This post will provide you the important details on what is test IO about. Read further because this can surely teach you a lot more than whether to avoid test IO or not.
What Is Test io About
As a tester at test IO, you can decide where, when and how frequent you wish to complete jobs. There is a compensation table that test IO uses to determine your payment for each test run that you complete.
Your job as a tester at test IO will let you work on the latest apps, games, and websites. Some of test IO’s clients are Revolve, Lacoste, Edmunds, 1800 contacts and SoundCloud.
Testers at test IO have unique backgrounds. There are software developers looking to improve their skills through the platform.
There are also tech enthusiasts who apply as testers at test IO to earn extra cash from their passion. Some testers want to make more productive use of their time by testing websites and apps for a side income.
Becoming A Test io Tester
To become a tester, complete signing up for a free user account. Test IO will activate your account, but keep in mind that the company has no legal obligation to activate user accounts, according to its Policies for Testers.
You need to be at least 18 years of age to register.
You should have access to at least a desktop computer. This means that you can and should have more devices if you want to take on more test run opportunities.
The majority of testers here have at least one mobile phone. Some have smartphones and also wearable devices. You do not need the latest devices since there are tests for older phone models.
User Activation
After you register, wait until test IO activates your account. During registration, you need to provide your personal details. Make sure you give complete and accurate information.
The company will activate your account once it deems that the information you provided is accurate. Sometimes you will need to provide suitable proof for the accuracy of information.
You need to make use of the editing function in your dashboard to keep up to date with your personal details. This is part of your obligation as a tester.
If you cannot do so, you might need to pay test IO for any damages that could result from the false data in your profile.
If test IO finds that you have violated its terms and conditions, it could also terminate and delete your account.
For your account to become activated, you must complete an unpaid test run (more on this below). After registration, wait for an invitation for a test run so you can proceed.
With an activated account, you may start receiving emails regarding test runs. You need to send your quote for completing a test run.
Test io Tester’s Dashboard
One favorable thing about test IO is that it provides information to testers that can help them become more familiar with their accounts, particularly the account dashboard.
After signing up or logging in, the first thing that you will see is the dashboard.
On the left, you will find tests you can take part in or have already completed. You may see if the tests are still active or have already ended. You can view from the dashboard any unread comments.
You may edit your data here to keep them updated.
The first test for a new tester is the onboarding test. This is the test that provides you the opportunity to learn the ropes and the basics of the platform.
The onboarding tests help ensure that only qualified testers will enter and take the tests.
Before you can take part in the live paid tests, you need to pass the onboarding test that contains 12 questions about test IO’s test procedures.
You must answer 8 questions correctly to pass this part of the process. You may retake the test in case you fail it on your first attempt.
Test io Overview Page
This is where you can find all crucial details about the test, such as its features, known bugs, instructions, and bug report payouts. You can access this page after receiving the invitation email.
There are distinct types of tests at test IO, such as exploratory testing, usability testing, and test case testing. Each type of test requires that you adopt different techniques and methods.
Bug Report
When you test a website or app, you need to look for a bug (functional, content, visual, or usability suggestion) that is within the scope.
When you find a bug, you need to create and submit a bug report on your findings. You must complete a bug form.
Make sure that your report adheres to the Bug Report Requirements of test IO. Otherwise, your report might not gain approval, and you will not receive any payment for it.
How To Apply
Here is the sign-up page of test IO.
- You must enter your first and last name along with your email address.
- Confirm that you have read the terms by checking the box and then press the sign-up button.
- Check your email to find the link to where you can set your password.
- The next page will let you change your password, enter your spoken language, and provide your time zone/country.
- The third step involves telling about your experience in software testing, your academic background, and your employment status.
- After this, you will need to add the device/s you have or you can use for the test runs.
- You must indicate what kind of device you have, the operating system, and the browser you use.
- Finally, you need to enter your address, gender, and birth date. From the drop-down menu of birth year, the youngest tester should be born in 2002 (18 years old) while the oldest is in 1920 (100 years old).
- Once done with the registration, you will see the dashboard and you may start tackling the onboarding quiz.
Potential Income
You could earn as much as $50 for finding the most critical bugs in an app or website. Again, as a tester at test IO, your role is to find the bugs. The more bugs you can detect, the higher your income.
Aside from finding bugs, you may also earn money from reviewing apps and completing the scripted test cases.
Test IO sends payments to testers once every month (11th of the month) via bank transfer, Payoneer, Skrill or PayPal.
Tips For Guaranteed Payment
1. Pay close attention to the order process of an e-commerce website because this is where you have higher chances of finding critical and high-paying bugs.
You may also look at the header and footer, plus the social media sharing feature of websites.
2. If you perform an action and do not get the expected result, then it is most likely a bug so investigate further and make the appropriate report.
3. Install several web browsers on your device and try testing on all of them to increase the chances of finding bugs.
4. Answer all information requests within 18 hours so your client will not reject your report.
Become A Great Tester
Great Tester is a special category of testers that show exceptional performances. To become one, you must have performance scores of 65+ for Reliability and 80+ for Quality.
Great testers enjoy some benefits. One is that you can have a 10% payout raise on projects.
You will also have a reserved seat in any test so you can still take part in a test even though there are no more available slots. Most of all, great testers may apply to the position of Team Leader at test IO.
Work Schedule
Just like when you work as a usability tester on other platforms, you have a flexible schedule to follow.
This means you can work on your preferred schedule. Basically, you will only perform your tester duties when there are tests available, but you may choose not to accept an invitation.
However, inform test IO so it can offer the test to other willing testers.
Looking For A Legit Work-From-Home Job?
Benefits
There is one thing that I find favorable about test IO.
This is the commitment curve of the test IO Community. This is a graph showing how your commitment to your test IO job can grow. You may develop in different directions and take on various roles.
Starting from the moment you sign up, you must already show dedication. Read test IO’s educational resources to learn the policies and requirements. Pass your onboarding test.
They consider you as a “greenhorn” as you work your way to complete 50 bugs.
Once you complete this stage, test IO will assess your performance and it will determine if you can still belong to its community of testers. You could later become a Great Tester, Brand Ambassador, or Team Leader.
Conclusion
PROS
- It offers a lot of useful resources for testers.
- It has various payment methods.
- You could earn a lot when finding the bugs in each app or website.
CONS
- You might not get any incentive for the bugs you report.
While all the info you can read from its website is encouraging, you still need to look elsewhere for feedback from others who have experienced working with test IO.
Most testimonies were about not getting incentives for bug reports.
Thus, I think if you want to become a part of the test IO community, you need to understand what your job entails. The principal role of a tester here is to find bugs in apps and websites. It even has a list of bugs to look for.
The number and type of bugs you find determine your payment, instead of the time you spend looking for these bugs.
It will be an enormous disappointment if you spend at least an hour testing an app or website and still not find any bug. This means you worked for free and think you just wasted your time and consider test IO as a scam.
I believe that people started calling it a scam because they did not get any payment, even though they thought they had found crucial bugs in the apps and websites.
If you have "spare time" for test io, that means you can make time for blogging to work. Consider learning how to blog for income instead. Start with learning 30 minutes a day.
As you feel it is something worth considering, increase your learning time to one hour a day.
Slow progress is better than no progress at all. The best way to learn is to actually do it. I can help.
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