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Product
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Solutions
Bankingaqua ALM helps banks increase testing productivity by over 50%
InsuranceConsistent testing with aqua ensures robust insurance software that increases retention
ManufacturingUsing aqua helps an IoT manufacturer save 3% of revenue by reducing production defects
Governmentaqua paves the way for digital transformation with a portfolio of 7 government organisations
Tech companiesaqua helps reach a defect detection ratio of 98% with thorough and efficient testing
Medicalaqua proudly serves 10+ enterprise medical companies to level up their QA -
Resources
BlogTips & tricks on how to manage testing process effectively and speed up releases
aqua wikiDetailed information on aqua capabilities, functionality and features
Product updatesDescription of our newest features and their value to QA teams
Success storiesCompanies that want to keep up with digital change trust in aqua
Product FAQFast answers to the most important product questions
Data centersExplore our infrastructure & global locations
Which TMS Is the Best for You?
aqua and QMetry are both enterprise-grade test management platforms used across industries. Their feature lists may look similar at a glance, but the underlying architectures differ in ways that matter day-to-day. aqua is a standalone QA-first ALM that operates independently of Jira, covering the full QA lifecycle with RAG-grounded AI, native custom reporting, and true On-Premise deployment. QMetry is a Jira-integrated solution with strong CI/CD and automation integrations, best suited to teams already in the Atlassian ecosystem.
Key differences between aqua and QMetry
aqua offers RAG-grounded AI Copilot across the full QA lifecycle, free on all Cloud plans
aqua includes native custom reporting built inside the platform
aqua includes free Guest licences and low-cost Test Runner DEV licences with no third-party subscription required
How we compare
AI
AI in test management has moved well beyond basic test generation. A well-rounded AI solution should function as a context-aware copilot across the full QA workflow. Here is what to look for:
- AI grounded in your actual project documentation, not generic templates
- Test case generation from text, images, voice notes, or PDFs
- Requirements and test data generation
- Automatic test suite updates when requirements change
- Support for multiple methodologies including BDD
aqua’s AI Copilot uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), grounded in your actual project documentation. It covers requirements generation, test case creation, test data creation, and BDD output, all included free on Cloud plans. Teams report saving over 12.8 hours per week per tester. QMetry delivers AI through QMetry Intelligence (QI): test case generation from user stories, flaky test detection with a “Flaky Score” and “Success Rate” metric, AI-powered search, and duplicate test asset prediction. These capabilities are available on QTM4J and the standalone Enterprise product.
Verdict: aqua wins. Its RAG-grounded AI Copilot covers the full QA lifecycle for free, including requirements and test data generation not available in QMetry. QMetry leads on flaky test detection.
Test management
Test management is the core reason to compare these tools. Beyond creating and running tests, look for traceability, compliance logging, and flexible organisation. Here is what a well-rounded solution should include:
- Create, execute, share, and manage test cases across the workspace
- Group tests into suites and cycles with folder structures
- Store a full audit log of changes for compliance
- Support reusable shared test steps and data parameterisation
- Visualise requirements coverage and item traceability
- Configure custom QA workflows to match your team's process
Both tools handle test management fundamentals well. QMetry offers test case versioning, exploratory testing via a Chrome extension, native BDD support with a Gherkin editor, data parameterisation for reuse, and modular reusable test steps. aqua adds configurable QA workflows, shared views for team collaboration, nested test cases, and change reversal across all plans.
Integrations
Most QA teams rely on third-party tools built up over many years. Native integrations and REST API access are essential for staying independent. Here is what a strong integration offering looks like:
- Native integrations with test automation and CI/CD tools
- Jira integration with real-time synchronisation
- REST API for connecting any tool in your stack
- Version control system sync for BDD and test authoring
- Native bug recording or test capture tool
Both tools offer Jira integration and REST API access. QMetry supports native integration with Cucumber, Selenium, Appium, JUnit, TestNG, Robot Framework, UFT, and SpecFlow. It connects to CI/CD pipelines via Jenkins, Bamboo, Maven, Gradle, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, CircleCI, and Azure DevOps. BDD feature file sync is supported directly from version control systems including GitHub, GitLab, SVN, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps. aqua covers Selenium, Jenkins, UFT, JMeter, SoapUI, and Ranorex natively. The native Capture tool adds one-click bug recording with video, screenshots, and technical context attached automatically.
Pricing flexibility
Pricing structures vary widely across test management tools. Looking beyond the headline number for hidden costs and licence flexibility matters. Key criteria include:
- Free licences for stakeholders or read-only users
- Low-cost licence types for manual testers
- Transparent public pricing
- No dependency on paying for additional third-party tools
- Compliance features without expensive add-ons
aqua’s Test Management and Requirement Management modules are each €89/month per user, billed annually (€119/month billed monthly). The Test Runner DEV licence is available at €19/month (annual) / €29/month (monthly) — designed for developers and testers who execute tests but are not involved in test or requirement management. Free unlimited Guest licences are included on every plan. The aqua Suite, which bundles all modules for Private Cloud or On-Premise deployment, is available at €99/month. No Jira subscription is required. QMetry’s standalone Enterprise product uses contact-for-pricing. QTM4J is available on the Atlassian Marketplace with per-user pricing, and all QTM4J users also need a Jira licence. QMetry offers an eSignature module aligned with 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, available as part of the Enterprise tier.
Verdict: aqua wins. No Jira subscription is required, pricing is transparent per module, and free Guest licences are included on all plans.
Deployment Models
Deployment flexibility matters for regulated or security-sensitive industries. Key deployment types to look for:
- Vendor-hosted Cloud SaaS
- Self-hosted or On-Premise deployment
- Data centre region selection for data residency
- Independence from third-party infrastructure
aqua has supported On-Premise deployment for over a decade, with customers in banking, insurance, and government. GDPR-compliant German-hosted Cloud and Enterprise Custom Cloud on any Azure data centre are also available. AI Copilot is Cloud-only. QMetry’s standalone Enterprise product supports both SaaS and On-Premise/Server deployment. QTM4J runs on Jira Cloud and Data Center. QMetry’s AI features are available on Cloud; availability on Data Center or On-Premise may vary by version.
Dashboards
QA dashboards help teams track progress and make bottlenecks visible to the wider organisation. A strong dashboard offering should include:
- Display workspace data including custom fields
- Private and shared dashboards
- Multiple chart and visualisation types
- External sharing without a login
- Proactive alerting when key metrics change
aqua provides fully customisable dashboards with multiple graph types and KPI Alerts. When a tracked metric goes outside a defined range, alerts are sent via email or in-app notification. Dashboards can be shared externally without a login. QMetry Enterprise supports custom dashboards with drag-and-drop gadget management, co-owner sharing, and embedded URL sharing outside QMetry. In QTM4J, dashboard gadgets are available via Jira and Confluence integration.
Reporting
Reporting is important for both internal and external stakeholders. The goal here is to get what you need with as little or as much effort as possible. When a tool offers both a template library and rich customisation, that is a good start.
- Vendor-provided template library
- Fully custom report layouts built natively in the tool
- Use and transform any workspace data in reports
- Export for audit or compliance evidence
QMetry includes 30+ off-the-shelf reports, dashboard gadgets, a Document Generator, Confluence integration, and an advanced query reporting module with SQL-based custom reports. PDF export is available for test execution and test cases. aqua’s reporting engine is fully native. Any data can be dragged into a report, custom formatting applied, external imagery added, and pivot tables or scripts used. Templates are saved and reused inside the platform without switching tools.
User management
Precise user management is essential when working on multiple projects and/or working with external specialists. It will also save you a lot of pain from running crowd testing in the same test management solution.
- Default and custom roles with granular permissions
- Per-user and per-group permission assignment
- SSO authentication
- Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning
QMetry supports LDAP and SSO, custom roles, module-level granular permissions assignable per user or group, and SCIM 2.0 for automated provisioning and deprovisioning via identity providers such as Okta. aqua provides individual per-user permission overrides, SSO via SAML and LDAP (included in the aqua Suite), and both server-level and project-level administrators.
ALM
This is not a hard requirement, but you may be interested in a test management solution that also handles the entire product lifecycle. This is a great money saver as you need licences from fewer vendors, and the synergy should save you some hours as well.
- Test case management
- Requirements management
- End-to-end traceability between requirements, tests, and results
- Project management
Both tools cover the full product lifecycle. aqua is purpose-built as a QA-first ALM where requirements, tests, and project management coexist natively in one interface. QMetry achieves ALM coverage through its standalone Enterprise product or through Jira combined with QTM4J, with full traceability maintained via Jira issue links and QMetry’s traceability reports.
What people say
Here are a few things people like and dislike about both tools.
“Manual test cases are easily automated with aqua. Seamless integration with test automation tools helps here.”
Jörn-Hendrick Sörensen
Test Manager and KBA
“I really like the usability of the tool as a whole. I'm able to figure out the tool without much guidance which is nice to have in a test management system. However, the admin screens are a little tricky to understand. When looking at the fields it is hard to understand what should be in that field. Updating user passwords is difficult to do especially for your own username.”
Crystal H.
Sr Business Analyst
“aqua test management has a super easy-to-use web interface. One can start in minutes setting up a project and start create test cases and organise everything around their testing activities. aqua offers a great set of features which help testers to do a great job! I love the AI feature to generate test cases from the requirements section of aqua. This saves lots of time and testers as well as test managers can spend the time in more challenging details when it comes to testing.”
Daniel K.
Blogger and freelance writer
“You can organise your test cases and reuse them for other test runs. But there's a lot going on. It would be better if it was as simple as before. And also, adding test cases and putting them in test runs always end up being jumbled.”
Elah. C.
A G2 Reviewer, working with small businesses
“Manual test cases are easily automated with aqua. Seamless integration with test automation tools helps here.”
Jörn-Hendrick Sörensen
Test Manager and KBA
“aqua test management has a super easy-to-use web interface. One can start in minutes setting up a project and start create test cases and organise everything around their testing activities. aqua offers a great set of features which help testers to do a great job! I love the AI feature to generate test cases from the requirements section of aqua. This saves lots of time and testers as well as test managers can spend the time in more challenging details when it comes to testing.”
Daniel K.
Blogger and freelance writer
“I really like the usability of the tool as a whole. I'm able to figure out the tool without much guidance which is nice to have in a test management system. However, the admin screens are a little tricky to understand. When looking at the fields it is hard to understand what should be in that field. Updating user passwords is difficult to do especially for your own username.”
Crystal H.
Sr Business Analyst
“You can organise your test cases and reuse them for other test runs. But there's a lot going on. It would be better if it was as simple as before. And also, adding test cases and putting them in test runs always end up being jumbled.”
Elah. C.
A G2 Reviewer, working with small businesses
Final verdict
aqua is a QA-first ALM that operates independently, includes RAG-grounded AI Copilot across the QA lifecycle at no extra cost, supports true On-Premise deployment, and delivers fully native custom reporting. QMetry is a capable enterprise test management platform with strong CI/CD depth, version control sync, SCIM provisioning, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. It performs best for teams already invested in the Atlassian ecosystem. aqua is self-contained and QA-first; QMetry is ecosystem-native and deeply integrated with Jira.
Winner
FAQ
What are the key differences between aqua and QMetry?
aqua is a standalone QA-first ALM with RAG-grounded AI Copilot across the full testing lifecycle, true On-Premise deployment independent of any third party, and a native custom reporting engine. QMetry is an enterprise test management platform with strong Jira integration, AI-powered flaky detection, SCIM provisioning, and CI/CD depth. It is best suited to teams already in the Atlassian ecosystem.
Can I migrate from QMetry to aqua without losing my project structure?
Yes. aqua provides an automated migration tool that preserves test cases, attachments, and project hierarchy.
Does QMetry work without Jira?
Yes. QMetry Test Management Enterprise is a standalone SaaS and On-Premise product that works independently. QTM4J, the Jira plugin, requires a Jira licence for every user.
Is AI Copilot available on aqua's On-Premise deployment?
No. aqua’s AI Copilot is Cloud-only. Full On-Premise deployment remains available for teams that do not need AI features.
Does QMetry offer free licences?
QMetry offers a read-only licence type within their Enterprise product. aqua includes free unlimited Guest licences on every plan with no seat cost.
What is the Test Runner DEV licence in aqua?
The Test Runner DEV (formerly Scout) licence is a low-cost add-on at €19/month (annual) or €29/month (monthly). It is designed for developers and QA specialists who execute tests and manage bugs but do not create or manage test cases or requirements. Teams can add as many Test Runner DEV licences as needed without buying a full all-in-one licence for every team member.
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