A usability testing tool is a perfect solution when conducting your tests online. It is fast and efficient, automatically analyzes the data from testing and does all the dirty work for you.
What is usability testing?
Usability testing is a technique used to evaluate the ease of use of a digital product or service. It is based on observing how users behave when they get their hands on the website or app, by giving them tasks to complete.
The main goal of usability testing is to determine how easy the product is to use and whether there are any issues that need to be addressed, causing the users to get frustrated, lost or confused.
What is a usability testing tool?
A usability testing tool is a software that helps you conduct your usability tests online. It helps you to prepare and to conduct the testing, easily follow every user’s interaction with the service/product, filter the findings and participants, as well as obtain insights by analyzing results in a comprehensive way.
What is user testing software?
User testing software is a type of software that allows researchers or designers to conduct user testing by gathering data on how users interact with a product or service. This data can be used to pinpoint problems with functionality and places that need fixing, as well as to get user opinions on the overall experience, efficiency, and other features of the good or service.
In conclusion, usability testing tools are a subset of user testing software that are created especially to assist researchers in conducting usability testing and identifying usability flaws. In addition, user testing tools can be used to perform a variety of user testing methods and gather feedback on a wide range of aspects of the product or service.
Why do you need a usability testing tool?
The answer is pretty obvious. A usability testing tool streamlines the whole process of the study, allowing you to focus on your search for insights rather than doing the dirty work and trying to organize the chaos. It saves you time and effort, not to mention money.
It also allows you to generate reports and present them to the team and your stakeholders, creates detailed user profiles and stores all the study-related analytics in one place.
Selection of a good online user testing tools is also downright required if you want to do your testing remotely, or in an unmoderated manner.
Best 17 usability testing tools and platforms of 2023:
- UXtweak
- UserZoom
- Lookback
- Hotjar
- UserTesting
- UsabilityHub
- Optimal Workshop
- Userlytics
- Useberry
- Userfeel
- Userbrain
- Loop 11
- PlaybookUX
- UXarmy
- Maze
- TryMyUI
- Proven by Users
UXtweak
UXtweak is a powerful all-in-one usability testing tool for improving the UX of websites and apps from prototypes to production. It’s a perfect solution for unmoderated usability testing which allows you to run your studies quickly, effectively and with real users, even when you are on a budget.
And not just that!
With UXtweak you can run a Prototype Testing, as well as a deep portfolio of other UX research tools, such as Card Sorting, Tree Testing, Surveys, Five Second Testing, First Click Testing, Preference Testing and Session Recording. Intuitive UI combined with in-depth analytics and comprehensive reports – UXtweak has everything you need for an insightful usability testing study.
UXtweak Recruitment options
With UXtweak you have 3 main options when it comes to recruiting participants for your usability study:
- Share a link to your study with your own participants
- Recruit testers from our cost-effective 155M+ User Panel
- Use our handy Recruiting Widget that transforms your website visitors into testers
UXtweak user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.9/5.0
For ease of use UXtweak gets 4.8, and 5.0 for quality of support.
UXtweak plans and pricing
Free forever Starter plan is available for trying out all the UXtweak tools – perfect for small projects.
The Pro plan starts at $80/month and the Business plan at $144/month all billed annually.
You can also get a custom quote.
UserZoom
UserZoom is a UX research solution that works well for analyzing and improving the UX of your website, helping you create products that customers love. UserZoom offers both moderated and unmoderated usability testing.
UserZoom Recruitment options
UserZoom allows you to either recruit your own users (at no additional cost) or buy testers from their 120M+ User Panel, supporting 20 languages.
UserZoom user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.4/5.0
For ease of use UserZoom gets 4.5, and 4.7 for quality of support.
UserZoom plans and pricing
This tool is targeted to big companies that’s why their solutions are quite pricey. Although there is no free plan available, they offer a free trial.
UserZoom pricing is available upon request, starting at around $50k/year.
Lookback
Lookback is another fine usability tool for empowering UX researchers. Its main features are moderated and unmoderated usability tests as well as interviews. Lookback gives you the opportunity to easily follow users’ interactions with your website.
They also allow you to take notes about participant actions and write down insights directly in the app. They are mostly known for their moderated tests and interviews that allow you to directly talk to the participants, watch their facial expressions and body movements while testing.
Lookback Recruitment options
For your usability tests with Lookback you’ll need to bring your own testers (at no additional cost). They don’t have their own user panel, but allow you to recruit through 3rd-Party Solutions, such as User Interviews.
Lookback user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 3.3/5.0
For ease of use Lookback gets 3.5, and 2.1 for quality of support.
Lookback plans and pricing
Lookback does not offer a free plan but they do have a free trial for all of the paid ones. The prices range from $17 to $229/month (annual billing).
Hotjar
Hotjar is a website heatmap and behavioral analytics tool. One of their main features are session recordings together with heatmap analysis. With their tool you can watch the recordings and playback user sessions, pinpoint the problems in your products and see how users actually interact with it.
They also offer surveys that help you gather user feedback.
Hotjar Recruitment options
Using Hotjar, you can only bring your own participants to the test. They do not provide help with recruiting, meaning you’ll have to find the right testers yourself.
Hotjar user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.7/5.0
For ease of use Hotjar gets 4.6, and 4.5 for quality of support.
Hotjar plans and pricing
Hotjar offers a Basics plan which is free forever and gives you access to 35 daily sessions. Their paid plans start at €31/month for 100 sessions and go up to €311/month.
UserTesting
User Testing is a platform that offers various usability testing solutions for UX and Product designers, marketers and executives. They have been on the market for a long time and are well renowned for their huge respondent pool.
UserTesting Recruitment options
UserTesting gives you 2 recruitment options:
- Get testers from their 400K+ User Panel
- Share a study link with your own testers
UserTesting user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.5/5.0
For ease of use UserTesting gets 4.4, and 4.4 for quality of support.
UserTesting plans and pricing
Their pricing is available upon request and is mostly targeted at large enterprises and big or mid-sized companies, starting at around $15k/year. UserTesting does not offer a free plan. If you’d like to try platforms with a free plan take a look at these UserTesting alternatives.
UsabilityHub
UsabilityHub is a remote user research tool that validates design decisions with real users, helping you remove the guesswork from the process.They offer Figma prototype testing, surveys, preference tests, first click tests and five second testing.
UsabilityHub Recruitment options
There 2 recruiting options in UsabilityHub:
- Share a study link with your own testers (at no additional cost)
- Recruit participants from their 340K+ user panel
UsabilityHub user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.7/5.0
For ease of use UsabilityHub gets 4.8, and 4.8 for quality of support.
UsabilityHub plans and pricing
UsabilityHub offers a free plan for some basic tests up to 2 minutes long. Their paid solutions start at $75/month(annual billing).
Optimal Workshop
Optimal Workshop is a remote usability testing platform that offers 5 different tools for testing your website’s user experience, empathizing with users and analyzing their behavior.
Optimal Workshop Recruitment options
With Optimal Workshop you can either bring your own unlimited number of testers at no additional cost or recruit from their 50M+ user panel.
Optimal Workshop user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.4/5.0
For ease of use Optimal Workshop gets 4.4, and 5.0 for quality of support.
Optimal Workshop plans and pricing
Free plan available. Pain solutions start at $191/month, billed annually.
Interested in seeing how UXtweak stacks up against Optimal Workshop in detailed comparison? Learn more in Optimal Workshop vs UXtweak.
Userlytics
Userlytics is a usability testing software that allows you to quickly run user tests and gather qualitative and quantitative feedback from your target audience.
Userlytics Recruitment options
Userlytics offers you 2 recruitment options:
- Bring your own testers
- Recruit from their 1M+ user panel
Userlytics user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.6/5.0
For ease of use Userlytics gets 4.5, and 4.9 for quality of support.
Userlytics plans and pricing
No free plan available. Userlytics offer a pay-as-you-go option, starting at $49/participant. Alternatively, you can subscribe to one of their plans for $399 – $999/month, billed annually.
Useberry
Useberry is a platform for codeless prototype analytics that you can use for many types of usability testing, from card sorting to preference tests.
Useberry Recruitment options
You can either choose to bring your own testers or recruit from Useberry’s 240K user panel.
Useberry plans and pricing
Free plan available with up to 10 responses per month and 1 active project. Paid plans start from $33/month (annual billing).
Userfeel
Userfeel is a usability testing platform known for its unique pricing solutions. Their pricing is based on participants, not subscriptions, meaning they don’t charge monthly fees.
Userfeel Recruitment options
At Userfeel you can choose to bring your own testers, or recruit from their 150K user panel. Both are paid options.
Userfeel user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.5/5.0
For ease of use Userfeel gets 4.5, and 4.0 for quality of support.
Usefeel plans and pricing
As mentioned before, at Userfeel you only pay for the testers. Depending on whether or not you bring your own participants prices for unmoderated testing range from $30/participant to $60/participant. Moderated tests are a bit more expensive, $60-$120/participant.
Userbrain
Userbrain is another usability testing tool that allows you to create simple unmoderated user tests with your website or design prototypes. They are famous for their handy pay-as-you-go opportunity.
Userbrain Recruitment options
- Bring your own testers (at no additional cost)
- Recruit from Userbrain’s 85K+ user panel
Userbrain user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.3/5.0
For ease of use Userbrain gets 4.6, and 4.6 for quality of support.
Userbrain plans and pricing
Userbrain’s plans start at €2490/year. They don’t offer a free plan, but every plan includes a free trial. Alternatively, you can make use of their pay-as-you-go solution and pay €35/tester.
Loop 11
Loop 11 is an Australian born online usability testing platform that specializes in conducting both moderated and unmoderated usability studies.
Loop 11 Recruitment options
Loop 11 does not have their own user panel to recruit from, but they provide help with recruiting from 3 other companies: UserInterviews, respondent.io, testingtime. You can also bring your own testers by simply sharing a study link.
Loop 11 user reviews
Based on user reviews from G2.
Overall rating – 3.5/5.0
Loop 11 plans and pricing
Loop 11 does not offer a free plan. Their paid solutions start at $179/month, billed annually
PlaybookUX
Playbook UX is an online user testing software that enables the recruitment, execution, and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative research as well as allows you to become a tester yourself.
PlaybookUX Recruitment options
- Recruit your own testers by sending them a study link
- Recruit from their private user panel
PlaybookUX user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 5.0/5.0
For ease of use PlaybookUX gets 5.0, and 5.0 for quality of support.
PlaybookUX plans and pricing
No free plan available. “Grow” plan is $228/month when billed annually.
UXarmy
UXarmy is a collaborative product and prototype usability testing solutions that helps you to quickly gather feedback from your users. Apart from classical usability tests they also offer card sorting and tree testing.
UXarmy Recruitment options
Asia oriented, UXarmy provides help with recruiting from their private user base.
UXarmy user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.3/5.0
For ease of use UXarmy gets 4.3, and 4.1 for quality of support.
UXarmy plans and pricing
UXarmy has a unique pricing model that is not based on subscriptions but rather on a research method you choose. The prices range from $59 to $99 per month. A free plan and a free trial are available, depending on the research method.
Maze
Maze is a platform that helps you collect qualitative and quantitative user insights with a set of their 5 usability testing tools.
Maze Recruitment options
Maze gives you access to their 70K+ user panel where you can recruit targeted testers, or, alternatively, just bring your own testers at no additional cost.
Maze user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 4.0/5.0
For ease of use Maze gets 4.2, and 3.5 for quality of support.
Maze plans and pricing
Maze offers a free plan for small projects. Their Pro plan os $75/month, billed annually.
TryMyUI (now Trymata))
TryMyUI is a user analytics platform that allows you to run many kinds of usability tests, including moderated and unmoderated studies, prototype testing, mobile app testing etc.
TryMuUI Recruitment options
TryMyUI provides a 500K+ user panel for your usability studies. They also give you the option to recruit your own users, up to 10 invites/month on their Team plan.
TryMuUI user reviews
Based on user reviews from Capterra.
Overall rating – 3.5/5.0
For ease of use TryMyUI gets 3.1, and 2.8 for quality of support.
TryMuUI plans and pricing
No free plan available. Their cheapest plan is $1000/year or $99 monthly.
Proven by Users
A user research platform that allows you to test any element of your UX design for usability with the help of their 6 testing tools.
Proven by Users Recruitment options
Proven by Users does not provide any help with recruiting. You’ll need to recruit study participants on your own.
Proven by Users user reviews
Based on user reviews from G2.
Overall rating – 4.5/5.0
Proven by Users plans and pricing
They offer a free plan limited to 3 responses per project. Prices for their paid solutions start from $399.95/year.
Best free Usability Testing tools
These are the tools, from the ones we mentioned above, that offer a free plan. By a free plan, we do not meet a free trial, rather a completely cost-free plan without time limitations. There might be other limitations to the free plans, such as the number of participants, the number of simultaneously active studies etc. However, they still offer great value, for no cost at all.
Didn’t find the tool of your dreams? Navigate to our tool comparison page to discover affordable UserZoom alternatives, Userbrain competitors, and many more.
