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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
What do you pick for Enterprise and SMB?
aqua and TestRail are modern test management solutions that target companies of various sizes. They have seemingly similar pricing, but do you also get the same value?
Key differences between aqua and TestRail
aqua offers free AI across the full QA lifecycle, not just test case generation
aqua has a native bug recording tool that TestRail lacks
aqua suits regulated industries better as compliance features come standard on all plans
How we compare
AI
AI in test management is moving fast, and baseline features are no longer enough. A well-developed AI-powered test management solution should go beyond simple generation and actively support your entire QA workflow. Here is what to look for:
- Analyse your workspace to get QA context
- Create test cases, defects, and even requirements from a plain text description
- Complete test case drafts
For years, AI in QA meant little more than pixel comparison in UI tools. aqua changed that by integrating GPT-based assistance before it became mainstream, giving testers context-aware generation tied directly to their own project data. You can create tests from a text description, upload images or PDFs, and ask the Intelligence to complete or refine drafts. TestRail entered the AI space in September 2025 with Sembi IQ and has kept building since, adding automation script generation, an AI evaluation template, and AI test prioritisation in release 10.5. All of it runs on Cloud only, so On-Premise teams get none of it.
Verdict: aqua wins on AI breadth across requirements, tests, and test data, while TestRail's AI stays on the creation side and never reaches On-Premise deployments.
Test management
Test management is the core reason to compare these tools. Beyond creating and running tests, you should look for traceability, compliance logging, and flexible organisation. Here is what a well-rounded solution should include:
- Create, execute, share, and manage test cases in the workspace
- Group tests into test scenarios, segment them into folders, assign labels
- Quickly navigate the test suite, apply filters, use individual and shared views
- See the entire execution history for a test case
- Store a full log of changes for compliance
- Visualise requirements coverage and dependencies
aqua and TestRail both handle the fundamentals well. You can create and run tests, store execution history, and navigate your test suite efficiently. The sharpest difference is what each plan includes. TestRail reserves compliance features like audit logs, test case approvals, and version control for Enterprise subscribers, which creates a pricing problem for smaller teams with regulatory requirements. TestRail also has no native defect management. That means a separate tool and an additional licence are unavoidable for most teams.
Integrations
Most QA teams rely on third-party tools built up over many years. Native integrations and REST API access are essential to stay independent and connect your stack efficiently. Here is what a strong integration offering looks like:
- Native integrations with test automation tools
- Integrations with Selenium, Jenkins, JMeter, SoapUI, Ranorex
- Jira integration and/or Jira plugin
- REST API support for integrating any tool
- Native bug reporting or test recording tool
Both tools rely on third-party frameworks for test automation execution. aqua covers a wider range of native QA tool connections, while TestRail routes many integrations through REST API configuration. TestRail has grown its ecosystem to include GitHub, GitLab, CircleCI, Bitbucket, Playwright, and Azure DevOps. aqua includes native Capture integration, a one-click bug recording tool that automatically logs execution context. Some users note that aqua does not cover every tool in their stack, so verifying specific needs before committing is worth doing.
Pricing flexibility
Pricing structures vary widely across test management tools. Looking beyond the headline number for hidden costs and licence flexibility is essential. Key criteria to evaluate include:
- Monthly or annual billing options
- Free licences for stakeholders or read-only users
- Transparent public pricing vs. contact-sales model
- Dependency on paying for additional tools
Both platforms offer free setup with no onboarding costs. The key differences lie in what each plan includes at which price. TestRail reserves compliance features including audit logs, test case approvals, and version control for its Enterprise plan, meaning smaller teams pay extra to access them. aqua includes these features across plans and adds modular licensing, free Guest licences for read-only stakeholders, and a Test Runner DEV licence at 19 EUR/month for developers who only execute tests. AI Intelligence is included in all paid plans at no extra cost.
Verdict: aqua wins with modular pricing, free Guest licences, AI Intelligence included, and no Enterprise wall for compliance features.
Deployment Models
Deployment flexibility is a critical factor, especially in regulated or security-sensitive industries. Vendors do not always make their options obvious, so checking carefully is worthwhile. The key deployment types to look for are:
- Vendor-hosted Cloud
- External Cloud deployment (AWS, Azure, etc.)
- On-Premise deployment
- AI feature availability across deployment types
aqua and TestRail both support Cloud and On-Premise deployments. You can stay in the vendor’s cloud, choose a third-party data centre, or host on your own server. One shared limitation applies to both platforms: AI features are Cloud-only. On-Premise users will not have access to AI assistance regardless of which tool they choose. aqua adds a GDPR-compliant German-hosted Cloud option, which is a practical advantage for European teams in regulated sectors.
Dashboards
QA dashboards serve two vital purposes. They help the QA team track progress and make bottlenecks visible to the wider organisation. A strong dashboard feature set should cover the following:
- Use all workspace data including custom fields
- Create private and shared dashboards
- Choose between various graph types
- Share dashboards externally with stakeholders
- Set up KPI alerts via email or in-app notifications
Both solutions offer visual dashboards for slicing and displaying custom data. The feature sets are broad enough to serve any team member well. aqua adds KPI Alerts, notifying you when a tracked metric goes outside a defined range. This is useful for distributed teams that cannot monitor dashboards in real time. TestRail does not offer KPI Alerts. External sharing is also limited to iframe embedding in tools like Confluence, with no direct stakeholder link or dedicated view available.
Reporting
Reporting matters for both internal teams and external stakeholders. The goal is to get the insights you need with minimal manual effort. A mature reporting system should provide the following:
- Access a vendor-provided template library
- Create custom layouts and save them
- Use and transform any data source
- Apply text and image formatting
- Employ scripts and parametrisation to auto-update reports
aqua includes a fully customisable Report Wizard where you can organise any workspace data, add external images and text, and build self-updating diagrams driven by custom scripts. TestRail provides template-based reporting that covers the most common QA metrics well. Going beyond the built-in templates requires building plugins, and features like pivot tables, drag-and-drop layout, and external data are not available without that added effort. For teams that need reporting flexibility, the gap between the two tools is significant.
User management
Precise user management is essential when working across multiple projects or with external specialists such as freelancers and UAT participants. A well-structured permission model should support the following:
- Set default roles
- Create custom roles
- Apply per-user permissions
- Authenticate users via SSO
- Manage access at server and project level
Granular permissions matter most when teams span multiple projects or include external contributors. Basic roles work for simple setups, but gaps appear quickly when individual-level control becomes necessary. aqua provides SSO, custom roles, and project-level admin controls across all plans. TestRail offers the same capabilities, but SSO, custom roles, and project administrator permissions are gated behind the Enterprise plan. Teams on the Professional plan pay the full per-seat price without access to these features. aqua’s interface is available in English and German only, which may be a constraint for broader international teams.
ALM
A test management solution that covers the wider product lifecycle can significantly reduce tool costs and integration overhead. While not always a requirement, full ALM coverage in a single platform is worth evaluating. Look for:
- Test case management
- Requirements management
- Defect management
- Project management
aqua covers the full product lifecycle in a single platform. TestRail focuses on QA only and depends on external tools such as Jira to handle requirements, defects, and project management. For teams already committed to Jira, that arrangement works well. For teams looking to reduce tool count and integration maintenance, paying for TestRail plus a separate defect tracker adds cost without adding integration quality. aqua’s defect workflow customisation is more limited than a dedicated tracker, which is worth noting for teams with complex defect processes.
What people say
Here are a few things people like and dislike about both tools.
“I was surprised to find such a comprehensive and mature tool for test management in the German market without having taken it seriously beforehand.”
Jörg Großmann
Head of Development at Bank 11
“For day-to-day test management of my project — I am able to do a lot of things. Test cases are reusable and I can report on some of their data. The UI is a little clunky, the documentation is not super helpful, and the reports are not as customizable as I would like. I'd also like to be able to build out a tracking dashboard for one or more projects.”
A G2 reviewer
Broadcast Media (51-1000 emp.)
“The reporting is meaningful and provides a good basis for decisions. After the employees have used aqua, they recognize the added value very quickly.”
Thomas Haeske
Head of Organisation/IT at Berlin Hyp
“Not user friendly, it's confusing and not always helpful. The audit trail for each defect doesn't do a good job of recording past history and hence, data becomes hard to analyse.”
Suchismita Majhi
Associate IT Consultant (a > 1000 emp. Enterprise)
“Manual test cases are easily automated with aqua. Seamless integration with test automation tools helps here.”
Jörn-Hendrick Sörensen
Test Manager at KBA
“Sometimes bugs go unfixed for a long amount of time. There was one with uploading pictures that hindered us for a bit and now one with filtering. Reporting is also lacking a bit, I would like to see the ability to create my own reports. There is also no easy way to connect test reports with the browser stack that we use for our automated testing.“
Jessica W.
Computer Analyst (51-1000 emp.)
“I was surprised to find such a comprehensive and mature tool for test management in the German market without having taken it seriously beforehand.”
Jörg Großmann
Head of Development at Bank 11
“The reporting is meaningful and provides a good basis for decisions. After the employees have used aqua, they recognize the added value very quickly.”
Thomas Haeske
Head of Organisation/IT at Berlin Hyp
“Manual test cases are easily automated with aqua. Seamless integration with test automation tools helps here.”
Jörn-Hendrick Sörensen
Test Manager at KBA
“For day-to-day test management of my project — I am able to do a lot of things. Test cases are reusable and I can report on some of their data. The UI is a little clunky, the documentation is not super helpful, and the reports are not as customizable as I would like. I'd also like to be able to build out a tracking dashboard for one or more projects.”
A G2 reviewer
Broadcast Media (51-1000 emp.)
“Not user friendly, it's confusing and not always helpful. The audit trail for each defect doesn't do a good job of recording past history and hence, data becomes hard to analyse.”
Suchismita Majhi
Associate IT Consultant (a > 1000 emp. Enterprise)
“Sometimes bugs go unfixed for a long amount of time. There was one with uploading pictures that hindered us for a bit and now one with filtering. Reporting is also lacking a bit, I would like to see the ability to create my own reports. There is also no easy way to connect test reports with the browser stack that we use for our automated testing.“
Jessica W.
Computer Analyst (51-1000 emp.)
Final verdict
aqua is a proven and constantly evolving solution. It brings AI Intelligence, does not hide essential features behind an Enterprise plan, and offers native defect tracking and full ALM coverage. TestRail focuses on test management only and locks compliance features, parameterisation, and granular permissions behind its Enterprise tier. For teams in regulated industries or those looking for a full lifecycle platform, aqua delivers significantly more value. Migration from TestRail is available with one click, preserving test cases, attachments, and project hierarchy automatically.
Winner
FAQ
Can I migrate from TestRail to aqua without losing my project structure?
Yes, aqua provides an automated migration tool that preserves test cases, attachments, and project hierarchy for a seamless transition from TestRail.
What are the disadvantages of TestRail compared to aqua?
TestRail lacks native defect management, full ALM features, AI Intelligence, and advanced compliance in non-Enterprise plans. It also offers fewer native integrations and no free licences for read-only users.
How does aqua address regulated industry requirements compared to TestRail?
aqua includes compliance features such as audit logs and test case approvals natively across plans, while TestRail limits these to Enterprise. AI Intelligence is also included in all paid plans at no extra cost, covering test generation and requirements analysis.
How do aqua and TestRail compare on AI in 2026?
Both have AI, and the difference is reach. TestRail added AI in September 2025 through Sembi IQ and now covers test case generation, BDD scenarios, automation script generation, and test prioritisation, all on TestRail Cloud only. aqua Intelligence works across requirements, test cases, and test data, and generates from images, PDFs, and voice input as well as typed text. Neither tool executes automated tests with AI. Teams on an On-Premise deployment get no AI from either vendor, so that question comes down to which features you lose.
Is aqua cheaper than TestRail per user?
It depends on which features your team needs. TestRail Professional is 37 USD per seat each month and TestRail Enterprise is 74 USD, exactly double, sold on annual billing only. aqua starts at 89 EUR per month on annual billing for Test Management. The comparison changes once compliance enters the picture, because single sign-on, audit logs, and approvals require TestRail Enterprise while aqua includes them in the standard plan. aqua also adds a Test Runner DEV licence at 19 EUR for developers who only execute tests, and unlimited free Guest licences for read-only stakeholders.
Which features does aqua include that TestRail keeps on its Enterprise plan?
Single sign-on, audit logging, test case approvals, version control, test parameterisation, custom roles, project administrator permissions, cross-project reporting, and the IP allow list. TestRail places all nine on Enterprise, at double the per-seat price of Professional. aqua includes every one of them in the standard plan. For a team in banking, insurance, or medical devices, that list is not optional, which makes the higher TestRail tier effectively mandatory.
Does aqua or TestRail have native defect tracking?
aqua does, TestRail does not. TestRail manages test cases and connects to external trackers such as Jira, so defects live in a separate tool on a separate licence, and requirements usually sit in Confluence or Jira alongside them. aqua covers test management, requirements management, and defect management in one platform, and adds aqua Capture for one-click bug recording with execution context attached. Teams switching from TestRail typically retire two subscriptions and the integration work between them.
aqua or TestRail for regulated industries under GDPR and DORA?
aqua carries two advantages here. Compliance features come in the standard plan instead of the Enterprise tier, and the platform is ISO 27001 certified with GDPR-compliant German cloud hosting. TestRail added regional data residency in release 10.1, so new customers can now choose where their data sits, though existing instances cannot switch region and the compliance feature set still requires Enterprise. For teams already running TestRail in a regulated sector, both the region and the tier are the practical blockers.
How long does migration from TestRail to aqua take?
Most teams finish in a day. Migration runs through an automated tool that preserves test cases, attachments, and project hierarchy, so there is no need to rebuild folder structures or re-import attachments by hand. Free Guest licences bring stakeholders back into the new workspace at no extra cost, and aqua imports requirements as well, which TestRail never held natively.
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