How to get people to test your app (and find beta testers): free and paid routes in 2026
Last updated 17 October 2026
Start free with your store's own beta tools — TestFlight takes up to 10,000 external testers per app, and Google Play's closed and open tests collect private feedback that never touches your public rating — then ask for testers where developers share early builds, such as r/alphaandbetausers and r/TestMyApp. Pay when you need feedback on a deadline: tester panels such as BetaTesting charge $23 to $39 per credit, and a simple test starts at one credit per tester (checked 17 October 2026). If you want a public video of someone using your app rather than private feedback, that is a paid review on a creator's channel — disclosed, and never paid for a store rating.
Want a public review video instead of private feedback? Read how to pay creators to review your app1. The short answer
- Free, and built into the stores: TestFlight for Apple platforms, internal, closed and open tests on Google Play, Steam Playtest for games on Steam
- Free, from people: friends and users you already have, and communities where developers post early builds, such as r/alphaandbetausers and r/TestMyApp
- Paid, when you need it on time: tester panels (BetaTesting), UX research platforms (UserTesting) and game playtest services (PlaytestCloud)
- Paid and public: a creator who records themselves trying your app, posted on their own channel as a disclosed review
- Never: paying anyone, tester or not, for a rating or review in the App Store, Google Play or Steam
2. Free routes
Limits below come from each platform's own help pages, checked 17 October 2026. They change, so open the source before you plan around a number.
| Route | What you get |
|---|---|
| TestFlight (Apple) | Up to 100 internal testers from your team, and up to 10,000 external testers per app, invited by email or a public link. A build can be tested for up to 90 days, and the first build you send to external testers needs App Review |
| Google Play internal test | Up to 100 testers per app — the quickest way to get a build to people you know |
| Google Play closed test | Testers you add by email list or Google Group. They can send you private feedback through Google Play, and it won't affect your public rating |
| Google Play open test | Anyone can join and send private feedback. For new personal developer accounts it only opens after you gain production access |
| Firebase App Distribution | Sends pre-release Android and iOS builds to testers you invite; Google lists it as a no-cost product |
| Steam Playtest (games) | A free, separate app on Steam that players sign up for from your store page, so the playtest doesn't touch your game's reviews or wishlists. Steam doesn't allow charging players for it or selling its keys |
| Reddit communities | r/alphaandbetausers exists to help makers recruit early users for feedback, and r/TestMyApp to showcase new apps on any platform. Each community sets its own posting rules: read them before you post, and say you are the developer |
| Your own users and friends | A short email or a pinned post asking for testers; the people most likely to answer are the ones who already want your app |
New on Google Play? Personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 must run a closed test with a minimum of 12 testers, opted in continuously for at least 14 days, before they can apply for production access. Fill it with people who will really use the app — that is what the rule is for.
3. Paid routes
Pay when you need a set number of testers, a deadline, or people who match a profile you can't reach yourself. Prices are from each company's own page, checked 17 October 2026.
| Route | How it works and what you pay |
|---|---|
| BetaTesting | A tester panel. Project plan: $23 to $39 per credit depending on volume, tester pay included, and most simple tests start at 1 credit per tester. Teams plan: $3,588 a year with 225 credits, tester pay billed at cost plus 4%, with a panel minimum of $5 per tester for tests up to 15 minutes, $10 up to 30 minutes and $15 per hour beyond |
| UserTesting | Recorded usability sessions. No prices are published; you book a demo |
| PlaytestCloud (games) | Recorded playtests of mobile and PC games. Professional plans run from €1,025 to €2,825 a month, invoiced annually; an Indie Pass for studios under $1M in revenue has no published price; the free trial includes 2 video tokens |
| BetaList | A launch list for early-stage startups. Every submission is now paid, with a full refund if you aren't selected; the prices only appear inside the submission form. Featured startups can add a boost for $99 a week or $199 a month |
| Reviewder (public video, not private testing) | Post a job asking creators to try your app, website or game on camera; they apply with their own price and you pay the one you pick directly. You set any budget from $5; 5 job posts in any 24 hours are free and Reviewder takes no commission. The result is a disclosed review video on the creator's channel |
Paying testers for private feedback is normal. Paying for a rating is not: Google Play bans incentivised ratings and reviews, and Apple doesn't allow TestFlight builds to be handed out in exchange for compensation of any kind. Keep the store rating out of every deal.
4. Which route fits
- First build, a handful of people: TestFlight or a Google Play internal test, sent to friends and existing users
- You need the Google Play closed-test requirement met: a closed test filled with people who will actually open the app every few days
- You want strangers' honest first impressions: a community post, or a paid tester panel if you need them by a date
- You need recorded usability sessions for a team decision: a UX research platform
- You make a game: Steam Playtest for PC, a playtest service for recorded sessions
- You want people to see someone using your app: that is a public review video, not a test — hire a creator and have them disclose it
5. A tester script you can copy
Testers give better feedback when you tell them exactly what to try and what to report. Send the recruiting message first, then the script with the build.
Recruiting message
- Who you are: "I'm the developer of [app], a [one-line description]."
- What you need: "I'm looking for [number] people who [use X / play Y] to test it for [time] over [dates]."
- What they do: "Install from [TestFlight link / Google Play test link], do three short tasks and answer five questions."
- What they get: "Early access and a credit in the release notes" — or the payment, if you pay — and say plainly that you want honest feedback, including what they dislike
- Task 1: install the app and sign up — note anything that confuses you or takes too long
- Task 2: [the main thing your app does] — try it without help and say where you got stuck
- Task 3: [a second feature or a setting] — say whether you found it
- Report every crash or bug with your device, OS version and what you tapped just before
- Question: what did you expect the app to do that it didn't?
- Question: what was the most annoying moment?
- Question: would you keep using it? Why or why not?
- Question: who do you think this app is for?
- Question: anything else you want to tell us?
Ask for feedback through the store's own channel (TestFlight feedback or Google Play private feedback) or a short form — never ask testers to leave a public rating.
6. What testers cost
There is no single market rate for testers. These are the published reference points (checked 17 October 2026):
- Store beta tools, Firebase App Distribution, Steam Playtest and community posts: no fee from the platform, checked 17 October 2026
- BetaTesting Project plan: $23 to $39 per credit, and a simple test starts at 1 credit per tester, so roughly $23 to $39 per tester with their pay included, checked 17 October 2026
- BetaTesting's minimum tester pay on its Teams plan: $5 for up to 15 minutes, $10 for up to 30 minutes, $15 per hour beyond, checked 17 October 2026
- PlaytestCloud: professional plans from €1,025 a month, invoiced annually, checked 17 October 2026
- UserTesting: quote only, no published price, checked 17 October 2026
- BetaList: paid submission, with prices shown only inside the submission form, checked 17 October 2026
Paying testers yourself? Agree the time, the tasks and the pay up front, and pay for the time spent, never for what they say about the app.
7. Testing vs a public review video
A beta test is private: testers tell you what is broken, and nothing is published, so there is nothing to disclose. A review video is public: a creator shows your app to their audience, and because you paid, they must say so.
- The creator says the video is paid in the video itself and turns on the platform's paid promotion label
- The creator really uses your app and gives their own opinion; never make the pay depend on a positive verdict
- The video goes on the creator's own channel — not into the App Store, Google Play or Steam as a rating
Reviewder is a job board where developers post paid review gigs for their apps, websites and games, and creators apply with their own price; no commission.
Want creators to try your app on video? Post a job and creators apply with their own price.
Post a review job8. Questions people ask
Where can I find beta testers for free?
Use your store's own beta tools — TestFlight for Apple platforms, internal, closed and open tests on Google Play, Steam Playtest for games — and send the invite to friends, existing users and communities where developers post early builds, such as r/alphaandbetausers and r/TestMyApp. Read each community's rules before you post.
How many testers can TestFlight take?
Up to 100 internal testers from your development team and up to 10,000 external testers per app, invited by email or a public link. Each build can be tested for up to 90 days, and the first build for external testers needs App Review. Checked 17 October 2026 on Apple's developer pages.
How many testers do I need for Google Play?
Personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 must run a closed test with a minimum of 12 testers, opted in continuously for at least 14 days, before applying for production access. An internal test can have up to 100 testers. Checked 17 October 2026 in the Play Console Help.
How much do beta testers cost?
Store tools and community posts cost nothing. On BetaTesting's Project plan a credit costs $23 to $39 and a simple test starts at one credit per tester, with the tester's pay included; UserTesting publishes no prices. Checked 17 October 2026.
Can I pay testers to leave a rating or review in the store?
No. Google Play bans incentivised ratings and reviews, and Apple doesn't allow TestFlight builds to be handed out for compensation. Pay testers for their time and private feedback, and let store ratings come from real users.
Is Reviewder a beta testing service?
No. Reviewder is a job board for paid, disclosed review videos: developers post a job for their app, website or game, creators apply with their own price, and the video goes on the creator's own channel. For private testing, use the routes above.
9. Sources
Every page below was read on 17 October 2026.
- Apple — TestFlight
- App Store Connect Help — TestFlight overview
- App Store Connect Help — Invite external testers
- Apple — App Store Review Guidelines (2.2 Beta Testing)
- Play Console Help — Set up an open, closed or internal test
- Play Console Help — App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts
- Google Play — Ratings, Reviews and Installs policy
- Firebase — App Distribution
- Firebase — Pricing
- Steamworks — Steam Playtest
- BetaTesting — Pricing
- UserTesting — Plans
- PlaytestCloud — Pricing
- Reddit — r/alphaandbetausers
- Reddit — r/TestMyApp
- BetaList — FAQ
- BetaList — Boost