Differences between Manual Testing and Automated Testing are listed below:
| Criteria | Manual Testing | Automated Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Manual Testing is a method of testing whereby software is tested manually (by a human). | Automated Testing is a method of testing whereby software is tested with the help of scripts and tools. |
| User Perspective | Manual Testing is closer to a real-life scenario since the end-users of the software are almost always humans. | Automated Testing does not take into account human perspectives and feelings. |
| Accuracy / Reliability | Manual Testing is error-prone: As they say “To err is human …”, the chance of missing a test or executing it incorrectly is very high in manual testing. One can be lazy, sleepy, upset, or simply stupid. | Automated Testing is less prone to error: Unlike humans, scripts and tools do not make mistakes (provided that they have been setup right in the first place) because machines do not blink or take coffee breaks. |
| Flexibility | Manual Testing is more flexible: As requirements change and the software evolves frequently, humans can easily adapt their testing. | Unlike humans, who can easily adapt to many situations (like requirement change overload), test automation scripts are not easily adaptable. |
| Initial Cost | Manual Testing is less expensive to start with: All it takes to start with manual testing is a sane human being. Of course, for a reliable manual testing, you would want a well-trained human. | Automated Testing is expensive to implement: Initially, the investment in test automation tools and experienced test automation engineers can be costly. |
| Long Run Cost | In the long run, specially in large projects and labor-intensive testing, Manual Testing can be very costly compared to Automated Testing. | Automated Testing can be cost-effective in the long run: The efficiency and reliability achieved by test automation ultimately saves a lot of cost. |
| Scalability | Readying a thousand manual testers overnight for, say, performance testing is almost impossible. | Automated Testing facilitates multiple iterations of test execution (say, ten thousand users for performance testing) within a short period of time. |
| Visibility | If the tester fails to document test execution and test results, there is no evidence that Manual Testing was conducted. | Automated Testing normally has built-in test execution and test results reporting. |
| Programming Knowledge | Manual Testing does not require programming knowledge. | Automated Testing requires programming knowledge and experience. (Record and Play test automation is an exception |
| Uses | Manual Testing is useful in the following levels / types of tests:
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Automated Testing is useful in the following levels / types of tests:
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Last Updated on September 4, 2020 by STF