Usability testing is a commonly used research methodology that yields valuable insights into user behavior, help uncover potential usability issues, and optimize your product experience. There are many usability testing tools available if you are looking for the best usability testing tools, but each of them has its strengths and weaknesses.
Selecting the right usability testing tool for you and your team can maximize your team's efficiency and the impact of research. In this article, we will review some of the most popular usability testing tools, spotlighting their features, strengths and pricing models.
Why usability testing tools matter
Selecting the right usability testing tool is crucial for product development process because it directly impacts the quality and efficiency of your research process. A well-suited tool ensures that you can accurately collect user feedback, observe user interactions, identify usability issues, validate design decisions, and gather actionable insights without unnecessary complexity or delays.
The right tool aligns with your teamβs workflow, supports your preferred testing methods, and provides robust data analysis capabilities, enabling faster design iterations.
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Overview of Leading Usability Testing Tools and Platforms
We will go into a bit more detail on the best usability testing tools available in the market, summarizing their key features, pricing and market rating.
1. Hubble
Hubble is a unified, continuous discovery platform that help you streamline research by recruiting, design and build studies, launch, collect, and analyze data in a single usability platform. It supports a wide range of research methods suitable for different product development stages.
Hubble specializes in unmoderated usability testing and prototype testing and in-product intercept or surveys. By partnering with Respondent and UserInterviews, the leading participant recruiting platforms, recruiting participants are made easy whether its B2C or B2B participants.
Setting up unmoderated usability tests is made easy by importing Figma prototypes, customizing the study with tasks and follow-up questions. You get access to over 200+ custom curated list of questions to build your study. There is also a variety testing methods, such as A/BΒ testing, card sorting, and live site testing to suit your project needs.
Once the data is submitted, the results can be reviewed with session recordings, and are summarized and visualized in graphs and heat maps with metrics, such as task success rates, time spent on task, and more, depending on the type of the data type.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Remote usability testing
- Prototype & concept testing
- First click testing, five second tests
- In-product surveys to collect user feedback from real users
- Card sorting
- Live site testing
- Participant recruitment via Respondent and User Interviews
π° Pricing
- Fβree version available
- $500 per month for starting organizations
- Custom pricing for enterprises
β Reviews
Based on reviews provided by Capterra
- Customer Service: 5/5
π Summary
Hubble is the only usability testing tool in the market that offers an end-to-end experience management platform, allowing customers to gather both quantitative data and qualitative research through various types of research methodologies.
Hubble's usability tests allows for rapid product feedback in all stages and it integrates well with widely used design platforms like Figma, to capture user interactions and other important usability metrics like heat map, click data as well as screen recording. If you need detailed usability tests, Hubble can be the right tool for you.
Run usability tests with Hubble
Either live-test your product or import Figma prototypes to conduct usability tests in Hubble
2. UserTesting
UserTesting provides options for both unmoderated and moderated testing. The platform connects you with a pool of its own testers at an additional cost for pre-screened and qualified professionals for recruiting participants.
User Testing also offers multiple usability testing methods including mobile apps and website testing, card sorting, preference test, tree testing and prototype testing.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Moderated user interviews & unmoderated usability testing
- Prototype & concept testing
- Diary studies
- Participant recruitment
π° Pricing
- Free version not available
- UserTesting primarily targets mid-sized companies and enterprises with some of the custom pricing available starting at $30K per year.
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.5/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.4/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.5/5
- Customer Service: 4.4/5
π Summary
If your team is large and has sufficient budget, UserTesting can be a good choice that provides usability testing and other research features including diary studies, moderated interviews and access to an external tester pool.
Also, its moderated testing feature can be suitable for conducting qualitative research with its screen recording and sentiment analysis.
3. UserZoom (Now part of UserTesting)
UserZoom is a UX research platform that caters to large enterprises and mid-market companies. Similar to UserTesting, the user testing tool provides versatile usability testing options, including both unmoderated and moderated testing, as well as features like surveys, card sorting, tree testing and click testing.
While UserTesting acquired UserZoom, it still lives as separate usability testing platform for now.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Moderated user interviews & remote user tests
- Prototype & concept testing
- Participant recruitment
π° Pricing
- Free trial available upon request
- Starting price plan around 70K
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.4/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.5/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.6/5
π Summary
Similar to UserTesting, UserZoom focuses on enterprise customers with less flexible pricing options. UserZoom can be a good option for your team if you have a large budget and you need to conduct usability testing along with other test options.
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4. Maze
Maze provides usability analytics for reports, featuring prototype testing, card sorting, tree testing, five second tests and surveys. Maze usability testing allows teams to gather feedback and utilize user behavior insights throughout the design process and post-launch.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- First click test
- Live website testing
- Card sorting
- Surveys
π° Pricing
- Free version available with limitations
- Varying price plan is available upon request
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.4/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.2/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.1/5
- Customer Service: 3.8/5
π Summary
Maze offers a strong set of usability testing features especially with unmoderated studies and live site testing at an affordable price.
While it is popular for freelancer and students, it makes it difficult for product teams and larger organizations to scale as it doesn't have an enterprise-grade participant pool. Check out this article if you are looking for other alternatives to Maze.
- For a side-by-side feature comparison of Hubble and Maze, learn more at Hubble vs Maze article.
5. Hotjar
Hotjar is known for its website testing and behavioral analytics tools. You can visualize user interactions through screen recordings paired with heat maps. Additionally, it provides online surveys so that you can collect live feedback polls from your users.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Product analytics
- In-product surveys
π° Pricing
- Free version available
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Ease of Use: Β 4.6/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.5/5
π Summary
Hotjar is a good choice if you need to collect usability analytics on your live web products. However, if you need to conduct prototype testing or recruit participants, Hotjar may not be the appropriate choice. Other usability testing tools like Hubble, UserZoom and Maze may be better choices.
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6. Lyssnna (Previously UsabilityHub)
Lysnna, previously named UsabilityHub, provides a range of remote unmoderated study tools, including prototype testing, card sorting, first click tests and surveys. Lyssna also offers options for moderated interviews with its recruitment panel and a Figma integration for effective prototype testing and user path analysis.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- Card sorting
- First click tests
- Surveys
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- Free version available with limitations
- Offers flexible price range starting at $75 per month for a small product team
- Advanced enterprise and pro plans are available
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.7/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.7/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.5/5
π Summary
Lysnna is a great tool for running usability studies with it's integration with Figma as well as the different types of unmoderated studies that it supports.
One of its major drawbacks is its lack of screen recording option for product teams to review each session for in-depth analysis. If you want to record unmoderated usability tests or moderated usability tests, other tools like Hubble, UserTesting or Maze may be better alternatives.
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7. Userbrain
Userbrain is another popular tool that provides unmoderated usability studies for web and mobile applications. While there is no free version available, it has the pay-as-you-go option per session, which may come in handy depending on the study needs.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- 14-day free trial available
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Ease of Use: Β 4.6/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.4/5
π Summary
Userbrain is a platform that focuses on usability testing and can be a great option for its pay-as-you-go plan if you work for a startup or you are doing a one-off project as a freelancer. Userbrain is also helpful because it provides a streamlined usability study process from building the study to analyzing the test results with session recordings and annotations. Nevertheless, one drawback is that it lacks other types of test methods such as first click tests, card sorting and in-product research.
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8. Userlytics
Userlytics provides both moderated and unmoderated testing options and also offers a range of other UX research methods such as surveys, prototype and concept testing, card sorting and mobile testing. One notable benefit that Userlytics offers is that it offers unlimited team seatingsΒ to be able to view the study results.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- Moderated & unmoderated testing
- Surveys
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- Free version not available
- Custom pricing available with set number of responses
- Starting estimate around $3,500 per year
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Ease of Use: Β 4.5/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.7/5
- Customer Service: 4.9/5
π Summary
Userlytics is a versatile usability testing tool that offers a wide range of testing options including moderated and unmoderated studies, flexible price plans and unlimited team seats. One drawback compared to other tools in the market is that is user experience is less optimized and its participant pool size is relatively smaller compared with other user testing platforms.
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9. UXtweak
UXtweak provides a range of usability testing tools for unmoderated studies, web and mobile testing paired with a recruitment panel. This testing software is a great option for running unmoderated usability tests for quick turnover with flexible pricing plans.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- First click tests
- Card sorting
- Surveys
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- Free version available
- Paid plans start at $59 per month, Business plan at $161 per month and an Enterprise option
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.8/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.7/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.8/5
- Customer Service: 5.0/5
π Summary
UXtweak is a solid option when trying to run quick usability tests paired with a participant pool. UXtweak has integrations with Figma and Invision, offering easy flows to import prototypes and create usability tests.
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10. UXArmy
UXarmy, based in Singapore, provides both moderated and unmoderated study options. It provides a range of features, ranging from Figma prototype testing, first click testing, recorded surveys, interviews, card sorting and tree testing. Moreover, it has language translation support for international research purposes.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Unmoderated & Moderated testing
- Prototype & concept testing
- First click tests
- Card sorting
- Surveys
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- Pricing is based on method/test type of your choice
- Custom enterprise plan available upon request
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.5/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.4/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.5/5
- Customer Service: 4.4/5
π Summary
UXArmy offers unmoderated and moderated usability testing tools. UXArmy offers a pay per test pricing model which is unique compared to other tools in this list. It's also worth to note that UXArmy has solid support for international research translation. If you are looking to run international research or need high quality translation, UXArmy may be a good choice for your team.
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11. Optimal Workshop
Optimal Workshop is a comprehensive user research platform with tools for both qualitative and quantitative user insights. This testing software offers various user testing methods, including card sorting, tree testing, preference test, first-click testing, and surveys.
While it provides access to pre-screened participants, it does not offer direct integrations with design tools for prototype importing and has limited integration and targeting options for participant recruitment.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- First click tests
- Card sorting
- Surveys
- Recruitment panel
π° Pricing
- Free version available with limitations
- Has free plans and paid plans starting at $129 per user/month
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Ease of Use: Β 4.0/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.4/5
π Summary
Optimal Workshop is a robust platform supporting a variety of test methods. Optimal workshop has been widely used for card sorting and tree testing, which are also features offered by other usability tools on this list.
One limitation is that Optimal Workshop doesn't offer flexible ways to add multiple team members into the workspace in some of their paid plans.
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12. Loop11
Loop11Β is a versatile research tool offering both moderated and unmoderated studies with remote usability testing, benchmarking and A/B preference tests.
The usability testing software supports testing on desktop, mobile, and tablet, providing qualitative and quantitative data and it integrates with popular design tools like Figma, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure and JustInMind. However, the tool lacks panel recruitment and support for in-product surveying and experience management.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Moderated user interviews & unmoderated tests
- Prototype & concept testing
π° Pricing
- Free version not available
- Three tier pricing with starting Rapid Insights plan at $179 per month
- Pro and Enterprise plan available each for $358 and $533 per month
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.5/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.5/5
- Value for Money: Β 5.0/5
- Customer Service: 5.0/5
π Summary
Loop11 is a great choice for conducting usability testing and A/B split testing. While Loop11 supports both moderated and unmoderated studies, it does not provide a robust participant recruitment feature, making it difficult to find external personas and participants to conduct usability tests. The usability of the platform is also not the most updated.
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13. Crazy Egg
Crazy Egg is an analytics tool that helps measure usability for web products, providing user behavior data points such as click maps. It also offers A/B preference tests and session recordings for optimizing user experience and website performance. Crazy Egg supports unmoderated usability testing but it does not offer external panel recruitment.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Web usability testing
- Product analytics
π° Pricing
- Free version not available
- Pricing plans available upon request
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.5/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.5/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.1/5
- Customer Service: 4.1/5
π Summary
If you are looking to test usability and performance of your website, Crazy Egg is an effective solution. However, if you are trying to run other types of unmoderated tests, run surveys and recruit participants, Crazy Egg is not the best solution.
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14. Userfeel
Userfeel is a user research platform developed by UX researchers, providing both moderated and unmoderated research options and participant recruiting. Similar to Userbrain, Userfeel offers a pay per session pricing that does not require a monthly subscription.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Moderated & unmoderated tests
- Panel recruitment
π° Pricing
- Pay-as-you-go plan for moderated and unmoderated studies
- 60 minute unmoderated for $30
- 60 minute moderated for $60
- 20 minute unmoderated with Userfeel panel $60
- 40 minute unmoderated/moderated with Userfeel panel $120
- 60 minute unmoderated/moderated with Userfeel panel $180
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 4.6/5
- Ease of Use: Β 4.6/5
- Value for Money: Β 4.5/5
- Customer Service: 4.2/5
π Summary
Userfeel offers moderated and unmoderated usability study options that can help the team unlock valuable user insights. The pay-as-you-go pricing model can be a good model for a small product team or contractors that don't need to run continuous research.
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15. Useberry
Useberry is a usability testing tool supporting unmoderated remote studies, including prototype testing, remote usability tests and recruiting its own testers. With features like user flows, click tracks, and open analytics, it aids teams in gathering feedback on designs and live products. While its flexible pricing makes it suitable for smaller teams.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- Website usability test
- First click testing
- Card sorting
- Panel recruitment
π° Pricing
- Free version available
- Paid plans start at $67 per month (Growth plan)
- Enterprise plan available upon request
β Reviews
Review is not available.
π Summary
Useberry offers various features for conducting unmoderated remote studies ranging from prototype testing and website usability testing. While it has flexible pricing plans, it mostly targets European customers. Useberry also doesn't offer strong in-product integrations.
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16. TryMata (previously TryMyUI)
TryMata, formerly known as TryMyUI, provides both moderated and unmoderated testing capabilities for websites, mobile apps and prototypes. However, it has a less straightforward user interface and lacks in-product integration for surveying.
π Key Features & Highlights
- Prototype & concept testing
- Website usability testing
- Product analytics
π° Pricing
- Free plan not available
- Tier based pricing available by feature sets: usability testing, product analytics, and research repository
β Reviews
Ratings are based on scores provided by Capterra
- Overall Score: 3.7/5
- Ease of Use: Β 3.3/5
- Value for Money: Β 3.0/5
- Customer Service: 3.1/5
π Summary
TryMata is a great solution if you are looking for usability tools that not only offers usability testing but also provides advanced analytics and research repository. However, these additions come at extra cost and lacks support for any in-product research.
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Choosing the right usability testing tool
Most usability testing tools introduced in the list are equipped with diverse test features. In order to select the right usability testing tools for your team, you must carefully consider some of the following factors below:
1. Assess your project needs and methods
First, it's important to assess what types of research are needed based on the current status of your team and project. Getting a good understanding of the types of research required for the team's objectives can help select a usability testing tool that meets those goals and ensure the most effective outcome for the team. Reviewing past research data and evaluating which methods have been the most insightful can help you build the right UX research plan for your projects.
You need to also decide whether a study will be conducted in either moderated or unmoderated format. Moderated tests are helpful because it allows you to interact with the participants and ask questions in real-time while unmoderated testing allows you to build studies and get user feedback easily at scale.
Both approaches have distinct pros and cons so weighing the options and selecting the most appropriate method will be important. If appropriate, you can also use a combination of moderated and unmoderated tests. For instance, you can take a mixed-methods approach, in which you gather qualitative data through user interviews followed by quantitative behavioral-oriented tasks to collect quantitative data and metrics.
Additionally, if you currently do not have a consistent channel for finding the right participants, check if the tools offer its own testers or integrations with recruitment platforms like User Interviews. Depending on the type of industry and product area you're in, having a steady and reliable pool of participants that represent your target audience could be extremely challenging. A well-maintained panel allows for faster participant sourcing, reducing delays in study timelines and ensuring consistent access to individuals with relevant demographics, behaviors, or experiences.
2. Consider your budget for usability testing
Another important variable is the price since you must choose usability testing tools that are within your team's budget. When evaluating new testing tools, you should understand whether it caters to enterprise-grade companies or if it is more suitable for freelancers and small startups.
Getting a good understanding of the target audience of each usability testing tool is particularly important because the usability testing process and needs for the type of user feedback could significantly differ between enterprises and small companies.
We also highly recommend comparing the feature sets and getting a solid understanding of what you get from each of the testing tools so that you get the most value out of the investment. Ask vendors whether they can offer free trials so that you can test the product and it's features thoroughly before making a commitment.
3. Evaluate how the tool collects and analyzes data
Data analysis is often the most time-consuming step in the research process. However, many tools primarily emphasize their range of testing options when being evaluated. It's essential to ensure that the usability tools simplify the sense-making process. Modern tools increasingly incorporate AI features to streamline and accelerate data analysis.
Effective usability testing tools should offer robust data collection and analysis features. This includes features like session recordings, click tracking, transcription, and other data visualization, that help you better capture how users interact with your product and analyzing data more efficiently.
4. Check for integration with existing workflow
The tool should integrate smoothly into your current workflows and other project management tools. Look for compatibility with design platforms (e.g., Figma, Sketch), data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SPSS), and team collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Trello).
Strong integration capabilities can save time and help consolidate user insights without requiring multiple platforms or workarounds. It will help your team operate more adapt more quickly and effectively.
5. Remember that managers are not users
Many times, managers and IT admins could get involved in the evaluation and exploration process for usability testing tools. While they should definitely weigh in their opinions, we always recommend inviting individual contributors and end users that will actually spend more time using the product.
Gaining hands-on experience with a testing tool helps identify learning curves and potential obstacles, providing valuable insight into how well your team can adapt to and effectively use the tool.
To learn more about additional factors to consider when exploring remote user research platform, we recommend this guide on the best UX research tools of 2024.
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What is the best usability testing tool for me?
In this guide, we featured 16 remote usability testing tools that provide usability testing. Choosing the right usability testing platform is important because it will directly impact the efficiency of the user testing process and ensure that the team can collect high quality insights.
If you need usability testing and other more complex user research features with more enterprise grade support, Hubble, UserTesting, UserZoom may be better choices for your team. If you are only looking to conduct a one-time usability test or work for a small team, using a tool like Maze, UX Army or Userfeel may be a better choice.
Run usability tests with Hubble
Either live-test your product or import Figma prototypes to conduct usability tests in Hubble
Additional resources
If you are interested in exploring other UXR tools, we recommend some of the articles below:
- To explore more on AI-powered tools, see our top 11 AI-powered research tools.
- To learn more about otherUserTesting alternatives, check out 13 best UserTesting alternatives.
- To see our curated list of survey tools, see the best survey tools for research in 2024.
- To learn more about top UXR tools, please see the best user research tools in 2024.
- To see our curated list of prototype testing tools, see the 11 best prototype testing tools.
