Good ratings in Google Play and the Amazon App store are the lifeblood of a successful app. Top-rated apps in Google Play are frequently featured on the front page.  One way you get such prominence is to test, and test well. Testing on all available device configurations can be difficult and expensive if you have to acquire the hardware yourself. Reaching Beta users before launch can be equally daunting. One way to shorten the time between Beta and Production with crowdsourced app testing. Organized crowdsourcing can give you a large amount of feedback in a short time.  Don't already have a loyal social media following and large email list? No problem. We live in the future, so it's no surprise that there are services that specialize in crowdsourced app testing. Here's some that I like:
  • App Lover: Community based early adopters volunteer to test your apps and give feedback.  App Lover's goal is to give developers access to hundreds of different phone configurations.  Apps are reviewed for functional fitness and checked for viruses and malware before being released to the beta testing community. App Lover beta testing services are free.
  • Apphance: This platform requires developers to invite testers after registering the app. There is no associated community or tester sign up. Developer sign up is free and testing for up to five devices per month is free. A basic plan, up to 15 devices, starts at $19 per month. Apphance records crash data and includes issue-tracking integration as well as version control and pretty stat charts.
  • uTest: Web and native app testing are available through this paid service.  Test your cross-platform app across devices and get feedback all in one place. Freelance testers for U test are rated based on initial screening and a functional testing audition. Testers must complete the initial functional test before they are allowed to take paid assignments. (Disclaimer: I'm a uTest tester.)
  • Beta Bait: This listing service connects beta testers with startups who need feedback on Web services and apps. No beta testing takes place directly from the site. Instead,  interested testers are sent directly to your landing page for sign up, or given the option to email start ups/app developers. This is not an app-specific testing option but it's still worth listing your app for feedback.
Early adopters, like me, enjoy using new technology and giving feedback. Harness the power of early adopters with one or all of these services to help make your app great. If you have had a good experience with these services, tell me about it in the comments below. Related Links