Checklist: 20 Essential Test Cases for Mobile Apps

A great mobile app doesn’t just look good — it must perform consistently across devices, networks, and user scenarios.

Even a well-designed app can fail if not thoroughly tested. That’s why QA teams rely on structured test cases to validate UI, logic, security, and performance.

In this guide, you’ll find a checklist of 20 essential mobile test cases, grouped by testing type, applicable to both Android and iOS platforms.


Mobile App Test Case Categories

To ensure complete test coverage, this checklist includes test cases across:

  • Functional Testing
  • UI/UX Testing
  • Performance Testing
  • Compatibility Testing
  • Security Testing
  • Network Testing

Checklist: 20 Must-Have Mobile App Test Cases

Functional Test Cases

Test Purpose
App Launch Validate app launch across OS versions/devices
Login Flow Test valid/invalid credentials, MFA, error messaging
Navigation Flow Verify consistency across menus/screens
Input Field Validation Check character limits, types, edge cases
Form Submission Ensure correct behavior and user feedback

UI/UX Test Cases

Test Purpose
Responsive Layout Verify screen rendering on phones & tablets
Touch Interactions Test buttons, sliders, gestures
Orientation Change Ensure stable UI when switching portrait ↔ landscape
Font/Icon Rendering Consistency and readability
Dark Mode Compatibility UI correctness in dark/light themes

Performance Test Cases

Test Purpose
App Load Time Measure initial load speed
Memory Usage Detect RAM spikes and leaks
Battery Drain Ensure optimized power usage

Compatibility Test Cases

Test Purpose
OS Version Support Run on both legacy and latest OS versions
Device Fragmentation Validate on multiple devices, screen sizes, and chipsets

Network Test Cases

Test Purpose
Offline Mode Ensure fallback behaviors and cache handling
Slow Network Simulation Test usability under 2G/3G speeds
Interruption Handling Validate app stability post phone calls, push alerts, etc.

Security Test Cases

Test Purpose
Data Encryption Verify no sensitive data stored in plain text
Permission Requests Validate proper handling of camera, location, etc.

Tools to Support These Test Cases

Tool Use Case
Appium Cross-platform UI test automation
BrowserStack Real device cloud testing
Postman API + security validation
Applitools Visual regression
Firebase Test Lab Performance testing
Burp Suite Security scanning & proxy testing

Case Study: E-Commerce App QA

  • Used 18 of 20 checklist items in regression
  • Detected 24 UI bugs + 2 major security flaws pre-release
  • 35% improvement in app store ratings
  • 97.6% crash-free sessions in the first month

FAQs

Q1: Should I use the same checklist for Android and iOS?
A: Mostly yes — but customize for platform-specific behaviors (UI layouts, permission flows, gestures).

Q2: How often should these test cases be run?
A: After every major release. Automate wherever possible.

Q3: Can this checklist be used for hybrid apps like Flutter or React Native?
A: Yes. It applies broadly to native, hybrid, and cross-platform apps.


Conclusion: Start With the Essentials

A reliable mobile QA strategy begins with covering the right test cases. This checklist helps ensure your app performs well across real-world use conditions — from login to load time to security.

At Testriq QA Lab LLP, we help QA teams design, run, and automate test cases for faster, cleaner launches.

👉 Get a Free Mobile QA Consultation

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