Big Firm Quality. Small Firm Rates.
Experienced testers, senior oversight, onboarded within days. Around 30% less than the large NZ testing consultancies.
✔ Every tester personally vetted. No one we wouldn't put on our own projects.
✔ A named senior professional accountable for your outcome.
✔ No lock-ins. No retainers.
Trusted on business-critical systems.
Choose the support that's right for you
Release Test Sprint
Short, focused testing for a release, UAT phase or delivery milestone. We join your team fast and deliver clear results, typically within one to five days.
Good for: startups, SaaS teams, and project teams under release pressure.
Dedicated Testing Support
A tester or small team embedded in your delivery for weeks or months. Senior-overseen, consistent, and able to scale as the project changes.
Good for: growing companies that need reliable testing across multiple releases.
Enterprise Platform Testing
Onsite-capable specialist testing for Salesforce, D365, SAP, Workday and similar platforms. We've led QA on some of New Zealand's most complex enterprise programmes.
Good for: organisations implementing or upgrading enterprise systems who want a tester in the room who already knows the platform.
Why companies switch from large consultancies
Most teams choose between a big consultancy and a recruiter placement. Here's how we compare with both.
| Large consultancy | Recruiter placement | TestPilot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who vets the tester | Junior-heavy bench | CV keyword match | Someone we've personally worked with |
| Who's accountable after day one | Account manager | No one | A named senior test manager |
| What you pay for | The firm's pyramid | Placement margin at consultancy rates | The testing |
| Time to start | Weeks | Weeks of recruitment | Days |
| Engagement terms | Standardised contracts | Fixed-term placements | Right-sized, no lock-ins |
How It Works
1. Tell us what you need
A short conversation or email is enough. Your project, your timeline, your testing pressure. No lengthy briefs.
2. We recommend the right tester
Based on your platform, timeline and team, we put forward the right person from our vetted pool. You choose the tester that's right for your team.
3. We get to work
Your tester joins your team and tools within days. A senior test manager oversees every engagement, so there's always an experienced eye on quality.
4. You get clear outcomes
Test results, defect reports and honest recommendations, organised so your team can act on them.
Why I Started TestPilot
After more than 20 years leading software testing across South Africa and New Zealand, I noticed the same problem again and again.
Growing businesses needed experienced testing support, but their only options were often large consultancies with high overheads or contractors they knew very little about.
There had to be a better way. I've worked inside large consulting firms. I know what they do exceptionally well and where growing businesses end up paying for overhead they don't always need.
That's why I started TestPilot.
We combine experienced, ISTQB-qualified testers with senior QA oversight, giving organisations the confidence of an experienced testing partner without the cost and complexity of a large consultancy.
Over the past two decades I've led testing on programmes involving Salesforce, SAP, Workday, ERP, mobile applications and large-scale digital platforms, supporting organisations including Foodstuffs, Fulton Hogan, Alliance Group and the University of Canterbury.
Every tester I recommend is someone I've personally worked with.
Today I'm an ISTQB Accredited Trainer and an Associate Board Member of the ANZTB, helping raise the standard of software testing across New Zealand.
If your team is under delivery pressure and needs testing support you can trust, I'd like to talk.
Will Samuels
Founder | TestPilot
Senior-overseen testing. No retainers, no long-term commitments.
Why growing NZ companies choose TestPilot
Senior oversight
A named senior professional is accountable for your outcome. Not a tester working alone.
Fast onboarding
In your team in days, not weeks. Our testers are known to us and available now. There's no recruitment cycle.
Right-sized pricing
No big-firm overhead. You pay for testing, not for a pyramid.
Enterprise experience
ERP, SaaS and enterprise programmes across New Zealand.
20+
Years Testing Enterprise Systems
250M
Subscribers served by telcos we tested for
80+
Testing professionals led
5
Countries worked across
100+
Releases delivered
What people say
From people who've worked with Will from TestPilot
"Will is a fantastic mentor, constantly engaged and dedicated to improving our QA processes. Helping us create a much more stable product."
"His presence was a breath of fresh air. His technical understanding in the QA field is second to none and he brought so many fresh ideas to our product development process."
"One of the most professional, collaborative, and detail-oriented enterprise test leaders I've had the pleasure to work with. His no-nonsense approach to ambiguity minimises churn and influences stability."
Common questions
How quickly can a tester start?
Usually within days. Our testers are known to us and available now, so there's no recruitment cycle. A short conversation about your project is enough to get moving.
How do you vet your testers?
Every tester we recommend is someone Will has personally worked with, interviewed, or would confidently place on his own projects. Most are ISTQB certified, and every engagement is overseen by a senior test manager.
Do your testers work onsite or remote?
Both. We have testers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch who can work onsite, and experienced remote testers for teams that work distributed. We'll recommend what fits your project.
What does it cost?
It depends on the role, the seniority required, and the length of the engagement — which is why we don't publish a single rate. As a guide, expect around 30% less than the large NZ testing consultancies. We'll give you a clear number in the first conversation, and there are no retainers or lock-ins.
Need testing support?
Let's have a 20-minute conversation.
We'll understand your project, recommend the right approach, and tell you honestly whether we're a good fit.