Background
To help us make an informed decision about the user research tools, I have created a user research service comparison. In this comparison, we will review the most popular user research tools available today, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, pricing, and key features.
Research Question
What service or combination of services should we use to conduct user research?
Method
I compared 14 user research services that offered qualitative user testing tools (e.g, interview recording and analysis, card sorting), quantitative user testing tools (e.g., surveys), user panels, or a combination thereof. I spoke with representatives and account executives from many of the vendors and compared the services on:
Tool Range
Unmoderated usability testing Moderated usability testing In-product intercepts/feedback User Panel
Large B2B panel with active participants Verified participants (based on social media) Bonus points for CRE screening questions built-in Pricing
Flexible plans (e.g., no min. terms)
Assumptions Table
Price comparison utilized key assumptions about frequency of testing, and the number of participants per study for approximately ~300 participants/year based on qualitative testing needs (below).
Annual cost of participant incentives without additional services/panels
Results
Note
Annual Tool Cost reflects the value of the cost of the service after subtracting approximate recruitment fees. Where recruitment fee breakdowns are unavailable, recruitment fees are estimated based on manual recruitment fee costs ($45,000 USD).