15 Best Usability Testing Tools You Need To Know

Published on 18 Mar 2024

Usability testing tools are the secret to unleashing the power of user behavior. By observing user interactions you have an unmissable opportunity to craft meaningful and flawless experiences for your users. If you are interested in harnessing the power of the usability testing tools for your product then keep reading.

Usability testing is the alpha and the omega of crafting pleasurable and meaningful product experiences for users. In this ever-changing landscape, user-centric design plays a pivotal role in creating competitive products that can stay ahead of the curve.

By conducting usability testing, user researchers and UX designers have an unmissable opportunity to create a design process centered around observing and analyzing human behavior. Hence, by placing users at the heart of the design, UX professionals can elevate the overall user experience and create a sustainable competitive advantage for their digital product.

How to Choose a Usability Testing Software?

How to Choose a User Testing Tool: A Step-by-step Guide

Choosing the right usability tool can feel like a daunting task so here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Define Study Goals

Defining the goals and general usability testing needs is a good first step to choosing the right tool. Consider different case scenarios to ensure that your selected usability tool can cover the various usability testing demands that might arise.

Recruitment Options

Participant recruitment can often be a time-consuming task that can hinder your research study plans. Some usability tools offer a built-in participant recruitment pool which can help you massively streamline the recruitment process for your usability testing studies. Do not forget to explore these options before committing to your usability tool!

Integration Options

Check the compatibility of the tool with your existing systems to ensure a smooth integration. Make sure to explore the different integration options as this will help you avoid workflow disruptions and data loss further down the line.

Features

When selecting your usability testing tool check out and compare the different features that the tools in question have to offer. Make sure that the tool offers the functionalities and features needed to meet your testing demands.

Technical Support

Having technical support at hand is something that can make or break the usability testing experience. Opt for a tool with adequate technical support that offers different methods of contact such as a live chat or a hotline.

Budget Constraints

Take a moment to assess the yearly budget that can be allocated to the tool and select a tool that aligns with your budget constraints. Make sure to take note of any additional costs that might occur such as implementation or technical support costs!

Any Other Practical Considerations

Apart from the technical considerations make sure the tool is practical to use by taking into consideration the user-friendliness of the interface, the learning curve required to learn the system, as well as the ease of adoption for the participants of the test.

15 Best Usability Testing Tools

1. UXtweak
   
2. UserZoom
   
3. Lookback
   
4. UserTesting
   
5. Optimal Workshop
   
6. Crazy Egg
   
7. Trymata
   
8. PlaybookUX
   
9. Loop 11
   
10. Lyssna
    
11. Hotjar
    
12. Userlytics
    
13. Userbrain
    
14. Get Feedback
    
15. Userfeel

Below you’ll find each tool’s description, pros and cons list and pricing solutions.

1. UXtweak

UXtweak is a comprehensive user research platform offering great value in the current market. It includes a robust range of tools allowing for usability testing of websites, applications and prototypes, helping user researchers carefully observe participants while they interact with the interface. 

The platform also offers session recording and heatmapping tools for data visualization as well as a robust survey tool. What’s more, UXtweak offers a recruitment panel that can help you streamline your participant recruitment process.

UXtweak Features:

• Website Usability Testing Tool
  
• Session Recording tool with Website Heatmaps
  
• Mobile App Usability Testing Tool
  
• Prototype Usability Testing tool
  
• Tree Testing
  
• Card Sorting
  
• Preference Tests
  
• 5 Second Test
  
• First Click Test
  
• Online Surveys
  
• Competitive Usability Testing
  

Pros:

• Ease of use
  
• Intuitive UI
  
• Great integration capabilities.
  

Cons:

• Only supports 10 languages
  

Pricing

UXtweak offers a free starting plan. You may also choose between Plus plan aimed at solo researchers for $49 per month (annual billing) or a Business plan with up to 11 seats. If that is not enough you can get your custom Enterprise plan tailored to your specific requirements.

Register for your free plan and give it a try!

2. UserZoom (Now part of UserTesting)

UzerZoom is another robust user research platform that features an array of usability testing tools. Its remote, unmoderated testing capabilities allow researchers to reach a more diverse pool of participants while the platform also boasts in-depth reporting with robust reporting features that can help user researchers with the interpretation of the insights.

UserZoom Features:

• Remote Usability Testing

• Voice of Customer Surveys

• Card Sorting tools

• Tree Testing

• Screen Recording

• Quantitative & Qualitative Data Collection

• Prototype Testing

• Task Analysis

Pros:

• Good integration capabilities

• Unlimited screening questions

• Large user panel

• Great reports and analytics

Cons:

• Steep Learning Curve

• Complex setup

• Relatively high cost

Pricing:

Upon request, starting at $70,000/year.

3. Lookback

Lookback is yet another great tool that can fully support usability testing studies. Apart from its robust recording session tool, Lookback also boasts excellent collaboration tools including live sharing for UX designers to take advantage of, even during a live session.

Lookback Features:

• Live Remote Usability Testing

• In-Person Recording

• Mobile Testing

• Collaborative Analysis

• Interactive Prototypes Testing

• Notes & Annotations

• Screen & Camera Recording

Pros:

• Good Integration options

• Enhanced collaboration

• All of its plans come with a 14-day trial period.

• Compatible with Native Apps

• The ability to timestamp and write notes during the recordings

Cons:

• Cost

• Poor connection – Noted by multiple users, connection drops might happen from time to time.

• No user panel – Lookback might be the right tool for you when you already have the participants for your research, as they don’t offer help with that.

• Problems with the mobile version and IOS testing

Pricing:

Lookback doesn’t have a free plan, however, they do offer a free 60-day trial. After that their prices start from $25 per month with a limit of 10 sessions per year. Their professional “Insights Hub” plan is $344 per month (annual billing).

4. Optimal Workshop

Optimal Workshop is a top-notch usability testing tool that offers a range of tools specializing in information architecture. From online surveys to tree-testing and first-impression click tools, this is a comprehensive tool that can cover your usability testing needs.

Optimal Workshop Features:

• Card Sorting

• Tree Testing

• First-Click Testing

• Surveys

• Online Questionnaires

• Heatmaps

• Session Recordings

Pros:

• Ease of use

• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Limited capabilities

• The pricing model is not flexible enough and can be expensive for some people.

• Only available in English.

• Focuses mainly on information architecture

 Pricing:

A free plan is available. The paid solution starts at $208/month (billed annually). 

5. Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg is a robust usability testing platform offering several tools that can help you hit the ground running when it comes to conducting successful usability sessions. Apart from the session recording feature, this tool also boasts a traffic analysis tool, and error & goals tracking capabilities that can help user researchers quantify the insights gained from their usability testing sessions.

Crazy Egg Features:

• Heatmaps

• Scrollmaps

• Confetti Click Maps

• A/B Testing

• User Session Recordings

• Website Analytics

• Conversion Funnels

Pros:

• Versatile tool with lots of different features to take advantage of

• Friendly, easy-to-use interface

Cons:

• Focused more on website analytics

• Limited support

Pricing:

Its basic plan starts at $29/month, billed annually, and goes up to $249/month, depending on the number of page views and recordings you need. An enterprise plan is available.

6. Trymata

Trymata is another great platform offering robust usability testing capabilities. Previously known as TryMyUI, this tool features a user-friendly interface and tools like remote usability testing, video recordings, and goal completion capabilities as well as a participant feedback widget.

Trymata Features:

• User Session Recordings

• Heatmaps

• Conversion Funnels

• Form Analytics

• Website Feedback Tool

• Engagement Metrics

Pros:

• Ease of use

• 500K user panel to recruit from

Cons:

• Costs

• Somewhat limited features

• Poor customer support

Pricing:

The cheapest option is $399 per month if billed annually. 

7. PlaybookUX

PlaybookUX is an excellent usability testing platform that can facilitate different types of usability testing including unmoderated and moderate testing as well as user interviews. Its transcript, notes and reel capabilities and its moderated interviews tool do not go unnoticed!

PlaybookUX Features:

• User Interviews

• Prototype Testing

• Task Analysis

• Transcription

• Sentiment Analysis

• Video-based Feedback

Pros:

• A highly versatile tool

• Its innovative ‘transcript, notes & reel’ tool!

Cons:

• No user panel is available

• No free plan

 Pricing:

The Grow plan is $267/month and the Scale plan is $450/month (billed annually).

8. Loop11

Loop11 is a user platform that laser focuses on usability testing providing robust flexible tools for both unmoderated and moderated testing boasting an unlimited number of tasks and questions as well as unlimited test duration. The platform also permits user researchers to bring on their own participants free of charge!

Loop 11 Features:

• Remote Usability Testing

• Task Analysis

• Heatmaps

• Clickstream Analysis

• Real-Time Reporting

• Customizable Surveys

Pros:

• Idea for large-scale usability studies

• Robust analytic capabilities

• Innovative solutions

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

• Participants must be brought by the users, no participant recruitment support

• People must first download the Loop11 app to participate.

 Pricing:

Starts at $179/month for the Rapid Insights plan if billed annually. Pro Plan is $358/month and the Enterprise plan is $533/month (all billed annually).

9. UserTesting

Versatile tool that boasts a range of options such as screen recording tools, real-time feedback options as well as strong capabilities for both unmoderated and moderated testing. Lastly, this tool features a large participant panel that the user researchers can tap into!

UserTesting Features:

• On-Demand User Feedback

• Video-based Feedback

• Prototype Testing

• Mobile and Web Testing

• Multi-Channel Feedback

• Qualitative and Quantitative Insights

• Customizable Test Creation

Pros:

• Good-sized participant panel

• Highly versatile

• Advanced targeting

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

• Cost

• Weak reports

• Lots of non-qualified testers

• Small non-English speaking user base

 Pricing:

Upon request, starting at $30,000K/year. Annual subscription only.

10. Lyssna

Lyssna is a fresh promising tool with a super cool UI worth checking out! Lyssna features an array of usability testing capabilities from moderated studies including prototype testing and surveys, to unmoderated studies featuring interviews. Lyssna also offers a good-sized participant recruitment panel as well as a handy ‘self-recruitment’ tool.

Lyssna Features:

• User Interviews

• Preference Testing

• Research Panel Access

• Prototype Testing

• Survey and Test Panel Responses

• Team Management Tools

Pros:

• Innovative and fresh UI

• Self-recruitment tool options

Cons:

• Limited compatibility options

Pricing:

The Free plan is available and is suitable for initial research. The Basic plan starts at $89 per month if billed monthly or $75 per month if billed annually. 

11. Hotjar

Hotjar is another comprehensive usability testing tool that can be a great asset to every user researcher’s arsenal. From session recordings to surveys and 1-to-1 interview options, Hotjar boasts a comprehensive range of tools to nail your usability testing session studies! 

Hotjar Features:

• Heatmaps

• Visitor Recordings

• Conversion Funnels

• Form Analysis

• Feedback Polls

• Surveys

Pros:

• Easy to set up & use

• Cool UI

• Handy in-app feedback widgets

Cons:

• Price tiering depends on features

Pricing:

Up to 35 sessions per day, unlimited heatmaps, and 1,050 recordings per month are all included in Hotjar’s basic free subscription. The fee-based plans start from $32 and go up much higher, depending on your needs.

12. Userlytics

Userlytics is a user testing platform for usability and user research that features an array of usability testing tools including a robust mobile usability testing tool as well as a participant panel of over 2M users across 150+ countries. With Userlytics’ study builder, you can choose from various study types and qualitative or quantitative activities to gather the insights that you are after. 

Userlytics Features:

• Remote Usability Testing

• Prototype Testing

• App Testing

• Website Testing

• User Feedback Videos

• Task Analysis

• Picture-in-Picture User Videos

Pros:

• Big participant pool

• Global reach

• Mobile usability testing specialization 

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

• Cost

 Pricing:

No free plan is available. Userlytic doesn’t list the price online and you need to contact them directly. The price starts at around $499/month or $5988/year.

13. Userbrain

Userbrain is yet another comprehensive user research platform that features a free trial and handy preset task templates for you to get started on your usability testing journey. This platform gives you an array of different task types for users to complete as well as the possibility to recruit from 100k quality-assured testers. 

Userbrain Features:

• Remote Usability Testing

• Continuous User Feedback

• Short, Task-Based Tests

• Screen and Audio Recording

• Custom Test Scenarios

Pros:

• Compatible with Figma, Sketch, InVision, Axure, Framer, and AdobeXD

• Extensive pool of participants 

Cons:

• Limited admin licenses on the basic plans

Pricing:

Or $299/month for a Pro plan or $2990/year. They also offer a pay-as-you-go option, where you can pay $39/per tester.

14. Get Feedback

Get Feedback is a comprehensive CX platform that boasts a host of usability testing capabilities that user researchers and product professionals can capitalize on. With Get Feedback you can quickly send personalized surveys via email and SMS that match the look and feel of your brand. On top of that, you can target the right audience based on customer attributes and behaviors from Salesforce and other systems. 

GetFeedback Features:

• Customer Feedback Collection

• Salesforce Integration

• Survey Creation

• Responsive Design

• Analytics and Reporting

• Email and Web Surveys

Pros:

• All about personalization!

• Compatible with salesforce 

Cons:

• Lacking support for some of the more traditional UX methodologies

Pricing:

GetFeedback's pricing starts at $20.  

15. Userfeel

Last but not least, Userfeel is a final usability tool worth mentioning. This tool might not offer a comprehensive range of robust solutions for usability testing sessions however it is ideal for for businesses that require a more ad hoc approach to usability testing. The pay-as-you-go option come also handy here!

Userfeel Features:

• Remote Usability Testing

• Multi-Language Support

• Think-Aloud Videos

• Customizable Tasks

• Desktop and Mobile Testing

• Annotated Videos

Pros:

• Pay-as-you-go option without the need for a subscription

• Global recruitment participant panel with over 850,000 testers 

Cons:

• More ad-hoc, sporadic approach to usability testing

• Not ideal for scalability

Pricing:

The prices start at $30/respondent and go up to $180/respondent, depending on the testing method you choose (unmoderated vs moderated).

The bottom line

Adopting one of more usability analytics tools can help you up your product optimization game! These tools provide invaluable insights into the user-product interaction and enable informed design decisions that consequently enhance user satisfaction. 

With a tonne of usability testing tools available in the market, making the right choice surely feels like a daunting task! When deciding on the right tool, it is pivotal to take into consideration various parameters such as ease of use, the different features available, pricing compatibility, as well as the existence of technical/customer support. 

UXtweak is one of the best choices in the market at the moment as it offers a range of easy-to-use features at a cost-effective price, making it the most comprehensive user research you will ever need!

FAQ

What is a usability testing tool?

A usability testing tool is a piece of software that offers the right tool for UX professionals to be able to assess a product’s usability. Usability tools allow user researchers and UX designers alike to observe user interactions, providing them in this way invaluable insights into user behavior.

What are some examples of usability testing?

Usability testing can take many forms and can span from testing navigation and usability on a website or application to gathering feedback on early designs or prototypes as well as assessing the information architecture of an interface.

How to choose the right usability tool?

When deciding on the right tool, it is crucial to take into consideration various factors such as ease of use, different features, pricing, compatibility, and technical/customer support.

DISCLOSURE: This article is published as part of a paid partnership with the author/company. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author/company.