How to Make Money Testing Apps and Games

Published 26/11/2025 By James

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Make Money Online

In today’s digital age, the world of gaming and applications is a multi-billion dollar industry. But before a new app or game can be launched to the public, it must undergo a crucial phase: testing.

This process isn’t just about finding bugs; it’s about ensuring a seamless, enjoyable, and intuitive user experience. What many don’t realize is that this critical step presents a legitimate and flexible opportunity to earn money from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you’re a casual gamer with a keen eye for detail or someone looking for a new side hustle, getting paid to test apps and games is a growing field.

This article will serve as your complete guide, breaking down the process from understanding the fundamentals to maximizing your earning potential.

The Fundamentals Of testing Apps And Games

Before you start making an income, it’s important that you understand what’s involved in testing apps and games.

Along with the fun potential, it requires a strategy and methodical approach to properly assess products.

What is a Tester?

A tester is effectively the first line of defence to prevent a poor user experience. Testers have to behave like normal users and then record everything about your interactions, including any bad things. Your feedback can have a big impact on the final product.

App and game testing can usually be split into two categories:

Usability Testing: This focuses on the user experience (UX). You’ll be asked to complete a series of tasks, such as navigating a menu, making a purchase, or creating a character. The goal is to identify points of confusion or difficulty that prevent the user from completing their objective.
Functional Testing (Reporting Bugs): This is a little more technical and involves digging beyond the front end experience. This can involve identifying errors and glitches, such as actions that crash a game or buttons that don’t work. You’ll need to report the problems by documenting them in detail so that the error can be replicated and fixed.

Skills Needed

You don’t necessarily need degree level qualifications but there’s a few skills that are needed to be a tester of games and apps:

Attention to Detail

This is the most crucial skill. You must be able to spot minor inconsistencies, spelling errors, or subtle glitches that a developer might overlook.

Good Communication

As mentioned, you’ll need to explain any faults in detail, both verbally and in writing. The developers use your feedback to fix bugs.

Technical Knowledge

While not imperative for basic-level tests, a basic understanding of how apps and games function will help you identify the root cause of an issue and provide better feedback.

Patience

There are times when the tests become repetitive as you might need to reproduce a bug a number of times.

Equipment Needed

Thankfully, you don’t need a huge amount of equipment which makes testing apps an easy side hustle to get into.

A Good Computer

Any web based tests will require a relatively up-to-date PC or laptop with a decent internet connection.

Mobile Devices

A lot of testing platforms will require you to carry out tests on mobile phones and tablets so you’ll need iOS or Android devices.

A Microphone

A microphone is more applicable to usability testing as you’ll often need to convey your thoughts and findings using your voice. A decent microphone will help your client understand your feedback clearly.

Finding Platforms For App Testing

After you’ve sorted out your equipment, the next step is to get signed up with some app testing platforms in order to get some app testing gigs.

We’ve put together a list of some of the better platforms. These platforms will act as the middleman between you and the customer.

UserTesting

This is one of the most popular and reliable platforms. They offer a wide range of tests, from websites to mobile apps. To get started, you’ll need to pass a qualifying test, which involves a short recording of you navigating a website and speaking your thoughts.
The earnings potential is roughly £8 for 20 minutes. You can also earn up to £100 for doing live interviews.

Testbirds

Based in Europe, this platform provides tests for a vast range of digital products. They are known for running tests on different operating systems and devices so you could engage more if you have multiple devices.
The earnings potential is roughly £2 to £40 per test.

PlaytestCloud

Mobile game testing is the speciality of these guys. The tests mainly focus on the early development stages of games. The rewards are based on how long you test for.
The earnings potential is roughly £7 per 15 minutes.

Web Usability

The testing focus is on websites rather than apps and games. The focus is on usability (UX) testing of a websites interface and intuitiveness.
Web Usability pay very well with earnings potential of £40 for an hour test.
NOTE – You can only do one test per 6 months.

The Testing Process

So, you’ve chosen the testing platform(s) you want to engage with and the invitations start rolling in. The general process for most will be the same.

Accept the Invitation: If you see an invitation to test something you like, accept it quickly. A lot of invites are first come, first served. It also might be worth setting up a dedicated email address just for invites so you don’t miss any.
Run the Tests: Perform the tests required by the job spec. Some platforms will provide software to record your activity, some won’t. Some tests will need to be documented and some will want voice recordings. You need to report any faults or anomalies you weren’t expecting to see.
Report Problems (Bugs): Finding bugs is essential to rolling out a product that’s fit for purpose. You will need to report any issues clearly and in detail. A Good bug report will include what you did, where it happened, what was the expected outcome versus the actual outcome.
Complete a Survey (Sometimes): After providing your recorded or written feedback, you might also be asked to complete a survey.

Earnings Potential Of App Testing

“How much does app testing pay?”. This is the usual thought of most people considering doing app testing as a side hustle. We’ll run through typical earnings of app testers in the UK:

Short Tests

These tests last approximately 10 to 20 minutes meaning you can complete a few each day if they are available. Typical payouts for these tend to range from £8 to £15.

Longer Tests

These tests will involve more detailed tasks and can last 30+ minutes. Typical payouts for these tend to range from £20 to £30.

Live/Moderated Tests

These are the best paying type of tests. They involve live video calls with clients to share your screen. You can expect £40+ an hour for doing these tests.

Bug-Finding Tests

There are platforms that pay for each bug found, with more being paid for more severe bugs. This type of payment model can be very lucrative if you’re good at it.

Payment Methods

Most platforms will make payments via PayPal and bank transfer.
How often the platforms pay differs from platform to platform. The UserTesting platform usually pays on a weekly basis but others are monthly or when you hit the payment threshold.

Tips For Success With App And Game Testing

Once you’ve established yourself and got more experience, you can consider using strategies to help increase your income and performance ratings.

Enhance Your Reputation

Clients get the opportunity to rate your performance on platforms. A good reputation will lead to more invites to test so this is by far your most valuable asset. The better your efforts and feedback, the better your feedback will be.

Specialise Your Skills

With practice comes perfection. As you do more and more testing gigs, your skills will increase and you might find you have strengths in certain types of testing. You might have a knack for finding bugs in games or a good eye for finding flaws in UI designs.

Widen Your Platform Options

Don’t restrict yourself to just one testing platform. Get signed up to a few reputable ones. This enhances your chances of getting more invites.

Deal Directly With Developers

As your experience and reputation grows, you can try and deal with developers directly. You can liaise with developers on social media and forums. This can cut out the platforms and result in higher pay.

Conclusion

Firstly, don’t make the mistake of thinking that testing apps and games will make you rich. However, it is a viable option to make money online and make yourself a few extra quid in your bank account.

To some, it’s a dream come true………they get paid to play games and have fun. Just remember, if it’s not your main job, you should still treat it as one to ensure you complete it to the best of your ability.

Of course, there’s plenty of other ways to make money online. These range from less time consuming side hustles like selling clothes online or doing online surveys to more time consuming options such as becoming a virtual assistant or retail arbitrage.
If you fancy something a little off the beaten track, have a look at our 7 unusual ways to make money. Alternatively, consider taking up matched betting which offers you the chance to earn tax free cash.

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