User testing costs anywhere from a few dollars per response to tens of thousands per year, depending on the pricing model. Pay-per-study platforms like Afkar start around SAR 35 (about $9) per study with no subscription, while enterprise tools such as UserTesting often require contracts of $10,000+ per year. The right choice depends on how often you test.

How much does user testing cost?

There is no single price for user testing because platforms use very different pricing models. In 2026 there are three common approaches:

Pay-per-study — You pay only for the studies you run. Best for startups and teams that test occasionally.
Monthly subscription — A flat fee (typically $75–$500/month) for a set number of studies or seats.
Annual enterprise contract — Large fixed contracts ($10,000+/year) aimed at big research teams.

What drives the price of a user test?

Five factors determine what you pay per study:

Number of participants — More responses cost more. Most usability tests need 5–8 participants; surveys need 30–100.
Study type — A 5-second first-impression test is cheaper than a 45-minute moderated interview.
Participant incentives — Fair-pay platforms guarantee a minimum rate (Afkar pays participants SAR 60/hour minimum).
Targeting — Narrow screening criteria (specific region, role, or device) can raise recruitment cost.
Platform fee — Most marketplaces add a service fee (Afkar's is 20% of the study cost).

Pay-per-study vs subscription: which is cheaper?

If you run fewer than two studies a month, pay-per-study is almost always cheaper because you avoid paying for unused capacity. If you run continuous research with a dedicated team, a subscription or enterprise plan may offer better per-study economics.

Model	Typical price	Best for
Pay-per-study (Afkar)	From SAR 35 / study	Startups, occasional testing
Subscription	$75–$500 / month	Regular in-house research
Enterprise	$10,000+ / year	Large research teams

How much does user testing cost in Saudi Arabia and MENA?

For Arabic-language research, global platforms rarely have enough MENA participants, so teams often pay for expensive panels or recruit manually. A purpose-built platform with a built-in Arabic participant pool removes that overhead — on Afkar a typical study runs SAR 50–500 depending on participants and duration, with results in hours rather than weeks.

How to lower your user testing cost

Start with unmoderated studies (cheaper than moderated sessions).
Test with the right sample size — 5 participants catches most usability issues.
Use a pay-per-study platform so you never pay for idle subscriptions.
Write tighter screeners to avoid wasted responses.

The bottom line

User testing does not have to be expensive. If you test occasionally or need Arabic-speaking participants, a pay-per-study model like Afkar is the most cost-effective way to start — no annual contract, fair participant pay, and results the same day.