User Research Tools Resources

I’ve been comparing some of the best user research tools—particularly the ones offering a free tier or trial—and wanted to hear from folks who’ve used them for real projects.

Between session recordings, interviews, surveys, and usability testing, it feels like you either need multiple tools or a well-rounded one. I’ve seen some community threads mentioning issues with managing feedback across platforms or figuring out when it makes sense to move beyond free tools. A few I’ve come across include:

UserTesting – Offers structured ways to collect feedback through moderated and unmoderated tests. It seems helpful for getting reactions quickly from actual users.

User Interviews – Focuses on participant recruitment. You can build your panels or use theirs, saving time when you need fast responses.

Hotjar – For heatmaps, recordings, and simple feedback widgets

Have you found a free tool that really delivered? Or hit a point where you had to switch to something paid to keep up with your workflow?

What is Ethnio used for?