Rate card
| Testing type | Rate | Why this price |
|---|---|---|
| Manual testing | $20 / hour | Varies with application complexity and region |
| Automation testing | $30 / hour | Upfront investment in writing and maintaining test scripts |
| Performance testing | $50 / hour | Specialised load, stress and scalability simulations |
| Security / penetration testing | $100 / hour | Expert skills; senior consultants for high-risk systems charge up to $500/hour |
| Full-stack engineering (for comparison) | from $100 / hour | Build and fix work |
| Native core development | $300 / hour | Deep platform-specific engineering |
Use our QA testing cost estimator to turn these into a budget for your app.
A worked example
A 20-feature web and Android app with two test cycles: manual testing at about 0.75 hours per feature per cycle across two platforms is roughly 45 hours ($900). Automating 30% of regression adds about 16 hours of scripting and maintenance (about $490 at $30/h). A standard penetration test of around 32 hours is $3,200 at $100/h. A basic load test of 12 hours is $600. Total about $5,200, which you can scale up or down by dropping or reducing scope. These are planning assumptions, not a quote.
What drives testing cost
- Number of features, screens and user roles
- Platforms and devices (web, Android, iOS, API)
- Test cycles and release frequency
- Risk: payments, health or personal data raise security effort
- Documentation and compliance needs
- Whether you automate regression tests (higher upfront, lower per release)
How to save money without cutting safety
- Test early: bugs found in design cost far less than in production.
- Automate stable, repeated flows; keep exploratory testing manual.
- Prioritise by risk: money, personal data and core journeys first.
- Reuse test cases across releases.
- Fix findings in batches so retesting is efficient.
Budget scenarios
| Scenario | Scope | Approx. hours | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brochure site + contact form | Manual cross-browser and mobile check | 6–10 h | $120–$200 |
| Small e-commerce store | Manual checkout, payment, email flows; basic load test | 30–50 h | $600–$1,500 |
| Business web + Android app | Two-cycle manual, 30% automation, basic security scan | 70–110 h | $2,000–$3,500 |
| Fintech or health MVP | Manual, automation, standard pen test, performance test | 150–250 h | $6,000–$12,000 |
These ranges combine the stated hourly rates with typical effort for each scope. They are planning guides; your quote follows a scoping call.
Questions to ask a testing vendor
- Who tests: do they have a separate tester from the developer?
- What devices and OS versions are included?
- How are bugs reported and tracked?
- Is retesting of fixes included?
- Can they provide sample reports?
- How do they handle confidential code and data?
Get a testing quote From $20/h
Tell us your app and platforms. We scope the testing and quote hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to test an app properly?
Combine focused manual testing of critical journeys with a basic security check, then automate the stable flows as the app matures.
Is $20 an hour realistic for QA?
Yes for manual testing from experienced offshore teams on standard applications. Specialised work costs more.
Do you test apps built with AI tools?
Yes. AI-generated code benefits from a security review and regression tests before launch.
Get a free quote in 24 hours
Tell us what you need. We reply with scope, timeline and a fixed price.