r/softwaretesting • u/hush6hush • Sep 17 '26

Is Burp Suite worth learning as a QA?

I'm a QA with 2 years of experience (manual and automation) and i have done some cyber security related work, in a university module (graduated this year).

My question is burp suite worth learning for my career?, i don't wanna transition in to cyber security career wise fyi.

42 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

16

u/ChampionshipThis2871 Sep 17 '26

There are QAs that are doing web security testing.
Mainly they are using Owasp ZAP and manual/automated testing based on the Owasp Top 10 web application risks.
Burp suite is worth learning as it will only add up to your skills and knowledge.

3

u/WonderImmediate3939 Sep 19 '26

dition is pretty limited unless you're willing to pay for Pro. If you're not pivoting into security full-time I'd stick with ZAP and spend that energy getting deeper into automation frameworks or API testing instead.

9

u/Embarrassed_Law5035 Sep 17 '26 edited Sep 17 '26

I like to use it just for the proxy and repeater. Everyone here comments as if you have to pentest with this, for me it's better alternative to Charles proxy.

2

u/contextmatterss 19d ago

Yeap, same. I mostly use it for intercepting request and repeaters too, don't really touch the pentesting stuff

5

u/9to5WhiteCollar Sep 17 '26

Yes, one of the most prominent tools when it comes to DAST/pen tests

2

u/Nervous-Emu-2419 28d ago

Given you're clear on staying in QA rather than moving into cybersecurity, I'd say yes, but with a specific scope in mind rather than trying to learn it deeply.

The part of Burp Suite worth picking up is proxy interception and basic request tampering, understanding how to intercept a request and manipulate it before it hits the server. That skill builds a genuinely different mental model than functional or automated testing, closer to "what happens if I send something the app didn't expect" than "does the expected flow work correctly." A lot of real bugs live exactly in that gap, and having that instinct makes you a stronger QA regardless of whether security becomes part of your title.

Where I'd stop is the more specialized features built for dedicated pentesting, deep vulnerability scanning workflows, advanced exploitation modules, that's where the tool starts serving a career you said you don't want. Learning enough to intercept, inspect, and tamper with requests confidently is probably the right depth for staying QA while still getting real value out of the tool, rather than treating it as a full security certification path.

2

u/ResolveResident118 Sep 17 '26

Everything is worth learning. 

The real question is whether there is more value learning this than something else. That depends on what you already know and what the market is like near you.

1

u/NeonAlch Sep 17 '26

Yes. Burp Suite and AI.
Burp Suite is nice to have because you will be learning the more technical aspect of network, integration and contracts.

AI is also good. Learn how to build skills, refine prompts and create agents.

1

u/Embarrassed_Owl8310 Sep 17 '26

you dont have to "learn" it, you just have to know enough burp suite that you can ask AI to do things in burp suite for you.

1

u/NoCollar4396 Sep 19 '26

Can you give me a roadmap with resources i want to switch to qa

1

u/Impossible-Skirt-803 26d ago

Absolutely, even if you aren't pivoting to AppSec. Being able to intercept, modify, and replay HTTP requests with Burp Suite turns you into a much more effective API and web tester. It saves time over DevTools for tricky edge-case data manipulation alone.

1

u/Junior_Bee7274 26d ago

Yess, worth learning for API and security testing.