Testaro vs Azure Test Plans
The short version: Testaro covers the same core test-management workflow as Azure Test Plans — cases, suites, runs, traceability, reporting, exploratory testing — running on the Basic Azure DevOps access level instead of the paid Test Plans add-on, and adds bring-your-own-key AI on top. It doesn't replace Azure DevOps' own automated-test execution or its Test & Feedback screen-recording extension.
Feature comparison
List prices as of mid-2026 — check Microsoft's pricing page for current numbers. Azure Test Plans column reflects Microsoft's public documentation to the best of our knowledge.
| Capability | Azure Test Plans | Testaro |
|---|---|---|
| License required | —Test Plans access level, ~$52/user/mo, on top of Basic | ✓Runs on Basic access (~$6/user/mo, first 5 free) |
| Test cases with steps | ✓ | ✓ |
| BDD / Gherkin test cases | —Not a native case type | ✓ |
| Data-driven parameters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Attachments on cases & steps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suites & test plans | ✓ | ✓ |
| Runs: pass / fail / block + step results | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared steps | ✓ | ✓Incl. nested shared steps |
| Configurations matrix | ✓ | ✓ |
| Work-item traceability & coverage | ✓Native — cases are work items | ✓Traceability + coverage matrix |
| Reporting: pass-rate, velocity, defect trend | partialBuilt-in charts; no cost-savings view | ✓Includes a cost-savings panel |
| Dashboard widget | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exploratory sessions (charter, notes, finding → bug) | partialVia the separate Test & Feedback browser extension | ✓Built in, no separate install |
| Test hygiene / staleness report | — | ✓ |
| CI results ingestion (JUnit, .trx) | partialVia Azure Pipelines' own Publish Test Results task, shown in the Pipelines Tests tab — not the Test Plans hub | ✓Ingested into Testaro's own reporting, plus a pipeline task |
| Import from TestRail, Xray/Jira, or CSV | — | ✓ |
| Import from Azure Test Plans | —n/a — it's the source | ✓Test cases + steps, read-only; keeps a link to the source work item |
| Scheduled runs as cron on your pipelines | — | ✓ |
| Public API client | ✓Azure DevOps REST API | ✓ |
| Data export/backup + restore | partialVia the REST API; no built-in backup/restore UI | ✓ |
| Audit log & OAuth-scope visibility | partialOrg-level audit log, not test-data specific | ✓Dedicated Security page |
| AI: generate cases, coverage gaps, failure triage, change-aware regression | — | ✓Bring-your-own-key, or an optional company-managed key |
Who should pick which
Stay on Azure Test Plans if…
You're already paying for Test Plans licenses and your team is deep into its pipeline-integrated automated-test execution, its native work-item-as-test-case model, or the Test & Feedback screen-recording extension. Switching tools has a real cost — if Test Plans already does the job, that's a legitimate reason to stay.
Try Testaro if…
You want full test management — manual testing, suites, runs, reporting, exploratory sessions — without buying a Test Plans license for every tester, or you want AI-assisted case generation and regression scoping using your own AI key. Free during early access, with your data staying in your own Azure DevOps org either way.
What Testaro is not
We'd rather you know this before installing than uninstall disappointed.
Not an editor for Test Plans work items
Testaro is its own store. It imports from Azure Test Plans read-only, and can publish a case back as a native Test Case work item only via an admin-approved request — it doesn't edit Test Plans items in place.
Not a test runner
Testaro doesn't execute automated tests itself. Your pipeline runs them; Testaro ingests the JUnit/.trx results via the pipeline task.
Not a screen recorder
There's no screen-recording exploratory browser extension — that's what Microsoft's Test & Feedback extension does. Testaro's exploratory sessions are charter, notes, and finding-to-bug, not screen capture.
Cloud features need internet access
Server/on-prem Azure DevOps installs work fine, but optional cloud features — share links, a company-managed AI key — need internet access to Testaro's backend.
FAQ
Do I need an Azure Test Plans license to use Testaro?
No. Testaro runs on the Basic Azure DevOps access level, which most orgs already have. You never need to buy the separate Test Plans add-on.
Where is my data stored?
Inside your own Azure DevOps organisation, as Azure DevOps Extension Data. No Testaro server holds a copy of your test content, and it's never sent to a third-party SaaS.
Can I import my existing Azure Test Plans content?
Yes. Testaro includes a read-only importer for your existing Azure Test Plans test cases, including their steps, and keeps a link to the original work item. Suites and plans are then organised in Testaro.
Does Testaro write back into Azure Test Plans?
Not automatically. Testaro is its own store and doesn't edit Test Plans work items in place. You can publish a Testaro test case back as a native Test Case work item, but only as an explicit, admin-approved request.
What does Testaro cost?
Testaro is free during early access. A freemium model is planned — a free core tier forever plus an optional Pro tier — and early adopters will be grandfathered. See the full pricing page for details.