What testRigor is
testRigor calls itself a "generative AI-based test automation tool". You describe a test in plain English and testRigor runs it the way a user would, finding buttons, fields and text on screen instead of relying on XPath or CSS selectors. As of September 2026:
- Creating tests. Anyone who can write clear English can write a test. High-level steps are expanded by a large language model into testRigor's own commands, which you can review and edit. Tests can also be generated in testRigor or from Claude Code through MCP, and existing manual test cases can be pasted in or imported from TestRail.
- What it covers. Web apps, native and hybrid iOS and Android apps, native Windows applications on paid plans, APIs, email, SMS and phone calls, two-factor logins and mainframe apps.
- Running tests. Tests run in parallel on testRigor's infrastructure and can be triggered from any CI system with a supplied script. An on-premise option is also available, according to its FAQ.
- Maintaining tests. Because tests describe what a user sees rather than how the page is coded, testRigor aims to keep them stable through code changes. When behaviour really changes, you edit the plain-English steps.
- Results. Each execution records screenshots, logs and a video, and can be downloaded as a PDF or Word document. Reports go out by email, Slack, API or the web app.
TestRigor, Inc. is based in San Francisco. It says it holds a SOC 2 Type II report covering a 12-month audit period.
Why teams look for a testRigor alternative
The reasons are mostly about fit with what a team needs from testing rather than faults in testRigor.
- A suite needs an owner. testRigor makes tests easier to write and maintain, but someone still writes them and keeps them current as the product changes. When nobody has time for that, tests drift out of date, fail for the wrong reasons and a green run stops meaning much.
- Your product is private. On testRigor's free plan, all tests and results are public. An unreleased or confidential product needs a private plan.
- "Correct" comes from your requirements. testRigor can run specifications written in plain English before the code exists, but someone still has to turn your requirements into those specifications and keep them in step as the requirements change.
- A release decision needs more than steps. An execution PDF shows what ran. The people who approve a release also need the requirement behind each check, open questions and what was not tested.
testRigor vs ShipperAG at a glance
testRigor turns plain-English test cases into automated tests your team maintains; ShipperAG checks each release against your requirements and hands you evidence. Here is how they compare as of September 2026.
| Aspect | testRigor | ShipperAG |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | QA and engineering teams that want plain-English test automation | Product and engineering teams that need each release checked against its requirements, with evidence |
| Approach | Plain-English tests, run from the user's point of view | AI QA specialists check each release against your requirements, design system and business rules |
| Who writes and maintains tests | Your team writes or generates tests and edits the steps | No suite to write: the coordinator picks the specialists each change needs, within your limits |
| What it tests | Web, mobile and Windows desktop apps, APIs, email, SMS, phone calls and mainframes | Designed for preview and staging URLs, and to run inside CI pipelines |
| Evidence and sign-off | Screenshots, logs and video for each execution; PDF or Word download | Every finding re-run by an independent verifier; Verified, Issue found, Needs input and Not covered in an evidence ledger; a self-contained report to sign or share with stakeholders |
| Pricing model (as published) | Free public plan; Private Complete with a 14-day trial; Enterprise on request; charged by parallel infrastructure | From $149 a month, after a free 45-day trial |
| Availability | Available now | Private pilot (waitlist) |
Want release evidence to check alongside your plain-English tests? Start with a free 45-day trial, no card.
Work email only. We keep your email, team size and the page you joined from, only to contact you about the ShipperAG pilot. No spam.
testRigor pricing, as published
As of September 2026, testRigor's pricing page lists three plans. Public Open Source is free with no time limit, but all tests and test results are public. Private Complete starts with a 14-day trial covering Ubuntu, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and native Windows apps with all AI features; its price is not shown on the page. Enterprise pricing is custom.
testRigor's FAQ says it charges for infrastructure, meaning how many tests run in parallel, and not for users or executions. That is easy to plan for while your suite stays the same size; check how much parallel capacity you would need as it grows. ShipperAG starts at $149 a month for 20 release checks, after a free 45-day trial.
Where ShipperAG is different
testRigor turns a specification into executable tests. ShipperAG uses the specification itself: your requirements, design system and business rules are the context each release is checked against.
- No suite to write. Connect a preview or staging URL and add your product's context. The coordinator reads each change and picks the AI QA specialists it needs, within your limits.
- Findings are reproduced first. An independent verifier re-runs every finding in a fresh session. Deterministic checks decide pass or fail; a model's opinion alone never marks anything verified.
- Wider than functional flows. ShipperAG is organised around 13 quality areas, from business rules and user journeys to accessibility (automated WCAG checks), visual design against design tokens, security and performance.
- Honest scope. Every report has a Not covered section, and unclear or contradictory requirements come back as Needs input instead of a guess.
- Evidence ledger, one workspace per team. Results are sealed in a hash-chained evidence ledger, and the report is a self-contained HTML file your team can sign off or share with stakeholders. Projects live inside your team's workspace, each keeping its own context, builds, evidence and reports.
When testRigor is the better choice
Not every team needs a testRigor alternative. testRigor is the stronger choice when:
- You need to start now. testRigor is available today, with a 14-day trial of its private plan; ShipperAG is a private pilot.
- You test beyond the browser. Native iOS and Android apps, Windows desktop software, SMS, phone calls and mainframe systems are all in testRigor's scope. ShipperAG's workflow starts from a preview or staging URL.
- You want executable specifications. If testers, business analysts or product managers want to write tests in plain English, even before the code exists, that is what testRigor is designed for.
- A stable product. For a product whose key flows rarely change, a plain-English regression suite that runs on every build is good value.
- On-premise or audit requirements. testRigor offers an on-premise option and says it holds a SOC 2 Type II report.
- You sell testing as a service. Its partner programme has a services path for consultancies, systems integrators and digital engineering firms.
The two can sit side by side: keep a testRigor suite for the flows that must never break, and check each release against its requirements when someone has to approve what changed. We explain that blend in agentic QA vs test automation.
What ShipperAG does not do
- It is not generally available or self-serve. It is a private pilot with a waitlist: teams start with a free 45-day trial with up to 20 release checks, and paid plans start at $149 a month.
- It does not replace a maintained regression suite on a long-lived product. It is designed to run alongside one.
- It only tests targets you own or have written permission to test, and it stays inside the hosts you allow.
Other testRigor alternatives and competitors
Among testRigor competitors, Rainforest QA also uses plain-English, no-code tests, adds AI self-healing and offers optional human testers; see our Rainforest QA alternative comparison. We also compare QA Wolf, Momentic and mabl in all alternatives and comparisons. If you are moving off Octomind, which closed in 2026, read our Octomind alternative guide.
Sources, checked 2 October 2026: Playwright, playwright.dev; Selenium, selenium.dev; testRigor home page, pricing and plans, FAQ, How does it all work?, about page, end-to-end testing how-to, SOC 2 Type II page and partner programme. Competitor details change; check their websites for the latest.