Enterprise software teams are constantly under pressure to deliver high-quality applications faster while keeping costs in check and working efficiently. However, for many QA teams, outdated tools, disconnected workflows, and time-consuming manual processes make this challenging.
To better understand the financial impact of structured test management, TestRail commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study. This research evaluates the potential return on investment (ROI), cost savings, and productivity improvements organizations experience with TestRail.
Forrester interviewed enterprise teams already using TestRail and combined their insights into a model representing a composite organization—a B2B company with $1.5 billion in annual revenue and 5,000 employees worldwide. While the model reflects a larger enterprise, the reported benefits—like improved efficiency, faster release cycles, and better collaboration—can apply to QA teams of all sizes. The results were eye-opening:
✔️ 204% 3-year ROI
✔️ $3.34M in total benefits over 3 years
✔️ $2.24M net present value (NPV) over 3 years
✔️ Payback in just 14 months
The study shows how structured test management with TestRail drives efficiency, accelerates release cycles, and improves collaboration between QA and development teams. This post breaks down the key takeaways to help organizations assess the potential impact on their testing processes.
What is a Forrester TEI Study?
IT and business leaders need more than just a gut feeling when making software investments—they need real data. That’s where the Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study comes in.
This independent study, commissioned by TestRail and conducted by Forrester Consulting, analyzes the real-world financial impact of using TestRail for test management. Instead of relying on theoretical models, it gathers insights directly from enterprise teams to measure ROI, cost savings, efficiency improvements, and risk factors over a three-year period.
The analysis looked at four key areas—benefits, costs, flexibility, and risks—to understand how TestRail supports teams. This approach helps organizations see not just the immediate savings but also the bigger picture: how structured test management can deliver long-term strategic value.
The result? A data-backed financial case that helps IT leaders understand whether an investment in TestRail makes sense.
With modern software teams under pressure to move fast without sacrificing quality, this study provides concrete evidence of how structured test management can improve collaboration, reduce inefficiencies, and drive better business outcomes.
Key Findings from the TestRail TEI Study
The Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study on TestRail provides a detailed look at how structured test management translates into measurable financial benefits. By interviewing real-world TestRail users, Forrester quantified the return on investment (ROI), cost savings, and productivity gains over three years.
1. 204% ROI – How TestRail Delivered Real Value
TestRail delivered a 180% return on investment (ROI) for the composite organization representative of customers included in the study. This means that for every $1 spent on TestRail, enterprises gained $2.40 in return.
Compared to other enterprise software investments—many of which take years to break even—TestRail’s impact was both rapid and substantial. Key drivers of this ROI include:
- Faster test administration – Testers saved 64,220 hours over three years by streamlining setup, execution, and reusing test cases across projects—boosting productivity by 10% in the first year alone.
- More productive developers – Developers resolve defects faster thanks to real-time visibility in test results and direct integration with application lifecycle management (ALM) tools.
- Reduced cost of production bugs – Teams identified defects earlier in the development cycle, cutting the need for expensive fixes and emergency patches.
2. $3.34M in Total Benefits – Where Do the Gains Come From?
Over three years, the composite organization studied experienced $3.34 million in total quantified benefits, broken down as follows:
$1.2M in test administration productivity gains
- Testers reduced time spent on test execution, setup, and tracking.
- More efficient filtering and reuse of test cases resulted in 64,220 hours saved over three years.
$523K in software developer productivity improvements
- Developers gained real-time insights into defects, allowing faster fixes and improved collaboration with QA teams.
- 29,406 hours saved due to streamlined test management and reduced defect comeback time.
$381K in reduced costs for production bugs
- Identifying and addressing defects earlier resulted in fewer costly bug fixes and patches.
- 21,700 hours saved by minimizing rework and production issues.
$1.2M in faster time-to-market for new offerings
- With TestRail integrated into CI/CD workflows, organizations reduced release cycles by three months, 5%-10% of which is attributable to TestRail.
- By accelerating software delivery, teams captured new business opportunities sooner.
3. Payback in Just 14 Months
Forrester found that organizations using TestRail recouped their investment in just 14 months. Key factors contributing to this payback period include:
- Eliminating inefficiencies – Test execution and reporting improved immediately, replacing manual tracking methods like spreadsheets.
- Faster collaboration – Developers and testers worked together more seamlessly, reducing miscommunication and rework.
- Scalability & automation – TestRail’s API and CI/CD integrations made onboarding new users and projects more efficient.
With a net present value (NPV) of $2.24 million, TestRail is a solution that delivers cost savings and significant financial impact for enterprise teams looking to modernize their QA processes while delivering software faster and with higher quality.
How TestRail Drives These Benefits
This study shows that TestRail helps enterprise QA teams work more efficiently, collaborate better, and make smarter testing decisions. By centralizing test management, reducing manual effort, and integrating with DevOps workflows, TestRail makes it easier to scale testing without sacrificing quality.
1. Streamlining Test Case Management
Many QA teams struggle with outdated tracking methods, relying on spreadsheets and legacy tools that slow down test execution and increase redundancy. The Forrester study found that TestRail significantly reduces time spent on manual tracking by centralizing workflows, improving efficiency, and ensuring consistency across teams.
Key improvements:
- Faster test execution – Structured workflows reduced setup and execution time.
- Improved test case reuse – Teams eliminated redundant work by reusing test steps across projects.
- Granular test filtering – Testers quickly isolated only the necessary test cases for specific code changes.
A QA architect at a financial services company noted, “One of the best features is the Traceability Matrix, which shows requirements versus test cases. Before, our testers were using spreadsheets to try to track the testing process.”
Forrester quantified these benefits, estimating that organizations using TestRail saved 64,220hours in test administration over three years, resulting in $1.24 million in productivity gains.
Image: Centralize your testing activities to facilitate access to and management of test assets, reduce duplication, and ensure consistency throughout the testing process.
2. Increasing Testing Collaboration Across Teams
Siloed communication between QA, development, and business teams often leads to misalignment, delays, and rework. TestRail improves collaboration by centralizing test data, integrating with CI/CD pipelines, and providing real-time visibility into testing progress.
Key improvements:
- Real-time test visibility – Developers and testers access the latest test results instantly.
- Faster defect resolution – Developers can address test failures immediately, reducing delays.
- Better cross-team coordination – Stakeholders track test progress without manual updates.
The head of test and quality digitization at a technology company explained: “Now with TestRail, they have the same access. They have transparency, and they are more interested in looking at what is planned for upcoming releases. What are other testers doing? What is the testing doing for our project?”
The Forrester study found that these collaboration improvements resulted in $523,000 in productivity gains for software developers over three years.
Image: With TestRail you can collaboratively manage everything from individual test runs to establishing a test case approval process, leverage your team’s collective expertise, and ensure your team knows what to work on and when.
3. Enhancing Decision-Making with Better Reporting & Insights
Without centralized reporting, QA teams often struggle to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and prioritize high-risk areas. TestRail’s real-time dashboards and automated reporting provided more precise insights into software quality, helping teams make data-driven decisions.
Key improvements:
- Improved visibility into testing progress – Real-time dashboards gave teams instant insight into test status, reducing guesswork.
- Prioritization based on risk and impact – Teams focused testing efforts on high-risk areas, improving efficiency.
- Automated reporting – Reduced reliance on manual tracking, ensuring stakeholders had up-to-date quality insights.
A QA architect at a financial services company emphasized the impact of TestRail’s reporting capabilities: “TestRail provides good dashboards for quarterly and weekly reports and email communication, so we can send reports directly to stakeholders. Previously, the communication was a little late, and it required manually preparing all the reports that were segmented. Now, managers can create their own reports and see what’s going on.”
The Forrester study found that improved defect tracking and earlier issue detection with TestRail reduced production bug-related rework by 21,700 hours over three years, leading to $381,000 in cost savings.
Image: Make data-driven decisions faster with test analytics and reports that give you the full picture of your quality operations.
Why This Matters for Enterprise QA Leaders
The Forrester study shows that test management is not a cost center—it’s a strategic investment. Organizations that embrace structured test management don’t just improve testing efficiency; they accelerate software delivery, reduce costly defects, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction and revenue.
Traditionally, QA teams were seen as back-end support for development, focused primarily on defect detection. However, with tools like TestRail, testing teams play a proactive role in improving software quality and delivery speed. By implementing structured test management, companies create an environment where QA, developers, and business teams collaborate more effectively. This not only prevents costly defects from reaching production but also enables organizations to ship software faster and more confidently.
A head of test and quality digitization at a technology company described the shift: “The impact [of TestRail] was huge, especially for those projects not doing proper test management. It was a huge leap forward to start having a process and start having defined workflows.”
The Forrester study quantifies this benefit. It found that companies using TestRail achieved $1.2 million in test administration productivity savings, reducing software developer inefficiencies by an additional $523,000, and avoiding $381,000 in costs related to production defects. These savings directly contributed to business growth by freeing up resources for innovation and allowing companies to capture new revenue opportunities sooner.
Get the Full Forrester TEI Study
The Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) Study on TestRail delivers a data-driven analysis of how structured test management improves efficiency, reduces costs, and accelerates software releases. The findings are clear:
- 204% ROI – For every $1 invested, organizations gained $2.04 in return.
- $3.34M in total benefits – Significant cost savings over three years.
- Payback in just 14 months
This study provides a comprehensive breakdown of TestRail’s business value, complete with real customer insights and financial modeling.
Download the full study to explore:
- A detailed ROI analysis.
- Customer case studies and testimonials.
- Actionable takeaways for enterprise QA leaders.
See the full financial impact of TestRail—Download the Study Now.
Source: A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of TestRail, November 2024.
