User testing vs paid surveys: which is worth my time?
User testing pays several times more per minute than paid surveys, because a recorded think-aloud session is worth far more to a company than a questionnaire. Surveys win on convenience: they take minutes, run on a phone, and arrive constantly. User tests take 15 to 45 minutes, need a computer, a microphone and a quiet room, and arrive when a study matches you. Most people who do both use surveys to fill gaps.
Side by side
| User testing | Paid surveys | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | Fixed per study; on Inflight shown before you start | Cents to a few dollars each |
| Length | 15 to 45 minutes | 2 to 20 minutes |
| Device | Computer with Chrome and a mic (Inflight) | Phone is fine |
| Needs quiet | Yes, you are recorded | No |
| How often | When a study matches you | Constantly |
| Screen-outs | Short, at the start | Frequent, sometimes after minutes of answering |
| Paid in | Cash to PayPal (Inflight, Prolific) | Often points or gift cards |
Who each suits
Surveys suit a phone in a waiting room. User testing suits an evening at a desk. If you have a quiet room and a laptop, a single user test will usually pay more than an afternoon of surveys; if you only have a phone, surveys are what is available.
Doing both
Prolific lists both surveys and short studies and pays cash. Inflight runs recorded product tests only. Holding accounts on both costs nothing.
Questions people ask next
- Are surveys ever worth it?
- For small amounts in dead time, yes. Check that the site pays cash and watch for screen-outs after you have spent minutes answering.
- Can I do user tests on a phone?
- Not on Inflight. Some panels run phone tests through an app; see the phone guide.
- Which is more interesting?
- User tests. You see new products before they ship and your reaction changes them.