Why testing early (and often) saves time and money

When an app is first scoped, we create a detailed feature document, essentially the blueprint for everything that’s about to be built. Once it’s reviewed and signed off, it becomes the foundation for our testing team to create scripts.

Those scripts map out exactly how each part of the app should behave. By writing and reviewing them early, we can often spot inconsistencies or gaps before a single line of code is written. It’s a simple step that prevents time-consuming rework later down the line.

And that matters, because according to Tricentis, fixing a bug in the design stage might cost around $100, but if it’s found after release, that same issue can cost up to $10,000 to resolve.

Once development begins, our projects move through multiple sprints, with test cycles built into every stage. That means testing isn’t something we “get to later”; it’s a recurring part of our process.

After each iteration is developed, our testers run the relevant scripts, raise bugs with appropriate priority levels (from P1 critical to P4 minor), and retest every fix before anything is released to a client.

For every new feature, previous ones are retested too, ensuring no new code accidentally breaks existing functionality. This kind of iterative testing keeps things stable and predictable, which saves everyone from stressful last-minute scrambles before launch.

A report found that early testing can reduce the cost of fixing defects by up to 30 times compared to finding them later. That’s not just a nice-to-know statistic; it’s an important reason to test as you go.

While scripts and tools keep us consistent, there’s a part of testing that relies entirely on human experience: exploratory testing.

Once we’re confident the app meets the documented requirements, our testers spend time using it as a real person would. This is where subtle issues often surface: a button that doesn’t feel intuitive, a transition that’s slightly too slow, or a workflow that just doesn’t make sense outside of a technical diagram.

This step is about ensuring the app feels natural to use, not just checking a box. The same principle applies during our User Acceptance Testing (UAT) phase, where clients and their teams get hands-on with the app before launch. Their feedback, combined with our final smoke testing, ensures what’s delivered feels polished, stable, and ready for real users.

It’s easy to think of testing as a cost, but the reality is that it’s an investment in stability and trust. Early, continuous testing doesn’t just reduce development costs, it also:

• Shortens delivery times, because you’re not stuck unpicking layers of issues near the finish line.
• Improves quality, because every feature is validated as it’s built.
• Protects reputation, because you’re not launching something users can’t rely on.

As IEEE Computer Society highlights, consistent testing improves reliability, user satisfaction, and overall product value.

At The Distance, this approach means fewer surprises, cleaner builds, and smoother launches. It’s a process that’s saved countless hours of redevelopment and (more importantly) helped our clients release apps that perform exactly how their users expect them to.

Testing early and often isn’t about finding faults, it’s about building confidence. It ensures that every part of the app, from the first prototype to the final release, works together seamlessly.

When testing is treated as a continuous collaboration rather than an afterthought, it transforms the whole development process. It creates apps that launch faster, perform better, and stand the test of time, all while saving businesses from costly rework.

At The Distance, that’s how we define quality, not just by how an app looks, but by how reliably it performs from day one.