TestingTime review: what it pays and how to get into tests

What TestingTime is

TestingTime is a Swiss company, part of the Norstat Group, that recruits participants for companies testing their products. Its clients include retail, banking and insurance, and travel businesses, among them Zalando, IKEA, UBS, SBB and ifolor, as well as small businesses.

No experience or education is needed. TestingTime says it wants real opinions, not expert testers, and that its clients look for people of any age, education or level of computer skills. Two things are expected of you: honesty and reliability.

How to get into a test

Signing up takes under three minutes: you tell the platform about yourself, and your profile is used only for matching. Then, depending on your location and how many studies are running, you receive on average one or two emails a week introducing one or several studies.

Each email includes a short questionnaire. If you match, are available and are selected, a separate invitation follows that you accept with one click. Places are awarded first come, first served, so reply quickly. The more questionnaires you answer, the better the platform knows your profile and the more relevant its invitations become.

Why you do not qualify for some tests

Clients often look for very specific people. TestingTime gives two examples: for feedback on its returns process, Zalando wants people who ordered and returned shoes there in the past month, and a mobile provider surveying a new family plan wants people living in a household of at least four.

The platform does not disclose the exact reasons for a rejection, for two reasons: so nobody is tempted to pick the "right" answers, and because study content is confidential and participants should come in unbiased. TestingTime says plainly that it is completely normal for your profile not to match every test.

What happens in a study

A moderator usually guides the test. You are shown a product or service, try it out and think out loud throughout, so the moderator can follow your reasoning. There are no wrong answers as long as you say openly what you think. You may test websites and apps, product ideas or physical products such as snacks.

Most studies last 30 to 90 minutes. Some can be done from home: online surveys, phone or video calls. Others take place at the client’s premises. Some tests are recorded for analysis; recordings are confidential and not published anywhere without your consent.

• remote test — from home, usually on a laptop with a working camera
• in-house test — at the client’s premises
• focus group — a discussion with other participants, usually at the client’s premises
• online survey — a questionnaire you can fill in from your sofa

How much TestingTime pays

The average the platform quotes is 40 euros, 50 Swiss francs or 50 pounds per study. You always know the amount upfront. It depends on the type and length of the study and on whether you can take part from home.

• in-person studies pay the most
• tests and interviews from home via video call pay a little less
• online surveys pay a little less again

Backup participants: double pay

Sometimes you are scheduled as a backup participant. That means staying reachable by email and phone for the whole study session, ready to step in straight away if another participant drops out. Set up your equipment in advance so you can start without delay if needed.

If a backup participant is called in and takes part, TestingTime doubles the cash incentive. For studies with vouchers or other non-monetary rewards, any extra compensation is decided case by case.

How and when you get paid

After a successful study your earnings are added to your TestingTime wallet automatically, but not instantly: the platform takes a few days to verify your participation. The wallet shows your balance and the history of studies and payout requests. To cash out, add PayPal or an IBAN account and, if a threshold applies, reach the minimum balance first. A payout request below the threshold can only be made in writing to [email protected].

From your request to the money arriving takes about 10 business days, and you get a text message once it is sent. There are no methods besides PayPal and a bank account yet. The platform considers IBAN safe, since it can only be used to pay money in, not to withdraw it.

Because the company is Swiss, your bank may charge a fee for an incoming international transfer. To avoid that, TestingTime recommends PayPal, where it covers all transfer costs. If you delete your account, any balance and unfinished payouts are lost for good, so cash out first.

Documents and agreements

For some studies the client asks you to sign a document: a non-disclosure agreement, permission to record the test or something else. The client writes it, and TestingTime has no influence on its content. You can read it in advance and sign electronically through Xodo Sign. Refusing to sign is your right, but you will then be excluded from that study.

TestingTime asks for identity verification only when you are likely to be selected for a study whose client requires it. It is handled by Veriff, an EU-based provider: a selfie and a government-issued photo ID with your full name, such as a passport, driving licence, national ID or residence permit. You verify once, it takes under two minutes, and verified users are more likely to be selected, including for higher-paying studies.

Reliability and rules

TestingTime explains why reliability matters so much: clients make decisions based on your feedback, and observers sometimes travel specially to attend a test. If you do not show up, or give false information about yourself, the test result is lost.

• cancel only for a valid reason and as early as possible, using the link in your email
• if you do not cancel in time, the platform may stop inviting you
• for intentionally false profile information, TestingTime can block payments, refuse further participation or delete your profile
• before a remote test, charge your device and headphones, find a quiet room and install the required tool in advance: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Whereby, Lookback or Skype

Who it suits and where the invitations are

The platform says frankly that your first study may take a while and that invitations are always irregular, so it will never be a full income. The most important factor is your location. People in the core markets, where TestingTime has the most clients, get more invitations: Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

For Ukrainians living in Germany or Austria, TestingTime is one of the best platforms: there are more invitations there, and German becomes an advantage, as the platform’s site runs in German, French, Dutch and Swedish as well as English. From Ukraine or Poland, registration is not prohibited in the published rules, but these countries are not core markets, and by the platform’s own logic there will be far fewer invitations.

If you are paid to a Ukrainian PayPal account, remember that free receiving is a temporary PayPal arrangement valid until 30 September 2026 inclusive, "until further notice".

Pros and cons

TestingTime pays well per hour, but only where it has plenty of clients.

• pro: an average of 40 euros per study, with the amount shown upfront
• pro: double pay for backup participants who are called in
• pro: PayPal with transfer costs covered by the platform
• con: most invitations go to six Western European countries
• con: payout about 10 business days after a request, possibly with a threshold
• con: strict about no-shows and last-minute cancellations