For a successful website or mobile app, user experience and interaction are critical factors which calls for testing, feedback and refinement during and after the design process. This is where feedback comes in handy. Asking for feedback from users can provide you with an alternative perspective, enabling you to properly meet the requirements as well as expectation of these users. While there are various types of user experience feedback solutions (see previous article with UX tools overview), there is one type in particular that enables businesses to improve page usability, Visual Feedback tools.
Visual feedback tools are also often referred to as usability feedback tools. These types of tools are used by marketeers and other user experience specialists to improve page usability by capturing input from their users as it comes in. Visual feedback tools are used for web design purposes as well. Using these tools, you are able point to specific page elements (including forms, images, buttons or paragraphs) and provide feedback on those page elements. Once an element is selected, the tool saves the screenshot with the user’s feedback. These tools are great for new websites and apps where the bugs or any unclear content needs to be identified quickly.
Here is a selection of some of the best Visual Feedback tools (each with their own pros and cons) to help you decide which is best for your business.
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Note:
We have added licence costs of the tools in the overview (where possible). However, the price tends to vary quite a bit, and business models change over time. Therefore the price figures for each of these tools will not be updated regularly. They were confirmed the date of this blog post’s publication.
1. BugHerd
Bugherd is a web-based issue tracking and project management software system for developers and designers. Like all of the other tools, it also has an in-page feedback option, allowing customers to report issues directly from the website. This enables you to see exactly which parts have been reported. Additionally, it includes project management tools, based on scrum. The software helps you convert customer feedback data into actionable tasks. The tool costs anywhere between $39 and $189 a month.
Website: www.bugherd.com
2. Filestage
Filestage is a visual feedback tool that helps teams to get their work reviewed and approved faster. It enables colleagues and clients to leave comments and visual feedback on text, image, design, and video files in real-time. Filestage streamlines, organizes, and automates the proofing process for files while reducing errors and ensuring compliance guides are met. The tool can be tested for free and offers a free trial.
Website: www.filestage.io
3. Usability Hub
This tool is great for designers who want to review the usability of their website before it goes live. It offers features such as the Five Second Test, Click Test, Question Test, Navigation Test and Preference Test that give designers a good indication of how users experience different aspects of their website. For individual users, pricing can range from free to $199/month. There is also a team package that costs $396/month.
Website: www.usabilityhub.com
4. Wishbox
This is a free feedback tool with annotated screenshots. Let the users show the problem instead of describing it. You can use Wishbox for free up to 100 submissions per month. If you expect more results and if you want to take advantage of the complete JotForm platform, you can expand your plan by subscribing to JotForm.
Website: www.jotform.com
5. User Testing
With User Testing, you can select users based on your target demographics and observe their behaviour on your website. You can do this by either monitoring their screen activity or listening to the recording they have made whilst using your website. Just an hour after being submitted you will receive the usability test video as well as answers to the questions you’ve asked them. It can also be using in the prototyping phase. Pricing for your first 10 videos is $49/video. There is also an enterprise version for this tool.
Website: www.usertesting.com
6. Userzoom
Userzoom is an all-encompassing UX platform designed to give businesses complete insights into their user experience. Their software is designed to be used by all stakeholders within a company – from product managers to executives – and comes in a variety of customised pricing subscriptions.
Website: www.userzoom.com
7. zipBoard
zipBoard specializes in collaboration with all team members, clients, and other stakeholders. It lets you annotate on multiple files like pdf, webpages(live/static), zip, SCORM and images so it can really simplify your bug tracking and review process. With zipBoard, you can review all your online proofs on a centralized platform regardless of the digital content. It offers a 15-day free trial and the paid plan starts at $39/month with unlimited collaborators.
Website: www.zipboard.co
8. Pastel
Pastel is like leaving a sticky note on a website with comments, or assign tasks to your colleagues. This tool is perfect for feedback on a website. Type in a website URL and share a link with anyone to invite them to comment on elements of the website.
You can choose for a Free plan, Freelance plan $25/month or a Studio plan $99/month, depending on the amount of users and features you would like to benefit.
Website: www.usepastel.com
9. Ybug
Ybug collects feedback with page snapshots. Take a screenshot of your current page, annotate it and send it as a report/task/issue to your bug tracking tool. Ybug automatically includes browser and environment details for you.
If you want to use Ybug for only one user and one project it’s free, but there are also paid plans. The Company plan is the largest plan, 30 users and 15 different projects cost €47/month.
Website: www.ybug.io
10. Nootiz
Nootiz is a visual feedback tool for web designers, developers, project managers, copywriters and/or translators. Nootiz is a quick and easy way for users to work with (personal) notes. It is possible to attach a file to your note, specify who needs to deal with the note or get all developer information at a glance. Users can easily integrate Nootiz with other existing project management tools, for example Asana or Trello. You can try Nootiz the first 60 days free of charge, after that it is possible to choose a basic, professional, business or enterprise plan.
Website: www.nootiz.com
11. Try My UI
To create a test for your users in Try My UI, you must present a scenario with a set of tasks for your users. The tool then enables to you watch narrated videos of your users navigating your website. In the video (in addition to their voice), you will see things such as their own screen, mouse movements and any keystrokes. You can also receive written answers to four questions you provide at the beginning of the test. You can select users based on specific criteria. Test credits start from $35/test, however there are also packages for teams ($299/month) and agencies.
Website: www.trymyui.com
12. Userlytics
Userlytics enables you to test prototypes throughout the design process. You can observe real people experiencing your prototype or website in real time. The tool allows you to watch and listen to participants carry out tasks, answer questions and interact on your website. Userlytics provides participants for you or alternatively, you can choose your own. Results for the tests are delivered within a few hours, afterwhich these can be shared with team members or your clients. Userlytics offers a flexible pricing plan, ranging from $49/participant to $89/participant.
Website: www.userlytics.com
13. Usersnap
Usersnap makes its easier to check for bugs and other issues. It also contributes to fast communication between designers, customers and employees. At the click of a button, visitors and designers can submit a bug report from the website. You can also create in-browser screenshots with this tool, so you can see exactly what your visitor sees without needing a plug-in. Pricing for Small to Medium businesses (SMB) range anywhere between €69 to €329 a month and there is custom pricing for enterprises.
Website: www.usersnap.com
14. Marker.io
Marker.io is a visual bug reporting tool to help you save time & report visual issues in seconds. Collect visual and developer-friendly website feedback directly into your favorite bug tracking solution. The website annotation widget makes it easy for your internal testers, clients and end users to submit visual feedback in 1 click. It’s perfect for designers, developers, product managers and digital agencies. Easy developer-ready bug reports by non-developers, in seconds. Marker.io’s secret sauce consists of aunique, 2-way sync with industry-leading issue trackers like Jira, Asana, Github, ClickUp (and 12 more), on-site bug reporting, quick screenshots and annotating, automatic addition of environment data (source URL, browser, screen size and screen size), automated addition of console logs, customisable submission forms, and guest commenting. Accounts start at $39, with a flexible number of users to choose from.
Website: www.marker.io
15. Feedback.js
Feedback.js is an open source project created in JavaScript. This framework enables you to create feedback forms that include a screenshot. This is, for instance, known for a number of applications of Google in which it is used. If you’re mainly looking for the collection of visual feedback, this is an inexpensive alternative to other tools. Feedback.js is free to use but some coding skills in JavaScript are required.
16. Hotjar
Hotjar is seen as a swiss army knife of user experience tools, with software that combines multiple UX tools in one. This focus however means that it lacks a solid CX solution. Feedback analysis and reporting are not available. In terms of visual feedback, however, it offers features such as creating heatmaps and user recordings (the tracking of sessions on the page). These recordings can be tagged, shared and filtered in the Hotjar dashboard. Depending on the number of pageviews per day you want to collect, pricing can range from €89 to €589/month.
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17. DebugMe
DebugMe is a visual website feedback tool with a built-in issue tracking & project management solution. It comes with native integrations to software development and task management tools such as Jira, Trello, Pivotal Tracker or Visual Studio. Pricing starts from $8 per month after a free trial period.
Website: www.debugme.eu
18. Pageproofer.com
Mostly used by digital agencies, marketing companies and corporate web teams, PageProofer is visual bug tracking and feedback system. It enables users to leave a virtual sticky note on the website when something needs to be brought to attention. These notes can be assigned to team members and can include file attachments, comments and browser info. Depending on the number of users, pricing ranges between $20 to $125/month.
Website: www.pageproofer.com
19. Redpen.io
RedPen is web-based app that lets you upload a file and share it with clients and team members for feedback. This tool saves users from having to email files back and forth. Once you receive a file from a team member, you just have to click on the design and leave a comment. Running around 5 projects on your website? The price will be around $20/month. Are you need of a bigger package? These range all the way up to 40 projects at $90/month.
Website: www.redpen.io
20. Userback
Userback enables you to collect real-time feedback with screenshots and instant notifications. Users can articulate which content needs to be altered by drawing and writing on your webpage. This tool can be integrated with various bug tracking tools and project management tools such as HipChat, Jira, Trello, WordPress and Campaign Monitor. There is a free version but if you want to upgrade with more users and projects, pricing can range anywhere between $16 to $59/month.
Website: www.userback.io
21. FeedbackRig
FeedbackRig makes it possible for users to place the visual feedback widget on a website or webapp and collect actionable feedback from customers. Users can easily design their own personalised widget to match emails and/or branding and start collecting valuable insights right away. FeedbackRig offers several features such as white labelling, importing other users, powerful analytics and the option to be integrated with other tools. The price varies from a free package with limited options to an enterprise plan for $299 per month.
Website: www.feedbackrig.com
Choosing the right visual feedback tool for your business
There is clearly a lot to choose from. However, making the right choice all comes down to what you want to achieve and how far along your team or company is in terms of maturity.
It’s important to remember that you should first have some goals in mind in terms of what you want to achieve with the tool. Only then should you move on to things such as your budget. There are several tools that cater their services more towards enterprise businesses, but there are also more cost-efficient options for smaller companies. And lastly, it is important to consider any potential technical limitations. This includes factors such as IT restrictions when it comes to privacy or security (e.g. how and where data is stored).
Note: What many of these tools have in common is the fact that they are heavily focused on the aspect of collecting feedback – an important capability, of course, – but what about analysis and action?
Mopinion
Mopinion is a feedback analytics software that not only falls under many of these categories, it also takes feedback one step further and offers in-depth analysis opportunities for its users. With real-time data visualisation in customisable dashboards and charts, users are able to quickly and efficiently digest large sums of data. Our ‘one-stop shop’ offers:
- Slide-In Surveys
- Feedback in modal
- Visual Feedback
- More complex surveys that include question routing
- In-depth analysis, including text analytics, sentiment analysis, smart labeling, etc.
- Advanced data visualisation with in-chart filtering and customisable dashboards
- Action Management capabilities
Please feel free to add any suggestions or comments below!
Ready to see Mopinion in action?
Want to learn more about Mopinion’s all-in-1 user feedback platform? Don’t be shy and take our software for a spin! Do you prefer it a bit more personal? Just book a demo. One of our feedback pro’s will guide you through the software and answer any questions you may have.
