ALPHA vs BETA Testing

Alpha Testing: Alpha testing is a type of acceptance testing; performed to identify all possible issues/bugs before releasing the product to everyday users or public.  The focus of this testing is to simulate real users by using blackbox and whitebox techniques. The aim is to carry out the tasks that a typical user might perform.
 

Beta Testing:Beta Testing of a product is performed by “real users” of the software application in a “real environment” .

Beta version of the software is released to a limited number of end-users of the product to obtain feedback on the product quality. Beta testing reduces product failure risks and provides increased quality of the product through customer validation.

It is the final test before shipping a product to the customers.

Alpha Testing	Beta Testing (Field Testing)
1. It is always performed by the developers at the software development site.	1. It is always performed by the customers at their own site.
2. Sometimes it is also performed by Independent Testing Team.	2. It is not performed by Independent Testing Team.
3. Alpha Testing is not open to the market and public	3. Beta Testing is always open to the market and public.
4. It is conducted for the software application and project.	4. It is usually conducted for software product.
5. It is always performed in Virtual Environment.	5. It is performed in Real Time Environment.
6. It is always performed within the organization.	6. It is always performed outside the organization.
7.Reliability and security testing are not performed  in-depth Alpha Testing	7.Reliability, Security, Robustness are checked during Beta Testing
8. Alpha Testing is definitely performed and carried out at the developing organizations location with the involvement of developers.	8. Beta Testing (field testing) is performed and carried out by users or you can say people at their own locations and site using customer data.
9. It comes under the category of both White Box Testing and Black Box Testing.	9. It is only a kind of Black Box Testing.
10. Alpha Testing is always performed at the time of Acceptance Testing when developers test the product and project to check whether it meets the user requirements or not.	10. Beta Testing is always performed at the time when software product and project are marketed.