Ministry of Testing
The largest community built around software testing: a free forum called The Club, articles, local meetups, conferences and a job board, plus paid on-demand courses and certificates. A free Basic account is enough to ask questions, read discussions and find events, and it is where many testers learn how the craft works in real teams.
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Ministry of Testing
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What it is
Ministry of Testing (MoT) is a community and learning platform for software testers and quality engineers. It runs The Club, an online forum; publishes articles and talks; organises conferences such as TestBash and MoTaCon and local chapter meetups in a number of cities; and offers on-demand courses and certificates.
Free versus paid
As of 2026-09, the official membership page lists:
- Basic (free): an MoT profile, access to The Club, chapter event attendance and the option to mark yourself open to opportunities.
- Professional ($99 per year plus tax): all on-demand courses and a large catalogue of talks, event access, job listings, a salary database, member Slack and certification discounts.
- Unlimited ($199 per year plus tax): everything in Professional plus enrolment in all MoT certifications.
Team plans are also available. Prices and inclusions change, so check the official membership page before paying.
Is it worth your time?
The free tier, yes. The Club is one of the best places to ask practical testing questions and read how experienced testers handle exploratory testing, bug advocacy, test strategy and automation decisions. Local chapters are a good way to meet working testers, which matters when you are looking for a first role. Treat the paid plans as optional: they are useful if you want structured courses and certificates, but plenty of free material exists elsewhere.
Certificates
MoT offers its own certificates, including Software Testing Essentials, a Foundation and an Intermediate Certificate in Test Automation, and a Software Quality Engineering Certificate. They are less widely listed in job postings than ISTQB, so check your target market before paying for one.
How to use it
Create a free account, introduce yourself in The Club, and read threads on topics from this roadmap stage by stage. When you have written a test plan or a bug report, ask for feedback. Look for a chapter or online meetup near your time zone.
Common questions
Is it only for people in the UK? No. It started in the UK but members and events are international, and much of it is online.
Do I need a paid plan to get a job? No. Your portfolio and skills matter far more than any membership.
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