ISTQB® Add-On Practical Tester by A4Q stands apart—it’s all about real-world application. The Practical Tester is a certification program developed by the Alliance for Qualification (A4Q), and on February 27, 2025, the Practical Tester was officially endorsed by the ISTQB® as an Add-On certification.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲?

•  𝗔 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂. Picture this: you sit for an exam, expecting to click through A, B, C, and D choices, but instead, they ask you to 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.  Worse—apply what you know! No guessing. The Practical Tester doesn’t use multiple-choice questions. Instead, candidates provide written responses, making it closer to a real testing job.
• 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗜-𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Unlike traditional multiple-choice exams, Practical Tester uses AI-powered learning tools to help candidates practice real-world testing scenarios with instant feedback. The AI-powered learning tool will watch, analyze, and provide feedback as you attempt to prove your worth as a tester.
• 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗢𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆. This certification focuses more on practical application. The certification isn’t about proving you can memorize glossary terms or recall testing models. Instead of just answering theory-based questions, you write test cases, identify defects, and apply test techniques during the exam.
• 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. Although it’s designed for those with ISTQB Foundation Level knowledge, it can also challenge experienced testers by refining their practical skills.
• 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. This is one of the few globally recognized certifications focused exclusively on practical software testing skills rather than just theory.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁?

If you enjoy 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 certifications, there are plenty of great options out there. But if you’re looking for a certification that challenges you to 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀, then ISTQB® Add-On Practical Tester by A4Q might be exactly what you need.

For more information about the ISTQB® Add-On Practical Tester by A4Q, visit: https://practicaltester.org/