International Software Testing Qualifications Board

Name

International Software Testing Qualifications Board

Legal name

ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)

Website

https://istqb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG), Psychometric Standards, Test Development & Validation Authorities (EDADAFAG), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Software testing certification
• Vendor-neutral certification
• Professional certification scheme
• Accredited training programs
• Exam administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Revenue generated through exam fees managed by member boards and exam providers. The Partner Program involves fees based on partnership level (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Global). Fees are invoiced at the beginning of validity period by selling body on ISTQB side.
2. Partner Program Fees: Organizations pay fees for partnership status (Global Partner level requires additional flat fee of 2,000 Euro per year). Renewal fees with 30% loyalty discount for annual renewal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ISTQB develops and administers a global, vendor-neutral certification scheme for software testing professionals. The portfolio comprises a multi-level certification system — Foundation Level (CTFL), Advanced Level (CTAL), Specialist stream, and Expert Level (CTEL) — delivered through accredited training providers, exam providers, and 70+ national member boards across 130+ countries. Syllabi, sample exams, the ISTQB Glossary, and the Testing Body of Knowledge (TBOK) underpin the scheme.

Product overview

ISTQB is a not-for-profit international certification scheme providing a portfolio of professional certifications in software testing. The offering is structured as a multi-level certification system rather than a software product: it comprises a Core Foundation Level (CTFL v4.0) as the prerequisite, Core Advanced Level certifications (CTAL-AT v2.0, CTAL-TA v4.0, CTAL-TTA, CTAL-TM v3.0, CTAL-TAE v2.0, CTAL-ATT), a Specialist stream with technology and domain-specific certifications (CT-AI v2.0, CT-GenAI, CT-MAT, CT-MBT, CT-TAS, CT-ATLaS, CT-AcT, CT-PT, CT-STE, CT-SEC, CT-UT, CT-AuT, CT-GT, CT-GaMe, CT-FT, CT-QDO), and an Expert Level for test management and process improvement (CTEL-TM-STM, CTEL-TM-OTM, CTEL-TM-MTT, CTEL-ITP-ATP, CTEL-ITP-ITPI). The scheme is delivered through accredited training providers, exam providers, and member boards across over 130 countries, with syllabi, sample exams, and the ISTQB Glossary freely available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5 million exams administered globally as of May 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Software Architecture Qualification Board (iSAQB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 16, 2026, establishing closer cooperation between software testing and software architecture disciplines. Signed during Software Architecture Forum 2026 in Munich-Unterhaching, Germany by Dr. Klaudia Dussa-Zieger (ISTQB President) and Dr. Guido Gryczan (iSAQB Chair).
• IREB (Requirements Engineering)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance with IREB certification body to complement ISTQB schemes and highlight links to related disciplines in software engineering.
• IQBBA (Business Analysis)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance with IQBBA certification body to complement ISTQB schemes and highlight links to related disciplines in business analysis.
• TMMi Foundation (Test Process Improvement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance with TMMi Foundation to complement ISTQB schemes and highlight links to test process improvement disciplines.
• Global Partners (100+ organizations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor100+ organizations are members of the Partner Program at Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Global levels. Global Partners include NTT DATA MSE Corporation, VeriServe Corporation, Babel, CO-WELL, Valtes, imbus AG, ALTEN Group, and others across multiple countries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IREB (International Requirements Engineering Board): IREB administers the CPRE certification family for requirements engineering through an international member-board network modeled similarly to ISTQB. The organizations have a formal mutual alliance and operate analogous certification schemes in adjacent software-engineering disciplines.
• ISEB (administered via BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT): ISEB, now delivered through BCS, is ISTQB's UK-origin counterpart and direct peer in software testing certification. ISTQB explicitly notes mutual recognition of ISEB and ISTQB certificates, making them the closest substitute and complement in the same vendor-neutral testing credentialing category.
• iSAQB (International Software Architecture Qualification Board): iSAQB is an internationally active not-for-profit certification body for software architecture, structured identically to ISTQB (multiple levels, member-board network, syllabi-based exams). It is both a strategic ally under the June 2026 MoU and a structural peer operating in the adjacent software-engineering credentials market.
• TMMi Foundation: The TMMi Foundation issues TMMi certifications for test process improvement and maturity assessment, complementing ISTQB's individual-level testing certifications with an organizational maturity framework. They are explicitly allied with ISTQB and serve overlapping buyer personas (test managers, QA leaders).
• IQBBA (International Qualification Board for Business Analysis): IQBBA is a not-for-profit certification body for business analysis, governed through national chapters in the same mold as ISTQB. ISTQB lists IQBBA as an alliance partner, and the two compete for similar enterprise training/certification budgets across software engineering and adjacent disciplines.

Regional players

• ASQF (Arbeitskreis Software-Qualität und -Fortbildung): ASQF is a long-standing German professional association for software quality whose Certified Professional for Software Architecture (CPSA) program overlaps with ISTQB's syllabi-based certification model. ASQF primarily serves the DACH region and is comparable as a national-discipline certification body rather than a direct global competitor.

Broad incumbents

• CompTIA: CompTIA is a large, established vendor-neutral IT certification body offering credentials such as Security+ and IT Fundamentals. It overlaps with ISTQB as a vendor-neutral IT credentials publisher reaching employers and training channels, but CompTIA operates broader across IT rather than specializing in software testing.
• IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis): IIBA is a larger, established not-for-profit professional body that issues the CBAP and other certifications for business analysts via a global chapter network. It is comparable to ISTQB in structure (membership-based, multi-tier credentials, vendor-neutral, international chapters) while serving the adjacent business-analysis discipline.

Emerging players

• GAQM (Global Association for Quality Management): GAQM issues a broad catalog of quality and IT certifications including software testing credentials. It targets similar enterprise and individual buyers in emerging markets, partially overlapping with ISTQB's portfolio at the Foundation/specialist tier, though without ISTQB's global member-board recognition.
• QAI Global Institute: QAI Global Institute delivers certifications and training across software testing, quality management, and agile domains, including CSTP and CSTE credentials. It overlaps with ISTQB's foundation-to-specialist testing credentialing territory while maintaining its own proprietary scheme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/istqborg
• Facebookfacebook.com/220517667989575
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/istqborg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Software Testing Qualifications Board