Expertise hub / Calculator
Calculator 2 min to fill in

Is it worth automating this test?

Enter your own numbers and see when an automated test pays for itself. Or whether it never does.

// Your numbers

Fill in to also see the savings in euros.

// Outcome
Break-even
7sprints
about 3.5 months
Automate Manual
sprint 1sprint 26
Automation cost 8.5 hours
Manual cost 19.5 hours
Net gain after 1 year+ 11 hours
In money+ €715

// How we calculate
// Cost of automating, after N sprints Cost = build time + (maintenance × N) // Cost of manual testing, after N sprints Manual = execution time × N // Break-even: the first sprint where manual becomes more expensive Break-even = first N where manual > cost

The calculator uses the same formula as our article on the ROI of test automation. Maintenance keeps running for as long as the test exists. That is precisely why a test that breaks often never pays for itself.

The calculator gives an estimate, not an exact result. The outcome is only as good as your input, which is usually itself an estimate. Use it to see the order of magnitude, not to plan to two decimal places.

// Let's run the numbers together

Not sure about your own numbers?

We'll go through your test set with you and work out what automating actually delivers. And what's better left manual.

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