When choosing an incentive for usability tests, the overall length of the mission is important, but so is the number of open-ended questions participants will have to answer. Most usability tests offer an incentive between $10 and $50. Use these specific guidelines to determine the right incentive for your mission:
| Question type | Baseline incentive |
|---|---|
| Every task question | $8 |
| Every 3 talk-out-loud or open-ended questions | $5 |
| Every 10 closed-ended questions | $5 |
Incentive ranges by recruitment approach
How you recruit for your mission determines how much you’re able to offer as an incentive. This is for a few reasons, including the risk associated with each type approach.
Use the table below to understand your options for each recruitment method:
| Recruitment approach | Available incentive range |
|---|---|
| Auto-recruit from the Dscout Scout Panel | $2–200 |
| Auto-recruit from Partner Panels | $5–200 |
| Add from screeners | $1–200 |
| Invite via share link | No enforced range as payment happens outside of Dscout |
| Invite from Partner Panels | No enforced range as payment happens outside of Dscout |