Quell vs Userback (2026)
Quell is an agent-native Userback alternative: cloud at a flat $4/user/month, with a full REST API and MCP server included, and self-host coming post-launch. Userback is a polished visual feedback widget built for human triage teams, and it does that job well. Quell is built for a different workflow: the coding agent that reads a bug report, opens a PR, and closes the issue without a human in the loop. If your team uses Claude Code, Cursor, or any MCP-capable agent, Quell gives those agents first-class API and MCP access. If your workflow is purely human-driven, Userback may be the stronger choice today.
Side by side
Quell and Userback, feature by feature.
| Feature | Quell | Userback |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Cloud £3 / $4 / €4 per user/month; self-host coming post-launch | Free Forever ($0, 2 seats max); Team $7/seat/month (annual) |
| REST API access | Included on every plan | Business Plus only ($23/seat/month annual, min 25 seats for SSO) |
| MCP server | Yes: quell mcp, 10 tools, stdio transport | No |
| CLI | Yes: quell binary, zero extra dependencies | No |
| Trust model | Yes: public, identified, reporter, agent, admin; gates auto-routing | No |
| Self-hosting | Coming post-launch: one Dockerfile, SQLite or Postgres, $5 VPS | Not available (cloud only) |
| Context capture | Screenshot + annotation, element selectors, opt-in screen recording, voice + transcript, console logs, network calls, page and system state | Screenshot + annotation, session replay, console logs |
| GitHub / Linear | Yes (included) | GitHub/Linear not listed on pricing page; Jira and ClickUp 2-way sync from Team tier |
| Coding-agent loop | Native: agents read the Markdown /context export, comment, update status, and open issues via scoped API keys | Not designed for agent consumption |
| No per-event metering | Yes: flat per-user, no token tax | Yes: seat-based, no per-event metering |
Prices verified June 2026. Confirm at userback.io/pricing before relying on them. Quell is pre-product software; pricing, features, and availability are subject to change.
The other side
Where Userback wins.
Userback has been in market for years and has a mature, polished product. If any of the following describes your team, Userback is likely the better fit right now.
You want a proven, established tool. Quell is pre-product with zero external paying users at the time of writing. Userback has a track record and a support organisation behind it.
Your workflow is human-led. Userback's inbox, session replay, and Jira/ClickUp two-way sync are built for product managers and QA teams triaging feedback manually. The UX is refined for that use case.
You need session replay. Userback records session video alongside screenshots. Quell's screen recording is opt-in per report (the reporter chooses to record), not an always-on replay of the session.
You need Jira or ClickUp two-way sync. Userback supports bidirectional sync with Jira and ClickUp from the Team tier. Quell integrates with GitHub and Linear; Jira is not currently on the roadmap.
You prefer a hosted SaaS with no infrastructure to manage. Userback handles everything. Quell Cloud is managed too, but if you were planning to wait for Quell's self-hosted option, that is still on the roadmap, and once it lands it is infrastructure you own.
The case for Quell
Where Quell wins.
The REST API is not a premium add-on
Userback gates its REST API to the Business Plus tier ($23/seat/month annual, minimum 25 seats for SSO). On Quell, every plan ships with a fully scoped REST API, and the same will be true of self-host when it arrives post-launch. Scopes (feedback:read, feedback:comment, feedback:integrations, and others) let you issue narrow keys to agents without granting admin access. This is the foundation the agent loop is built on.
MCP server and CLI included
quell mcp is a stdio MCP server with 10 tools. A Claude Code agent, a Cursor agent, or any MCP-capable runtime can read feedback in Markdown, post comments, update status, and open GitHub or Linear issues. No human copy-pasting required. Userback has no MCP server. For teams running an agent-native feedback platform, this is the category difference.
Trust-aware routing
Quell's trust model (public, identified, reporter, agent, admin) determines what happens to a submission automatically. Public widget reports go to human triage. Agent submissions can be routed directly to GitHub or Linear. Admin keys bypass the queue. Userback has no equivalent; all submissions enter the same inbox regardless of source. See how the agent loop works for a concrete walkthrough.
Cloud pricing: predictable and fair
Quell Cloud is £3 / $4 / €4 per user per month: no per-event metering, no usage overage, no token charges. The invoice is seats times price, full stop. Userback is also seat-based, but REST API access starts at $23/seat on the Business Plus tier.
For teams that need to run their own instance: Quell ships as one Dockerfile with SQLite by default and a clean Postgres migration path. Self-host is on the roadmap post-launch; the Dockerfile already exists and will be promoted once cloud is validated. Userback remains cloud-only with no self-host option. For a roundup of tools that self-host today, see best self-hosted feedback tools.
Flat pricing, no token tax
Cloud Quell is £3 / $4 / €4 per user per month with no per-event metering and no usage-based surcharge for API calls or agent activity. If a coding agent queries the API a thousand times a month, the price does not change. Userback is also seat-based with no per-event charge, but its REST API access starts at $23/seat.
Built with itself
Quell's own development uses the Quell widget and MCP server to capture and triage bugs during development. That is an honest proof point, not a marketing claim.
Making the move
Switching from Userback.
Quell's widget is designed as a drop-in replacement: it installs as a single script snippet, the same shape as the one you already embed, so switching is a small change to your page markup rather than a re-architecture. The admin inbox, GitHub/Linear push, and trust levels all work from day one. There is no data migration required; you start with a clean project.
If you are evaluating the switch, the honest recommendation is to run Quell in parallel on a single project first. Cloud setup takes about ten minutes. Self-host is on the roadmap post-launch; the Dockerfile exists but is not the promoted entry point at launch. See Quell pricing for current options.
FAQ
Straight answers.
Is Quell a good Userback alternative?
Quell is a strong Userback alternative if your team uses coding agents or wants a full REST API on every plan, with self-host on the roadmap post-launch. It is a newer, pre-product tool with no external paying users yet, so if you need a proven, mature product, Userback has the track record advantage. The agent-native features (MCP server, CLI, trust model) have no Userback equivalent.
Does Userback have an API?
Yes, but REST API access is only available on the Business Plus plan, which costs $23 per seat per month (annual billing), with a minimum of 25 seats required for SSO features. The Free and Team tiers ($0 and $7/seat) do not include API access. Prices verified June 2026; confirm at userback.io/pricing.
Can I self-host Userback?
No. Userback is a cloud-only SaaS product; there is no self-hosted option. Quell self-host is on the roadmap post-launch: a Dockerfile already exists (SQLite by default, Postgres-compatible), but at launch Quell runs cloud at £3/$4/€4 per user per month. Self-host will be promoted once cloud is validated.
How much cheaper is Quell than Userback?
Quell Cloud is $4 per user per month (flat, no metering). Userback Team is $7/seat/month annual. Userback Business Plus, the tier that includes REST API access, is $23/seat/month annual. Quell includes the full REST API and MCP server on the cloud plan with no tier gating, and self-host is coming post-launch. Prices verified June 2026; confirm at userback.io/pricing before relying on them.
Does Quell work with coding agents like Claude Code?
Yes. It is the primary design target. quell mcp is a stdio MCP server with 10 tools; any MCP-capable agent (Claude Code, Cursor, and others) can read feedback as Markdown, comment, change status, and open GitHub or Linear issues. Scoped API keys (feedback:read, feedback:comment, and others) let you give agents narrow access without exposing admin credentials. Userback has no MCP server or equivalent agent interface.