Careers Business Ownership How and Where You Can Make Money Testing Websites Testing websites can potentially be a lucrative side hustle Share PINTEREST Email Print alvarez / Getty Images Business Ownership Becoming an Owner Entrepreneurship Small Business Online Business Home Business Operations & Success Industries Table of Contents Expand What Is Website Testing? How Much Money Can You Make? How to Find Website Testing Jobs Top Website Testing Platforms Tips for Testing Success The Bottom Line By Ella Ames Ella Ames Ella Ames is a freelance writer and editor with a focus on personal finance and small business topics such startups, business financing, and entrepreneurship. She has a background in business journalism and her work has appeared not only on The Balance, but LendingTree, ValuePenguin, EE Times, PolicyMe, AllBusiness.com, and more. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 04/28/21 If you’re looking for a side hustle to bring in some extra cash each month, consider trying out website testing. To see if this potentially viable option for gig work is a fit for you, it’s important to go over the details about what it is, how much you could potentially make, and what companies will pay you to get started. What Is Website Testing? Website testing is a role in which individuals who have no direct ties to a brand spend time using, accessing, and analyzing its website as a way of providing feedback on the functionality and appeal of the site. Website testing is invaluable in today’s marketplace, where websites play an integral role in both small and large brands’ ability to reach, engage, and convert online customers. It’s not enough to have a website—the website needs to be optimized in a manner that fosters positive brand associations and ultimately drives profitable conversions. When you look at the amount of time and money brands invest in web design and development, it becomes clear why they take testing so seriously. Development of custom-built websites with loaded features can reach up to $30,000 or more, while additional expenses such as domain name, website hosting, content management system, ongoing web design, marketing, and optimization can drive the total cost well into the six-figure range. How Much Money Can You Make? For most people, website testing isn’t designed to be your full-time job and won’t replace your entire income. It can, however, supplement your income and give you a little extra spending money for the weekend, that next vacation, or a big purchase without draining all your savings. Generally speaking, most website testing companies are going to pay you $10 per test—although occasionally you’ll have the opportunity to make more. A website testing session typically lasts for 10 to 20 minutes. While it may seem like a small amount of income, an extra $10 per day can add up. If you, let’s say, test five websites per week at that rate, you can reasonably expect to make an extra $200 per month. How to Find Website Testing Jobs Once you sign up to be a tester, the testing company will list opportunities via email or through its online platform, and you have to “claim” the test in order to gain access. Depending on the number of users competing for opportunities, it can be harder to get tests with some companies than others, and you’ll have to act quickly. Top Website Testing Platforms Now that you have an understanding of what website testing is, and realistic expectations of what it’s like being a tester, let's look at some companies that will pay you to do it. There are many platforms on the internet that offer this opportunity, but here are some of the more popular options: UserTesting UserTesting is a well-known company in the website testing space. Brands like Walmart, Capital One, Facebook, Domino’s, and Grammarly use the platform. From the user testing side, you get $10 via PayPal for every 20-minute test you complete, and more for interviews. The honesty and transparency of UserTesting is part of what makes the company appealing—it will be the first to tell you that you aren’t going to get rich using its site. The number of opportunities a specific user is given depends on the companies looking for testers with your experience. Userlytics Userlytics doesn’t require an audition to qualify for testing. As a tester, you’re given some tasks and instructions to follow while you review the site or app, and voice your feedback aloud. After your test results are approved, depending on the project you’ll typically be paid $5 to $20 via PayPal. However, the pay for some projects can reach up to $90. IntelliZoomPanel Most “studies” as IntelliZoomPanel calls it, which are actually surveys, take about 10 to 20 minutes. Studies that involve talking via audio or video recording while reviewing typically pay $10. After your study results have been approved, payment is sent within 21 business days through PayPal. How many opportunities you’ll get as a tester depend on factors like demographics and your quality rating. TryMyUI TryMyUI pays out $10 per 20-minute testing session and requires you to record yourself via video and audio, while also providing written responses to a short wrap-up survey. You can expect to get a few opportunities each week. Payments are sent out every Friday via PayPal after tests are reviewed and accepted. Enroll Enroll is a little different from some of the other website testing companies listed above, as the tests can take just a few minutes (as opposed to 15 or 20 minutes). Because the tests are shorter and require less effort, the payout is much lower. Payments are made on a monthly basis via PayPal. If your account balance is less than $1, it will then be carried over to the next month. Tips for Testing Success Here are some tips and suggestions for making the most out of your experience: Take the audition seriously: Almost every company will require you to go through an “audition” before you can get paid to test their clients’ sites. You might be tempted to speed through it, but take these auditions seriously and you’ll have a much better chance of qualifying.Sign up for multiple sites: While you’ll inevitably zero in on a company that you like the most, signing up for multiple testing sites will give you more opportunities to get paid throughout the week.Be quick to act: Most companies offer testers opportunities on a first-come, first-served basis—as soon as you see an offer you’re interested in taking, accept it. Don’t inflate expectations: In the beginning, your expectations should be just $20 or $30 per week unless you have a significant amount of time to commit to this side hustle. Don’t rush the actual testing. The more quality tests you provide, the more likely it is you’ll get additional opportunities. The Bottom Line Testing websites can be a good opportunity if you’re looking for a flexible, relatively easy option to make a little extra income. However, you’ll need to keep your financial expectations realistic. To increase your chances of success you’ll want to sign up for several different platforms, act quickly when an opportunity becomes available, and perform quality work.