User Interviews review: what it pays and how to get selected

How User Interviews works

The platform connects researchers with participants. You create an account and fill in your profile, and User Interviews matches you with relevant studies: it emails you invitations, and you can also browse the active studies page.

For each study you apply by answering a few screening questions; many applications take under a minute. The researcher then reviews applications and selects participants personally. If you are chosen, you book a session time, take part and get paid.

How much User Interviews pays

The platform quotes an average of over $45 per study and a range for each format. Pay depends on the length and how rare the profile the researcher needs is.

What studies look like

On its participant page, User Interviews shows sample studies: testing a banking app for $75, giving feedback on work software for $125, helping a startup for $50, creating content for $150. It also features a clinical trial for mums paying $1,200: narrowly targeted studies like that pay the most.

The brands it shows on that page include Adobe, Spotify, Pinterest, Peloton, Warner Bros. and Amazon. Studies are both online and in person; User Interviews describes in-person ones as local studies in your area, so your city matters.

Who can take part

User Interviews only supports participants in countries on its list, because it has to match them with studies and process payments. The list includes the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan, India and many European countries: Poland, Germany, Czechia, Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, France and others. Ukraine is not on it.

If your country is not listed, you can still sign up: the platform promises to let you know when it starts recruiting in your region. For Ukrainians living in Poland or Germany, it is available right now.

Sign-up: a mobile number is required

To activate your account you fill in your profile and verify your phone number by text, because the platform’s alerts run on text messages. Only mobile numbers work: landline, Wi-Fi and VOIP numbers are not accepted, and you cannot verify with an email address.

• complete all required profile fields first, or verification may fail
• make sure you live in a listed country, otherwise the code may not arrive
• if it says your number is already in use, you most likely have an old account under another email address

How many invitations to expect

User Interviews is refreshingly honest here. Its sign-up page says it is typical to be approved for one to two studies per year. Its selection tips say most participants can expect one to two invitations every six months. The figures differ slightly, but the conclusion is the same: this is rare, if well-paid, income.

The reason is that researchers look for specific demographics and specific screener answers, so not every study suits everyone. The selection decision always rests with the researcher, not the platform.

How to improve your chances

The platform’s own advice.

• keep your profile up to date, especially your job title, and your location if you have moved
• apply only to studies you genuinely fit
• connect your social media accounts to your profile; the platform says this affects your chances
• answer honestly: falsified profile or screener answers can get you flagged or suspended
• do not use ChatGPT or other AI to answer screeners: researchers can usually tell, and it lowers your chances

How you get paid

Payment comes either from User Interviews or from the researcher. If User Interviews pays, you choose from dozens of digital gift cards through Tremendous; in that case it does not offer cash, PayPal or bank transfers. If the researcher pays, they choose the method: PayPal, direct deposit, a store or Visa gift card, a product or a subscription. The method is always shown on the study page before you apply.

Most payments are issued within a day or two of the session, but researchers have up to 10 business days to release them. After that, contact support. The platform cannot follow up on studies completed more than three months ago, so do not wait. UserTesting studies taken through User Interviews are paid by UserTesting, 14 days later.

When the researcher pays, User Interviews does not track the payment. Researchers sometimes send gift cards from an unfamiliar address that lands in spam, so check your inbox and the study confirmation email, which often explains how and from where payment will come. If you still hear nothing, message the researcher through the platform.

User Interviews versus UserTesting

User Interviews now belongs to UserTesting, but they remain separate platforms with different rules. User Interviews has a closed country list; UserTesting accepts people worldwide who speak fluent English, French or German. On User Interviews you apply for specific studies; on UserTesting tests appear in your feed after a practice test.

Some UserTesting studies are offered to User Interviews participants. If you complete one, UserTesting processes the payment 14 days later, and questions about it go to support with the study ID.

Referral programme

Between studies you can earn by referring friends: User Interviews runs a referral programme for participants whose accounts are in good standing. The terms and amounts are described separately, so check them in your account before sharing your link.

What can hurt your account

The platform collects feedback from both researchers and participants, and it decides whether you keep getting invitations.

• cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours ahead if you cannot make it
• show up on time; the platform suggests adding the session to your calendar straight away
• stay engaged and follow instructions: the researcher can end the session without payment, and you may be banned
• misrepresenting yourself leads to automatic disqualification from future studies

Pros and cons

User Interviews suits people who live in a listed country and are willing to wait months for well-paid sessions.

• pro: an average of over $45, with large sums for in-person and diary studies
• pro: most payments arrive within a day or two of the session
• pro: simple applications, many take under a minute
• con: Ukraine is not on the country list
• con: one or two invitations every six months or year is normal
• con: when the platform pays, gift cards only, no PayPal
• con: support cannot follow up on unpaid studies older than three months, so keep an eye on payments from the start