How to make money testing apps and websites (and actually get picked for tests)

Every company that builds an app or a website has the same fear: that real people will get confused, give up, and never come back. The cheapest way to find out before that happens is to watch ordinary people use it. That's where you come in.

User testing is one of the few ways to make money online where your ordinary opinion is the product. No skills to learn, nothing to sell. You use a website or app for 10 to 20 minutes, say what you're thinking, and get paid. Here's how to make money testing apps and websites, which platforms to join, and the habits that decide whether you get one test a month or several a week.

How app and website testing works

A typical test goes like this:

1. You get a notification that a new test is available.
2. You answer a few screener questions ("Have you bought furniture online in the last 6 months?").
3. If you match, you start the test. Your screen and voice are recorded, sometimes your face too.
4. You follow tasks like "Find a sofa under $500 and add it to your basket," talking through what you see, what you expect and what confuses you.
5. You answer a few questions at the end, and you're paid once the company approves the recording.

That's it. The company doesn't want you to be clever. It wants to hear the moment you get lost.

Where to make money testing apps: the main platforms

Platform	What you do	Pay	Good to know
UserTesting	Recorded tests and live interviews	Varies by test, shown before you start	PayPal only, paid about 14 days after a test
Userlytics	Recorded tests of sites, apps, prototypes and games	Testers report $10 to $50 per study	16+, practice test first, some tests need your webcam
Academic study platforms	Research studies, some with app or website tasks	Minimum hourly rates on some platforms	Good for filling gaps between tests
Bug testing communities	Find and report bugs in apps before release	Paid per approved bug or test cycle	More work, but steadier for detail-minded people

You can check the current details on UserTesting's tester page, which confirms payment by PayPal about 14 days after a test, and Userlytics' paid testing page, which explains its practice test and 15-day payment cycle. Neither charges you anything to join. Any "testing" site that asks for a fee isn't a testing site.

A cheap headset with a mic makes your recordings clearer, and clear recordings get rated higher. Photo by Petr Macháček on Unsplash.

What it realistically pays

Short recorded tests usually pay somewhere around $5 to $20. Live interviews, where a researcher talks to you over video for 30 to 60 minutes, pay more, often $30 or above. Per hour, that's among the best rates you'll find for beginner-friendly online work.

The limit is volume. Most testers get a handful of tests a week, not a steady stream, because each test wants a specific type of person. A realistic range for someone who checks regularly is $50 to $200 a month. That's worth knowing before you picture it as a job.

How to get picked for more tests

Two people on the same platform can get very different numbers of tests. Almost all the difference comes down to these habits.

Be fast

Popular tests fill within minutes. Turn on notifications, and when one arrives, take the screener straight away.

Answer screeners honestly

It's tempting to guess the "right" answer to qualify. Don't. If you claim to use a bank you've never used, the recording will show it, the company will rate you poorly, and low ratings mean fewer invitations.

Think out loud, all the time

Silence is the most common reason tests get rejected. Narrate constantly, even the boring bits: "I'm looking for the menu. I expected it top left. OK, it's this icon, I wasn't sure that was a menu."

Be specific, not polite

"It's nice" is useless. "The price only appears after I pick a size, which annoyed me because I wanted to compare first" is exactly what they're paying for. Honest criticism is the job.

Sound clear

Quiet room, headset microphone, stable internet. A recording nobody can hear is a recording nobody pays for.

Game testing: the fun corner of this

Some tests are for games, from mobile puzzles to console prototypes. Studios want to see where players get stuck or bored. If you play a lot, this is a nice overlap with making money playing games on your phone, and far better paid per minute than the "win cash" games in app store ads.

Fill the gaps between tests

Since tests come in bursts, most people pair user testing with something they can do any time. Surveys and offers on a rewards site work well for that: you open them when there's no test waiting. It's also far better use of your time than apps that pay you to watch videos. On Vazpop, surveys and offers show the reward and time estimate up front, so a 10 minute gap can go to something worth 10 minutes. You can create a free account whenever you like.

Your first week

Sign up to two testing platforms, complete each practice test properly (they're graded), and fill in every profile question. Turn on notifications. Then just be quick when tests appear. Your first paid test is usually the hardest one to land. After a few good ratings, invitations tend to pick up.