Best Usability Testing Tools Shortlist
Here are the top 10 usability testing tools I’d like to highlight out of the 16 I cover in this article:
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When you’ve spent months (or years) developing a new website, app, or digital tool, it’s easy to get so close to the product that you lose sight of how real users will interact with it. Usability testing tools solve this problem by connecting you with live participants, allowing you to see their experience in real-time.
There are many types of usability testing methods, but the goal of each of them is simple: To surface user issues and allow you the opportunity to solve them.
Usability testing tools take many of the tedious administrative tasks associated with testing off your hands, helping you recruit participants, design and execute user tests, and gather feedback. In this article, I’ll share the best usability testing tools to help you choose the right provider for your specific needs.
How I Selected the Best Usability Testing Tools
What do I look for when I select the best usability testing tools? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
User Interface (UI):
I looked for tools that are easy to navigate, and have a visually appealing design.
Reporting:
I selected tools that allow you to pull detailed reports on user experience and feedback.
Integrations:
I chose tools that integrate with other platforms that your team is likely already using.
Value for Pricing:
I picked tools that are cost effective while offering a wide variety of features and functions.
Overviews Of The 16 Best Usability Testing Tools
Here’s a brief description of each usability testing tool to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
UserTesting
Best for in-depth human insights
UserTesting is a video-first platform that provides real-time, first-person feedback on testing.
Why I picked UserTesting: UserTesting offers a drag-and-drop test builder, extensive template gallery, and a powerful test distribution engine. This allows you to create exactly the test to suit your needs, and place it in the hands of the participants who matter most. Their test capabilities include card sorting, tree testing, clickstream tracking, and live interviews.
You can analyze the data you receive back from your tests with data visualization, transcripts, and highlight reels. Tasks like participant quality control are handled by AI, which accelerates tedious processes that might otherwise slow down the testing process.
UserTesting Standout Features and Integrations
Features include test builder, template gallery, card sorting, tree testing, clickstream tracking, live interviews, live conversion, and sentiment analysis.
Integrations include Jira, Slack, and Trello.
UserTesting Pricing
Pricing for UserTesting is available upon request.
Pros
- Very detailed participant screening
- Easy to find test responses
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Not suitable for SMBs
Userlytics
Best usability testing tool for international perspectives
Userlytics is a usability testing tool with a global panel of more than 1.5 million testers.
Why I picked Userlytics: The Userlytics testing panel consists of members from more than 150 countries worldwide, who speak multiple languages. Having access to such a diverse panel mitigates the risk of unconscious bias and can provide valuable insight on cultural sensitivities that may influence your product decisions.
That being said, Userlytics also makes it easy to narrow down your search and find exactly your target persona. You can add custom screener questions at the beginning of your test to ensure that test participants match your intended audience. Their panel consists of individuals from several niche industries and roles, including neurosurgeons, c-suite executives, architects, and sales reps to name a few.
Userlytics Standout Features and Integrations
Features include A/B testing, audience targeting, analytics, calendar management, brand management, data export, and data visualization.
Integrations are not listed on Userlytics’s website.
Userlytics Pricing
Userlytics enterprise plan pricing is available upon request. DIY plans start at $499/month (billed annually), and a free demo is available.
Pros
- Massive testing panel
- Global perspectives
- Easy to find niche target persona participants
Cons
- Lack of automation when randomizing quantitative tests
Datadog
Best for third-party integrations
Datadog is a testing platform that provides software development teams with visibility on user journeys.
Why I picked Datadog: Datadog uses synthetic tests, network performance data, logs, traces, and backend metrics to provide insight on frontend performance from the perspective of your target audience. Their real user monitoring allows you to understand user experience, and in-depth analytics help you to identify the root cause of issues like slow load time and JavaScript errors.
Datadog allows you to filter data using custom attributes and reorganize or prioritize depending on your needs. Frontend and backend data can be combined with business metrics to troubleshoot and gain insight on business impact.
Datadog Standout Features and Integrations
Features include real user monitoring, synthetic monitoring, continuous testing, session replay, dashboards, alerts, and data export.
Integrations available are extensive and include Airbrake, Amazon, Cacti, Capistrano, Cassandra, CHEF, CouchDB, Docker, Fabric, Git, Github, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft IIS, Java, MemCached, MongoDB, MySQL, Microsoft Net, New Relic, Node, PagerDuty, PHP, Pingdom, Python, RedHat, Redis, Splunk, and Varnish Cache.
Datadog Pricing
Datadog offers a free plan for core collection and visualization. From there, pricing begins at $15/host/month. A 14-day free trial is available.
Pros
- Detailed analytics
- Simple and easy information tracking
- Efficiently evaluates large amounts of data
Cons
- Complex user onboarding
Crazy Egg
Best usability testing tool for detailed visual reports
Crazy Egg is a usability testing tool that provides detailed visual reports of user engagement.
Why I picked Crazy Egg: Crazy Egg provides a variety of visual reports including heatmaps (click activity), scrollmaps (scroll depth), confetti (individual clicks), overlay (clicks across the website), and lists (numerical reports of clicks). You can use these tools to understand google analytics data, email and ad campaign interactions, and improve conversion rates with better CTA placement.
Crazy Egg also records user sessions in their entirety, helping you to identify glitches and areas of frustration for users. You can filter these recordings by source, and then subdivide into various segments like mobile and new visitors. Their A/B testing tool is user-friendly and automatically sends traffic to the winner.
Crazy Egg Standout Features and Integrations
Features include heatmaps, A/B testing, error tracking, surveys, commenting, traffic analysis, scrollmaps, and overlay reports.
Integrations are extensive and include Wordpress, Google Tag Manager, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Drupal, Magento, Joomla, and Segment.
Crazy Egg Pricing
Crazy Egg plans start at $29/month and a 30-day free trial is available
Pros
- Excellent mobile support
- Heatmaps for every landing page
- Easy installation
Cons
- Some limitations to A/B testing
Optimizely
Best for A/B testing and experimentation
Optimizely is a popular software that can be used to conduct usability testing quickly and effectively. It ensures that your application’s interface is user-friendly and intuitive by collecting important data from users on how they interact with it.
Why I Picked Optimizely: Optimizely has a wide range of features that make it ideal for usability testing purposes. With its easy to use drag-and-drop editor, you can create variations of your website or app without having to manually code each change. It also provides real-time analytics so you can see which versions are performing better than others, allowing you to adjust and optimize accordingly. Additionally, its A/B split testing capabilities enable you to test various elements against one another, helping you identify what works best for your audience.
Standout Features and Integrations
Features include A/B testing, data import & export, external integrations, analytics, conversion tracking, multi-site, referral tracking, API, dashboard, multi-user, and scheduling.
Integrations include Aprimo DAM Connector, TradeCentric Connector, Baymard Premium, Shopify Plus, Openpay, FullStory, WordPress, Instagram, and more.
Optimizely Pricing
Optimizely pricing details are available upon request. They also offer a free demo as well.
Pros
- Allows users to conduct A/B testing
- Can personalize the user testing experience
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Limited participant pool
- Can be expensive for SMBs
Userbrain
Best for unmoderated remote user testing
Userbrain provides quick and cost-effective usability testing for product prototypes and websites.
Why I picked Userbrain: Userbrain takes the most time-consuming parts of the usability testing process off your hands. They’ll gather real users from their user test pool to participate, schedule test times, and conduct the unmoderated usability testing on your behalf. Should you choose to work with your own testers, Userbrain can support you by supplying a link that can be sent via text or email.
Userbrain supports screen capture, video recording, and audio commenting, providing you with an in-depth understanding of any usability issues based on end-user experience. Their user testing tool enables developers to test things like wireframes, live websites, and prototypes from multiple devices.
Userbrain Standout Features and Integrations
Features include unmoderated usability testing, messaging, audience targeting, website usability testing, customizable reports, A/B testing, and screen recording.
Integrations are limited, but do include Google Analytics 360.
Userbrain Pricing
Pricing for Userbrain begins at $99/month, and a 14-day free trial is available.
Pros
- Excellent recording quality
- Quick participant response
- Reliable customer support
Cons
- Cannot refund unsuitable testers
Maze
Best for use throughout the full product life cycle
Maze is a usability testing tool that allows you to test user experience across the full product life cycle.
Why I picked Maze: Maze delivers user research that spans from product discovery through to design and beyond. Their usability testing tools are meant to be continuous, enabling you to remain agile and adapt to the real-time user insights you receive. Tests can be as dynamic or simple as you need, including features like card sorting, open questions, and five-second tests.
Since Maze is device agnostic and browser-based, test participants can engage with your testing in the manner that suits them best. Detailed reports include things like bounce-rates, misclicks, and heatmaps, and rich filters empower you to focus on what’s most important while sifting through the data.
Maze Standout Features and Integrations
Features include prototype testing, card sorting, tree testing, video recordings, five-second testing, participant management, and surveys.
Integrations include many of the most popular design tools like Adobe XD, Figma, InVision, Marvel, and Sketch.
Maze Pricing
Maze offers a free plan for individuals and small teams. From there, pricing begins at $75/month, billed annually.
Pros
- Continuous testing
- Well-organized analytics
- Detailed reports
Cons
- Some templates are difficult to customize
Loop 11
Best for simplicity and ease of use
Loop11 is a comprehensive online usability testing tool that enables you to quickly identify problems and areas of improvement in your products or websites.
Firstly, create an account on Loop11 and upload the prototype, website, or app you want to test. You can add tasks that participants must complete while using the product. After setting up the tests, invite potential users to participate by entering their email addresses. They will be sent a link to begin taking part in your tests immediately—no downloads necessary!
Next, analyze test results collected fromLoop 11's recording feature which captures both qualitative and quantitative data about user interactions with your product or website.
Why I Picked Loop11: Loop11 supports both moderated and unmoderated testing. Their platform is super easy to use, and features include session recordings, click testing, competitive benchmarking, and A/B testing.
Loop11 Standout Features and Integrations
Features include online usability testing, benchmarking, prototype testing, A/B usability testing,mobile & tablet testing, information architecture testing, true intent studies, and search engine findability.
Integrations include Slack, User Interviews, and Testing Time.
Loop11 Pricing
Loop11 costs $179/month, billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Conduct usability testing sessions remotely
- Detailed feedback including heat maps, click maps
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Only supports remote, unmoderated testing
Great Question
Best usability testing tool for privacy and security
Great Question is a usability testing tool that prioritizes compliance and security for candidate data and test results.
Why I picked Great Question: Great Question makes it easy to recruit participants, test, gather user feedback, and share your findings with team members. You can use their research calendar to schedule interviews, and the process of launching surveys, questionnaires, and prototype tests is quick and intuitive.
Their solution is GDPR compliant and all in-transit data is encrypted. The only Great Question employees who will have access to your data are those who directly require access to conduct their job.
Great Question Standout Features and Integrations
Features include prototype tests, research calendars, panel management, research recruiting, incentives, and a research calendar.
Integrations include Slack, Google Calendar, Calendly, Google Meet, Tremendous, and Zoom. Further integrations are available by connecting a paid Zapier account.
Great Question Pricing
Great Question pricing starts at $10/month, billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.
Pros
- Unified platform for recruiting and testing
- Excellent data security
- Pay incentives from the platform
Cons
- Starter plan allows only 20 panelists
Lookback
Best for face-to-face interaction with participants
Lookback is a usability testing tool that provides moderated testing via a Liveshare feature.
Why I picked Lookback: Lookback offers both moderated and unmoderated UX research. Their moderated testing feature allows you to speak to participants in-person, meaning you can ask questions and further define usability problems. Session recordings are stored on the cloud so you can access them later.
Their unmoderated usability testing function allows you to set up step-by-step tasks, within which your website or prototype can automatically open for testers. You can restrict which device participants use to assess your UX design (iOS, Android, or desktop), or allow them to choose.
Lookback Standout Features and Integrations
Features include moderated and unmoderated testing, virtual observation rooms, timestamped notes, team chat, session recordings, and transcript downloads.
Integrations are not listed on the Lookback website.
Lookback Pricing
Lookback pricing begins at $25/month (billed annually). A 60-day free trial is available.
Pros
- See screen + participants in the same shot
- Observers can enter + exit silently
- Very user-friendly interface
Cons
- Participants must share name + email
The Best Usability Testing Tools Summary
Below is a comparison chart with the use case, trial options, and pricing for each of the ten providers.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | UserTesting Best for in-depth human insights | Free demo available | Pricing available upon request | Visit Website |
2 | Userlytics Best usability testing tool for international perspectives | Free demo available | From $499/month | Visit Website |
3 | Datadog Best for third-party integrations | 14-day free trial | From $15/user/month (billed annually) | Visit Website |
4 | Crazy Egg Best usability testing tool for detailed visual reports | 30-day free trial | From $29/user/month | Visit Website |
5 | Optimizely Best for A/B testing and experimentation | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
6 | Userbrain Best for unmoderated remote user testing | 14-day free trial | From $99/month | Visit Website |
7 | Maze Best for use throughout the full product life cycle | Free plan available | From $99/month | Visit Website |
8 | Loop 11 Best for simplicity and ease of use | 14-day free trial | From $179/month, billed annually | Visit Website |
9 | Great Question Best usability testing tool for privacy and security | 14-day free trial | From $10/month, billed annually | Visit Website |
10 | Lookback Best for face-to-face interaction with participants | 60-day free trial | From $25/month (billed annually | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list:
- Userfeel
Best for small businesses and startups
- Testlio
Best usability testing tool for accessing targeted users
- Hotjar
Best for heatmapping
- Optimal Workshop
Best for qualitative research and analysis
- Trymata (formerly TryMyUI)
Best for live product analytics
- UsabilityHub
Best for testing marketing and design initiatives
People Also Ask
With so many different types of usability testing, it can be challenging for product managers to sift through all the options. Let’s learn a little bit more about UX research so you can stay competitive in your industry and choose the right platform to suit your needs.
What Are Usability Testing Tools?
Why Is Software Testing Important?
In Conclusion
Usability testing is critical to understanding how your end user will interact with your final product: what are their pain points and what do they want more of? Usability testing can help you figure that out and make the best product for your audience.
For more information on how to conduct usability testing, check out these resources from our subject matter experts:
- How to Perform Mobile App Usability Testing
- Usability and UX Reviews as Part of QA
- 10 Best Mobile Application Testing Tools
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