Seeking Zephyr Alternatives? Discover the TOP 10 Best Test Management Tools in 2024 

This post was originally published on August 29, 2019, and has been updated for accuracy on February 22, 2024.

If you’re into software testing, you’ve probably heard of Zephyr. But guess what? There are other tools out there that might suit your team even better. In this quick guide, we’ll check out the top 10 Zephyr alternatives. Ready to find a testing tool that clicks with your team?

About Zephyr 

Zephyr Squad is a test case management tool by Smartbear company. The plugin seamlessly integrates with Jira. It offers comprehensive features for test case management, test execution, and reporting.  

Smartbear presents two separate test management solutions for Jira. Zephyr Squad is for teams planning and executing tests within one Jira project. On the other hand, there’s the Zephyr Scale app dedicated to teams that test across multiple Jira projects.

Is Zephyr a good tool? Pros of using Zephyr for testing 

Zephyr has earned the trust of numerous QA engineers worldwide. The plugin is designed to support Agile development methodologies, providing features like burndown charts, test boards, and integration with popular Agile frameworks. 

Moreover, Zephyr largely supports automated testing. It allows connecting automated test results from Cucumber, Jenkins, Selenium, and Junit into a unified platform.

Finally, Zephyr claims to back up BDD (Behavior-Driven Development). It makes it easier for the testing teams to create test cases using a more intuitive language that resonates with stakeholders better. 

Zephyr limitations. Why might you consider the Zephyr alternatives? 

Lack of intuitiveness

Zephyr is good for managing tests, but sometimes it can be confusing, especially when it comes to showing changes. What’s more, new users may struggle to grasp Zephyr’s interface, driving the demand for a simpler-to-use alternative. Last but not least, onboarding new teammates to Zephyr requires additional effort and time.

Sometimes clunky interface and changes not reflected. Addon goes to idle and requires a refresh every now and then. Also there are several additional features that can be implemented too.

Rakesh T. (review from Capterra)

Performance issues 

In their reviews on the Atlassian Marketplace, users often say that the biggest problem with Zephyr is its performance issues. Some QA teams have reported that the tool is slow to load and can take a long time to perform even simple tasks. Frequent outages can be frustrating and make testing take longer than it should.

Support delays 

When it comes to customer support, many users say they have to wait a long time for their issues to get fixed. This causes problems for businesses, especially during busy times, as the lack of responsiveness can significantly disrupt work

What are the Zephyr alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2024?

If you’re facing challenges with Zephyr, consider exploring a new option. Reliable test management tools listed below not only address the issues you might be dealing with in Zephyr. They can also provide you with numerous benefits to improve your testing experience even more:

  • Requirements and Test Management for Jira 
  • TestFLO – Test Management for Jira 
  • XRay 
  • TestRail
  • TestLink 
  • Practitest 
  • Tricentis
  • QMetry
  • Allure Reports
  • Qase

Let’s dive deeper into the features of each of these Zephyr alternatives: 

Requirements and Test Management for Jira 

Requirements and Test Management for Jira (RTM) is a test management add-on for Jira available for Cloud and Data Center hostings. It aims to be the most intuitive testing tool that provides its users with easy to use, modern interface. The functionalities of RTM for Jira make it sufficient for both beginners and advanced testers. 

The main goal of the app is to bring the whole development process to a single place. RTM for Jira supports real-time collaboration between testers, developers, analysts, product owners, and other stakeholders. The tool makes communication easier thanks to the built-in transparent reports with graphs and tables. 

Test_Reports_RTM

RTM for Jira stands out from the competition by including requirements in the testing process. Furthermore, the app provides a tree-structured view with folders and subfolders for all testing objects. Your team can also track the relations between testing elements at each stage on the dedicated tab or the Traceability Matrix. 

Test_Cases_RTM_Jira
Test cases view in Requirements and Test Management for Jira

Features:

  • Intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface 
  • Centralized requirements and test case management
  • Full traceability of requirements from specifications to potential defects
  • Transparent tree-structured view for all testing objects 
  • Streamlined testing process through the creation of test cases directly from requirements
  • Customizable workflow 
  • Comprehensive real-time reports on requirements status, traceability, test coverage, and other key metrics

Pricing:

  • Free 30-day trial 

Cloud:

  • Free up to 10 users
  • $165/month for 100 users 

Data Center: 

  • $2,200/year for 100 users 
Integrate requirements with tests. Make your software development process transparent.
Try Requirements and Test Management for Jira at your company.
Go to the Marketplace


TestFLO – Test Management for Jira 

TestFLO – Test Management for Jira is only available for Data Center hosting. It’s because the app is dedicated to large-scale enterprises and highly regulated industries. It focuses on scalability, flexibility, and compliance. TestFLO stands out as the most adaptable test management solution for Jira

TestFLO interface

TestFLO enables you to organize your test cases, transform the structure into templates, and reuse them across different projects. Integration possibilities (Cucumber, JUnit, TestNG, NUnit) enable you to connect TestFLO with your automated testing framework. This feature makes it a perfect Zephyr alternative for more demanding teams. 

TestFLO Traceability

Features:

  • Centralized test management
  • Requirement traceability
  • Visual test planning
  • Automated testing
  • Interactive test results
  • Customizable workflows
  • Collaborative testing
  • Easy integrations
  • Comprehensive reporting

Pricing (Data Center):

  • Free 30-day trial
  • $825/year for 50 users 
  • $1,925/year for 100 users 
Easily manage a large number of tests. Match your testing tool to your team’s needs.
Try TestFlo – Test Management for Jira at your organization.
Go to the Marketplace

XRay 

Xray is a well-known scalable testing tool that can accommodate teams of any size. It’s a native Jira add-on. It eliminates the need for switching between tools during the software development process. The plugin allows testers to manage their test cases, plans, and results directly within Jira. 

Xray_screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

Xray integrates with popular test automation frameworks like Cucumber, Selenium, and JUnit. It also offers advanced test case management capabilities, including BDD support (just like in Zephyr), test case prioritization, test case templates, and test case traceability. The disadvantage of the tool is that some users find its interface overly complex. 

Features:

  • Native test management for Jira
  • Real-time test progress tracking
  • Advanced coverage analysis
  • Native integration with leading testing automation frameworks like Selenium, JUnit, and Cucumber
  • Exploratory testing app
  • Customizable dashboards and reports
  • Data-driven insights for improving test quality and efficiency

Pricing:

  • Free 30-day trial 

Cloud:

  • $10/month for 10 users
  • $500/month for 100 users 

Data Center: 

  • $1,740/year for 50 users
  • $4,140/year for 100 users 

TestRail

TestRail is a software testing tool designed for managing tests. It works through a web-based interface and can also be used on mobile devices. On the Atlassian Marketplace, you can find the free TestRail Jira app, but it still requires a paid TestRail license.

The tool offers complete support for test management, from exploratory to automated tests. TestRail helps keep track of testing history and provides users with interactive charts and dedicated QA reports. 

Testrail_Marketplace_Screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

Features:

  • Centralized test management platform test cases, test plans, test results, and defect tracking
  • Supports a variety of test case formats, including plain text, XML, and HTML
  • Agile test planning and execution
  • Automated test execution
  • Comprehensive reporting and analytics
  • Integrations with popular tools including Jira, Confluence, Jenkins, and Selenium.
  • Customizable workflows and environments

Pricing:

  • Free 14-day trial
  • Professional Cloud: $370/month for 10 users, $2,415/month for 100 users
  • Enterprise Cloud: $8,251/year for 10 users, $47,962/year for 100 users, 
  • Professional Server: $26,565/year per 100 users
  • Enterprise Server: $47,975/year per 100 users

TestLink is a free tool for managing tests on the web or mobile with full integration possibilities. It’s simple to set up and maintain and this is why it’s commonly used by testing teams to make sure software works well. It has helpful features like test automation and a history of testing activities. TestLink integrates well with the majority of the DevOps tools. The weak point of TestLink is its interface. Users often point out that the design could be improved with a more modern look, as the current one appears a bit outdated.

TestLink_screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

Features:

  • Easy-to-use web interface
  • Requirement traceability
  • Comprehensive test case management
  • Manual and automated test execution
  • Integrations with requirement management and bug-tracking tools
  • Customizable project workflows

Pricing:

  • Free

PractiTest 

PractiTest provides a structured framework for managing testing operations. Just like TestLink, it’s not a plugin for Jira but offers integration possibilities. Because of its steep learning curve, it may not be suitable for beginners

PractiTest uses organized fields, filters, and links. The solution seamlessly connects with other tools, including bug-tracking systems, project management tools, and CI/CD pipelines. In addition, PractiTest includes reporting options that help managers identify areas for improvement. 

Practitest_screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

Features:

  • Visual test case management with drag-and-drop tools
  • Automated test execution with popular testing automation frameworks like Selenium, JMeter, and SoapUI
  • Real-time test progress tracking
  • Comprehensive reporting
  • Customizable workflows
  • Integrations with systems, such as Jira, Git, and Jenkins
  • Mobile app

Pricing:

  • Free 14-day trial
  • Team: $47per user/month, $5,640/year for 10 users
  • Corporate (10 Testers and above): contact PractiTest

Tricentis

Tricentis Tosca focuses on streamlined, model-driven test automation. It helps users with no coding knowledge build an automated test suite. Tricentis integrates with the most popular Agile and DevOps tools, like for example Jira. It uses advanced ML technologies to enable smarter testing.

Tricentis_screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

The drawback is that tracking tests within Tricentis becomes difficult when an organization also uses numerous frameworks and dependencies. In this case, the tool requires significant manual effort and performance issues may appear. 

Features:

  • AI-powered test management
  • End-to-end testing automation covering web applications, APIs, mobile apps, and custom code.
  • Integration with DevOps pipelines and CI/CD tools
  • Risk-based testing
  • Reusable test cases across different environments and data sets
  • Test execution management
  • Test reporting and analysis

Pricing:

  • Free 14-day trial
  • For pricing information contact Tricentis

QMetry (QTM4J)

QMetry Test Management (QTM4J) provides AI-driven test management for Jira. It is available on the Atlassian Marketplace for all hostings. It provides its users with end-to-end traceability from bugs to Jira stories. QMetry includes an AI-powered search feature that enables testers to access information easily. The app fully supports test automation popular frameworks and CI/CD testing tools. With the tool, you can also reuse your test cases in different projects. Overall, it’s a good Zephyr alternative with positive reviews. The only disadvantages frequently noticed by users involve the pricing and complexity of the tool.

Qmetry_screen
Source: G2


Features:

  • Deep traceability between test cases, requirements, and development artifacts
  • Automated testing support with integrations for popular testing automation frameworks like Selenium, Appium, and UFT
  • Real-time test execution monitoring
  • Comprehensive reporting
  • Integrations with popular tools like Jira, Confluence, Jenkins, and Git
  • AI-powered insights into test results, defects, and coverage

Pricing:

  • Free 15-day trial 
  • For more pricing information contact QMetry 

Allure Report

Allure Reports supports over 50 testing tools and frameworks. It can be Zephyr alternative when it comes to reporting, but it doesn’t cover all test management features. Allure Report makes it possible for teams of all sizes to provide clear reports of their test results. It supports communication between testers, developers, and other stakeholders during the software development process. The reports inside the app can be customized with metadata like labels or descriptions. 

AllureReport_screen
Source: Atlassian Marketplace

Features:

  • Open-source test reporting tool
  • Visual and interactive reporting
  • Rich customization
  • Support for multiple test frameworks
  • Flexible data aggregation
  • Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) integration
  • Scalability

Pricing:

  • Community Plan: Free for personal and non-commercial use.
  • Enterprise Plan: Contact Allure for pricing information

Qase

Qase is a unified platform for QA testing. It helps keep track of test cases, gathers reports from both manual and automatic tests, and gives you insights based on past data. With Jira integration, users can link their test cases to Jira issues and seamlessly track defects from the test runs. 

Qase_screen
Source: G2

Qase distinguishes itself from the competition with a modern interface. Nevertheless, users notice the tool isn’t flexible when it comes to customizing tests. 

Features:

  • Manual and automated testing support
  • Real-time test results
  • Detailed reporting on test coverage, defect trends, and other key metrics
  • Integrations with popular tools like Jira, Confluence, GitHub, and Git
  • SaaS and self-hosted options
  • Interactive test case editor
  • Test case prioritization
  • Defect management

Pricing:

  • Free 14-day trial
  • Free for personal and non-commercial use
  • Startup Plan (up to 20 users): $20 user/month billed annually
  • Business Plan (up to 100 users): $30 user/month billed annually
  • Enterprise: contact Qase for custom pricing 

Conclusion: Zephyr alternatives comparison table

Are you still having trouble making your final decision? Check out the table that compares the pros and cons of Zephyr’s alternatives based on G2 reviews.

Test management toolProsCons
Requirements and Test Management for Jira – built-in requirements management
– intuitive beginner-friendly interface
– real-time collaboration support 
– transparent reports
– limited automation features
TestFlo– scalable and flexible test management
– focuses on security and compliance
– reusable test cases
– supports popular test automation frameworks
– may not be suitable for small teams
– only available for Data Center
XRay– enables integrated testing
– supports popular test automation frameworks
– advanced test case management capabilities
– complex interface, some users find it difficult to use
TestRail– complete support for test management, from exploratory to automated tests
– interactive charts and dedicated QA reports
– limited built-in integrations
– UI could be more user-friendly
TestLink– free tool
– simple to set up and maintain
– helpful features like a history of testing
– integrates well with the majority of DevOps tools
– outdated interface
– lack of support for automation
Practitest– seamlessly connects with other tools
– includes reporting options that help managers identify areas for improvement
– steep learning curve
– not suitable for beginners
Tricentis– streamlined, model-driven test automation
– helps users with no coding knowledge build an automated test suite
– integrates with the most popular Agile and DevOps tools
– uses advanced ML technologies
– difficult to track tests when using numerous frameworks and dependencies
QMetry– end-to-end traceability
– AI-powered search
– full support for test automation popular frameworks and CI/CD testing tools
– expensive
– complex to use
Allure Report– clear and visually appealing reports of test results
– customization features to adjust reports
– not as comprehensive as a full test management tool
Qase– a unified platform for QA testing
– provides reports from both manual and automatic tests
– Jira integration
– modern interface
– limited customization options
Zephyr Alternatives 2024: comparison table

Frequently Asked Questions about Zephyr Alternatives

Katarzyna Kornaga

Katarzyna is a Content Specialist, responsible for writing on the Deviniti blog. As an SEO enthusiast, most of all she values helpful, unique content where users can find answers to their questions. When not writing, you can find her at the theatre, at home with a good non-fiction book, or passing on city streets on her bike.

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