10 Best Software Testing Certification to Go for Now

Software testing is a crucial step in software development. It ensures that the software product delivers everything that it is supposed to be. Manual and automation testing are two main forms of software testing. Nonetheless, it is further divided into many types.

As the world becomes more and more inclined towards digitalization, the importance of software development also increases. Hence, it is an opportune time to enter or advance in software testing.

In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 best software testing certification courses that will help you start or advance in your software testing career.

So, let’s get started.

10 Best Software Testing Certification Courses

Here is a list of the best software testing certifications that help you showcase your expertise in software testing.

1. ISTQB Foundation Level Certification (CTFL)

By : ASTQB (American Software Testing Qualifications Board)

Level : Beginners

Prerequisites : None

ISTQB stands for International Software Testing Qualifications Board. It is a globally recognized provider of software testing certifications. Its one of the most popular offerings is CTFL or ISTQB Foundation Level Certification.

Since this is a beginner-level software testing certification, there aren’t any prerequisites required. ISTQB offers free study material that helps candidates prepare for the CTFL exam. Moreover, it offers sample exams that candidates can take to experience the real examination.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• This is an ideal certification for beginners in software testing.
• Clearing the CTFL exam will add you to the Official List of Certified Software Testers and the ISTQB Successful Candidate Register.

You can sign up for this certification here .

2. Certified Software Tester: (CSTE)

By : ISCB (International Software Certifications Board)

Level: Professionals with some experience

Prerequisites : A 4-year professional degree and 2-year experience in IT or a 3-year professional degree and 3-year experience in IT or a 2-year professional degree and 4-year experience in IT or 6-year experience in IT and have worked within the previous 18 months or is working in the field of the certification program.

This is one of the most popular software testing certifications. The Certified Software Tester certification from ISCB is recognized by major firms and thus, it is a great way to boost your career and land a dream job in any organization that caters services to customers across the globe.

A CSTE-certified professional is competent in the practices and principles of quality control. The fee for the complete software testing certification is 350USD or 420USD.

The fees include the CSTE exam fee and provide access to STBOK (Software Testing Body of Knowledge for CSTE). It is a 557-page PDF that contains all the necessary information for clearing the CSTE exam.

Paying $420 will get you an additional paperback version of STBOK. Please note that the candidates need to take the exam within 1 year from the date the payment is processed.

The exams are available at Pearson Vue Testing Centers. There are a total of two exams. Part 1 contains 100 multiple-choice questions and Part 2 contains 12 essay/short answer questions. 75 minutes is given for each exam and a 10-minute break is given between the two exams.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• It is a globally recognized software testing certification.
• You can take the exam within 1 year of payment processing.

3. ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst

By : ASTQB

For : Professionals

Prerequisites : ISTQB Foundation Level Certification (CTFL)

It is one of the many specialist testing certifications offered by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board. ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst demonstrates that the candidate has a strong commitment to software testing and has required advanced software testing skills to be a top-notch test analyst.

This is an ideal software testing certification for candidates who are already working in software testing to further advance in their careers. Bagging this certification will help candidates to get salary hikes and job promotions.

It has a vast syllabus that covers the role of testing in SDLC , test analysis and design, and testing techniques. The software testing certification also encompasses experience-based testing techniques, test tools, and the role of automation in software testing.

Candidates can either take the exam as part of an accredited training course or independently at an exam center.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• In addition to the free syllabus, the official website also offers free sample questions with answers.
• The software testing certification offers the flexibility of taking the exam from your home or at a testing center.

Register here to get started with the certification.

4. Certified Manager of Software Testing: (CMST)

By : ISCB

For : Experienced professionals

Prerequisites : A bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution and 4 years of experience in professional software testing or an associate degree and 6 years of experience in software testing or 8 years of experience in software testing. Having a CSTE certification is recommended but not required.

The next software testing certification on our list is Certified Manager of Software Testing by ISCB. The CMST certification is intended for experienced candidates looking to enter managerial and administrative levels in software testing.

This certification ensures that the candidate is well-versed in the principles of software testing essential to managing software testing teams. The CMST exam includes test management, test analysis, test planning and execution, and communications and relationships.

Candidates need to pay $450 to appear in the CMST certification exam. Successful payment for CMST will get candidates a 609-page PDF file of Software Testing Body of Knowledge for CMST that contains the exam syllabus and other useful information.

In order to be certified for CMST, candidates need to appear and clear two examinations, namely Part 1 and Part 2. The exams include 7 and 5 constructed response/essay-type questions, respectively. These exams are offered at Pearson Vue Testing Centers.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• ISCB is one of the leading providers of software testing certifications.
• Candidates have 1 year to prepare for the certification exam after the payment is processed.

5. ISTQB Agile Testing Certification

By : ASTQB

For : Beginners

Prerequisites : ISTQB Foundation Level Certification (CTFL)

The ISTQB Agile Testing Certification is another leading software testing certification that a beginner can go for. Appropriate for software testers interested in the agile methodology , it requires candidates to have the CTFL certification.

It ensures that the candidate has a robust understanding of agile software testing and related concepts. The software testing certification also assures that the candidate possesses the ability to communicate clearly with other members of an agile team.

ISTQB Agile Testing is ideal for anyone looking to develop a deeper understanding of software testing in the context of agile workflows. It is intended for:

• Entry-level testers interested in agile testing.
• Experienced testers in traditional software development methodologies.
• Experienced developers with some knowledge of Agile projects.
• Working as test analysts, test managers, user acceptance testers, and software developers.

The exam for the software testing certification includes 40 multiple-choice questions. Candidates are given 60 minutes to complete the exam, and the minimum passing score is 65%. The exam fee is $199.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• It is an ideal software testing certification for candidates looking to work in agile environments.
• A free retake of the exam is available.

Enroll here to get this certification.

6. Certified Agile Software Test Professional - Practitioner Level (CASTP-P)

By : IIST (International Institute for Software Testing)

For : Professionals with some experience

Prerequisites : At least 1-year experience of working in software testing and having the CSTP-A (Certified Software Test Professional - Associate) certification.

The CASTP-P certification is an advanced-level certification from IIST. This software testing certification ensures a candidate’s ability in 4 areas:

1. Best Practices in Software Test Planning and Design
2. Agile Software Development Methods
3. Discovering, Analyzing and Managing Requirements in Agile Projects
4. Designing and Executing Tests in Agile Projects

The software testing certification is ideal for software testers interested in gaining the required skills to work in agile environments. It is also suitable for test leads and software testing managers intending to oversee agile projects.

Candidates interested in the CASTP-P certification need to take three modules that are also offered online. These are:

1. Agile Software Development Methods
2. Discovering Analyzing and Managing Requirements in Agile Projects
3. Designing and Executing Testing in Agile Projects

Taking all three courses costs $975, and the candidate is required to pass each exam with at least an 80% score. The fee for retaking an exam is $100.

Highlights :

• Certification of completion is available for completing every module of the software testing certification program.
• The training program is also available for organizational teams of 8 or more.

You can register for the certification here .

7. ASTQB Mobile Testing

By : ASTQB

For : Beginners

Prerequisites : None

Mobile has become the leading platform today, outshining desktop. This is a beginner-level software testing certification from ASTQB. It assures that the candidate has the required knowledge and skills to perform mobile app testing , mobile device testing, and tablet testing.

The ASTQB Mobile Testing certification covers an array of mobile testing and software testing areas, including an introduction to mobile testing, test planning and design, quality characteristics for mobile testing, environment and tools, and simulators and emulators.

Candidates are free to prepare on their own or opt for one of the suitable mobile testing courses offered by ASTQB accredited training providers.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• ASTQB Mobile Testing is ideal for candidates looking to bag entry-level jobs in mobile testing.
• Taking this certification exam via ASTQB and AT*SQA will get you points towards Testing Tiers software tester ranking.
• There is a range of exam preparation options available.

You can sign up for the certification here .

8. ISTQB Advanced Test Manager

By : ASTQB

For : Professionals

Prerequisites : ISTQB Foundation Level Certification (CTFL)

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager is an advanced-level software testing certification that ensures that a candidate has advanced software testing skills and the ability to lead a software testing team. The fees for taking the ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification exam is $295.

In this certification exam, you will not encounter direct questions; instead, scenario-based. Therefore, you need to carefully understand the given conditions.

This software testing certification has a vast syllabus that includes:

1. Testing Processes
2. Test Management
3. Reviews
4. Defect Management
5. Improving the Testing Process
6. Test Tools and Automation
7. People Skills - Team Composition

To prepare for the software testing certification exam, an optional ASTQB-accredited software training course is available. Candidates can choose to either opt for it or prepare on their own. As this is an advanced-level certification, most questions asked in the exam are experience-based.

Exam Details

Highlights :

• Clearing the exam will not only help you to advance in your software testing career but also make you appear on the official ISTQB/ASTQB certification list.
• You can take the certification exam online from the convenience of your home.

Get your certification by registering here .

9. Certified Software Test Automation Specialist (CSTAS)

By : IIST

Level : Expert

Prerequisites : At least 2 years of experience in professional software testing or a CSTE or CSTP-A or ISTQB foundation level (CTFL) certification.

The last exam on our list of the best software testing certification programs is CSTAS offered by International Institute for Software Testing. It is an expert-level software testing certification that stands for Certified Software Test Automation Specialist.

Bagging the certification requires candidates to fulfill two requirements. The first requirement is a formal education requirement. According to it, the candidate must complete 4 days of training, which each day for:

• Area #1 - Test Design for Automated Test Execution
• Area #2 - Introduction to Test Automation
• Area #3 - Scripting Methods and Techniques
• In an area related to test automation

These are available as online courses, a link to which is available on the official page of CSTAS. The minimum passing score for these exams is 80%. Candidates can give one reattempt for $100.

The second requirement is a job experience requirement. For this, the candidate must demonstrate working knowledge of at least 1 commercial functional test automation tool for a minimum duration of 2 years. This is fulfilled by submitting a signed statement from the candidate’s manager/supervisor.

Highlights :

• The software testing certification is valid for 3 years. The recertification must be completed before the certification expiration date.
• It is an ideal certification for software testing professionals looking to gain better career opportunities in automation testing.

Get started with the certification here .

10. Advanced Level Security Tester

By: ISTQB

Level: Advanced

Prerequisites: A valid ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification and 3 years of related practical and consulting experience

This advanced-level security testing certification is ideal for professionals with several years of experience and are desiring to take one step ahead in their careers. It validates professionals for their expertise in planning, performing, and assessing security tests by keeping vulnerabilities, risks, and an organization’s policy in mind.

An individual who holds the Advanced Level Security Tester certification is capable of:

• Helping organizations to create security awareness.
• Analyzing and documenting security test requirements.
• Assessing previously developed security test suites and adding new security tests to them.
• Finding out security test objectives for projects.

Exam Details

Highlights:

• Accredited training providers offer training for this certification via classroom or virtual mode.
• This certification is ideal for professionals looking to advance their careers in security testing.

You can enroll for the certification here .

Conclusion

That sums up our list of the best 10 software testing certification programs. Software development is a continuously evolving area, and since software testing is a part of it, it is also evolving.

It is important to stay up-to-date to stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of software testing. Hence, these courses will not only help you to gain an advantage in your career but will also help you better understand the different, new and old aspects of testing software.

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