Optimal Workshop vs Respondent

From $199 per month (billed annually, includes 5 launched studies)

From $40 per B2C session at pay-as-you-go, plus the incentive you set

Annual plans reduce the effective monthly rate substantially; recruitment is separate.

Session fees are $40 B2C and $80 B2B at pay-as-you-go, falling about 30% on a large annual commitment, with a further discount for unmoderated studies. You are only charged for completed sessions — no-shows and screen-outs are free. Incentives are separate and you fund them: $100-$400 per professional B2B participant is normal, on top of the session fee.

Free plan with limited participants per study.

No subscription required; pay per completed session.

Established

Optimal Workshop · since 2008

Established

Respondent · since 2016

• The reference tool for card sorting and tree testing; the analysis visualisations are excellent.
• Tree testing validates navigation before any build effort is spent.
• Well-established methodology support and training material.

• Reaches professional segments that general panels simply do not contain.
• Verification meaningfully reduces participants misrepresenting their role.
• No subscription commitment.

• Narrow scope — it does not do usability testing of interfaces.
• Expensive per seat for occasional use.
• Interface is dated in places.

• Expensive per participant once incentives are included.
• Recruitment only, no research tooling.
• Some fraudulent participation persists despite verification.

Teams restructuring navigation, taxonomy or content on a large site.

B2B product teams that need to talk to specific professional roles.