Stride vs qTest (Tricentis): test management on the same graph as your stories, at a published price.

qTest is Tricentis' enterprise test management platform: comprehensive, integrated with Tricentis automation (Tosca, Testim), with AI test generation in its Enterprise AI edition and pricing by quote. Stride bundles test management into a connected delivery platform with self-serve, per-seat pricing and AI test generation included.

Quick answers

How much does qTest cost?

Tricentis quotes qTest privately: its pricing page is a request form. The one public list price is on AWS Marketplace, where qTest Enterprise AI costs $22,900 a year for 10 named users (about $191 per user a month) or $38,200 for 10 concurrent users. Bundles with Tosca are private offers, and a 14-day free trial is available.

Does qTest have AI test generation?

Yes. qTest Copilot, launched in November 2024, drafts test steps and expected results from requirements, and Agentic Test Creation in qTest's AI chat generates tests for credits. Both need the qTest Enterprise AI edition and are metered: 500 prompts per licence, then paid credits. Tricentis Vera, sometimes confused with them, is a validation product, not AI.

Does qTest automate tests?

Not by itself. qTest manages test cases, runs and results; the automation comes from Tricentis Tosca, or from frameworks such as Selenium and Playwright whose results qTest collects. Tosca covers 200+ technologies, including SAP and mainframe.

Stride is best for

Engineering teams 5-500 who want AI-assisted test management connected to delivery work without enterprise procurement.

qTest is best for

QA-led enterprises already using Tricentis Tosca for automation, needing SAP or mainframe test coverage, or regulated teams adding Tricentis Vera for validation and e-signatures.

Where Stride wins

Self-serve sign-up and published per-seat pricing ($39 a seat a month on Pro). Tricentis quotes qTest privately; its only public list price is on AWS Marketplace, at $22,900 a year for a pack of 10 named users of qTest Enterprise AI.
AI test generation is part of every Stride plan, drawing on the AI credits each seat includes, and each generated test links to the acceptance criterion it covers. qTest generates tests with qTest Copilot and Agentic Test Creation on its Enterprise AI edition only, metered by prompts and credits.
Test cases live in the same graph as stories, defects, ADRs. qTest integrates with Jira but stays a sibling app: traceability requires conscious mapping.
One subscription covers planning, design and process work as well as tests. qTest covers test management; requirements live in Jira or another tracker.

Where qTest wins

Tricentis Tosca is the test-automation tool, covering 200+ technologies including SAP, Salesforce, mainframe, web, API and mobile. With qTest as the management layer, the two cover enterprise automation Stride does not attempt.
qTest is built for enterprise QA organisations, with role-based access, approval workflows, LDAP and SSO; Tricentis cites deployments of 500+ users. Stride is built for engineering teams of 5 to 500.
qTest Insights covers QA-leadership reporting Stride doesn't replicate: 60+ built-in widgets for quality, coverage and velocity, cross-project dashboards and scheduled reports.

Feature comparison

Feature	Stride	qTest
AI generates test cases		Yes, on qTest Enterprise AI (metered)
Self-serve signup		14-day trial; buy via sales or AWS
Per-seat pricing published	$39/seat/mo	AWS list: $22,900/yr per 10 named users
Stories + tests + defects + ADRs on one graph		Jira integration, not unified
SAP + mainframe test automation Via Tosca.
21 CFR Part 11 e-signatures		Via Tricentis Vera (separate licence)
QA-leadership analytics depth	Basic	Mature

Tricentis does not publish qTest prices on its own site; buying goes through sales. Its one public list price is on AWS Marketplace: $22,900 a year for 10 named users of qTest Enterprise AI (about $191 per user a month), or $38,200 for 10 concurrent users, checked in October 2026. Bundles with Tosca are quoted privately. Stride Pro is $39 per seat a month.

Frequently asked

Can I migrate from qTest?

Partly. qTest exports test cases and requirements to Excel (.xls), and Stride doesn't import test-case files yet: its CSV importer brings in stories and defects. Uploading JUnit XML to a test run creates test cases from the test names it contains, so steps, execution history and defect links need rebuilding.

How does Stride compare for regulated industries (FDA, pharma)?

qTest pairs with Tricentis Vera, a separately licensed validation product that adds 21 CFR Part 11 e-signatures, approval routing and audit trails. Stride has nothing equivalent. For regulated test management with signature requirements, qTest with Vera is the right tool.

Do you replace test automation tools like Tosca, Selenium, Playwright?

No. Stride is the management layer: test cases, runs, defects, traceability. Automated suites report results by uploading JUnit XML to a test run (Playwright, Cypress, JUnit and most other frameworks can write it) or through the REST API or MCP tools. There are no framework-specific plugins or inbound result webhooks.

Is there a free trial?

No. Stride is a paid product with no free trial. Plans start at $15 per seat per month billed monthly, or $12 billed yearly, and every plan includes a monthly AI-credit allowance, with one-time credit packs or optional auto top-up if you need more. You can pick a plan at /pricing.