An open beta is a testing phase in software development where a product or application is made available to the public for testing before its commercial release. During this phase, the product is open for public testing, but it is still in development. Open beta is generally open to all users who wish to test the product, and it usually happens after the developers have fixed all major bugs identified during the closed beta stage. The objective of open beta testing is to identify any final issues that need to be addressed before the product goes live. Open beta testing also helps product developers validate the product design and development process and assess whether users are actually willing to pay for the product.
Open beta is different from closed beta in that closed beta versions are released to a restricted group of individuals for a user test by invitation, while open beta testers are from a larger group, or anyone interested. Private beta could be suitable for software that is capable of delivering value but is not ready to be used by everyone either due to scaling issues, lack of documentation, or still missing vital features. Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers and testing among a wide user base is likely to bring to light issues that may not have been discovered during closed beta testing.
