A beta is a version of a product released to people outside the team before its general launch, so that real use can reveal problems the team did not find. It usually comes after the product has all its planned features and before the public release.
What it means
In software, beta follows alpha. Alpha is internal testing by the developers and their colleagues. Beta is typically the first time anyone outside the organization uses the product. Wikipedia describes a beta phase as one that generally begins when the software is feature complete but likely contains known and unknown bugs, so a beta may crash, lose data or run slowly.
Closed and open betas
A closed beta is limited to a chosen group of users, often by invitation. An open beta is available to anyone who wants to try it. Many teams start closed and widen access later. A waiting list is a common way to choose who enters a closed beta. See Waitlist.
Where the term comes from
According to Wikipedia, the alpha and beta terminology originated at IBM, which used similar test labels from at least the 1950s. IBM later dropped the terms in the 1960s in favor of “field test”, but the words stayed in use across the industry.
Release candidates and perpetual beta
A release candidate is a beta version that could become the final product unless a significant bug appears. Some web products stay in beta for years while they are widely used; Wikipedia notes that Gmail left beta in July 2009 and Google News in January 2006. Microsoft has used the word “preview” for pre-release software since Windows 8.
In launch work
For a small team, a beta is a way to learn from a limited audience before a public launch. It is not the same as a Minimum viable product, which is the smallest version worth releasing, and the two often overlap. A beta also builds early interest, which a founder can carry into Launch day. The people who take part are described in Beta tester.
Related entries
See Beta tester, Minimum viable product, Waitlist and Launch day.
Beta is part of Launching a product.
Sources
Wikipedia entry for the software release life cycle and HubSpot guide to beta testing. Reviewed October 2026.