What is mobile automation testing?

Mobile automation testing uses code to operate your iOS or Android app the way a user would, tapping, swiping and typing, and checks that each screen behaves correctly. It turns the checks your team repeats on devices before every release into a suite that runs on every build.

What should we automate first?

Journeys that are business-critical, run often and change rarely: install and launch, sign-in, onboarding, checkout or booking, and the screens most users open. Our strategy and feasibility report ranks them and flags what should stay manual.

Native frameworks or Appium: which should we use?

XCUITest and Espresso are fast and stable but cover one platform each and live next to your app code. Appium covers both platforms from one suite in the language your team prefers. Many teams combine them; we recommend based on your app, team and release pace.

Do you test on real devices or emulators?

Both. Emulators and simulators give fast feedback in CI. Before release, tests run on real devices in our in-house device lab or on BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, LambdaTest, AWS Device Farm or Firebase Test Lab, using a device and OS matrix agreed with you.

Can you automate React Native and Flutter apps?

Yes. We use Detox or Appium for React Native, and Flutter integration_test or Appium for Flutter, depending on how much of the app is native and what your team will maintain.

Can you automate push notifications, permissions and deep links?

Yes. We automate permission prompts (allowed and denied), system dialogs, notification tap-through and deep links from email, web and other apps, including signed-in and signed-out states.

How do you test poor network and interruptions?

We run journeys with no connection, slow connections and network switches, and send the app to the background or interrupt it, then check it recovers without losing data or state.

Can you automate in-app purchases and biometrics?

In-app purchases are tested with App Store sandbox and Google Play test accounts. Face ID, Touch ID and fingerprint are simulated on simulators and emulators; real biometric hardware can’t be driven by scripts, so those checks stay manual.

How do you fit into our CI/CD and app distribution?

We add test jobs to Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, CircleCI, Bitrise or Codemagic, use Fastlane to build and distribute, and gate TestFlight or Google Play internal testing on passing results.

How do you keep mobile tests stable?

Stable accessibility identifiers instead of fragile locators, proper waits, clean app state and isolated test data for each run. When a test does become unstable, we log the cause and fix it rather than hiding it with retries.

Will automation replace manual mobile testing?

No. Automation covers repeatable regression. New features, usability, real biometrics and exploratory testing still need people, and our mobile app testing team can cover that alongside the suite.

What reports will we get?

Allure or Extent reports after every run, with video, screenshots and device logs for each failure. Real defects are logged in Jira with device and OS details, and results can go to TestRail.

You do. The framework and tests live in your repository, in your team’s language, with documentation and a handover session, so your team can run them without us.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

It depends on the app, the platforms, the journeys to cover and the size of the device matrix, and whether we start fresh or take over a suite. We agree the scope first, then send a timeline and a quote.

What happens in the free consultation?

You talk to a mobile automation engineer about your app, your release process and what you test today. We’ll suggest where automation would pay off first and which approach fits, with no obligation.

Mobile Automation Testing Services

Automated tests for your Android and iOS apps that check critical journeys on every build, on the devices and OS versions your users actually have.

We design, build and run mobile automation suites for native, React Native and Flutter apps and for mobile web, using the framework that fits your team. Tests run on emulators, our in-house device lab and cloud device farms, from your CI/CD pipeline. The code lives in your repository, so your team owns it.

Get in touch Plan your automation

Appium, XCUITest, Espresso and more
Native, React Native, Flutter, mobile web
Real devices, in-house and cloud
Your repo, no lock-in

What we automate

Android appsEspresso, UiAutomator2, Appium iOS appsXCUITest, Appium React Native & FlutterOne suite, both stores Device coverageIn-house lab and clouds CI/CD to betaGate every build Suite rescueStabilise or migrate

All 12 types →

[ Why mobile automation testing matters ]

A bad mobile release stays on users’ phones until they update

Mobile automation testing uses code to operate your app the way users do, tapping, swiping, typing and switching apps, and checks every screen on the devices that matter. The device checks your team repeats before each store submission become a suite that runs on every build.

Unlike a website, you can’t fix a mobile release for everyone in minutes. Fixes wait for store review and for users to update, so catching problems before the build leaves your pipeline matters more.

Part of our automation testing services →

The problems it solves

Too many devices to check by hand

Screen sizes, makers and OS versions multiply faster than any team can retest each release.

Releases you can’t roll back instantly

A broken build waits for store review to fix, and users who don’t update keep the bug.

Failures that only happen on phones

Permission prompts, poor signal, incoming calls and backgrounding break flows that work on a desk.

Two platforms, double the regression

Every change needs checking on Android and iOS, often from one shared codebase.

[ How it helps your product ]

What mobile automation changes in your app

Five outcomes product and engineering leads ask us about, and how a well-built suite delivers each one.

Speed

Smoke tests run on every build and full regression runs unattended, so a broken build is caught before it reaches testers or beta users.

Coverage

More devices, OS versions, screen sizes and network conditions than a manual pass can reach in the same window.

Release quality

Critical journeys are checked the same way before every store submission, not only before the big releases.

Cost

Building the suite is an upfront investment. Each later run costs little, and manual device time moves to work only people can do.

Regression stability

Stable identifiers, proper waits and a clean app state per run keep failures meaningful, so a red build means a real problem.

Aspect	Manual-only device testing	Automated mobile regression
Regression cycle	Repeated by hand on devices before each submission	Runs on every build, unattended
Device coverage	The handful of phones on the team’s desks	An agreed device and OS matrix, in parallel
Consistency	Varies with time pressure and who is testing	Same steps and checks on every device, every run
Feedback to developers	Often days after the change	Inside the pipeline run, before beta
Evidence	Notes and screenshots, where someone captured them	Video, screenshots and device logs for each failure
Where testers spend time	Repeating known checks on device after device	New features, usability and exploratory testing

Honest note: automation suits stable, repeatable checks. New features, usability, real biometrics and exploratory work stay with people, and we’ll tell you which is which.

[ Types of mobile automation we deliver ]

Twelve kinds of mobile automation, matched to your app

Most teams start with smoke, regression and end-to-end journeys on their main platform, then widen devices and layers as the suite proves itself.

Android app automation

Espresso · UiAutomator2 · Appium

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Native Android apps tested on the phones, tablets and Android versions your users run, from fast in-app checks to flows that reach system screens.

What we cover

Espresso for fast in-app UI tests
UiAutomator2 for system dialogs and notifications
Manufacturer skins and Android version spread

When it pays offWhen most of your users are on Android, across many makers and OS versions.Android app testing →

iOS app automation

XCUITest · Appium

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Native iPhone and iPad apps automated with XCUITest or Appium, on simulators for speed and real devices before release.

What we cover

XCUITest suites in Swift, next to your app code
iPhone and iPad layouts and orientations
Supported iOS versions agreed with you

When it pays offWhen you ship to the App Store and can’t check every build on every device by hand.iOS app testing →

Hybrid & cross-platform apps

React Native · Flutter

One suite for apps built once and shipped to both stores: Detox for React Native, integration_test for Flutter, Appium where you need both native and web views.

What we cover

Detox gray-box tests for React Native
Flutter integration_test in Dart
Native and web-view contexts handled with Appium

When it pays offWhen one codebase ships to both stores and a single bug hits every user.

Mobile web & browser

Chrome & Safari on devices

View service

Your website or PWA tested in the mobile browsers people actually use, on real phones and tablets.

What we cover

Mobile Chrome and Safari
Responsive layouts and touch journeys
Appium with WebdriverIO

When it pays offWhen a large share of your web traffic comes from phones.Web automation testing →

Functional automation

Feature behaviour

Each screen and feature checked against its rules: inputs, validation, states and the messages users see.

What we cover

Forms, validation and error states
Account, role and settings rules
Search, filters and lists

When it pays offOnce a feature’s behaviour is settled enough to stay put between releases.

Regression automation

Every release

The checks your team repeats before every store submission, turned into a suite that runs on every build.

What we cover

Ordered by business risk
Extended as each sprint ships
Run on emulators, simulators and real devices

When it pays offWhen manual regression is what decides your release date.

Smoke & sanity on new builds

Minutes per build

View service

A short suite that installs each new build, launches it and walks the core paths, so broken builds never reach testers or beta users.

What we cover

Install, launch and sign-in
Core screens and one key transaction
Triggered on every build from CI

When it pays offWhen broken builds keep reaching TestFlight or Play internal testing.Smoke & sanity testing →

End-to-end journeys

Complete user flows

Whole journeys from first launch to confirmation, including the backend, emails and third-party SDKs behind them.

What we cover

Onboarding, checkout, booking and payments
Sandbox payments and third-party SDKs
Fresh test data per run

When it pays offWhen one broken step stops the journey that earns revenue.

Device & OS-version coverage

Real devices

The same suite run across a device and OS matrix built from your analytics, on our in-house lab and cloud device farms.

What we cover

Device and OS matrix agreed with you
In-house device lab and cloud devices
Per-device results in one report

When it pays offWhen bugs show up only on certain models, screen sizes or OS versions.

API-integrated tests

Postman & REST Assured

View service

API calls set up accounts and data and check backend state, so device tests stay short and a failure points to the layer that broke.

What we cover

Test data created through the API
Backend state verified after app actions
API and app results in one report

When it pays offWhen the app depends on APIs that change more often than the app does.API testing →

CI/CD-integrated automation

Build to beta

View service

Suites wired into your pipeline: Fastlane builds the app, tests run on emulators or devices, and only passing builds go to TestFlight or Play internal testing.

What we cover

Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, CircleCI, Bitrise or Codemagic
Fastlane build and distribution lanes
Quality gates before beta rollout

When it pays offWhen you ship builds every week or more and need a go/no-go you can trust.CI/CD & QAOps →

Suite maintenance & migration

Stabilise or move

We take over existing mobile suites, fix flaky tests at the cause, and move between frameworks when there’s a clear reason to.

What we cover

Root cause and fix for each flaky test
Locator, wait and device-setup clean-up
Phased migration, old and new suites side by side

When it pays offWhen the team has stopped trusting the suite, or the app has outgrown the tool.

[ Mobile-specific scenarios ]

The device behaviour we automate

The things that make mobile testing different from web, built into your suite rather than left for someone to check by hand.

Gestures

Swipe, scroll, pinch, long-press and drag, on real screens.

Permissions & system dialogs

Camera, location, contacts and notification prompts, allowed and denied.

Push notifications

Delivery, tap-through and the screen each notification opens.

Deep links

Links from email, web and other apps landing on the right screen, signed in or not.

Install, upgrade & uninstall

Fresh installs, upgrades from older versions with data kept, and clean removal.

Offline & poor network

No signal, slow connections and switching networks mid-task.

Interruptions

Calls, backgrounding and returning to the app without losing state.

In-app purchases

Purchase, restore and cancel flows using App Store sandbox and Google Play test accounts.

Biometrics (simulated)

Face ID, Touch ID and fingerprint success and failure, simulated on simulators and emulators.

Localization & RTL

Translated strings, right-to-left layouts and locale formats.

Visual regression

Screenshots of key screens compared build to build, per device size.

Accessibility checks

Labels, touch-target size and contrast checked on every build.

[ How you benefit from working with us ]

What you get from QAonTOP’s mobile automation service

Beyond the tests themselves: how we work with your team, and what you keep when the engagement ends.

Native or cross-platform, your call

We work with Appium, XCUITest, Espresso, Detox, Maestro, Flutter integration_test and more, so we recommend what fits your app and team, and explain why.

Real devices without buying them

Our in-house device lab plus BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, LambdaTest, AWS Device Farm and Firebase Test Lab, chosen to match your device matrix.

Code you own

Frameworks are written in your repository, in your team’s language, with documentation. No proprietary layer, no lock-in.

Manual and automation under one roof

Our mobile app testers explore new features and real-device quirks while automation covers regression.

Failures you can act on

Every failure comes with video, screenshots and device logs, and real defects go into Jira with device and OS details.

Flexible ways to engage

A fixed-scope build, managed testing, a dedicated team or an engineer in your sprints. See all six.

[ Technology & tool stack ]

Our mobile automation technology stack

We pick each layer with your team, based on how your app is built, the devices your users have and the pipeline you already run. On the right is an example layout.

FrameworksAppium · XCUITest · Espresso · UiAutomator2 · Detox · Maestro · WebdriverIO · Flutter integration_test · Katalon · Robot Framework (AppiumLibrary)

LanguagesJava · Kotlin · Swift · JavaScript · TypeScript · Python · C# · Dart

Test runnersTestNG · JUnit · pytest · Mocha · Jest · NUnit

BDDCucumber · SpecFlow

DevicesIn-house device lab · BrowserStack · Sauce Labs · LambdaTest · AWS Device Farm · Firebase Test Lab · Emulators & simulators

CI/CDJenkins · GitHub Actions · GitLab CI · Azure DevOps · CircleCI · Bitrise · Codemagic

Build & distributionFastlane · TestFlight · Google Play internal testing

ReportingAllure · Extent Reports

APIPostman · REST Assured

Test & defect trackingJira · TestRail

Sample project layoutTypeScript · Appium · WebdriverIO

tests/
  smoke/        launch.spec.ts
  e2e/          signup.spec.ts  checkout.spec.ts
  device/       permissions.spec.ts  deeplinks.spec.ts
  network/      offline.spec.ts
screens/        LoginScreen.ts  CartScreen.ts
api/            orders.client.ts
data/           users.json
config/         android.conf.ts  ios.conf.ts  cloud.conf.ts
fastlane/       Fastfile
.github/workflows/mobile-tests.yml

Example only. Your layout follows your framework, language and team.

Frameworks, and where each fits best

Appium

One suite across iOS and Android, covering native, hybrid and mobile web, in the language your team uses.

Appium testing services →

XCUITest

Apple’s own framework: fast, stable iOS tests in Swift, kept next to your app code.

Espresso

Google’s framework for fast, in-process Android UI tests in Kotlin or Java.

UiAutomator2

Android tests that reach outside your app: system dialogs, notifications and settings.

Detox

React Native apps, with gray-box tests that wait for the app to be idle.

Maestro

Simple YAML flows for quick coverage of key journeys.

WebdriverIO

JavaScript and TypeScript teams running Appium with a modern test runner.

Flutter integration_test

Flutter apps, with tests written in Dart alongside the widget code.

Katalon

Teams that want a low-code tool with scripting when they need it.

Robot Framework

Keyword-driven tests through AppiumLibrary that non-developers can read.

Comparing tools in depth? See our tool-agnostic testing services →

[ How we work ]

Six steps from first call to a suite your team owns

You see working tests on real devices early, and you approve each stage before we build on it.

Step 1 of 6
Discovery

We review your app, platforms, release cycle, analytics and current tests, and pick the journeys worth automating first.

You getStrategy & feasibility reportDevice & OS coverage matrix
Step 2 of 6
Framework design

Framework, language, structure, test data, device setup and reporting agreed with your team.

You getFramework code in your repo
Step 3 of 6
Pilot in your pipeline

A first set of real tests running from your CI on emulators and devices, so you can judge the approach.

You getCI pipeline integration
Step 4 of 6
Scale coverage

Highest-risk journeys first, then more devices, OS versions and device scenarios.

You getTest suiteCoverage map
Step 5 of 6
Run and report

Suites run on every build or agreed triggers. We triage failures and log real defects in your tracker.

You getReports with video and logsDefect reports
Step 6 of 6
Maintain and hand over

Flaky tests fixed at the cause, the suite kept in step with each OS and app release, and a walkthrough for your team.

You getMaintenance logDocs and handover

[ Deliverables ]

What you receive

Everything below is yours to keep, whether we stay on to run the suite or hand it over to your team.

Automation strategy & feasibility report

What to automate, in what order and with which framework, and what should stay manual.

Device & OS coverage matrix

The devices, OS versions and screen sizes we test on, built from your analytics.

Framework source code in your repository

Committed to your repo, under your access controls, in your team’s language.

Test suite with coverage map

Which journeys, devices and scenarios are covered, and what comes next.

CI pipeline integration

Test jobs and quality gates in your CI, from build to beta distribution.

Execution reports per run

Allure or Extent reports with video, screenshots and device logs for every failure.

Defect reports in your tracker

Steps, device, OS version and evidence, logged in Jira.

Maintenance & flaky-test log

Each unstable test, its cause and the fix, so suite health stays visible.

Documentation & handover session

Setup guide, device configuration and a live walkthrough so your team can run and extend the suite.

[ Case Studies ]

Mobile apps we’ve tested

Mobile QA work across native Android and iOS apps, a PWA and real devices. Figures are test-case counts from each project; pick a client for the summary.

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All case studies →

[ Ways to work ]

Six ways to work with our mobile automation engineers

A new suite, a rescue of an existing one, ongoing runs or an engineer in your team.

01Fixed-price projectChoose it for a new framework or a migration with a clear scope.02Managed testingChoose it when you want the suite built, run and maintained for you.03Dedicated QA teamChoose it when automation grows every sprint.04Staff augmentationChoose it when your team needs a mobile automation specialist for a while.05QA consultingChoose it for a review of your current suite and a plan to improve it.06On-demand testingChoose it for a one-off push, such as stabilising a flaky suite.

Hire our QAHire an automation engineerAn automation engineer who joins your sprints, works in your repository and grows coverage with your team.See the role → Start with no obligationFree mobile automation consultationTalk to an automation engineer about your app, your devices and your pipeline. We’ll suggest where automation pays off first.Book the consultation →

Not sure which fits? Find your model in four questions, compare all six or estimate your cost.

[ FAQ ]

Mobile automation testing questions, answered

[ Contact us ]

Talk to a mobile automation engineer

✓ Free one-week POC✓ NDA before access✓ A QA lead replies the same day

Book a free consultation

[ Keep exploring ]

Related testing services

All services →

Mobile Automation Testing Services

A bad mobile release stays on users’ phones until they update

Too many devices to check by hand

Releases you can’t roll back instantly

Failures that only happen on phones

Two platforms, double the regression

What mobile automation changes in your app

Speed

Coverage

Release quality

Cost

Regression stability

Twelve kinds of mobile automation, matched to your app

Android app automation

iOS app automation

Hybrid & cross-platform apps

Mobile web & browser

Functional automation

Regression automation

Smoke & sanity on new builds

End-to-end journeys

Device & OS-version coverage

API-integrated tests

CI/CD-integrated automation

Suite maintenance & migration

The device behaviour we automate

Gestures

Permissions & system dialogs

Push notifications

Deep links

Install, upgrade & uninstall

Offline & poor network

Interruptions

In-app purchases

Biometrics (simulated)

Localization & RTL

Visual regression

Accessibility checks

What you get from QAonTOP’s mobile automation service

Native or cross-platform, your call

Real devices without buying them

Code you own

Manual and automation under one roof

Failures you can act on

Flexible ways to engage

Our mobile automation technology stack

Appium

XCUITest

Espresso

UiAutomator2

Detox

Maestro

WebdriverIO

Flutter integration_test

Katalon

Robot Framework

Six steps from first call to a suite your team owns

Discovery

Framework design

Pilot in your pipeline

Scale coverage

Run and report

Maintain and hand over

What you receive

Automation strategy & feasibility report

Device & OS coverage matrix

Framework source code in your repository

Test suite with coverage map

CI pipeline integration

Execution reports per run

Defect reports in your tracker

Maintenance & flaky-test log

Documentation & handover session

Mobile apps we’ve tested

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Six ways to work with our mobile automation engineers

Mobile automation testing questions, answered

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Talk to a mobile automation engineer

Related testing services