When it comes to test automation, one of the most persistent objections we hear is: “It’s just too expensive for us.” And at first glance, it might seem true. Some tools come with hefty price tags. The tools that don’t come with those price tags often require so much effort to make work that they might as well be paid tools once you account for the hidden costs.
But here’s the thing: test automation doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, the right tools make automation not just affordable but incredibly cost-effective. The problem lies in using the wrong tools—whether it’s paying for solutions that don’t deliver the right results, or wrestling with “free” tools that drain your time and resources.
In this blog, we’ll unpack the myth that test automation is out of reach and show you how the right approach can save your team time, money, and headaches in the long run. Hang on to your purse strings.
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Upfront costs can be worth it – for the right tools
It’s true that some test automation tools – including ours – involve upfront costs. But if the tools you pay for deliver results, then the investment pays off. And with the right tools, you can see ROI from just one test cycle.
Just to be clear, automated testing that’s running at peak efficiency delivers the following benefits:
- Reduced manual testing: test automation slashes the need for repetitive manual testing, allowing your team to focus on more complex, high-value tasks.
- Faster test cycles: automating tests that used to be manual can speed up your testing cycles, enabling you to release better software faster.
- Improved quality: catching bugs before they hit production saves money down the line—fixing issues post-release is always more expensive (especially if the issues bring your whole business to a halt).
While upfront costs might feel like a hurdle, the long-term savings in time and effort mean that automation tools quickly pay for themselves. One of our customers, as an example, saved 17 man-days or £3,000 of manual effort in just one project, where they automated over 50% of their test scripts.
The problem with “free” tools
Now, you might be thinking, “Why not just use free tools?” On paper, it sounds like a great idea. After all, if you don’t have to pay for the software, doesn’t that solve the cost problem entirely?
Not quite. Just because the software is free, doesn’t mean that the time taken to operate it is. You need to consider the costs of:
- Steep learning curves: free tools often lack the intuitive interfaces or robust documentation of paid options, meaning your team spends more time figuring them out.
- Ongoing maintenance: you may need to invest significant effort in coding, maintaining, and updating test scripts to keep the tool functional.
- Limited functionality: many free tools require workarounds to perform some tasks, adding extra complexity.
All those hours spent troubleshooting, coding, and maintaining free tools could, frankly, be better spent actually testing. And even if you get everything set up just right, if the people who know how to use the software should move on from your organization, you could be back to square one. In fact, by the time you’ve wrangled a free tool into shape, you might have already spent more than you would have on a tool that works seamlessly out of the box.
Read more: Nothing for free: 4 hidden costs of free coded testing tools
Why outsourcing isn’t the answer
Another common workaround for avoiding automation costs is outsourcing software testing. While outsourcing can seem like a quick and easy solution, it often introduces inefficiencies and hidden expenses of its own.
Outsourcing typically involves:
- Communication challenges: time zone differences, language barriers, and remote collaboration can slow down the feedback loop.
- Higher costs for changes: as cloud updates force organizations to test more frequently, the costs of outsourcing are likely to increase over time.
- Loss of control: with testing outsourced, you may lose visibility into your processes, making it harder to ensure the quality of your software.
- The pain of familiarization: external testers don’t know your business, and as such you’ll need to spend a lot of time educating them on the nature of your business and the way you use the applications that need testing, to make sure their work is effective and appropriate.
As with so many activities that are popular to outsource, the right tools can enable you to do test automation far more cheaply in-house, and do it better to boot. Instead of relying on outsourcing, in-house test automation tools provide a more sustainable, cost-effective solution.
Read more: The secret to reducing outsourced software testing
The right tools make automation affordable
So, what makes a test automation tool the “right” tool? It’s all about finding a solution that balances affordability, functionality, and ease of use. The right tools should:
- Minimize the time and effort required for setup and maintenance of test scripts.
- Provide powerful functionality without needing advanced coding skills.
- Deliver comprehensive test coverage, ensuring no issues slip through the cracks.
Original Software: A unique platform for test automation
Original Software ticks all these boxes—and then some. Here’s how:
- No-code power: Original Software’s platform combines the simplicity of no-code tools with the robust functionality of traditional coded solutions. You get the best of both worlds: powerful testing capabilities without the steep learning curve.
- Comprehensive change detection: Unlike traditional regression testing where you run tests looking for specific changes, Original Software shows you all the changes in your software—text, images, buttons, and beyond. This unique approach ensures you’ll never miss a change, or a bug, saving time and reducing risk.
A real-world success story: CertainTeed
CertainTeed used our platform to eliminate downtime and streamline their testing process. The result? Significant time savings and a seamless testing workflow that allowed them to focus on delivering high-quality products.
With the right tool, test automation isn’t just affordable—it’s transformative.
Myth busted
Test automation isn’t too expensive; the wrong tools are. With the right approach, test automation can save you time, reduce costs, and improve your product quality—all while keeping your team efficient and agile.
Original Software’s platform offers an affordable, powerful, and easy-to-use solution that eliminates the barriers to automation. So if you’ve been hesitating because it feels too expensive, it might be time to have a chat with us – or your CFO.
Probably best to start with us, actually. Click below to get in touch and we’ll help you put together a business case.
