maintenance needed.

Choosing the correct tool for testing mobile apps is super important. Especially if it's for different platforms, you want a tool that works well on all of them. This way, any test scripts you make can run smoothly on both iOS and Android.

When prioritizing test cases, focus on critical functionalities, high-risk areas, and scenarios that align with end-user expectations, ensuring that your testing efforts are strategically directed towards the most impactful aspects of the application.

It’s like deciding what to put on your feijoada plate. Beans and pork? Essential. Kale and orange? Maybe later. Focus on what keeps your app from crashing during Carnival.

Focus on the most important features on the most popular devices and OS versions among your target audience to make the best use of limited resources.

Leveraging a combination of real devices and emulators in your testing strategy provides a comprehensive approach, allowing you to validate your application's functionality and performance in both controlled virtual environments and real-world scenarios, ensuring a more thorough and realistic assessment of its overall quality.

Real devices are like your tia’s home-cooked meal, and emulators are like fast food – not quite the same, but sometimes it’s all you can afford. Mix them like you're DJing a funk carioca party.

When testing mobile apps, it's crucial to consider users' needs, like their location and the devices they use there. By creating a device matrix based on this info, we can pinpoint the devices most commonly used by them. And Testing can be perform on these specific devices, along with simulators, helps cover a broader range of user experiences. Utilise cloud-based devices, which are cost-effective and efficient for testing purposes.

I agree by effectively utilizing emulators, simulators, and real devices in tandem, you can ensure comprehensive testing of your mobile application, leading to a robust, user-friendly, and high-quality product.

Harness the strength of crowdsourcing to enhance your testing strategy, tapping into a diverse pool of testers and devices that can provide valuable insights, uncover potential issues, and ensure a broad spectrum of real-world testing scenarios for your application.

It's like asking everyone at your family churrasco to taste-test your barbecue skills. Gather a bunch of people, preferably those who don't just nod and say "tá bom" to everything.

I agree, but I prefer using beta testers for real-world feedback. Platforms like TestFlight (iOS) and Google Play Beta (Android) can facilitate this.

Automate testing processes wherever feasible to streamline repetitive tasks, ensure consistent execution of test cases, and optimize resource utilization, thereby increasing efficiency and allowing your testing team to focus on more complex and high-value aspects of the application.

If you can automate tasks, do it. It's like using a blender to make caipirinha instead of mashing limes and sugar like you’re trying to prove something.

Can’t agree more! By carefully selecting tools, focusing on critical areas, and adopting a gradual, informed approach, you can implement effective automated testing for mobile applications even with budget constraints. There are a lot of open source tools that you can use for mobile automation testing.

Most organizations have dedicated digital or mobile teams, and individuals within these teams can be invaluable internal beta testers. To incentivize participation, consider recognizing their contributions through regular acknowledgments. It can be in the form of public shoutouts, or rewards such as Amazon gift cards or buying a subscription for a service. Instead of requiring them to test the entire application, focus on prioritized features and request their feedback on specific functionality. This approach not only saves costs but also increases awareness of the upcoming product among internal teams. Additionally, as the application isn't yet shared outside the company, we avoid potential non-disclosure agreement (NDA) concerns.

Remember, testing on a tight budget in Brazil is like navigating São Paulo traffic – it requires patience, skill, and a bit of luck. Always watch for the latest tech trends; they change faster than viral memes on Brazilian WhatsApp groups.