The TestPad Alternative with a Free Forever Plan and Jira Integration
TestPad is fast to learn and great for ad-hoc checklists, but the trial expires in 30 days and Jira integration is minimal. Testably gives you both — structured test cases and exploratory mode — with a real free tier and native Jira sync.
TestPad is one of the easiest test management tools to pick up on day one. Its checklist-first model lowers the learning curve for non-technical testers and works well for exploratory and ad-hoc passes. But two patterns show up in long-running deployments: the trial expires after 30 days and the cheapest paid plan is $49/mo for three users, and the lack of Jira integration becomes painful the moment QA needs to link failures to engineering tickets. Testably is designed for teams that want the same lightness without the trade-offs. There is a free forever plan that supports a real regression workflow (one project, two members, one hundred test cases, three AI generations per month). Above that, a $19 Hobby plan covers up to five members with unlimited Requirements Traceability, AI test generation, and Jira two-way sync. You can still run exploratory checklists when you want to; you can also run structured step-by-step regression suites when you need to. CSV import from TestPad takes minutes, and Jira links survive the migration because Testably re-creates them through the Jira Cloud integration.
Why Teams Are Leaving TestPad
The pain points that drive QA teams to switch.
01
No free tier after 30 days
TestPad's trial is 30 days. After that, the entry plan is $49/mo for three users. There is no permanent free option to fall back to.
02
Jira integration is essentially missing
TestPad has no native two-way Jira sync. Community feedback consistently flags this as a limitation when QA needs to live alongside Jira-based engineering.
03
Checklist-only structure
Complex step-by-step test cases with per-step expected results, preconditions, and priorities are difficult to model in a checklist.
04
Minimal reporting and visualization
Reviewers note that progress is shown in one view; coverage charts, defect leak metrics, and trend graphs are not built in.
05
No AI, no CI/CD
TestPad does not offer AI test generation, deduplication, or CI/CD pipeline triggers — all standard in modern TCMs.
Why Teams Pick Testably Instead
The five things you get when you switch from TestPad.
01
Free forever plan, not a 30-day trial
Testably Free supports 1 project, 2 members, 100 TCs, 10 runs/month, and 3 AI generations/month. No credit card, no countdown.
02
Structured test cases AND exploratory mode
Pick the right shape for the work. Step-by-step regression test cases for stable features. Exploratory sessions with timestamped notes for new features.
03
Native Jira two-way sync on all plans
Link test cases to Jira issues, auto-create bugs from failures, and keep statuses aligned — available on Free.
04
AI test generation from $19/mo
Generate test cases from text, Jira issues, or exploratory sessions. Available on every paid plan.
05
Reports and CI/CD when you need them
Coverage charts, defect leak metrics, and CI/CD pipeline integration (Professional+) — without leaving the tool.
Feature Comparison
Testably vs TestPad, side by side.
| Feature | Testably | TestPad |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier (forever) | Yes | No |
| 30-day trial | 14-day Starter trial | 30-day, up to 20 users |
| Structured step-by-step test cases | Yes | Checklist-style only |
| Exploratory testing | Yes | Yes |
| AI test case generation | All paid plans | No |
| Shared Steps with version pinning | Yes | No |
| Run-level step snapshots | Yes | No |
| Jira two-way sync | All plans | Limited / missing |
| Built-in issue tracker / linking | Linked Issues, Jira sync | Minimal |
| Requirements Traceability (RTM) | Hobby+ unlimited | No |
| Reports (charts, coverage) | Yes | Basic progress bars |
| API access | All plans | Team+ only |
| Image attachments | Yes | Team+ only |
| CI/CD integration | Professional+ | No |
Last updated: May 2026. Feature availability may vary by plan.
Pricing Comparison
Testably's flat-rate plans vs TestPad's pricing.
| Plan | Testably | TestPad |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo 1 project · 2 members · 100 TCs | No free tier 30-day trial only |
| Hobby | $19/mo 3 projects · 5 members · RTM unlimited | N/A No equivalent plan |
| Small team (3) | $49/mo Starter · Up to 5 members | $49–59/mo Essential · 3 users |
| Mid team (10) | $99/mo Professional · Up to 20 members | $99–119/mo Team · 10 users |
| Larger team (15) | $99/mo Professional · Up to 20 members | $149–179/mo Team 15 · 15 users |
| Department (25) | $249/mo Enterprise S | $249–299/mo Department · 25 users |
| Enterprise | $499/mo Enterprise M (up to 100) | Custom Enterprise (net-30 invoice) |
Prices as of May 2026. See TestPad's official site for the latest pricing.
Move from TestPad to Testably in under 30 minutes
Supported import formats: CSV (UTF-8) · Excel (.xlsx) · Testably API
01
Export TestPad plans as CSV
In TestPad, export each plan as CSV. Repeat for any plans you want to migrate. Keep the original tags and labels.
02
Decide: structured cases or checklist-as-cases?
TestPad checklist items can map 1:1 to Testably test cases, or you can promote each top-level item to a test case with checklist children as steps. Most teams pick the second option for regression-critical plans.
03
Import into Testably
Open the target project in Testably, choose "Import → CSV", upload, and confirm the mapping.
04
Connect Jira
In Testably, add the Jira Cloud integration (free plan and up). Now your QA work has the issue linking TestPad never offered.
05
Verify on a representative pass
Run one full test plan in Testably and confirm the workflow feels right before switching the team over.
View field mapping table
| TestPad field | Testably field | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plan name | Project / Test Suite | — |
| Checklist item (top-level) | Test Case | — |
| Checklist item (child) | Step | Add expected result per step during import or after. |
| Tags | Tags | — |
| Run status | Latest Run Result | — |
| Notes | Test Case Description / Run Notes | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose the lightweight feel of TestPad?
No. Testably has a quick-add UI, keyboard shortcuts, and an exploratory mode that feels close to TestPad's checklist style. The difference is you can also build structured regression suites when needed.
How do I migrate TestPad checklists?
Export your TestPad plans as CSV and import into Testably. Each checklist item becomes a test case or a step (depending on your preference). Most teams complete migration in under 30 minutes.
Do I really get Jira sync on the free plan?
Yes. The Jira Cloud integration is included on all plans, including Free, with bidirectional sync and issue linking.
Ready to leave TestPad?
No 30-day clock · Jira sync on all plans · Exploratory mode included