IndieLaunch vs Poki Playtesting

IndieLaunch helps indie developers run playtests with their own communities and track aggregate conversion from testers to Steam reviews. Developers create a round by naming the game, adding a build link or download key, and selecting feedback focus areas. Testers respond through a shareable invite link without creating an account. Feedback is organized into Bugs, Suggestions, and Praise, with custom questions available. A Discord bot accepts the /feedback command and screenshot attachments. Testers can sign in with Steam, while the review tracker shows aggregate review conversion. Pro adds an individual reviewer breakdown and a list of testers available for outreach. Free includes unlimited rounds, CSV export, and shareable round reports; Pro adds Steam key distribution and Steam data in a summary email. The site says a round can be set up in two minutes. IndieLaunch is web-based, uses customer-list recruitment, distributes builds by link, and gathers survey feedback. Free costs nothing, billed $0/forever; Pro costs $12 a month, billed $12/month.

Poki Playtesting is a free web service for game developer teams that want player feedback, bug findings, and design checks. Poki supplies players, devices, and tracking tools, while developers choose test devices and audience categories. Uploaded web builds or prototypes can come from any development stage, subject to content moderation; Poki recommends builds that work on desktop, mobile, and tablet. Each playtest returns 10 recordings containing button inputs, console output, session duration, country, and device type. Players join through a Mystery Tile and must consent to recording. After 10 recordings are watched, a player fit test can measure playtime with 500 players, usually in about five hours and up to twice daily. A web fit test presents the game on Poki category pages to around 10,000 players and measures click-through rate, average time on page, and conversion to play over roughly seven days. Poki for Developers provides upload, analysis, updating, and recording review tools. Supported workflows cover engines including Unity, Godot, Phaser, GameMaker, and others. Tests are free and repeatable, but uploading does not guarantee testing or platform placement.