- Unmoderated tests: You record your screen and voice while following instructions on your own time
- Moderated sessions: A researcher joins live to ask questions and guide the session
- Microtasks: Short checks such as comparing screens, labeling content, or flagging usability issues
If you want a flexible way to make money online without selling products or building an audience, website and app testing is worth a look.
These gigs are usually short, task-based sessions where you give feedback on how easy a site or app is to use.
→ Savage Affiliates — free, takes about 60 seconds.
The work is not always steady, but it can fit into spare time and requires little more than a computer, smartphone, a microphone, and clear communication.
The key is understanding what testing platforms actually ask for, what makes a tester credible, and how to avoid scams that borrow the language of “easy money” without offering real work.
What website and app testing really involves
Most testing platforms connect businesses with everyday users who try websites, apps, or prototypes and describe their experience. You may be asked to complete a task, think out loud, and answer a few follow-up questions.
The goal is to uncover confusing navigation, broken features, unclear instructions, or friction in the checkout flow.
There are a few common formats:
- Unmoderated tests: You record your screen and voice while following instructions on your own time.
- Moderated sessions: A researcher joins live to ask questions and guide the session.
- Microtasks: Short checks such as comparing screens, labeling content, or flagging usability issues.
We go deeper on this in the full breakdown here — worth a read before you decide anything.
In many cases, companies are not looking for “tech experts.” They want people who can represent a specific audience, such as parents, shoppers, small-business owners, or frequent mobile app users. That means your profile matters more than you might expect.
Who is most likely to qualify
→ See what you could be approved for — free, takes about 60 seconds.
Testing platforms often screen for demographics, device ownership, interests, and experience with certain products. A company testing a budgeting app may want people who manage household finances. A retailer testing checkout flow may want regular online shoppers.
A fitness app may look for users who exercise or track workouts.
Helpful profile details usually include:
- Age range and location
- Devices you use, such as iPhone, Android, Windows, or Mac
- Shopping habits or product categories you know well
- Professional background when relevant
Be honest in your profile. Platforms often compare your screener answers to your account details, and inconsistencies can hurt your chances of being selected. If you are not a fit for one test, that does not mean the platform is not useful.
It may simply mean the company needs a different user type.
Sources & further reading
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
- Federal Trade Commission — Credit & Debt
- MyMoney.gov — U.S. Financial Literacy
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
This article is for general information only and is not professional financial, legal, or medical advice.
Dana Whitfield — Personal Finance Editor
Dana has spent more than a decade writing about consumer debt, credit, and everyday money decisions, translating dense policy and lender fine print into plain-English steps readers can actually use. Every figure here is checked against current federal and lender guidance.
✓ Reviewed for accuracy by Marcus Reed, Accredited Financial Counselor · Updated August 2026