Smaller online developers now have a solution to limited QA resources, reckons "software testing community" upstart uTest.

The Boston-based company announced this week what amounts to a global, socially-networked QA department made up of a community of 13,000 "professional" testers.

"Effectively, our customers have the capabilities to get testing services based on their specific needs. They can pick and choose from the community their own virtual testing team," said uTest CEO Doron Reuveni (pictured) in an interview with Edge.

Not all of the 13,000 software testers are of equal experience or pay rate. Clients can choose testers based on experience in certain areas, length of time as a tester, geographical proximity and other factors.

"The real benefit we provide is the type of testing services we offer are 'on-demand,'" said Reuveni. Developers don't need to sign a long-term contract--uTest and its community is paid by performance.

Testers are paid per bug that they report, starting anywhere from $2 to $16 per bug for new testers. Pay is based on performance and experience, and more qualified testers can make "substantially" more, Reuveni said.

uTest's community started as a small group, and expanded into what it is today through references and networking. Reuveni said testers, who submit their experience and resume to uTest, start at the bottom of the ladder. As they gain more experience finding bugs, they are evaluated by customers, and if they're doing quality work, they take on more projects, and have the opportunity to make more money testing a greater amount of online games.

Aside from online browser- and PC desktop-games, uTest also tests mobile applications.

The company was established in 2007 and recently secured $5 million in a series B funding round.

Some of uTest's gaming clients include U.K.-based 888.com, game platform operator GTS and others.

"Our customer base in the games industry is growing," Reuveni said.

Pic via uTest blog.