Beta testing is the stage where a near-final product is released to a limited external audience to gather feedback and validate readiness before general availability. Audiences include existing customers, opt-in users, and private invite lists. It is distinct from alpha testing (earlier, internal or trusted-tester-only) and from GA (everyone). It is one of the older terms in software, going back to IBM's "A-test/B-test" terminology in the 1950s, and one of the most-stretched in the modern era of permanent betas.
The major beta variants in 2025: closed beta (invitation-only, typically existing customers or a recruited list, allows tight control of who sees the product), open beta (anyone can sign up; functions as a soft launch w...