How to Perform Free Website Testing on Your Own

Free Website Testing

Testing a website is a crucial step to ensure its functionality, usability, and security. Many businesses invest in professional quality assurance (QA) services, but did you know that you can conduct free website testing on your own? This guide will walk you through essential steps and tools to test your website effectively without spending a dime.

Why Website Testing is Important

Website testing helps to:

Identify bugs and errors before launch
Improve user experience (UX)
Ensure security and data protection
Optimize performance and speed
Enhance search engine rankings (SEO)

If your website is not properly tested, you may face issues such as slow loading times, broken links, and security vulnerabilities, all of which can impact user trust and engagement.

Types of Website Testing You Can Do for Free

Functional Testing

This ensures that all website features work as intended. You should check:

Navigation menus
Forms (contact, login, registration)
Links (internal and external)
Buttons and CTAs (Call to Actions)
User authentication and session management

How to Test:

Manually go through each function and record any issues
Use browser developer tools (Inspect Element) to debug

Usability Testing

This focuses on user experience. Ask yourself:

Is the website easy to navigate?
Can users find what they need quickly?
Are the fonts, colors, and layout user-friendly?

How to Test:

Invite friends or colleagues to use the site and provide feedback
Use tools like Google Lighthouse to analyze usability

Performance Testing

Speed and performance are critical for SEO and user retention. Websites that load slowly tend to lose visitors quickly.

How to Test:

Use free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to measure speed
Test the site on different devices and networks

Compatibility Testing

Your website should work well across different browsers and devices.

How to Test:

Open the website on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Test on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Use free online tools like BrowserStack (trial version)

SEO Testing

SEO testing ensures your website is search engine friendly.

How to Test:

Use Google Search Console to check indexing
Check meta tags, alt text for images, and keyword usage
Use Yoast SEO (if using WordPress) for free recommendations

Security Testing

A secure website builds trust and prevents data breaches.

How to Test:

Use SSL Checker to ensure HTTPS is enabled
Scan for vulnerabilities with Sucuri SiteCheck
Ensure strong passwords and proper authentication methods

Step-by-Step Guide to Conduct Free Website Testing

Step 1: Plan Your Testing

Create a checklist of what needs to be tested. Organize it into categories such as functionality, usability, performance, and security.

Step 2: Use Free Tools

Utilize the following free tools to streamline your testing:

Google Lighthouse (for performance and SEO analysis)
GTmetrix (for speed testing)
W3C Validator (for HTML and CSS validation)
Uptime Robot (for monitoring site availability)

Step 3: Conduct Manual Testing

Go through your website as a real user. Test different paths, click buttons, submit forms, and navigate pages. Record any issues you find.

Step 4: Run Automated Tests

Automate repetitive tests using free tools like:

Selenium IDE (for browser automation)
Google Mobile-Friendly Test (to check mobile responsiveness)

Step 5: Fix Issues and Retest

Once you identify problems, fix them and retest to ensure they are resolved. Run performance tests again to see improvements.

Website testing doesn’t have to be expensive. By following this guide and using free tools, you can effectively test your website for functionality, performance, usability, and security. Regular testing ensures that your site runs smoothly, providing a better experience for users while maintaining strong security and SEO performance.

Start testing today and improve your website without spending a cent!

Not sure how to test your website? Contact us, and we’ll take care of it for you!

Get in Touch

Mykola Oleksiienko

An article author for OrderTesting, specializing in web and mobile application testing. Shares expertise in QA, testing tools, and best practices for quality assurance.