Banking Application Testing: Benefits & Use Cases

As a rule, software testing has a unified set of principles and standards that stay true for all industries. However, there are a few areas that require extra dedication and commitment as well as attention to security issues. In the banking domain it is especially necessary.

If you don’t know how to approach banking application testing, this post is a checklist of the best practices and strategies. Business managers can use this guide when looking for QA specialists or strategizing.

What is Banking Application Testing? 

A banking application usually has a complex structure — the development team has to manage a wide range of features and ensure security for its users all while offering an enjoyable and smooth experience. 

Releasing a product full of code errors and performance issues will likely tank the company’s reputation. 

There are several aspects QA specialists prioritize when testing banking applications:

These are the main directions a banking application tester works in. Once all the banking web application testing stages are carried out successfully, the product goes live. Having tested the app, a banking company manager will be more confident about its performance in the real-world context. 

Why You Need Mobile Banking Application Testing

Banking applications deal with sensitive assets — that’s why they are more vulnerable than any other projects. Financial software is a common target for hackers, so a company that works in the banking domain has to be on the constant lookout for security threats. 

Mobile banking app testing is a way for a development team to predict and proactively manage protection and performance issues. There are other benefits it brings to the table as well, such as:

This is not a definite list of QA banking application testing benefits. These are simply the most crucial ones that explain the difference in performance and user acceptance between a well-tested and a not tested app. 

How to Test Banking App?

To ensure a testing strategy can be expanded for all the projects that a quality assurance manager handles at a time, a strategy is crucial. 

That’s why knowing your bank application testing process step-by-step is not optional. Depending on business objectives, the scale of the product, and its range of features, additional steps might be added or removed from the framework. Having said that, as a rule, the banking app testing process looks the following way. 

Data gathering

The first stage of banking app testing consists of research. A QA specialist needs to get domain knowledge (familiarize with industry-specific terms) and get a better understanding of the industry standards. 

Identifying test requirements

Based on all collected data, the testing team identifies the requirements a testing session will assess. The list of objectives has to include both business and functional goals. 

Collecting banking app test cases

A QA specialist creates an online banking application test suite where cases are separated by functionality modules. At the end of the day, it has to cover all aspects of the application — functionality, performance, user experience, and security. 

Functional testing

During the functional testing the team runs tests to make sure all functions a development team chose to implement work as expected. 

Database testing

A QA manager needs to ensure the data is stored in a structured, easy-to-manage way. Also, the database needs to have a mechanism for data restoration or migration. 

Banking application security testing

At this stage, testers assess the way user data is protected by the application. This includes assessing data encryption efficiency and user authentication. A tester also needs to ensure potential data breaches or leaks are automatically reported.

For banking app developers seeking comprehensive guidance, understanding how to perform security testing for web applications provides essential methodologies that can be adapted for financial software. For a banking app, measures for handling unauthorized access are necessary — such as an automatic system shutdown.

Usability testing

Here, a QA manager thinks of a way to help all of its user categories navigate the app. Testers need to ensure that people with sight problems or other illnesses will feel no limitations when it comes to using the tool. The application also has to be fully adapted to meeting the needs of the elderly.

Performance testing

This stage includes checking page loading speeds, database volume testing, testing the app’s performance as the traffic load increases, assessing the product’s responsivity for different browsers.

User acceptance testing

At this stage, a limited number of users (a focus group or beta-testers) gets to try the app for the first time. The development team records and monitors journeys and experiences, ensures they are bug-free, and gets feedback from user acceptance testing participants. 

This, in a nutshell, is a brief rundown of the banking app testing process. Depending on the complexity of the product and the extent of its user base, the amount of time needed to complete the stages may vary. 

Use Cases and Challenges in Financial Application Testing

To understand the nature of financial application testing to the fullest extent, let’s look at generic cases QA specialists usually include in a mobile banking application test suite: 

Financial applications are peculiar compared to other software products due to a wide user base and heightened attention to security compliance. These and other factors make the testing process slightly more challenging than that of other software. 

Here’s a banking application testing challenges list that shows the issues QA specialists have to pay attention to:

Banking Application Testing in PFLB

PFLB is a team of professional testers with a tried-and-proven testing strategy for financial applications. Since 2008, we’ve completed dozens of projects across multiple industries, including core banking system testing projects.

We’ve provided small, medium, and big enterprises with performance testing service for confidence and a stable application performance. 

Our experts use SOAP/REST-based transaction processing emulators for banking application load testing, an HSM Plugin for JMeter for data streams integration testing, VISA|MC|MK Clearing transaction emulators, and many other solutions. 

Our clients get continuous assistance on solving functional and performance issues. After the product is released, we will provide you with maintenance tips and, if needed, will reiterate selected tests. 

Final thoughts

Thorough testing can’t be optional for banking applications as they deal with large volumes of confidential data. An error-prone app puts the users of the banking system at risk and endangers their financial assets. 

Through testing, a company owner can ensure that users will be able to freely perform transactions and check the status of a deposit or their account balance. 

If you are looking for high-quality testing services, PFLB is the place to contact. With over 10 years of experience, we have a solid understanding of the banking domain and are familiar with the latest fintech industry standards.
Take a look at our services to choose those your project could benefit from. To describe your software and find out more about the ways to test and optimize its performance, contact us.