Before an app development team releases their web or mobile app to the public, it needs to be tested. Usability issues need fixing. Bugs need ironing out. To find these issues, development teams often hire a group of beta testers to test drive apps before their public launch.
If you think you’d make a great app tester, read on to learn more about the role, how much you could earn, and the sites you should join to get started.
Who Can Be an App Tester?
To test an app, all you really need is access to an up-to-date smartphone and/or computer, (sometimes) a microphone and webcam, and a list of places you can go to find opportunities. To get paid, you’ll often need a PayPal account, too.
What Does an App Test Involve?
What’s required of app testers depends on what the development team wants to achieve from the test. Once you join a team of beta testers for a specific app, you’ll be given a set of instructions. A complete test usually lasts somewhere between 15 minutes and one hour.
These instructions often ask you to perform a set of tasks within the app. As you perform these tasks, your on-screen actions (and sometimes even your eye movements and facial expressions) will be recorded, so developers can understand more about how you experience the application. Some tests will also require you to express your thoughts out loud into a microphone.
In all, you’ll be expected to:
All of this information goes toward helping the developers improve the app before its final launch.
How Much Can I Earn?
Taking up app testing is unlikely to become a full-time position. To be selected to test certain apps, you’ll need to fit into a specific demographic. Developers will be looking for testers of a specific sex, age, and with particular interests.
If you fit into the right demographic for the app, you’ll be accepted onto the team of beta testers. The average pay for each completed app test is currently around $10. Some pay upward of $100. Some simply offer you a free app in return for your time. If you keep a close eye on a variety of app testing sites, you could test a few apps per week, netting $100+ per month.
Where Can I Find Paid App Testing Opportunities?
There are a range of sites offering paid app testing opportunities. Some of the most reputable are listed below, though this is far from exhaustive. If you have any other suggestions, please add them in the comments below so we can make this resource as useful as possible!
