TestCollab vs Xray
Best Xray Alternative
Xray lives inside Jira, charges you for every Jira user, and stores every test as a Jira issue. TestCollab is a standalone test management platform - and our native Xray-for-Jira importer pulls your folders, test cases, test sets, and test plans across over the API, so switching is quick.
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Feature comparison
TestCollab vs Xray
See how TestCollab compares to Xray across the features that matter most to QA teams. Where a TestCollab feature is not on every plan, the cell names the plan where it starts; Elite+ means Elite and Enterprise.
| Feature | TestCollab | Xray | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Packaging | |||
| Pricing Model | From $29/user/month (testers only) | Per Jira user, 10-user minimum | TestCollab bills only the people who test; Xray charges across every Jira user in the instance |
| Bills Only Testers | Xray is charged on all Jira users, so cost multiplies even if only a few people run tests | ||
| Editions / Add-ons | Single product, tier-based plans | Standard, Advanced, plus paid Xray Enterprise add-on | Xray sells data residency and some AI in a separate add-on; TestCollab puts AI on Elite and data residency on Enterprise |
| Free Trial | Both offer a free trial to evaluate before buying | ||
| Self-Hosted Option | Enterprise: in your own AWS account | Only via Jira Server / Data Center | TestCollab self-hosts on its own; Xray self-hosting means running and licensing Jira DC underneath |
| Migration & Onboarding | |||
| Native Xray Importer (API) | Native Xray-for-Jira importer over the API | No native export off Xray | TestCollab pulls folders, test cases with steps, test sets, and test plans directly from Xray Cloud over the API |
| Resumable Staged Migration | Resumable ID mapping for large imports | Not applicable | Big Xray migrations can run in stages without restarting from scratch |
| Import From Other Tools | Native TestRail importer + CSV/Excel field mapping | CSV/Excel Test Case Importer + TestRail script | TestCollab brings data in from many tools with guided field mapping |
| Getting Started Without Jira | Sign up and import the same day | Requires an existing Jira instance first | You cannot even install Xray until you have a Jira subscription set up |
| Standalone & Architecture | |||
| Runs Without Jira | Xray is a Jira app and cannot run without a Jira Cloud, Server, or Data Center subscription | ||
| Tests Stored Outside Jira | Xray entities are Jira issues, so all your test data lives in and depends on Jira storage | ||
| Performance at High Test Volume | Purpose-built test data store | Bound by Jira storage and performance | Reviewers report Xray performance degrading as test volume grows because it relies on Jira |
| Testing-Native UI | Dedicated QA workspace | Inside Jira screens | Reviewers cite a steep learning curve and many Jira screens to reach a single ticket's fields |
| AI & Automation | |||
| AI Test Case Generation | Elite+ | Both generate test cases; TestCollab also accepts screenshots and uploaded Jira/spreadsheet requirements | |
| AI Automation Script Generation | Elite+: QA Copilot runs plain-English tests for you | Announced as upcoming | QA Copilot turns plain-English test cases into automated tests that it runs for you; Xray's script generation is announced as upcoming |
| Advanced AI Without Add-on | Elite+, no add-on | Some AI under Xray Enterprise | Xray positions AI Test Model Generation under the separately paid Enterprise add-on |
| BDD / Gherkin Support | Both support BDD; TestCollab does it without a Jira dependency | ||
| Test Automation Integration | REST API (JUnit/Cucumber) | Both connect with CI/CD and automation frameworks for result import | |
| Requirements & Traceability | |||
| Built-in Requirements Manager | Elite+; Jira, GitLab and Azure DevOps items on Premium | In Xray, requirements are Jira issues, so requirements management depends entirely on Jira | |
| Requirements Traceability Matrix | Both provide an RTM; TestCollab's is native and CSV-exportable for audits | ||
| Link Requirement to a Single Test Step | Neither tool links a requirement to a single test step; both link requirements to whole test cases | ||
| Test Management | |||
| Test Case Management | Organize, version, and manage test cases effectively | ||
| Test Plans & Runs | Plan and execute test cycles with test sets and plans | ||
| Exploratory Testing | Via Xray Exploratory App (separate desktop app) | Xray records exploratory sessions in a desktop app; TestCollab has no exploratory session mode | |
| Screen Recording | Via Xray Exploratory App (separate desktop app) | TestCollab captures test evidence in-browser; Xray records via a separate desktop app | |
| Built-in Defect Manager | Elite+: issue manager with an activity timeline | Xray has no non-Jira defect tracker; every bug is a Jira issue and leaves with Jira | |
| Reusable / Shared Steps | Create step libraries to avoid duplication | ||
| Test Data / Parameters | Elite+: datasets run a case once per row | Parameterize test cases with data-driven testing | |
| Reporting & Data | |||
| Custom Reports & Dashboards | Jira gadgets + Document Generator | Reviewers cite Xray reporting config as not easy and gadgets not covering all KPIs | |
| Public Read-Only Dashboards | Shareable public dashboard link | Governed by Jira dashboard sharing | TestCollab gives execs and clients a live status link with no login; Xray sharing follows Jira permissions |
| Data Export | CSV on every plan; full SQL export on Enterprise | CSV/XLSX/PDF + REST API | On Enterprise, TestCollab gives you a full database export for complete data ownership |
| Integrations | |||
| Jira Integration | Optional, two-way | Built on Jira (mandatory) | TestCollab integrates with Jira by choice; with Xray, Jira is the platform you cannot remove |
| GitHub Integration | Via Jira/REST | Connect with GitHub directly rather than only through Jira | |
| Security & Compliance | |||
| SOC 2 Type II | Both hold SOC 2 Type II certification | ||
| Data Residency | Enterprise: US or EU (Frankfurt) | Under Xray Enterprise add-on | TestCollab includes US or EU residency in Enterprise; Xray sells it in a separate add-on |
| SSO / SAML Support | Enterprise: Okta and Entra ID, with SCIM | Via Atlassian Guard / Jira | TestCollab provides SSO natively; for Xray it is supplied at the Jira layer, not by Xray itself |
Updated on June 11, 2026. Comparisons like this can fall out of date as products change. We research each point carefully and do our best to keep it accurate and current.
Easy migration
Switch from Xray, your test cases come with you
Our native Xray-for-Jira importer pulls your test assets across over the API - no CSV juggling, no services engagement. Most Xray teams are running real test cycles in TestCollab the same day.
Connect your Xray Cloud account
Point our native Xray-for-Jira importer at your Jira/Xray Cloud account. It connects over the API and reads your existing folders, test cases with steps, test sets, and test plans - no manual CSV export required.
Import folders, tests, sets and plans
The importer brings your folder structure, test cases with their steps, test sets, and test plans into TestCollab. It keeps a resumable ID mapping, so large Xray migrations can run in stages and pick up where they left off instead of starting over.
Or import via CSV from any tool
Coming from somewhere else, or have data outside Xray? Export to CSV or Excel and use our import wizard with drag-and-drop field mapping for test cases, steps, and custom metadata. There is also a TestRail importer that reads a TestRail CSV export.
Start testing the same day, without Jira
No Jira subscription, no enterprise onboarding, no proof-of-concept phase. Once your data is in, your tests live in TestCollab on their own - not locked inside Jira issues. Most teams run real test cycles within a day.
Why teams choose TestCollab
What you get with TestCollab
Direct Xray Migration, Native Importer
TestCollab ships a native Xray-for-Jira importer: a guided, resumable wizard that connects over the Jira/Xray Cloud API and pulls your folders, test cases with steps, test sets, and test plans directly into TestCollab. Large migrations can run in stages without starting over. Xray's own importers only bring data in from CSV, Excel, or a TestRail script - there is no comparable path off Xray.
Standalone, No Jira Required
TestCollab runs on its own. Xray is a Jira app: it cannot run without a Jira Cloud, Server, or Data Center subscription, and its entire data model is built on Jira issue types. With TestCollab your tests, plans, and runs are not trapped inside someone else's issue tracker.
Pay for Testers, Not Every Jira User
TestCollab is transparent, per-user pricing from $29/user/month billed yearly - you pay for the people who actually test. Xray is billed on all Jira users with a 10-user minimum, so the cost multiplies across your whole Jira instance even when only a few people run tests.
AI From Test Cases to Automation
On Elite, TestCollab's QA Copilot generates test cases from screenshots, text, or Jira and spreadsheet requirements, and turns plain-English test cases into automated tests that it runs for you. Xray's AI generates manual and BDD test cases, and some of its AI (like Test Model Generation) sits behind the separate paid Xray Enterprise add-on.
Built-in Requirements Manager
On Elite, capture requirements as first-class objects and link them to test cases for full, CSV-exportable traceability - all inside TestCollab. In Xray, requirements are just Jira issues, so requirements management depends entirely on Jira.
Built-in Defect Manager
On Elite, track defects with a field-level activity timeline right where you test. Xray has no separate defect tracker at all: every bug is a native Jira issue, so defect management is fully Jira-dependent. Leave Jira and your defects leave with it.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does TestCollab have a direct Xray importer?
Yes. TestCollab ships a native Xray-for-Jira importer - a guided, resumable wizard that connects over the Jira/Xray Cloud API and pulls your folders, test cases with steps, test sets, and test plans directly into TestCollab. It keeps a resumable ID mapping so large migrations can run in stages. This is the fastest way to leave Xray: you do not have to hand-export CSVs or run scripts. If you have data in other tools, you can also use our TestRail importer or CSV/Excel import with field mapping.
Why move off Xray if it works inside Jira?
Living inside Jira is exactly the trade-off. Xray cannot run without a Jira subscription (Cloud, Server, or Data Center), every test and defect is a Jira issue, and you are billed on all Jira users - not just testers - with a 10-user minimum. TestCollab is standalone: your test data is its own, you pay only for the people who test, and you are not locked into Jira's pricing, storage, or screens.
How does TestCollab pricing compare to Xray?
TestCollab is transparent, per-user pricing from $29/user/month billed yearly ($35 monthly), and you pay only for the people who actually test. Xray is priced per Jira user with a 10-user minimum, so the cost multiplies across your whole Jira instance even if only a few people run tests. Xray also splits its top capabilities (data residency, some AI) into a separately paid Xray Enterprise add-on; in TestCollab, AI is part of the Elite plan and data residency part of Enterprise, with no add-on.
Can TestCollab manage requirements like Xray?
On Elite, TestCollab includes a built-in Requirements Manager where requirements are first-class objects you link to test cases, with a CSV-exportable traceability matrix. In Xray, requirements are just Jira issues, so requirements management depends entirely on Jira.
Does TestCollab have a built-in defect tracker?
Yes, on Elite and Enterprise. TestCollab has a built-in issue/defect manager with a field-level activity timeline, right where you test. Xray has no separate defect tracker: every bug is a native Jira issue. That means your defect management is fully Jira-dependent, and your bug history leaves with Jira if you ever switch.
Does TestCollab support AI test generation and automation?
Yes, on Elite and Enterprise. TestCollab's QA Copilot generates test cases from screenshots, text, or uploaded Jira/spreadsheet requirements, and turns plain-English test cases into automated tests that it runs for you. Xray offers AI test case and BDD generation, but its automation script generation is announced as upcoming, and some AI (like Test Model Generation) is positioned under the separately paid Xray Enterprise add-on.
What about exploratory testing and screen recording?
TestCollab records the screen in the browser while a tester runs a test case, on every plan, and the video attaches to the result. It has no exploratory session mode. Xray records exploratory sessions through the Xray Exploratory App, a separate desktop application.
Is TestCollab enterprise-ready compared to Xray?
Yes. TestCollab is SOC 2 Type II certified, and role-based access control comes with every plan. SSO/SAML, EU and US data residency, and a self-hosted option are on the Enterprise plan. Xray is also SOC 2 Type II, but its SSO/SAML is provided at the Jira/Atlassian layer, and its data residency sits behind the paid Xray Enterprise add-on. In TestCollab these come with the Enterprise plan, with no add-on and no Jira dependency.
Ready to get your tests out of Jira?
Import your Xray folders, test cases, sets, and plans with our native importer - and run test management on its own, priced for testers, not every Jira user.
