As part of a suite of testing we're setting up, I'm trying to set up some remote user testing for our company.

We'd like to be able to create some automated tests with prompts, that capture the user's actions on screen, along with audio.

We'd also like to test with our own users (currently this is a group of resident physicians).

The platforms I've tried so far with poor to mixed results:

Usertesting.com

Have used their free Peek test a few times, and it can be helpful for less targeted, first-impression results. The full platform has the functionality we need, but the want to charge upwards of $1K/mo for us to use our own testers (and only have a yearly plan); the sales guy originally told us we needed to be on a $27K/year plan to do this. Not really in our budget.

Trymyui.com

Appeared to be more or less non-functional after signing up for a Team account; uses an outdated Java plugin that won't work on modern browsers; only tech support goes to some guy's voicemail. Apparently, they claim that Stanford uses them, but I would avoid.

Userbrain

The most promising of the bunch so far. The only limitation is that you can really only ask one or two (maybe) questions of the user at a time, and are limited to 3 videos a week on their top plan. The German founders seem quite earnest and are responsive to email requests.

We're just trying to find out if there are any other options out there that are worthwhile, any leads or ideas would be helpful, and I'll add to the wiki.

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via Adam Sant:

We have been using usertesting.com for the past 6 months which works well for their users (which are basically professional user testers),  but its hard to test on your own users and they don't recommend it unless you do live moderated tests.  Testing with our own users (members) is something we really want to do at Dollar Shave Club.

I'm currently doing a pilot test with userzoom they have their own pool of users as well, but they allow you to do unlimited tests with your own users.  They start pricing at $19k/yr, that comes with support hrs and 100 participants from their user group, its probably negotiable on the price if you don't need everything they have.

Their testing experience is slightly different to usertesting.com as you set up tasks and then after each task, the user is taken away from your site to a questionnaire (of questions you set up), then you give them another task and they are taken to a page you specify (unfortunately not where they completed the last task).

They seem to have better qualitative tools than usertesting.com.

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via Doug Tarlow

Two approaches that did come to mind were:

1. using remote desktop client to control your user's machine entirely (and remotely)

2. using video conferencing/collaboration software and having your users run http://silverbackapp.com/ or the like then upload the results back to you

I'm sure both would require a much more hands on approach than you'd like, but I think it is possible that one of these vectors might enable the exact functionality you're looking for (though in a time intensive way).

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via Andrew Martinez-Fonts

Another option I recently heard about...

https://lookback.io/ 

I think they're refugees from Spotify, and are building a series of usability recording tools. One is a clone of Silverback (in-person test recording), and another is an SDK that you can embed in your mobile app that lets users record their screen and provide voice/camera recording, e.g. for reporting a bug or suggesting an improvement. Still very early days for them, and it's not clear where their product(s) will end up, but if you're doing a lot of mobile stuff, it might be a good option.