Get paid to test games: how to become a playtester and what it pays

What a playtester does

Developers want to know what a player thinks at every moment: what is confusing, what is frustrating, what is fun. So a playtester does not hunt for bugs in the code but plays like an ordinary person and talks through their impressions. The phone or computer records the screen and voice, and afterwards you fill in a survey.

PlaytestCloud says you do not have to be a hardcore gamer: developers want a variety of players, so anyone can join. You do have to talk throughout the recording, though: the platform reviews the whole thing and does not pay for tests without commentary.

What it pays

Each playtest’s reward is in the invitation. A 15-minute playtest with a survey usually pays $5–9. Pay is not hourly: recording for longer than required will not earn more. The onboarding test is unpaid.

Payouts go through Tremendous, usually within 3 days of a playtest completed well, with no minimum. You can choose a virtual gift card, a virtual bank card, a donation or PayPal. Tremendous charges 6% for PayPal; cards carry no fee.

Types of playtests

PlaytestCloud runs several kinds of tests, and the invitation always says what is required.

• single-session: the most common type, one recording followed by a survey
• longitudinal: recording once a day over several days, usually with daily surveys
• multi-session: more than one recording with a break specified in the invite
• multiplayer: many players at once within a set time slot
• concept test: slides with new ideas such as characters, storylines or ads that you respond to aloud
• in-app interviews and focus groups, including interviews while you play; you need to show your face
• standalone surveys without gameplay, where long answers must be at least 30 characters

Which devices work

Android phones and tablets need Android 10 or later. Amazon Fire tablets, Android Go devices, Samsung Galaxy A15 and Motorola G phones are excluded. iOS devices need iOS 16 or later: iPhone 8 and newer, iPad Pro, iPad Air 3rd generation and newer, iPad mini 5th generation and newer, iPad 5th generation and newer. You can also add a Windows PC to your profile.

PlaytestCloud’s advice is that newer is better: more free space, and games are built for newer models. On Android you need the "display over other apps" setting; if your device lacks it, it is not compatible.

How to become a playtester

After signing up you complete an unpaid onboarding on iOS, Android or a Windows PC. It checks you and your device: whether recording works and whether you can give good commentary in English. You talk about the tester code of conduct, your gaming experience and opinions while recording your screen and voice.

• talk throughout the recording and only in English: another language is an automatic fail
• turn off notifications so nothing interrupts you
• the recording does not stop by itself after 5 minutes: end it manually once you finish the tasks
• you need strong Wi-Fi for the recording to upload

How to get more invitations

Most playtests are targeted by demographics: country, age, gender, favourite games. PlaytestCloud gives examples of developer requests: women aged 20–29 who like puzzle games and own an Android device; men from North America who have never played a specific game.

• keep your phone model and the games you play up to date in your profile
• list only games you have played extensively: developers often want first-time players
• fill in the payment information section: a complete profile has better chances
• your spot is secured only once you start playing: installing the game or signing the NDA is not enough

How many tests to expect

PlaytestCloud is honest: playtesting is not a full-time job but a fun way to make some money on the side. You cannot request more tests or become a "full-time tester"; the platform invites you when it has a test for you.

The number of invitations depends on your country, since developers target certain markets. Most tests are for players in the USA, the UK and Canada. You can sign up from any country, but elsewhere you will get fewer invitations, less often. Invitations may arrive at odd hours, because they are sent automatically across time zones.

Tests for children

PlaytestCloud also runs kids’ playtests: the child plays, and a parent or guardian must be with them. Only a parent or guardian can add a child to their profile, and one child takes part per playtest. To give consent you verify your identity, which the platform says takes under 5 minutes and increases your chances of playtests. For this PlaytestCloud works with PRIVO, a specialist in children’s online privacy, and follows GDPR rules on children in the EU.

Children are not expected to comment like adults, but the older they are, the more of their opinions developers want to hear. What matters most is whether they like something and why. You can encourage them, but you must not play or talk for them: help only if they get stuck.

From Ukraine: what to keep in mind

Ukrainians should know three things. First, there will be fewer invitations than in the USA, the UK or Canada, because developers target those markets. Second, you may only record from the country in your profile: PlaytestCloud checks your location from upload data, and if it does not match, the playtest is not accepted or paid. Third, the payout: a virtual card is better value than PayPal with its 6% fee, provided the card works in your country.

Rules that get you banned

PlaytestCloud’s code of conduct is strict, and breaking it means no payment or removal from the panel.

• do not discuss games you have tested with anyone, online or in person
• do not take screenshots or screen recordings unless you are reporting a problem
• no VPNs, emulators or location-masking software: the system detects them and reviewers check recordings
• no search engines or ChatGPT during a test
• one account per person, and you cannot work in game development

Never pay anything yourself

PlaytestCloud never asks you to pay to take part. But payment prompts can appear inside the games. The platform warns that if you enter card or PayPal details there, it is a real payment, and if the game is already released, the money will be taken. PlaytestCloud does not reimburse such payments, so simply close those prompts.

Game testing is also offered by crowdtesting companies: UNGUESS, which owns the Tryber community, lists game testing during development among its services. It is a service for game developers, and its public pages do not describe exactly how testers take part.