Lookback
Lookback is a comprehensive user research platform that allows you to record high-quality remote or in-person interviews and usability tests while capturing screen interactions and participant facial expressions.
User Interviews
User Interviews is a specialized recruitment platform that connects researchers with a database of over 4 million participants to streamline participant sourcing, screening, and scheduling for UX research.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Lookback | User Interviews |
|---|---|---|
| Website | lookback.com | userinterviews.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $25/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 60 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | New York, USA |
Overview
Lookback
Lookback is a dedicated user research platform that helps you see through your customers' eyes. Instead of relying on static feedback, you can watch real people interact with your apps, websites, or prototypes in real-time. You can host live moderated sessions where you talk directly to participants or set up unmoderated tasks that users complete on their own schedule.
The platform automatically records the participant's screen, their face via webcam, and their voice, providing a complete picture of the user experience. You can invite your entire team to watch sessions live in a virtual observation room, where they can take timestamped notes and create highlight reels. It solves the problem of fragmented research data by keeping all your recordings, notes, and insights in one centralized, searchable home.
User Interviews
User Interviews is a dedicated participant recruitment platform designed to take the manual labor out of finding research subjects. Whether you are conducting usability tests, 1-on-1 interviews, or longitudinal studies, you can source high-quality participants from their massive 4-million-person panel or manage your own internal database of users.
You can automate the most tedious parts of the research process, including screening applicants, scheduling sessions across time zones, and distributing incentive payments. The platform helps you move from project launch to your first interview in as little as a few hours, ensuring your product decisions are always backed by real human feedback without the typical recruiting bottlenecks.
Overview
Lookback Features
- Live Moderated Research Conduct face-to-face interviews and usability tests in real-time while recording the participant's screen and reactions simultaneously.
- Unmoderated Tasks Send a link to participants so they can complete research tasks at their convenience without a researcher present.
- Virtual Observation Rooms Invite stakeholders to watch live sessions behind a digital one-way mirror where they can chat and take notes privately.
- Timestamped Notes Type notes during a live session or while watching a recording to automatically link your observations to specific moments.
- Highlight Reels Clip the most important moments from your research sessions and combine them into powerful video presentations for your team.
- Prototype Integration Test your ideas early by running research sessions on prototypes from tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and InVision.
User Interviews Features
- Recruit from Research Hub. Access a diverse panel of over 4 million vetted participants filtered by profession, demographics, and custom screener surveys.
- Automated Scheduling. Sync your calendar so participants can book available slots instantly, eliminating back-and-forth emails and manual coordination.
- Custom Screener Surveys. Build detailed qualification surveys to ensure you only spend time talking to people who meet your exact criteria.
- Incentive Distribution. Automate the payment process by sending digital gift cards to participants immediately after they complete your research session.
- Research Hub CRM. Build and manage your own private panel of customers with tags, activity history, and automated invitation workflows.
- Multi-Channel Invitations. Invite your own users to studies via email or branded intercept pop-ups directly on your website or application.
Pricing Comparison
Lookback Pricing
- 10 sessions per year
- Unlimited collaborators
- Self-test (unmoderated)
- Live (moderated)
- 60-day free trial
- Everything in Freelance, plus:
- 100 sessions per year
- Unlimited projects
- Insights and highlight reels
- Remote moderated research
- Priority support
User Interviews Pricing
- No monthly subscription fee
- $45 per completed session
- Access to 4m+ participants
- Automated scheduling tools
- Incentive management
- Everything in Pay as you go, plus:
- 15 included sessions per year
- Reduced per-session rates
- Basic Research Hub features
- Standard support access
Pros & Cons
Lookback
Pros
- Exceptional 60-day trial period for thorough testing
- Simultaneous recording of screen, face, and audio
- Seamless virtual observation for remote stakeholders
- Easy highlight reel creation for stakeholder presentations
- Works well across mobile and desktop platforms
Cons
- Participants sometimes struggle with initial plugin installation
- Requires a very stable internet connection for live sessions
- No built-in participant recruitment panel available
- Limited automated transcription features compared to competitors
User Interviews
Pros
- Extremely fast turnaround for finding niche participants
- Automated incentive payments save significant administrative time
- High-quality screening tools ensure relevant interview subjects
- Excellent customer support for complex recruiting needs
Cons
- Per-session recruitment fees can become expensive
- Limited international participant availability in some regions
- Learning curve for managing large internal panels