uTest

uTest operates as the professional testing community brand within Applause App Quality, Inc., functioning as a pivotal player in the crowdsourced digital quality and testing market. Founded in August 2007 by Doron Reuveni and Roy Solomon, the company was established with an initial $2.3 million in seed funding. The founders identified a market need for 'in-the-wild' software testing, a method that utilizes a global and diverse group of testers to evaluate digital products in real-world conditions. Reuveni, with a background in computer science and experience scaling a tech company, and Solomon, who conceived the idea of crowdsourced testing, combined their expertise to launch the venture. Their concept was quickly validated, securing letters of intent from clients before the platform was even fully built.

The company's business model is centered on providing comprehensive digital quality assurance services to enterprise clients. These clients engage uTest for a variety of testing needs, including functional, usability, localization, and load testing for web and mobile applications. uTest sells its services in packages, which typically involve several rounds of testing for a flat price per round, supplemented by a SaaS charge for access to its platform where testers submit bugs and results. This platform connects clients with a vast network of over 1.5 million freelance testers from more than 200 countries and territories. This global community has access to over 10 million devices, ensuring comprehensive coverage across numerous operating systems, languages, and real-world environments.

For its community members, uTest provides a platform to earn money by participating in paid testing projects for world-renowned brands. Testers are matched with projects based on their profile, devices, and demographic information. Payouts are project-based, and testers are compensated for approved bug reports and completed tasks. To support its community, uTest offers a free educational resource called the uTest Academy, which provides courses and training to help individuals develop their software testing skills. A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in 2014 when uTest rebranded its corporate identity to Applause to reflect a broader focus on 360-degree app quality. This strategic move was accompanied by the acquisition of Testhub, a German crowdtesting firm, to establish a European headquarters and expand its global footprint. uTest continues to operate as the community-facing brand under the Applause umbrella.

Keywords: crowdsourced testing, software testing, quality assurance, freelance testers, bug reporting, usability testing, functional testing, mobile app testing, web testing, localization testing, load testing, real-world testing, digital quality, in-the-wild testing, test automation, user feedback, beta testing, QA services, test platform, Applause, Doron Reuveni, Roy Solomon