TestingTime

TestingTime is a Swiss user-research recruitment platform. Companies pay it to find people who match a specific profile, and it pays those people to take part in research. It is not gig work or a task site: you are not doing a job for a client, you are being interviewed or observed while you use a product, and paid for your time and honesty.

TestingTime at a glance

Cost to join	Free
Sign-up	A profile questionnaire, under 5 minutes
Typical session	30 to 90 minutes
UK rates we have seen	£21 for 45 minutes, £26 for 30 minutes
Formats	Video calls, phone interviews, online surveys, unmoderated tests, some in person
Frequency	Irregular. TestingTime itself says it will never be a full income
UK coverage	The UK is one of its six core markets, alongside Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands

How it works

1. Build your profile. You sign up free and answer questions about your job, sector, the tools you use and your demographics. Your answers are only used to match you to studies.
2. Get invited. When a study fits, TestingTime emails you. You answer a few more questions, the screener, so it can check you match what the client asked for.
3. Book a slot. If you are a match you are offered the study and pick a day and time that suits you.
4. Take part and get paid. You test an app, website, gadget, service or even food, and share your opinion openly. Payment is per completed session, never per application.

What it pays, and what decides it

The fee depends on the format and length of the study. TestingTime is upfront that in-person sessions pay the most, remote video interviews and user tests pay a little less, and online surveys pay the least. The remote studies we have seen in the UK paid £21 for 45 minutes and £26 for 30 minutes, which works out at roughly £28 to £52 an hour, excellent by side-income standards.

But the hourly rate is the wrong number to plan around. What you actually earn is the rate multiplied by how many studies you get into, and that conversion rate varies enormously from person to person.

The screener is the real gate

Studies appear regularly, but each one recruits against narrow criteria: a sector, a job title, a specific piece of software, or a demographic quota that may already be full. Rejections generally arrive without a reason, which is normal for the platform rather than a sign anything is wrong with your account.

The first study can take a while. TestingTime says so itself, and asks new testers to be patient. Do not judge the platform on your first fortnight.

How to improve your chances

• Answer every profile question. TestingTime's own emails lead with "answer more profile questions to see if you can participate". The screener cannot match you on an attribute you have never answered, and the more it knows, the more relevant the invitations become.
• Be specific about your work. A distinctive professional background, a niche sector, a particular tool, a senior role, is exactly what researchers recruit for. Vague answers put you in the biggest, most competitive pool.
• Answer honestly. Stretching the truth to pass a screener is pointless: it shows in the session, and TestingTime relies on honest feedback. Its stated requirements are honesty and reliability, nothing else.
• Turn up, or cancel early. Showing up on time makes you more likely to be invited again. If you cannot make a session, cancel as soon as you know.
• Reply to invitations quickly. Places fill up, and a study that closed its quota an hour ago will simply reject you.

Who it suits

Anyone whose day job gives them an unusual or in-demand profile. Freelancers are often a good fit here: you use a spread of business tools, you choose your own hours, and you can take a 45-minute call on a weekday afternoon without asking anyone.

It suits you far less if you want predictable income. There is no way to pick up more work when you need it, because the invitations only come when a client happens to be recruiting someone like you.

Tax on TestingTime income in the UK

Payments for taking part in research are income, so keep a simple note of what you receive and when. For most people the amounts are small, and HMRC's £1,000 trading allowance covers trading, casual and miscellaneous income below that level in a tax year. If you are already self-employed, or your total side income goes over £1,000, include it in your Self Assessment return. When in doubt, check the current rules on GOV.UK or with your accountant, as your wider circumstances matter.

TestingTime vs other paid research sites

TestingTime sits at the interview end of paid research: fewer, longer, better-paid sessions with real companies, gated by a screener. Survey panels such as Prolific work the other way round, with many short academic surveys you can pick up most days at a lower rate each. They are complementary rather than competing, and if you want research income at all, it is reasonable to be on one of each.

Neither replaces client work. If you want a platform where you can go out and win paid projects, a marketplace such as Fiverr or PeoplePerHour is the tool for that job.

Where it fits alongside client work

Treat this as a top-up rather than an income stream. It pays best when it fills a gap you already have, which in practice means the quiet weeks between contracts rather than time you could have billed. If you are still working out which kind of freelance work to build around, our guide to the best freelance jobs in the UK covers the main categories and what they realistically pay, and the best freelance websites in the UK compares the platforms where that work is actually found.

Frequently asked questions

Is TestingTime legit? Yes. It is an established Swiss research recruiter that places participants with real companies, and it is free to join. You are never asked to pay anything to take part.

How much can you earn with TestingTime? UK studies we have seen paid £21 to £26 per session. Your monthly total depends on how many screeners you pass, which is irregular, so TestingTime itself says it will not replace a living.

How long does it take to get your first study? It can take a while. Completing your whole profile is the most effective way to shorten it.

Do you need any experience to be a tester? No. There is no education or work-experience requirement. You need to answer honestly and turn up when you have agreed to.

Is TestingTime available in the UK? Yes, and the UK is one of its core markets, so UK testers receive more invitations than people in most other countries.