The Xray Alternative That Works Without Jira (and Costs Less)
Xray turns test management into a Jira plugin you cannot leave. Testably is a standalone platform with optional Jira sync, flat-rate pricing, and AI built in — ready in five minutes, no Atlassian Marketplace shopping required.
Xray is one of the most widely deployed test management tools on Jira — which is exactly the problem when your QA work outgrows Jira, or when finance asks why the Xray bill scales with the entire engineering organization instead of the QA team. Because Xray models each test case as a Jira issue, you cannot view, edit, or migrate tests without an active Jira Cloud subscription. Reports often require third-party Atlassian plugins like Xporter. CI/CD connectors for Jenkins and GitHub are gated behind a separate Xray Enterprise app, on top of the marketplace price. Testably approaches this problem from the opposite direction: a dedicated test management platform with an optional two-way Jira integration. You can start free, link Jira issues if and when you need to, and never pay for non-tester seats. The migration takes a CSV export, a field mapping, and a verification pass — usually under thirty minutes.
Why Teams Are Leaving Xray
The pain points that drive QA teams to switch.
01
Jira is mandatory — even for non-coding QA
Xray test cases are Jira issues. Manual testers, analysts, and external auditors all need Jira seats to see test history. The bill scales with the whole org, not just QA.
02
CI/CD integrations are paywalled into a separate app
Jenkins and GitHub connectors require Xray Enterprise — a separate Atlassian Marketplace app on top of your base Xray license.
03
Reports often need paid plugins
Multiple G2 reviewers note that producing the reports they need requires Xporter or other paid Marketplace add-ons.
04
Cloud performance complaints on large suites
Reviewers cite slow test step editing on Xray Cloud, with multi-second load times when working in large test suites.
05
Learning curve for test plan / execution structure
Even experienced Jira admins describe Xray's test plan and test execution model as initially confusing.
Why Teams Pick Testably Instead
The five things you get when you switch from Xray.
01
Standalone platform with optional Jira sync
Testably keeps test cases in a dedicated data model. You can integrate with Jira on day one and migrate freely later — your QA history is not Jira-shaped.
02
Flat-rate pricing tied to testers, not the whole org
Up to 20 members for $99/mo on Professional. Your Jira seat count and engineering headcount are irrelevant to the bill.
03
AI test case generation on every paid plan
Generate from text descriptions, Jira issues, or exploratory sessions — starting at $19/mo Hobby. No edition upgrade required.
04
CI/CD integration on Professional, not in a separate app
GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins connectors are part of the $99/mo Professional plan.
05
Shared Steps with version pinning + run snapshots
Pin Shared Step versions per test case, view side-by-side diffs, and freeze run-level snapshots so updates never invalidate an in-flight execution.
Feature Comparison
Testably vs Xray, side by side.
| Feature | Testably | Xray |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier (forever) | Yes | No |
| Works without Jira | Yes | No |
| Standalone platform | Yes | No |
| Bills per QA user only | Yes | Tied to Jira user tier |
| Flat-rate pricing | Yes | No |
| Setup time | < 5 minutes | Jira + plugin setup |
| AI test case generation | All paid plans | Standard (basic) / Advanced (scripts) |
| BDD / Gherkin support | Roadmap | Yes |
| Shared Steps with version pinning | Yes | Step Library (no pinning) |
| Run-level step snapshots | Yes | No |
| Jira integration | Native, optional | Required |
| CI/CD integration (Jenkins, GitHub) | Professional+ | Enterprise edition only |
| Cross-project reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Reports without paid add-on | Yes | Xporter add-on often needed |
Last updated: May 2026. Feature availability may vary by plan.
Pricing Comparison
Testably's flat-rate plans vs Xray's pricing.
| Plan | Testably | Xray |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo 1 project · 2 members · 100 TCs | No free tier Trial only |
| Hobby | $19/mo 3 projects · 5 members · RTM unlimited | N/A No equivalent plan |
| Small Jira team (≤10 users) | $49/mo Starter · Up to 5 members | ~$100/yr Standard Standard edition, 10 Jira users |
| Mid Jira team (50 users, 10 testers) | $99/mo Professional · Up to 20 members | Tier scales w/ Jira Billed on all 50 Jira users |
| CI/CD integration | Included Professional plan | Enterprise app Separate Xray Enterprise license |
| Advanced AI features | Included Professional plan | Advanced / Enterprise Higher edition required |
| Enterprise (100+ Jira users) | $249–$499/mo Enterprise S / M (flat) | Custom Marketplace + Enterprise app |
Prices as of May 2026. See Xray's official site for the latest pricing.
Move from Xray to Testably in under 30 minutes
Supported import formats: CSV (UTF-8) · Excel (.xlsx) · Testably API
01
Export Xray test cases as CSV
In Jira, use Xray's built-in CSV export (or the Xray REST/GraphQL API) to dump test cases, steps, and statuses. Include linked Jira issue keys so traceability survives the migration.
02
Map Xray fields to Testably fields
Use the field mapping table below. Most projects only customize 2–3 fields beyond the defaults.
03
Import the CSV into Testably
Open the target project in Testably, choose "Import → CSV", upload the file, and accept the mapping. Imports of 1,000 cases typically complete in under a minute.
04
Connect Jira (optional but recommended)
In Testably, add the Jira Cloud integration to preserve issue linkage. Two-way sync is available on all plans including Free.
05
Verify on a sample run
Pick a representative regression suite, run it in Testably, and confirm step-level results, attachments, and Jira links round-trip correctly.
View field mapping table
| Xray field | Testably field | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Xray Test (Jira Issue Key) | Test Case ID | Stored as external reference; original key preserved. |
| Summary | Title | — |
| Test Steps (Action / Data / Expected) | Steps | — |
| Test Type | Type (Manual / Automated) | — |
| Priority | Priority | — |
| Labels | Tags | — |
| Linked Jira issues | Linked Issues (via Jira integration) | — |
| Test Plan / Test Execution | Test Run | Xray execution becomes a Testably test run. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my Jira workflow break if we leave Xray?
No. Testably connects to Jira Cloud with two-way sync — link test cases to Jira issues, auto-create bugs from failures, and keep statuses aligned. Developers keep working in Jira; QA gets a dedicated tool.
How long does an Xray migration take?
For most projects: under 30 minutes. Export Xray test cases (CSV via the Xray API), map fields, import into Testably, and verify on a sample run. Larger suites (>1,000 cases) can be batched over an afternoon.
Do I lose BDD / Gherkin coverage?
Testably supports structured step-by-step test cases and exploratory sessions today. Gherkin-native BDD is on the roadmap. Teams that rely on BDD as the single source of truth should run a pilot before switching.
Ready to leave Xray?
Free forever · Standalone platform · 14-day Starter trial available