How to recruit beta testers for your startup on BetaTesting
TL;DR
BetaTesting is a paid platform where companies recruit real people to test apps, websites and physical products, from a community of 450,000+ testers. On the self-serve Project plan credits cost $23 to $39 each, a simple test uses 1 credit per tester, and new accounts get 5 free credits. Testers join for free and get paid by the companies that run the tests.
What is BetaTesting?
BetaTesting (betatesting.com) calls itself the real human beta testing platform. Testers are ID-verified and not anonymous, and companies pick them with hundreds of filters: demographics, devices, interests and employment. More than half of the panel lives in the US.
Formats include surveys, usability videos (talk-aloud screen recordings), bug reports that can go to Jira, multi-day tests, moderated interviews, in-home product tests and live load tests with 100 to 1,000 people.
Who should use BetaTesting?
- App, SaaS and hardware startups that need feedback from people outside friends and family before launch.
- Founders who need a precise audience, by device, country, job or interest, faster than they could recruit it alone.
- Teams with their own community: the Teams plan lets you invite up to 200 of your own users at no credit cost.
- Skip it if you want free exposure or a launch listing. BetaTesting is a paid research service, and its testers do not become your customers.
How much does BetaTesting cost?
- Project: $23 to $39 per credit, cheaper at higher volume. A simple test costs 1 credit per tester; longer tests and niche audiences cost more. Tester rewards are included, credits do not expire, and you pay only for testers who finish with quality participation.
- Teams: $3,588 a year with 225 credits. You set tester rewards yourself, from $5 for up to 15 minutes, $10 for up to 30 minutes and $15 per hour beyond that, billed at cost plus 4%. Tests use about 30% fewer credits.
- Enterprise: from $20,000 a year, with custom contracts.
- Free start: 5 credits for a small test, and no credit card to sign up.
For testers: joining is free. BetaTesting says a typical 45 to 60 minute test pays about $15 to $30, and most testers get 0 to 5 invitations a month.
How do you recruit beta testers on BetaTesting?
- Open BetaTesting's beta testing page and click Get Started to create a company account.
- Pick a template or test type (survey, usability video, bug report, multi-day test) in the self-serve tool, or book a call with the team.
- Set your audience with the filters and add a screening survey. Approve testers by hand or automatically.
- Buy credits or use the 5 free ones, then launch.
- Read the feedback in real time, use the AI summaries and export the data to a spreadsheet.
Testers sign up on the tester page, fill in a profile with demographics, interests and devices, and get email invitations to matching tests.
Tips to get more out of BetaTesting
- Start with a 5-tester run on the free credits to fix unclear instructions before you pay.
- Give every test one clear goal, such as "complete sign-up and create a first project", so answers stay comparable.
- Screen hard. A two-question screener that checks real use of a similar product saves credits.
- Use video for usability and surveys for preferences. Recordings show exactly where people get stuck.
Our verdict
BetaTesting is a fast way to get structured feedback from a targeted audience, and the 5 free credits make a first test cheap. Plan on $23 to $39 per tester for simple tests, and use it for product research, since it gives no listing or launch exposure.
More options: see all startup directories and launch sites. Testing before your launch? The Fe/male Switch startup game walks women founders from idea to first customers.