4 Reasons It’s More Expensive Not to Do User Testing in 2025

When budgets tighten, user testing is often the first thing to go. Cutting it can feel like an easy way to save money when the pressure to launch is high. But in 2025, skipping testing doesn’t reduce cost - it increases risk.

Without that check, small flaws turn into major rework, customers slip away in moments of confusion, teams get stuck in endless debates, and new ideas hit the market without proof they’ll succeed. The price shows up in higher costs, lost revenue, wasted time, and missed opportunities.

Here are four reasons it’s more expensive not to do user testing:

1. Rework Costs More Than Research

Catching issues early is cheap; catching them after launch can be much more expensive. A navigation flaw uncovered in testing might take only a few hours to rethink. But further in the process, that same flaw can snowball into months of redesign, development, and implementation.

Last year, we put this thinking into practice when we built and tested a prototype of an admissions quiz experience for Andover Academy, called Andover for You. By building an interactive model quickly within Figma, we were able to test and prove out the best interaction patterns, question designs, back-end logic, and more in a matter of weeks, before undertaking a full build-out that would have taken months to fully test and rework as needed.

User testing provides clarity when it matters most - before small issues grow into problems that drain time, budget, and momentum.

2. Customer Confusion Risks Conversions

Digital channels are often the first - and sometimes only - way customers encounter your brand. When journeys are confusing, content is unclear, or accessibility is overlooked, people leave. And when they do, it’s not just a page they abandon - it’s the chance to buy, sign up, or engage.

Testing makes sure your audience can do what they came to do. Without it, you’re essentially paying for customers to walk away.

3. Testing Aligns Stakeholders and Speeds Decisions

Inside most organizations, competing opinions slow progress. Marketing wants one thing, product another, IT something else. Without user feedback, these debates drag on, delaying launches and driving up costs.

Testing replaces assumptions with objective evidence. Instead of arguing over what might work, teams can rally around what users actually need. This helps to move projects forward faster and with greater confidence.

4. Innovation Without Validation Is a Gamble

Every new feature or product launch is a bet. Without testing, you risk investing heavily in something your audience doesn’t value or even understand.

Take Ascensus, a financial services company. We ran moderated remote testing on a prototype of their new Advisor Center, designed to help advisors grow their business and strengthen client relationships. The sessions validated the concept, confirmed that the structure and content resonated, and surfaced refinements to improve clarity and transparency.

Because this was a brand-new experience, Ascensus had one chance to make a strong first impression. By testing early, they launched with confidence and ensured the Advisor Center delivered value from day one.

The Bottom Line

The real expense isn’t the budget for user testing - it’s the wasted spend, lost revenue, and stalled launches that follow when you leave it out. Testing early solves problems while they’re still small and ensures your investment delivers the impact you intended.

Genuine is a digital experience agency with an independent spirit and the global scale of an IPG company. For 20 years, we’ve created marketing campaigns, website redesigns, lead nurture CRM’s, social content, microsites, and everything else digital for clients in almost every B2B and B2C category there is.