Software Testing

[d.jacks0101]

Currently trying to do some research for a potential business, I have reached out to a number of local web designing agencies but thought it would be also good to get some opinions on here.

I am a software analyst working full time for a company in my area, I have my ISTQB qualification along with my CSTP (Certified Security Testing Professional) which also enables me to penetration test websites for vulnerabilities etc. But my main area of focus to start with is providing manual software testing for companies. For those of you who don't know, software testing is the process of testing a newly (although not always newly built) built website or app built by an agency on behalf of their client. Once the application has been made, it typically goes through a testing process. One of these processes can include functional testing, along with usability, accessibility, performance and security. I would initially start off focusing on manual functional testing which is where you test the application to ensure everything renders and functions as expected, this is done across multiple devices to attempt to gain as much coverage as possible. After that then I would move onto automation testing, usability, load, accessibility and security.

I have worked on projects for governments/councils, as well as large corporations like TikTok, Google etc so I know it is an in-demand service, but I'm not sure if it is wanted across smaller companies? If, to start off with, my prices were affordable whilst I built it up, is there much testing need for the typical web agencies that build for small to medium businesses? Or is this something that is really only used by larger companies?

I was thinking of starting off at £120 per day, so £15 an hour (which is massively cheaper than the bigger software testing companies). Time would be purchased in either 4 or 8 hour increments and a typical project would include an SoW (contract stating what is in scope), test cases and script created, meetings with the agency (dev or management), testing across multiple devices, bug reporting with detailed reports and evidence, and a high level report with metrics at the end. So realistically you would be looking at 1 to 1.5 days for a typical website that isn't too involved.

I reached out to about 40 web agencies around the UK yesterday asking if this is a service that they would, or currently do, use as part of my research. A website for a small/medium business could start at £800 and go up to £2000, if not more. So would their end client be happy paying an extra £120 to £180? But have the piece of mind that their website/app has been tested? Nothing worse than a website that looks horrible on phones or doesn't work because the dev team haven't tested it properly. To be honest, a lot of the websites of those that offered web design had multiple issues with them so perhaps they could do with it on their own platforms. I am yet to receive any replies as I sent them out over the weekend, hopefully this week I should have a better insight.

Feel free to offer any advice, good or bad . Thank you.

 

[Ozzy]

My immediate reaction is you are too cheap. We pay between £10,000 and £15,000 for our PEN testing four times a year, price depending on the SoW. I would not feel confident in your ability at that price level, even if you are good at what you do the price being that cheap would concern me so I would not engage your services.

 

[d.jacks0101]

Thank you for pointing that out. I'll consider that if I move forwards with it.

 

[fisicx]

What do you consider being a typical website?

Bob the builder and his diy Wordpress site?

Daisy and her opencart store selling knitted teacosies?

Alfred and his site for his picture framing business?

The majority of websites in the uk are for small business and solectraders. They probably paid a lot less than the £800 you mentioned. And £200 for you to tell them it looks pants on a phone is unlikely to get many takers.

 

[Paul Norman]

£120 an hour is way too cheap.

Even if you are booked wall to wall that is just £600 a week. And that is your maximum earnings.

I would start at a minimum of £250 a day, and aim for considerably more.

 

[Mark T Jones]

As others have said, at £15 / hour you are pretty much on minimum wage - and any professional will assume you aren't very good at what you do.

If the plan is to sell yourself cheap to build testimonials, you should make that very clear & quantify it, e.g. 'first 4 customers' or 'unitil xyz date'

 

[fisicx]

I have my ISTQB qualification along with my CSTP (Certified Security Testing Professional) which also enables me to penetration test websites for vulnerabilities etc.

Most people won't even know what these are.

...these processes can include functional testing, along with usability, accessibility, performance and security.

Most site owners can test their own sites to make sure it works. Most themes are fairly usable and accessible (and responsive). Performance is possibly something to look at but Google will tell you want needs sorting.

Which leaves security. There are umpteen online security testers (not suggesting they are any good). You need to offer something really special to a small business to make them want to cough up some dosh.