Usability and user experience testing options (vendor list)

What was once prohibitively complex and expensive can now be done inexpensively with online testing services. Testing will uncover problems that are confusing for your audience. Here’s a list of vendors to start your research process, and some suggestions.

Three suggestions

For a real-world example on a recent project, designer Ben Snyder said on his blog, “the purpose of the user test is to get feedback about the new design to understand if there are any parts of the website that are confusing to users, and to test the site for hidden bugs that might prevent a user from getting the information they need” or prevent them from completing actions on the site.

Snyder considered three constraints: (a) Two week time frame; (b) Evaluation limited to Facebook fans and current users; (c) Inexpensive.

His conclusion was to use: Feng-GUIInspectlet, and Usabilla. Snyder says, “With Feng-GUI we will get some great data that approximates an eye-tracking study. With Usabilla we have a tool where we can actually conduct a user test. We can write the instructions for the user and they can take the test without need for us to moderate it. It will provide us with great feedback based on the outcome of the user tests. We will use Inspectlet to record the user studies and will generate additional data and heatmaps that will show us more directly how the users behaved on the website.” Their costs came in under $100, with $25 for 10 Feng-GUI tests; $7.99 for Inspectlet (the first week is free); and $49 for 100 tests on Usabilla (or 10 for free).

More options

Here’s a broader view of testing options, adapted from a recent list by Cameron Chapman, plus several additional suggested by commentors on her blog:

Service Cost Tests existing or new users? Type of testing
4Q $0 – $399 per month Existing Surveys
AddUse $0 – $99, depending on number of tests Existing Surveys and user tests
BagelHint $0-9/month Existing Upload screenshot; get feedback
Chalkmark $0 – $109 per month Existing First clicks
Clickdensity $0 – $400 per month Existing Heat maps
ClickTale $99 – $990 per month Existing Heat maps
Concept Feedback Free for community feedback, $99 per expert New Expert and community feedback
Crazy Egg $9 – $99 per month Existing Heat maps
Ethnio $0 – $299 per month Existing Surveys (a hub for other testing services)
Feedback Army $20 per test New Surveys
FiveSecondTest $0 – $200 per month New Visual questionnaires
GazeHawk $495 – $995+ per test New General usability, including heat maps
GhostRec 5 cents per recording Both Screen recordings
Google Website Optimizer Free Existing A/B and multivariate tests
Inspectlet $8-90/month Both User recording app
IntuitionHQ $9 per test Both Screenshot surveys, including A/B tests
KISSinsights $0 – $29 per month Existing Surveys
Loop11 $350 per project Both General usability
Mechanical Turk Varies New Surveys
Morae $1.5k+ Both General usability
Navflow $0 – $200 per month New User paths
OpenHallway $49 – $199 per month Both General usability
Silverback $69.95 Both General usability
Simple Mouse Tracking Free Existing Mouse tracking
TryMyUI $35 per test New General usability
usabiliTEST $10-20/month; $180/yr Both General usability
Usabilla $0 – $199 per month Existing Micro-usability
Usaura Free Both Quick tests
User Plus $0 – $35+ per month Both User testing and usability scoring
User zoom $9-25k + Both General usability
UserEcho $0 – $256 per month Existing Surveys
userfeedbackhq 70-2500 EUR Both Swiss remote usability-testing provider
UserFeel.com $39 per test New General usability
Userfly $0 – $200 per month Existing Mouse clicks and movement recording
Userlytics $59 per participant New General usability
UserTesting.com $39 per user New General usability
Verify $9 – $29 per month Existing Nine types of usability tests
Webnographer Unknown New General usability
WebSort.net $0 – $2,499 per year Both Card-sorting
WhatUsersDo £30 per user New General usability
xSort Free Both Card-sorting

 

10 comments on Usability and user experience testing options (vendor list)

IDEA » Approaches to usability

24 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm

[…] To do testing… see my recent post about usability testing vendors and systems. […]

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Approaches and Tools to test Usability — Functionals

25 Oct 2011, 7:16 am

[…] Idea also has done an analysis of the vendor tool options available for usability and user experience testing. Read it here. Cancel reply […]

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Usability Testing and User Experience « Your Communications Strategist

25 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

[…] Here is a helpful guide on usability testing vendors and systems. […]

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usabilitest.com

01 Nov 2011, 2:23 pm

usabiliTEST should be $10-$20 per month or $180 per year.
http://www.usabilitest.com/

Reply

Inspectlet

22 Feb 2012, 12:47 pm

Hi,

Inspectlet should be $8 to $89.99.

-Vaibhav Methuku

Reply

David

30 May 2012, 12:03 pm

Check out domainpolish.com

Reply

Kevin

01 Feb 2013, 6:22 am

Another one for your list: http://www.sessioncam.com for session replay, heatmaps and conversion funnels.

Reply

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