·4 min read
MVP Beta Testing: How to Run It
Beta testing catches problems before your public launch. Here is how to do it without dragging on forever.
Beta vs Public Launch
| Aspect | Beta | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 10-50 selected | Open to all |
| Expectations | Bugs expected | Should mostly work |
| Support | High-touch | Scalable |
| Feedback | Actively collected | Passively available |
| Pricing | Often free or discounted | Full price |
Finding Beta Testers
- •Waitlist subscribers (they already showed interest)
- •People you interviewed during validation
- •Friends of friends in your target audience
- •Community members who gave early feedback
- •Avoid: family and friends who will be too nice
How Many Testers
- •Start with 10-15 active testers
- •Expect 50% to actually engage
- •Better to have 10 engaged than 100 passive
- •Add more in waves if needed
What to Measure
- •Activation rate: Do they complete onboarding?
- •Core action: Do they use the main feature?
- •Bugs reported: What is breaking?
- •Confusion points: Where do they get stuck?
- •Would they pay: Ask directly
Beta Timeline
- •1-2 weeks is usually enough for MVP
- •Set a hard end date from the start
- •Do not extend unless critical issues found
- •Launch publicly even if not perfect
The goal of beta is not perfection. It is catching the worst problems before more people see them.