As software development accelerates, test automation has become a cornerstone of quality assurance (QA), enabling teams to deliver high-quality software at unprecedented speeds. TestRail’s Fourth Edition Software Testing & Quality Report (4th Edition STQR), which draws on insights from 2,751 QA professionals, underscores the critical role of automation in meeting the demands of modern software delivery.

At Ranorex, we see these findings as a call to action for QA teams to embrace smarter, more integrated automation strategies. Here, we’ll explore the state of test automation in 2025, highlight key challenges and opportunities from the TestRail report, and showcase how Ranorex empowers teams to overcome barriers and achieve automation excellence.

Source: Techvalidate

The pulse of test automation in 2025

The TestRail report paints a clear picture: test automation is no longer optional, it’s a strategic imperative. These trends highlight a dual reality that automation is critical for scaling QA, but persistent challenges—such as test breakages, skill gaps, and environment complexity— demand innovative solutions. 

Here are some of the report’s most revealing insights:

Growing automation ambitions

On average, teams currently automate 40% of their tests but aim to reach 63% by year’s end, driven by the need for faster release cycles and broader test coverage. Regression (56%) and functional testing (52%) lead as the most automated test types, while complex areas like usability and security remain manual.

CI/CD integration drives success

When automation is integrated with CI/CD pipelines, teams report 86% faster release cycles and 71% lower defect leakage. In fact, 58% saw a return on investment within six months when automation was paired with CI/CD.

Diverse tool landscape

While Selenium (39%) and Playwright (19%) are widely used, many teams struggle to find tools that work well with their tech stack (29%) and that can deliver stable, low-maintenance tests (45%).

Overcoming test automation challenges with Ranorex

The report identifies several pain points hindering automation adoption, which align closely with the challenges Ranorex Studio is designed to address.

Frequent test breakages (45%)

UI changes and application updates often break automated tests, increasing maintenance costs. Tools like Ranorex Studio tackle this with advanced object recognition and a shared object repository, enabling tests to adapt to dynamic UIs without constant rework. Identification engines minimize flakiness, ensuring reliable test execution across desktop, web, and mobile applications.

Test data management (32%)

Creating and maintaining test data is a significant bottleneck. Ranorex supports data-driven testing with seamless integration of CSV, Excel, and SQL data sources, allowing teams to reuse realistic test data and streamline workflows. This directly addresses the report’s call for better test data management.

Skill shortages (30%)

A lack of automation expertise limits progress, particularly for teams hiring automation engineers. Ranorex Studio’s codeless automation through its capture-and-replay interface empowers non-technical testers, while its full IDE supporting C# and VB.NET caters to advanced users. This dual approach bridges the skill gap, making automation accessible to diverse teams.

End-to-end testing complexity (33%)

Testing integrated systems, APIs, and third-party components is increasingly challenging. Ranorex Studio’s cross-platform testing capabilities—covering desktop, web, and mobile (Windows, iOS, Android)—enable comprehensive end-to-end validation. Integration with Selenium WebDriver further supports scalable cross-browser testing, aligning with the report’s emphasis on system complexity.

Tool selection and integration (29%)

Teams struggle to choose tools that integrate with their tech stack (rated 62/100 for integration). Ranorex integrates seamlessly with TestRail, Jira, Jenkins, Git, and other DevOps tools, ensuring automated test results feed into CI/CD pipelines for real-time visibility and traceability. This supports 71% of teams reporting reduced defect leakage with strong integration.

Slow test execution (21%)

Long test runs hinder fast feedback cycles. Ranorex’s parallel test execution and cloud integration (e.g., via BrowserStack or Sauce Labs) accelerate testing, enabling overnight regression suites and quicker releases.

By addressing these challenges, Ranorex empowers QA teams to scale automation efficiently, reduce maintenance overhead, and align with the report’s top priorities: increasing test coverage (score: 10.22), automating more tests (score: 8.91), and shortening QA cycles (score: 8.51).

The role of AI in test automation: Ranorex’s forward-looking approach

The Fourth Edition Software Testing & Quality Report points to a growing interest in AI, with 86% of QA teams either exploring or actively using AI in some part of their workflow. But while the potential is clear, adoption is still in its early stages—especially when it comes to dedicated AI testing tools.

Where teams are today

A majority of teams are experimenting with general-purpose tools like ChatGPT (54%) and GitHub Copilot (23%) for tasks like test generation and debugging. However, usage of purpose-built AI QA tools remains low due to concerns around data privacy (34%), lack of in-house expertise (30%), and integration challenges (22%).

Where AI is making an impact

Teams say AI is helping them increase efficiency (29%) and free up time for more strategic work (34%)—but 36% report limited overall impact so far. It’s clear that expectations are still outpacing reality.

Where things are headed

Over the next five years, teams anticipate AI-driven capabilities such as self-healing tests, automated test case generation, and predictive defect detection. These advances could significantly reduce maintenance overhead (45%) and improve test coverage (26%).

We’re preparing for this AI-driven future. While Ranorex Studio excels in test automation, our roadmap includes exploring AI-powered test generation and self-healing to align with industry expectations.

For example, Ranorex’s object recognition already mimics early self-healing capabilities by dynamically adapting to UI changes, reducing the maintenance burden. Integration with tools like TestRail positions Ranorex to leverage AI-driven analytics for predictive defect detection, aligning with the report’s vision of AI as a game-changer for test efficiency.

Ranorex: Empowering QA teams for 2025 and beyond

The report outlines ambitious goals for QA teams over the next 1–3 years, including expanding automation, improving test coverage, accelerating cycles, and enhancing test data management. Ranorex is uniquely positioned to support these priorities:

Scalable automation

Ranorex’s codeless and code-based testing options enable teams to scale from small manual setups to enterprise-level automation, supporting the 63% automation goal. A case study from an enterprise banking company using the TestRail and Ranorex integration showed a 40% increase in productivity, demonstrating tangible ROI.

Comprehensive coverage

The report states that end-to-end testing across integrated systems “Is now the most frequently cited challenge and has grown significantly year over year (33% in 2024, up from 23% in 2023). As teams mature in their practices, they are encountering the intricacies of testing distributed systems, APIs, and third-party integrations. Maintaining stable test environments and ensuring coverage across interconnected components is becoming increasingly difficult.” Ranorex’s cross-platform support ensures end-to-end testing across integrated systems, addressing the challenge of system complexity and supporting the top priority of increasing test coverage.

Faster cycles

Parallel execution and CI/CD integration (e.g., with Jenkins) streamline QA cycles, aligning with 86% of teams reporting faster releases with automation.

Robust reporting

Ranorex’s detailed reports with screenshots and charts integrate with TestRail, providing the deeper metrics (e.g., defect trends, cycle times) desired by teams.

Ranorex vs. the competition

The report highlights Selenium (39%) and Playwright (19%) as leading automation tools. Ranorex stands out by offering:

• Broader platform support: Unlike Selenium, which focuses on web-only testing, Ranorex supports desktop, web, and mobile testing, addressing the need for end-to-end validation.
• Ease of use: Ranorex’s codeless interface reduces the skill barrier compared to Selenium’s coding-heavy approach, aligning with the 30% of teams facing skill shortages.
• Lower maintenance: Ranorex’s object recognition and reusable modules minimize test breakages (45%), unlike Playwright, which requires more scripting for dynamic UIs.
• Integrated ecosystem: Ranorex’s native integrations with TestRail and CI/CD tools provide a more cohesive workflow than open-source alternatives, addressing the 62/100 integration rating.

A call to action for QA teams

The 4th Edition STQR report confirms that test automation is at a tipping point. QA teams are under pressure to deliver faster, more reliable software while navigating complex systems, skill gaps, and evolving technologies like AI.

At Ranorex, we believe that the solution lies in empowering teams with intuitive, scalable, and future-ready tools. Ranorex Studio’s cross-platform testing, codeless automation, and many integrations enable teams to overcome today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

As the report puts it, “QA teams are aiming to work smarter, not just harder.” Ranorex helps you do exactly that—through cross-platform support, codeless test creation, and tight CI/CD integration. Want the full picture of where QA is headed? Download the full Fourth Edition Software Testing & Quality Report for all the insights!
Ready to see how Ranorex can elevate your automation strategy? Start your free trial today and explore how your team can release faster, with less friction and more confidence.