Azure Test Plans vs Testmo

From $52 per user/month (indicative)

From $99 per month (indicative, small team)

One of the more expensive per-user test management licences, but bundled into existing Azure DevOps agreements.

Team-based rather than strictly per-seat pricing at lower tiers, which suits teams where many people need read access.

Included exploratory testing extension is free; Test Plans itself requires a licence.

21-day trial.

Established

Microsoft · since 2018

Emerging

Testmo · since 2021

• Native traceability between work items, code, pipelines and tests.
• No extra vendor if you already run Azure DevOps.
• Solid exploratory testing capture through the browser extension.

• Exploratory session management is a genuine gap in most competing tools.
• Very fast interface, built for keyboard-driven work.
• Handles manual and automated results as first-class citizens.

• Expensive per user compared to standalone alternatives.
• Weak outside the Microsoft ecosystem.
• Interface and reporting lag dedicated test management tools.

• Small vendor with a modest ecosystem.
• Fewer compliance and audit features for regulated industries.
• No free tier.

Enterprises fully committed to Azure DevOps.

Teams that do meaningful exploratory testing alongside scripted and automated tests.