Why compensate participants in experience research studies?
Compensating people who participate in your research is the norm across industry and government. Compensation:
- Recognizes the time, effort, expertise, and lived experiences that participants contribute to our learning
- Improves how efficiently you do research. Compensation makes it more likely you’ll get responses from the people whose experiences you need to learn from. It also reduces no-shows.
- Diversifies your participant pool. This ensures you get more accurate perspectives on your products and services.
- Supports equity in service design
- Produces higher quality research
- Sets clear expectations that participating in research won’t affect the constituent’s relationship with the agency. This includes services or applications they may already be using.
This page provides general guidelines you can use to plan compensation for your research studies. Check with your organization's general counsel if you have questions we don't answer here.
Compensation benchmarks
Compensation for a standard usability study ranges from $60-$100 per hour for moderated studies. Studies that need highly specialized participants (e.g. doctors) may require much higher rates, up to $250 per hour.
Recommended compensation for interviews and moderated sessions
We recommend these tiers for participants you recruit organically or through a panel:
- 10–30 minutes: $50
- 31–60 minutes: $100
- 61–90 minutes: $150
- In-person intercept (under 10 mins): $20
These recommendations are typical for industry and government. You can see similar rates in recommendations by the Neilsen Norman Group and by Code for America (PDF).
Note: Tools like Maze set their own compensation rates. Participants recruited through the Maze panel receive compensation directly through Maze. However, we compensate participants recruited through other channels, even if the sessions themselves are hosted on Maze.
Recommended compensation for unmoderated testing
Adjust your compensation based on how long you estimate it will take someone to complete your test and based on the complexity of the test. For example, a simple A/B test may require less from participants than a usability test.
- 15 minutes or less: $25
- 16-30 minutes: $50
We recommend you don't conduct unmoderated tests longer than 30 minutes (and aim for less).
Recommended compensation for surveys
Note: A survey gathers data. A screening survey helps you identify the right participants for your study. Do not collect data from screening surveys. Don't compensate people for filling out a screening survey.
Adjust your compensation based on how long you estimate it will take to fill out a survey.
- Under 5 minutes: No compensation
- 5–15 minutes: $10
- 16–20 minutes: $15–$20
- High-volume distribution surveys: Cut off compensation after a set number of responses based on your budget.
Some researchers also use a sweepstakes model for surveys. For example, they might award a gift card to a randomly chosen participant. If you want to do this, you'll need to comply with state, national, and international laws for running a sweepstakes. If you're not sure where your participants live, you should avoid sweepstakes.
Eligibility for compensation
- Avoid compensating participants who might have a conflict of interest in participating
- Don't compensate government employees
- For participants outside the U.S.: Check with your legal team about what requirements you'll need to meet. (You should also check if you're allowed to record.)
When you compensate someone, clearly state that compensation is a thank-you gift, not a wage or employment arrangement.
Conflicts of interest law
Check with your agency's general counsel if you have questions about the conflict of interest law, or if you have questions about compensation in research. The State Ethics Commission also offers a guide to the conflict of interest law.
No-shows and short/long sessions
We don't recommend compensating participants who miss their interview or cancel at the last minute. It doesn't matter why they couldn't make it. You may offer to reschedule.
Sometimes, sessions run for more or less time than you thought they would. For short sessions, we recommend compensating for the full amount, even if the sessions end early for reasons beyond the researcher's control (e.g., technical difficulties). It's typically not worth your time to argue about offering slightly less compensation.
One exception: If a participant is abusive, you may decide to end the interview and refuse to compensate them.
We usually don't increase compensation for sessions that run a few minutes long. However, you should increase compensation for sessions that are significantly longer (for example, you planned for 60 minutes but the session took 90). In addition, try to adjust how you're running tests to prevent unexpectedly long sessions.
Anticipate when participants will need more time before scheduling their session
You can anticipate some circumstances that might make a session take longer. For example, participants who need interpreters or use technology they're uncomfortable with may take longer to finish a session. Participants who use assistive technology may need extra time, too, especially if they're testing something that's not designed with accessibility in mind.
Your screening survey is your main tool for understanding participants' testing needs. If they tell you they need a helper, adjust your plans accordingly. For example, you can either schedule a longer test and increase compensation or plan to cover less ground.
Special considerations where you might increase compensation
Some studies have constraints that you can overcome by adjusting compensation. As you read this, keep in mind the hidden cost of a long recruitment period. Research teams might cost thousands of dollars a week in pay. If it costs you a few hundred dollars to shorten a study, you may save money.
In general, increase compensation when you need to incentivize people to participate. Also, cover costs that make it possible for people to participate who otherwise wouldn't. For example:
- Increase compensation if participants have to engage in emotionally or physically demanding activities or conversations.
- Cover or reimburse travel costs. This might help you target people from a specific region.
- Cover translation or interpretation services
- Offer more if you need to recruit quickly because your timeline is tight
- Offer more if you need to speak with people who are harder to reach (e.g. people with specialized skills or members of underrepresented communities)
Compensating helpers
In some situations, people can only participate in your study with support from helpers. Helpers include family members, friends, or community sponsors. They might translate, read aloud, or manage accessibility tools. You should compensate these helpers, too.
Only compensate one helper per participant. Helpers must not be government employees or have conflicts of interest. Researchers should verbally confirm and document that someone is taking on a helper role.
Helpers should sign the same consent form as your participants, e.g., if you're recording them, storing the data, etc. Our template consent form provides an example of collecting consent from both participants and helpers. If you're providing the helper, it may be easier to get confirmation that they understand how you will collect and use data in some other way, such as in an email. Check with your legal team to confirm what you need to do to have a helper present.
You should also know in advance if a participant needs a helper. This is important for planning the session and for your budget. Ask on your screening survey if they need a helper (and for what reason).
Logistics and operating guidance
Use a tracker (name, date, activity, amount) to monitor total compensation. For example, you might use a spreadsheet that's set up like this:
| Participant name | Research activity | Consent form date | Session date | Compensation sent (participant) | Compensation sent (helper) | Amount paid | Lead researcher | Testing support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Q. Participant | 30-minute interview | 2025-01-25 | 2025-02-01 | 2025-02-05 | 2025-02-05 | $50 | M. Fernandes | Language support: Spanish |
When you compensate someone, clearly state that compensation is a thank-you gift, not a wage or employment arrangement. You should also:
- Verify their email address
- Tell them when they should expect to receive their compensation
- Tell them what to do if they don't receive it
Use digital gift cards when possible. Be consistent about the form and amount of compensation across your recruitment and consent materials. This includes being clear about who counts as a helper and how they'll participate. Provide clear roles for how helpers participate.
You may be able to use a vendor to distribute gift cards. This may help you compensate people faster.
For large-scale studies, close surveys after a set number of responses. Explain how and when compensation applies. Update your recruitment materials immediately after your compensation funds are gone.