What tool do you use to manage beta testers for a web application?

Answer 1

Well, I don't have a specific tool recommendation for this, but in my experience I've found it easiest to just implement this stuff myself.

• Easy enough to throw a feedback form into your app hidden somewhere and just link to it during the beta.
• For logins and such I just use a simple signup code system (with a simple admin UI for adding more signup codes)
• Bug tracking... depending on your audience they probably wont be entering bugs themselves, so use the feedback form for this. If your audience is developers then you can simply point them at your bugtracker or just have them email you and you can enter them -- 10-20 people isn't a lot of bug reports
• This approach is 'free' in the monetary sense :)

Just my approach, sometimes it's worth it to just bang out this stuff really rough in an evening rather than setting up/managing a separate tool which you'll only be using during the beta. When your beta is over, this way, you just delete the related code (or better, re-purpose it to facilitate free accounts for bloggers or people you meet at conferences and stuff).

Answer 2

After some more research I have found that I like Beta Easy so far. I'd still like to hear suggestions if you have them.

It still requires each user to have an extra login, which is kind of annoying, but it gives me all of the other features I'm looking for in a clean interface.

There's also a list of Customer Feedback Management tools I came across on Wikipedia here.

Answer 3

http://www.mantisbt.org/

I havent run this before, but I've used it and it may suit your needs.