15 Best Usability Testing Tools for Startups: Affordable Options Backed by Real Insights

The usability testing market is full of tools that promise to solve all your problems, boasting features like heatmaps, user flow analysis, and AI-driven insights. But as a UI/UX design agency working with businesses of different scales, we know the reality for startups is more complicated.

The choice isn’t just about picking the fanciest tool – many startups have to deal with challenges like:

• Limited budgets.
• Balancing affordability and functionality.
• Lack of dedicated UX roles.

That’s why, based on our experience, we’ve put together this tailored comparison of usability testing tools to help you make confident and informed decisions. Still, let’s start by discussing the above-mentioned issues that make the choice difficult.

Challenges startups face in usability testing

Usability testing doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or expensive process. However, startups often encounter these common hurdles:

1. Budget constraints

• High costs: Many usability tools, like UserTesting, are priced with enterprises in mind, leaving startups struggling to justify the expense.
• The need for flexibility: Transparent pricing models or pay-as-you-go (PAYG) options can help reduce costs, but these often come with trade-offs in features.
• Trade-offs: Affordable user testing platforms like UXtweak or AI-powered SLARA offer lower price p

2. Limited resources

• No dedicated specialists: Startups often lack the luxury of hiring dedicated UX researchers. Instead, designers or product managers take on usability testing responsibilities.
• DIY solutions don’t work as your startup scales: DIY testing methods, such as using Zoom or Google Forms with clickable prototypes, are common starting points. While these solutions work well for small-scale projects, they can become inefficient as testing needs grow.

3. Efficiency over perfection

• Startups need speed: Unlike enterprises, startups rarely have the time or resources for exhaustive usability reports. They need quick, actionable insights to guide iterative improvements.
• Ease of use is key: Complex tools slow teams down and lead to abandoned testing efforts.

4. Why usability testing software still relevant

While DIY approaches like Zoom are effective for early-stage testing, usability tools become essential as startups scale. Here’s why:

• Scalability: Tools simplify managing larger participant pools and structured feedback.
• Deeper insights: Features like heatmaps, click-tracking, and task success rates uncover valuable user patterns.
• Polished presentation: Polished reports and visualizations help communicate findings to stakeholders.

So, is there a tool that would cover all the above-mentioned problems? Of course, no. Still, it doesn’t mean you can’t find the one that best suits your specific case. The next section explores tools that balance affordability with functionality and cater to a variety of different needs.

Comparison table of affordable UX testing tools

The following table highlights a range of options — from free and pay-as-you-go tools to feature-rich platforms. It’s supposed to help you get a quick but comprehensive overview so you can choose the best fit based on budget, functionality, and team needs.

Jumping ahead, we’ll explore each tool in more detail in later sections.

Now that you’ve got the big picture, let’s dive into the details. To make things simple, we’ve grouped the tools into categories: those for quantitative testing, qualitative research, budget-friendly options, and DIY solutions.

Tools for quantitative usability testing

Quantitative usability testing focuses on gathering measurable data about how users interact with your product. Unlike qualitative methods, which explore user motivations and emotions, quantitative tests answer "how much" or "how many" questions.

Businesses choose quantitative testing when they need objective usability metrics to evaluate:

• Task success rates: How many users successfully complete a specific task?
• Time on task: How long does it take users to achieve a goal?
• Click behavior: Where do users click most often, and do they follow expected paths?
• Engagement patterns: What percentage of users abandon the process at certain steps?

Quantitative testing is especially valuable when scaling a startup or improving conversion-critical flows, such as onboarding or checkout. These data points help teams prioritize changes that will influence user experience and business goals most noticably.

For startups, balancing cost and functionality is key when choosing tools to conduct quantitative tests. Below are tools that provide actionable insights without overwhelming complexity.

Maze (recommended by Eleken)

Maze is a standout choice in Eleken’s UX research toolkit for unmoderated usability testing. We like it because it connects directly with design tools like Figma and makes it easy to set up tests that generate useful insights fast. You can create usability tests, card sorting exercises, tree tests, and more, then share them through a link for quick feedback. Maze automatically compiles results into clear reports that are easy to share with your team or stakeholders — no extra work needed.

Maze comes with features that make it especially useful for startups and growing teams:

• Flexible participant sourcing: You can use your own testers for free, or pay extra if you want to recruit users from their panel.
• Live website UX testing: Unlike many other tools, Maze lets you run usability tests directly on live websites or product features. It tracks how users deviate from the ideal path, which is great for understanding real-world behavior.
• Design tool integration: Maze works seamlessly with Figma, InVision, Marvel, and Sketch. Our designer Maksym always recommends it for prototype testing because the Figma connection is so smooth.

And it’s not just for prototypes — Maze also handles A/B testing, five-second tests, and more. That said, there are a few downsides to keep in mind. The starter plan doesn’t fully support microphone, camera, or screen-sharing features. To access those, you’ll need to upgrade to their Organization plan, which requires talking to sales and paying more.

UXtweak

UXtweak supports both qualitative and quantitative usability testing methods. However, users mostly recommend this tool for quantitative analysis as it provides features such as task success rates, time-on-task measurements, and error tracking, allowing researchers to collect objective data on user interactions. Additionally, it supports both moderated and unmoderated usability tests, offering flexibility in study design.

One thing people often appreciate about UXtweak is the control it gives you when setting up tasks. You can define exactly what you want users to do and track how they perform step-by-step. The integration with Figma is smooth too, which makes it easy to test prototypes or designs without extra hassle.

Why you might like it

• Heatmaps and click tracking: Great for understanding what users focus on—or ignore—when using your product.
• Task-based testing: Helps you measure success rates, time on task, and user navigation patterns.
• Post-launch testing: You can even test live apps to see how users behave in the real world.
• Flexible research options: It includes things like card sorting and tree testing, which are handy for improving navigation.

For a practical demonstration of UXTweak's usability testing capabilities, you might find the following video helpful:

On the downside, the platform does have a few quirks. For example, you can only test one design per study, and if you’re on the free or Basic plan, you’re limited to a single active study at a time. The interface can also feel a little clunky, but it gets the job done once you get used to it.

Lyssna

Lyssna can serve as an affordable alternative to UserTesting worth checking out. It handles everything from unmoderated tests to screeners, and it’s designed to be budget-friendly while still offering strong functionality.

What stands out about this UX testing app is its robust screener capabilities, which are included in all plans. This means you can easily filter and find participants who match your target audience, without needing to pay for the highest-tier subscription. Whether you’re testing a prototype or gathering feedback on a live product, Lyssna helps you collect actionable insights without overspending.

Why you might like it

• Affordable plans: It offers much of the functionality of pricier tools like UserTesting but at a more reasonable price point.
• Strong screener capabilities: Included in all plans, making it easy to recruit participants that fit your user profile.
• Versatility: Works well for unmoderated usability tests, prototypes, or post-launch products.

To sum up, Lyssna works well for startups that need an affordable yet feature-rich user testing tool with powerful screener options.

Useberry

Useberry is particularly useful for early-stage testing when you’re still figuring out user flows and need quick feedback. With features like clickmaps, session recordings, and flow analytics, it helps you see exactly where users are going and where they might be getting stuck.

One of the things Useberry does well is visualizing user paths. You can clearly see how people interact with your design, which steps they follow, and where they drop off. It’s great for refining things like onboarding flows or testing different navigation ideas before your product goes live.

Why you might like it

• Prototyping focus: Perfect for testing Figma or Adobe XD prototypes and analyzing user flows.
• Clickmaps and flow analytics: Great for spotting bottlenecks and optimizing navigation.
• Session recordings: Watch how users interact with your design step by step.

That said, Useberry isn’t as advanced when it comes to deeper analytics or post-launch testing. It’s more focused on prototypes, so if you’re looking for detailed metrics on live products, you might need another tool.

Quantum Metric

Quantum Metric is a digital analytics and product design tool powered by AI that focuses on continuous product design (CPD). While it is not a traditional usability testing platform like UserTesting or Optimal Workshop, it works well for quantitative usability analysis, analyzing user behavior and identifying areas for improvement.

Why you might like it

• Session replay: It records user sessions to let teams see exactly how users interact with a website or app, uncovering usability issues like navigation problems or confusion points.
• Heatmaps and click maps: Visualizes user engagement to identify areas with high interaction or unexpected behaviors.
• Automatic insights: Uses AI to detect patterns, anomalies, or friction points in user behavior, helping to uncover usability problems without manual analysis.
• Remote collaboration tool: Teams can use insights from Quantum Metric to prioritize design fixes or enhancements based on data-driven evidence.

That said, Quantum Metric is definitely geared toward enterprise teams, and the pricing reflects that. If you’re a startup or working with a smaller budget, it’s probably overkill unless you’re already scaling a live product and need deep behavioral insights.

Optimal workshop

Optimal Workshop is a good-to-know tool for those focused on improving navigation and site structure. It specializes in information architecture testing, offering features like tree testing, first-click testing, card sorting and more to help you organize your content in a way that makes sense to users.

Tree testing is especially handy for validating whether your menu structure helps users find what they’re looking for, while card sorting is great for gathering insights on how users think your content should be grouped. These tools are straightforward to set up, and the visual data makes it easy to spot patterns or problem areas.

Why you might like it

• Perfect for navigation and IA: Tree testing and card sorting are ideal for organizing site menus and categories.
• Easy-to-use interface: Simple setup and clear visualizations make it beginner-friendly.
• Actionable insights: Helps you pinpoint where users struggle to find information.

That said, Optimal Workshop has a fairly narrow focus compared to other usability testing tools. It’s not the best choice if you’re looking for features like task success tracking or heatmaps, but for navigation-focused projects, it really shines.

Playbook UX

Playbook UX is great if you want a mix of quantitative and qualitative research. It handles unmoderated tests, surveys, and moderated sessions, and it’s especially useful for tree testing and card sorting — perfect for improving navigation and site structure.

One of the standout features of Playbook is its large tester pool, which increases your chances of finding participants from specific regions, including Europe. However, like with many platforms, you’ll want to keep an eye on participant quality. It’s not uncommon to encounter beta testers pretending to meet your criteria, so using screeners carefully and selecting native English speakers can help filter out unqualified participants.

Playbook also lets you combine usability tests with surveys, giving you a mix of hard numbers (like task success rates) and direct user feedback to understand the “why” behind the data. Just note that it’s feature-rich, so there’s a bit of a learning curve when you’re getting started.

Why you might like it

• Large tester pool: Good options for recruiting participants, especially from Europe.
• Tree testing and card sorting: Helps you refine navigation and information architecture.
• Mix of quant and qual: Get actionable data alongside user insights for deeper understanding.

You may have noticed that Playbook was mentioned as a tool suitable both for quantitative and qualitative types of usability testing. That’s right; it’s difficult to assign this tool to a specific category. Still, next, we’re going to explore user testing software for qualitative research.

Tools for qualitative usability testing

While quantitative testing is all about numbers and measurable outcomes, qualitative usability testing focuses on the "why" behind user behavior. This type of research explores motivations, emotions, and pain points to uncover deeper insights about how users experience your product.

Qualitative testing helps businesses:

• Understand user frustrations: What makes a task difficult or confusing?
• Gather rich feedback: What do users think and feel while interacting with your design?
• Identify unexpected behaviors: Where do users struggle, and why?

This type of testing is especially useful during early design stages or when you're trying to address specific usability issues. For example, qualitative methods like moderated sessions allow you to ask follow-up questions in real time and adapt tasks based on user responses.

When to choose qualitative testing:

• You want to understand why users behave a certain way rather than just tracking metrics.
• Your goal is to improve user satisfaction and emotional engagement with your product.
• You’re working on early-stage designs and need to refine ideas before scaling.

Below are some usability testing platforms that make qualitative research easier and more effective.

UserTesting

UserTesting is one of the most well-known platforms for testing, offering a wide range of features for both moderated and unmoderated sessions. It’s particularly popular with enterprises thanks to its robust panel recruitment capabilities and advanced remote user testing tools.

It allows you to run live sessions to observe users as they navigate your product or prototype. You can also create screener questions to recruit participants who match your ideal user persona, ensuring your insights are relevant. The platform’s video recording and editing tools make it easy to analyze sessions and share key moments with your team.

That said, UserTesting’s biggest drawback is its cost. There are numerous reviews like this one from Reddit user Obi-Wan_Cannoli

Tons of methods available, flexible screeners for panel participants, and lots of integration. But definitely costly as it's an enterprise tool.

So, UserTesting is great but it’s on the pricier side, which might not be ideal for startups with limited budgets.

Testing Time

Testing Time specializes in participant recruitment for usability tests, market research, and paid studies. It’s similar to platforms like User Interviews, making it a great choice for teams that need help finding testers for one-on-one interviews, group discussions, focus groups (mostly online), product tests, or surveys.

The platform’s participant pool is global, making it a great option if you’re testing across different markets or regions. Testing Time is especially helpful for qualitative studies like moderated sessions, where you want to observe users and ask follow-up questions in real time.

Why you might like it

• Wide range of studies: Supports interviews, focus groups, product testing, and surveys.
• Global participant pool: Access testers from different regions and demographics.
• Logistics management: Handles scheduling, payments, and recruiting for you.

While it’s excellent for recruitment, Testing Time isn’t a full usability testing platform — you’ll still need to pair it with another tool to run your tests and analyze the results. But if recruitment is your bottleneck, it can save you a lot of time and effort.

Lookback (Eleken’s choice)

Lookback is the second out of two tools we use at Eleken. This one is great for moderated usability testing, and for good reason. It makes it easy to conduct live, remote sessions where you can observe users interacting with your product and ask follow-up questions in real-time. The platform also records each session, so you can revisit key moments or share clips with your team.

One of Lookback’s biggest strengths is its integration with other research tools, like Optimal Workshop. This pairing is convenient if you’re running studies that involve tasks like card sorting or tree testing alongside moderated testing.

Why you might like it

• Live moderated sessions: Interact with users directly and ask real-time follow-up questions.
• Session recordings: Easily revisit or share key moments with your team.
• Tool integration: Works well alongside other tools like Optimal Workshop for a comprehensive research setup.

Lookback focuses primarily on qualitative insights, which makes it great for diving deep into user feedback and emotions. While it’s packed with useful features, the platform is built with simplicity in mind, so it’s easy to set up and start testing. However, it’s not meant for quantitative metrics or task-based studies.

Userlytics

If you’re looking for a tool to help with qualitative testing but don’t want to blow your budget, Userlytics is worth a look. It’s pretty straightforward to use, and you can run both moderated and unmoderated tests. For qualitative research, it’s great because you can actually observe how people interact with your design, ask follow-up questions in real time, and get deeper insights.

The participant pool is one of the better ones. It’s international, and they seem to avoid that “professional tester” vibe you sometimes get on other platforms. That makes the feedback feel more genuine, which is always a win when you’re trying to understand real user pain points.

That said, it’s not as fancy as something like UserTesting. If you’re after enterprise-level features like benchmarking or super-polished analytics, it’s not quite there. But for the price, it’s hard to beat. It’s flexible, easy to get started with, and gives you enough tools to gather meaningful qualitative insights without overcomplicating things.

Why it’s worth considering

• Good for qualitative research: You can run moderated sessions and get a real sense of what users are thinking.
• Solid participant pool: The testers feel more authentic, which makes the insights more reliable.
• Affordable: It’s much cheaper than some of the bigger platforms, so it’s a good option for smaller teams.

Ballpark

Ballpark is designed to provide quick, actionable feedback on prototypes, designs, or concepts. It’s best suited for early-stage qualitative usability testing and idea validation by gathering user opinions through short, targeted surveys or tests. So, it’s helpful for teams working under tight deadlines who need quick, actionable insights.

Why you might like it:

• Simple user surveys: Ballpark allows users to create straightforward surveys to test design concepts, prototypes, or product ideas. These surveys are usually short and focused on specific aspects of the design.
• Visual feedback: Users can upload designs or prototypes, and testers can provide visual feedback directly on the designs, helping teams understand what works and what doesn’t.
• Quick turnaround: The platform focuses on rapid feedback, often within a matter of hours, making it ideal for iterative design processes.
• Usability score: It generates a usability score based on the feedback collected, providing an at-a-glance summary of how well a design or prototype resonates with users.

While great for quick feedback, Ballpark may not provide the depth of insights found in traditional usability testing methods like session replays or in-depth interviews. Feedback is often more focused on trends and scores than detailed qualitative insights.

Budget-friendly usability testing options

For startups and smaller teams, budget constraints often play a huge role in deciding which usability testing tools to use. Naturally, it’s important to find platforms that strike a balance between affordability and functionality.

Some of the tools we’ve already mentioned fit this category perfectly:

• Maze: Offers a free plan, with paid options starting at $99/month—a great price for the features it delivers.
• UXtweak: Like Maze, it has a free plan and an affordable paid tier starting at €113/month.
• Lookback: Starts at $25/month (paid annually) and even offers a 60-day free trial.
• Lyssna: Includes a free plan, with paid tiers starting at $75/month.
• Playbook UX: Pay-as-you-go pricing makes it accessible for teams with occasional testing needs.

In addition to these, there are a few more tools that are both affordable and worth considering:

Userfeel

Userfeel is known for its simplicity and flexibility. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for affordable, pay-as-you-go testing without the commitment of a long-term subscription. One of the best things about Userfeel is that it’s transparent — there are no hidden costs, and you’ll know exactly how much a test will cost as you set it up.

You can bring your own testers or use Userfeel’s participant pool, which is global and multilingual. This makes it a handy option for teams testing products in different regions or languages. However, as with many platforms, it’s worth keeping an eye on participant quality. Watching session videos carefully will help you filter out testers who might not meet your expectations.

​​Why you might like it

• Pay-as-you-go pricing: Perfect for teams that only test occasionally or want to avoid subscriptions.
• Multilingual participant pool: Useful for testing products across different languages and regions.
• No hidden costs: You’ll know upfront how much a test will cost.

The platform itself is easy to use, but it’s more focused on basics like video recordings and task tracking rather than advanced features like heatmaps or analytics. If you’re running simple usability tests and need reliable results, Userfeel is a solid, no-frills option.

SLARA

SLARA is among examples of UX AI-driven tools designed to make user research faster and more efficient. It’s a relatively new player in the usability space but offers a unique approach by combining traditional qualitative testing methods with AI-powered behavior analysis. This can help teams identify patterns and pain points more quickly than manual analysis alone.

This platform may be useful as it allows one to conduct testing without hiring a dedicated UX researcher. As Reddit user davidsteave says in one of the discussions on the topic:

One approach could be using platforms like SLARA for user testing. They offer tools that help gather user feedback without needing a dedicated UX researcher, which might be a cost-effective solution for your organization.

For better understanding of this tool, you can watch the following demo video by SLARA:

While the tool shows promise, you should remember that it is AI-based and only simulates real-life conversations. Still, it’s worth exploring if you’re interested in blending traditional and AI-driven research methods.

Userbrain

Userbrain is a solid option among remote usability testing tools. It’s designed for quick unmoderated testing and works well for teams that want to test early-stage prototypes or live websites without much setup.

As for the pricing, there’s a 14-day free trial, a free plan available, and paid options that start from $99/month. Quite predictable and cost-effective, especially if you’re testing on a small scale.

DIY usability testing for startups

As our design director at Eleken, Maksym Chervynskyi, say

Sometimes, usability testing doesn’t need fancy tools. A stopwatch and a keen eye can reveal just as much.

With a little creativity and effort, DIY solutions can give you actionable feedback. The great thing about them testing is its simplicity: you can recruit participants manually, use free usability testing tools, and still uncover valuable insights that improve your product. Let’s break down some practical tips for getting started.

How to start testing on a budget:

1. Start with internal participants: If you don’t have the budget for external testers, start small. Recruit coworkers from unrelated teams, friends, or even family members. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than skipping testing altogether.
   
   • Example: Use HR staff or interns to test your design before reaching out to external users.
2. Use free or low-cost tools:
   
   • Zoom or Teams: Perfect for moderated usability tests with clickable prototypes.
   • Google Forms: Use it to collect basic feedback or survey results after testing.
   • Session recording tools: Record user interactions with permission for later analysis.
3. Prioritize participant incentives: Instead of spending on tools, put your budget toward compensating participants. Even a small incentive (like $30 gift cards) makes a big difference.

For example user Necessary-Lack-4600 shares their thoughts on Reddit discussion:

If you recruit DIY, you can easily get 8 general population real participants with an incentive of 30 dollar, so less than 250 dollar. If it only costs this little why not do proper research from the start?

4. Run a pilot test: Start with coworkers or testers you know to work out kinks in your process. Use their feedback to improve your tasks and script before testing with real users. This also helps socialize the value of UX research within your team.
5. Record everything: Whether it’s with Zoom, WebEx, or just a phone camera, recording user interactions is key. Clips showing real users struggling with tasks can be much more impactful than reports when presenting findings to stakeholders.

Budget example: A simple DIY test

• Tools: Free (Zoom, Figma, Google Forms).
• Participants: 8 testers, incentivized with $30 gift cards.
• Total cost: ~$250.

Steps:

1. Test critical flows (like onboarding or checkout) with internal participants first.
2. Refine your tasks and script.
3. Test with external users for more representative feedback.

Key takeaway

DIY testing doesn’t have to be perfect to be useful. Whether you’re gathering quick feedback with coworkers or incentivizing a small group of external testers, the insights you gain can help validate your designs, fix usability issues, and prove the value of your UX research methods.

Tips for maximizing ROI on a tight budget

Choosing the best usability testing tool for your startup comes down to finding the balance between your budget, your team’s needs, and the stage of your product.

Here are some practical tips to help you stretch your testing budget further:

1. Use free tools whenever possible

Leverage free platforms for basic usability testing and surveys:

• Google Forms for collecting user feedback and surveys.
• Zoom or Microsoft Teams for conducting live moderated tests with prototypes.
• Figma for simple prototype sharing.
  These tools don’t have all the bells and whistles, but they’re effective for early-stage or small-scale testing.

2. Prioritize participant recruitment over tools

The value of usability testing lies in the quality of your participants, not the complexity of the tools you use. Invest in recruiting users who fit your target audience and consider compensating them with small incentives.

3. Start small and iterate

Test with a small group of participants first to uncover critical issues. Focus on your most business-critical flows. Once you’ve identified and fixed major usability problems, scale up for more in-depth testing.

4. Present findings strategically

Nothing proves the value of usability testing like real user feedback. Use session recordings or participant clips to show stakeholders exactly where users struggle. Short, impactful videos are far more persuasive than lengthy reports.

For example, a clip of a user struggling to complete an onboarding task can justify prioritizing fixes to that flow.

5. Combine tools to cover gaps

If one tool doesn’t have all the features you need, combine a few budget-friendly ones:

• Use Google Forms for screening participants.
• Pair a free tool like Maze or UXtweak with Zoom for live sessions.
  This mix-and-match approach ensures you’re not overspending on features you don’t need.

6. Build a case for more budget

Start with low-cost tests to demonstrate the value of usability testing. Once you’ve delivered clear insights that improve your product, present those findings to stakeholders as a case for increased investment.

Maximizing ROI isn’t just about cutting costs — it’s about focusing your resources on the areas that will make the biggest impact. By starting small, using free tools, and prioritizing participant quality, you can run effective usability tests even on a tight budget.

A final tip

If you’re not sure where to start, many of the tools offer free trials or freemium plans. Take advantage of these to test them out and see which one fits your workflow.

Remember, usability testing doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated to make a big impact. Even a few well-structured tests can provide the insights you need to improve your product and create a better experience for your users. And if what you’re missing isn’t a tool but an experienced specialist, Eleken’s designers are here to help. Reach out to us — we’d love to be your thought design partner.