In October 2024, recruitment minutes became recruitment credits. This is to support the upcoming launch of enhanced recruitment options. The price of standard recruitment remains unchanged at $1 per minute. Learn more

Participant recruitment in Ballpark is a service which allows you to find people from around the world to take your survey or test so you can get the answers you need within a couple of hours rather than days or weeks.

You have access to global pool of thousands of testers which you can filter using over 200 different attributes to find the perfect participants for your survey or test.

We use the credits as the currency for hiring participants, where $1 = 1 credit.

It works on the concept of hiring participants based on the amount of time you need them in minutes x credits per minute for that recruitment option. Ballpark has three recruitment methods with different prices per minute:

Name	Description	Screeners	Cost
Standard	Best for simple surveys (like multiple choice), tasks and screen recordings	No	1 credit per minute
Enhanced	Best for surveys with open questions and requiring 'think out loud' answers via video	Yes	2 credits per minute
Enhanced B2B	Best for surveys with open questions and requiring 'think out loud' answers via video, as well as targeting specific professional roles and skills	Yes	4 credits per minute

Note: The Enhanced and Enhanced B2B options are currently in private beta. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss early access.

For example, if you need 10 people to take your test, which will take 5 minutes, then that will be:

Standard: 10 participants x 5 min x 1 credits p/m = 50 credits total

Enhanced: 10 participants x 5 min x 2 credits p/m = 100 credits total

Enhanced B2B: 10 participants x 5 min x 4 credits p/m = 200 credits total

Why charge based on credits per minute rather than just the number of participants?

The logic behind this is that often you may only need to ask a participant a few survey questions rather than complete a long usability test. However, if we charged based on participants, the flat rate cost of completing a short survey would be expensive.

By using minutes and credits, we give you full control and flexibility with hiring participants. It avoids wastage and means you can get answers to smaller studies like surveys, first-click tests, design preference tests and 5-second tests in an inexpensive way.

What if I already have testers? Can I use my own participants for free?

Yes! If you already know who your testers are, you can share a Ballpark link with as many people as you like for free.

Recruitment is an optional service to help you find participants for your service or test.

How many credits are included in my plan?

Our annual plans include a set bundle of credits per year. Check out our pricing page for more details.

Have a monthly plan? These plans don't have a recruitment bundle included. You can purchase a credits bundle or upgrade to an annual plan with a credits allowance.

What happens once I use all my credits?

You are able to purchase more credits in your Ballpark account or you can wait until your annual plan renews.

The price to purchase additional credits is $1 per credit, with bundle sizes starting at 50 credits. Learn how to purchase more recruitment credits.

Do my credits expire?

No, your credits are held on your account for as long as you are a customer. You would need an active Ballpark subscription to make use if your credits allowance.

How many minutes do I need for my survey or test?

The easiest way to find out how long you need for your test is to take it yourself using the preview button!

We've also listed some guidelines below to help estimate how long you may need, but generally speaking, surveys are quick to complete and tasks take longer.

It's possible to complete 2-3 multiple choice questions within 1 minute, whereas a prototype may take 5 minutes depending on the complexity.

We've also listed some guidelines below to help estimate how long you may need:

Step type	Duration
Question	30-60 seconds
Multiple choice	10 seconds
Yes/No	10 seconds
Rating scale	10 seconds
Image preference test	30 seconds
Email	10 seconds
Number	10 seconds
Date	10 seconds
Website task	3 minutes
5-second test	Max 20 seconds
First click	20 seconds
Prototype task	2-5 minutes
Prototype Free roam	2-5 minutes
Tagline	30 seconds
Legal	20 seconds