Compare UserTesting and Lookback on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — both Surveys tools, custom vs Subscription pricing to decide which fits your…
At a Glance
UserTesting
Lookback
Primary category
Surveys
Surveys
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
custom
Subscription
Starting price
Not documented
$299/year
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Public API
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
UserTesting
Advanced — Custom custom contract
Ultimate — Custom custom contract
Ultimate+ — Custom custom contract
Lookback
Freelance — $299/year Annual
Team — $1,782/year Annual
Insights Hub — $4,122/year Annual
Enterprise — Custom (contact sales) Annual
Pros & Cons
UserTesting
Pros
Large, vetted global contributor panel with fast turnaround on studies
Combines both moderated and unmoderated research in one platform
AI-assisted analysis helps synthesize findings from large volumes of video
Enterprise-grade security, compliance, and scalability
Strong brand recognition and adoption among Fortune 100 companies
Cons
Pricing is opaque and generally out of reach for small teams and solo researchers
Enterprise focus means a steeper learning curve and onboarding process
Contributor-based studies can be pricier than lightweight tools like Maze or Lookback
Some legacy UserZoom features are still being integrated post-merger
Lookback
Pros
Captures face and voice reactions alongside screen behavior, not just screen recordings
Supports both live moderated and asynchronous unmoderated research in one platform
Session-based annual pricing lets independent researchers access the tool for a relatively low entry cost
Guest access broadens research visibility to non-researcher stakeholders
Built-in participant recruitment panel simplifies sourcing research subjects
Cons
Session-based pricing plus per-participant and incentive management fees can add up for high-volume research programs
Entry Freelance plan is limited to a single seat, restricting collaboration
Company is relatively small compared to larger competitors like UserTesting
Enterprise-grade security and compliance features are reserved for the top two tiers
Pay-as-you-go participant sourcing at 49 dollars each is priced at a premium versus buying in bulk
Use Cases
UserTesting
Pre-launch usability testing — Validate a new website or app flow with real users before shipping.
Concept and prototype validation — Get qualitative feedback on early-stage concepts and Figma prototypes.
Ongoing experience benchmarking — Track experience quality scores over time across releases.
Lookback
Moderated usability interviews — UX researchers run live video sessions with participants, guiding them through tasks while observing facial reactions and verbal feedback in real time.
Unmoderated concept and usability testing — Teams deploy SelfTest studies to a broader participant pool to validate a design or concept asynchronously without scheduling live sessions.
Stakeholder research visibility — Non-researcher stakeholders use guest access to watch live sessions or review highlight reels, building shared understanding of user pain points across the organization.