No special degree no certification whatsoever. It’s similar to getting paid for filling out surveys (an advanced version though). Let see how we get paid to test apps.
What is App Testing & Why It’s Needed?
Before publically launching any application, it is required to be tested. For this purpose, the developer’s team usually hires a bunch of beta testers to test their to-be-released applications, fix their usability issues, iron out bugs, and make them more functional and user-friendly.
Simply put, app-testing is a way of evaluating the design, functionality, and user experience of an app by getting the perspective of real users.
Now you might be thinking, “Why would someone spend so much money on mere testing apps? Isn’t the developer aware of the guts and gear of what he has developed?”
Well, this can be better understood from the perspective of a developer. Let’s say, you’ve developed a shopping app and going to release it very soon. It’s possible, that the menu bar you’ve designed may seem completely fine to you, but for the actual user, it’s too complicated and a total clutter.
The shop button seems rightly placed to you, the actual user may get a hard time finding it. Being a developer you won’t be able to correctly evaluate your app from the viewpoint of a user.
So, app-testing might seem unnecessary at first, but in fact, it’s essential to save the company from a completely disastrous launch in the future if the app is buggy or have a bad user experience.
Now, if you’re ready to embark on this journey of effort-less earning, keep reading to learn more about what (exactly) you’ll do as an app-tester, how much you can earn, and from where can you find paid app-testing openings. Do they really get paid to test apps ?
What Do You Need to Get Started?
To test an application here’s all you’d have to have
Smartphone or laptopA good internet connectionMicrophone (not all tests require this)Webcam (not all tests require this)PayPal accountBasic knowledge of writing and speaking in English (as the majority of tests are conducted in English)
What is Your Job as an App-tester?
Its answer is only known to the development team that is what exactly they’re looking to acquire through this test. Most commonly, the development team wants you to act either as a user-tester or a bug-tester, or both.
As a user-tester, you’ll be asked to use the application as a normal user and share your honest user experience regarding the app, and help test the app’s functionality.
The process goes like this:
You sign up as a beta-tester for a certain appYou’ll be given some instructions, asking you to perform a bunch of activities inside the appMeanwhile, the development team records your on-screen actions to assess your user experience of the app. At times, even the expressions on your face and the movement of your eyes are recorded. For some app tests, you’re asked to voice your thoughts on the mic and give your feedback while using the app.
As a bug-tester, you’ll be asked to look for serious technical issues in the given app. This makes bug-testing toughest of all other app-testing roles. In case you find any bug, you will get rewarded for reporting it to the development team.
How Much You Can Earn From App-testing?
This depends on whether you’re going to be selected as a beta-tester or not. To get selected, you’d have to belong to a demographic that the developers specifically want to target, like people from a certain age group, area, gender, or interests.
If you rightly fit into the targeted demographic and get accepted, you’d be able to earn $10 per completed test on average. If you manage to test a few apps every week, you can easily earn more than $100 each month. All you need to do is to keep a close eye on paid app-testing websites.
Tips To Earn More From App-testing
Get a good rating: Usually, when you complete any app test, the employing websites rate you. If you manage to get a good rating, your chances of getting accepted for future testing jobs get higher. Reach out to a maximum number of websites: the more the number of websites you sign-up for, the more will be the number of tests you’ll manage to complete by the end of the month.
How much time does a test take?
Most often, one complete app test takes between half to a one-and-half hour.
Are these tests remote or on-site?
For some tests, you can participate from home through computer/mobile phone, online survey filling, or video calls, while for some, you’d have to go out at the consumer’s premises.
How often will I get testing offers?
Honestly speaking, there are not so many app-testing jobs out there as so many people are now providing app-testing services. If you’re lucky, you might get accepted for a month or many months to come. It’s not a sure bet.