aqua

aqua is a test management and QA platform for teams coordinating requirements, test execution, and workflow. It is best suited to organizations that need both manual and automated testing, with a choice of cloud or on-premise deployment. Its broad feature set is useful, but the license tiers call for care: execution and requirements management have separate entry points, while full-suite options use custom pricing.

Overview

aqua brings requirements, test cases, planning, run tracking, and QA reporting into one platform. A requirements view helps teams identify items that lack test coverage, making traceability more than a record-keeping exercise. Manual and automated tests share a central workflow, a practical fit for QA groups that use both rather than maintaining separate processes.

Its AI can generate requirements, test cases, and test data from user input. That can help teams draft test assets, while still leaving them responsible for checking that generated material reflects their product and standards.

Key features

Coverage, automation, and integrations

Requirements linking, test case management, planning, run tracking, and QA reporting cover the testing lifecycle from defining what to verify to reviewing execution. Integrations include Jira, Confluence, Jenkins, Ranorex, UFT, Selenium, JMeter, SoapUI, MSSQL, Oracle, PowerShell, and UnixShell, alongside a REST API. This range can connect aqua with work-management, automation, database, and scripting tools; teams with simpler testing needs may not need that breadth.

Administration and deployment

Cloud and on-premise deployment let organizations choose between hosted use and running the product themselves. LDAP and Single Sign-On support established authentication arrangements, while permissions can govern more than 100 actions. aqua states that it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant, and describes itself as DORA ready. Subscriptions include continuous support.

There is no dedicated mobile app. Teams that expect staff to work through a native phone or tablet app should look elsewhere. On-premise server requirements include Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022.

Pricing

aqua offers a free plan, paid options from €19/user/mo (annual), and a 30-day trial. The Guest plan costs nothing, is included with each plan, and allows unlimited seats with read-only access. That makes it useful for broad visibility, but not for guests who need to execute tests or edit work.

Test Runner DEV: Full test-runner licenses cost €19 a month billed annually or €29 a month billed monthly. Both include test execution, read-only Agile and Dashboard access, and Guest licenses. The annual term lowers the monthly price, while the monthly option costs more for the flexibility of monthly billing.

Requirement Management: Full RM licenses cost €89 a month billed annually or €119 a month billed monthly. Both include unlimited projects and requirements, unlimited file storage, and Guest licenses. This tier fits teams prioritizing requirements management; it costs substantially more than Test Runner DEV and is not the entry point for execution alone.

aqua Suite License: priced on request for a complete all-in-one ALM license, billed in Private Cloud or On-Premise. It is the broader option for teams that want the all-in-one product and either of those deployment arrangements.

Concurrent and Floating licenses: Annual and monthly options have custom pricing. Concurrent licenses provide a named user pool with shared access; Floating licenses provide a named user pool with shared concurrent access. Both include all features of the All-in-One license, so they may suit teams choosing pooled access rather than a full suite per user.

The 30-day trial gives teams a limited evaluation window. Compare the license scope and billing term against who needs to execute tests, manage requirements, or use the all-in-one feature set before choosing.

Platforms

aqua supports API, extension, Linux, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms. Cloud and on-premise deployment add flexibility for organizations with different hosting preferences, though there is no dedicated mobile app.

Who it's for

aqua is a strong fit for QA organizations that need requirements traceability, manual and automated testing, execution tracking, and reporting in one workflow. It is also worth considering when integrations, configurable permissions, or on-premise deployment matter. Teams needing only basic test-case storage, native mobile access, or extensive editing access for occasional participants may find the scope or license model less suitable.

Pros and cons

Pro: Requirements coverage, planning, run tracking, and reporting sit alongside both manual and automated testing, supporting a connected QA process.

Pro: Cloud and on-premise deployment, LDAP, SSO, and granular permissions give organizations options for hosting and access control.

Pro: Guest seats are unlimited and included with each plan, making read-only sharing broad.

Con: Guest access is read-only, so participants who need to execute tests require a more capable license.

Con: Monthly Test Runner DEV and Requirement Management licenses cost more per month than their annual counterparts.

Con: There is no dedicated mobile app, which limits its fit for teams that expect native mobile access.

Alternatives

Test Management Software is a useful comparison point if you want to weigh aqua against the wider category. For teams focused on AI-generated cases, compare the AI Test Case Generators list.

TestPlanIt is worth considering for teams seeking a free, self-hosted option with unlimited users, projects, and features.

Kualitee may suit a small team that can work within its free cloud plan's one-project, 500-test-case, 200-defect, three-user, and 20-AI-credit monthly limits.

Tricentis Testim is an alternative for teams focused on mobile and web testing, with a free plan capped at 1,000 runs per month and customized paid plans.

Tuskr is a fit for a small team whose needs fit its free plan's five users, five projects, 1,000 test cases, 1 GB of file space, 100 runs per project, and zero API calls per hour.

TestChimp is another test-management option.

AgileTest is another test-management option.

TestBench is another test-management option.

Klaros-Testmanagement is another test-management option.

Verdict

Choose aqua if your QA team needs requirements traceability, mixed manual and automated testing, and deployment flexibility in a single platform. Its main advantage is lifecycle breadth; its main trade-off is that useful capabilities sit across distinct license tiers, so teams should match plan scope and billing terms to the work and users they actually need to support.