AppStoreResearch helps you connect with Shopify brand owners for 1:1 research recruitment and sales prospecting calls via video.
Our pricing is fully transparent — you only pay when you successfully connect with a participant.

This article explains exactly how costs are structured, including participant incentives, recruitment fees, and how they differ between our plans.

What does payment include?

Every completed call includes two components:

1. Participant Incentive – the reward paid directly to the participant for their time.

2. Recruitment Fee (or Credit) – the cost of connecting you with a verified Shopify brand owner.

You are only charged after a successful call — there are no fees for no-shows, cancellations, or unmatched participants.

1. Participant incentives

Participant incentives compensate Shopify brand owners for their time and help attract high-quality candidates.

You can offer higher incentives if you want to fill spots faster or attract specific types of participants (e.g. Shopify Plus brands or experienced operators).

2. Recruitment fees (or Credits)

The recruitment fee is what you pay AppStoreResearch for sourcing, screening, and connecting you with vetted participants.

How it’s paid depends on your plan.

Pay-as-you-go plan

Best for: Small teams recruiting occasionally for research or sales calls.

$0 / quarter
You only pay after each successful call — both the participant incentive and recruitment fee, as outlined above.

For Research Recruitment

• $65 recruitment fee per connection with Shopify Plus brand owners

• $55 recruitment fee per connection with all other Shopify brands

For Sales Prospecting

• $250 recruitment fee per connection

Pay-as-you-go plan includes:

• 1 active project

• Up to 15 applicants per project

• You receive up to 2x the number of slots in applications. For instance, if you need 5 participants, you get 10 applications to choose from.

• No access to the participant database.

This plan is ideal for teams testing research or running a few calls per quarter.

Pro plan – Save 23%

Best for: Teams running recurring research or prospecting (16+ participants per quarter).

$800 / quarter

You pre-purchase 16 recruitment credits each quarter.
Credits replace recruitment fees — you still pay the participant incentive after each completed call.

For Research Recruitment

• 1 credit = 1 participant connection

• 1 connection value is $50 (instead of $65)

• Incentive paid separately ($85 minimum)

For Sales Prospecting

• 4 credits = 1 participant connection

• 1 connection value is $200 (instead of $250)

• $250 incentive paid separately

Pro plan includes:

• 16 recruitment credits per quarter

• Up to 3 active projects

• Up to 60 applicants per project

• Unused credits roll over

• Browse & invite from participant database

Plus plan – Save 30%

Best for: Teams recruiting 36+ participants per quarter or running multiple ongoing projects.

$1620 / quarter

You pre-purchase 36 recruitment credits per quarter.
Credits replace recruitment fees — you still pay the participant incentive after each successful call.

For Research Recruitment

• 1 credit = 1 participant connection

• 1 connection value is $45 (instead of $65)

• Incentive paid separately ($85 minimum)

For Sales Prospecting

• 4 credits = 1 participant connection

• 1 connection value is $180 (instead of $250)

• $250 incentive paid separately

Includes:

• 36 recruitment credits per quarter

• Unlimited active projects

• Unlimited applicants per project

• Unused credits roll over

• Browse & invite from participant database

How to save on the admin fee

Opting for the Pro and Plus plans not only reduces the cost per recruitment credit but also offers other advantages, such as handling multiple projects and receiving more participant applications.

Custom plans

While monthly and yearly plans are no longer listed on our website, we still offer custom billing options for high-volume or ongoing recruitment needs.
If you need a tailored setup, book a call and we’ll recommend the best fit for your research recruitment and sales prospecting goals.

Summary

Conclusion

AppStoreResearch’s flexible pricing structure ensures you only pay for successful calls, with options to suit every research need. Whether you’re running a small one-off project or managing a larger study, we have the plan to support your goals.

Ready to get started with your next round of user interviews? Our team is happy to answer any questions you might have about choosing the perfect plan for your research goals.

👉 Create your first project

Learn more:

• How to create a project

• Guidelines for crafting effective titles and descriptions for your project

• Dealing with No-Show participants

• Cancellations, rescheduling, and refunds

• How to make a payment to a participant