How to Test a Remote Team in a Free Trial: A Two-Day Plan

By Aerobe Engineers, 13 October 2026. 3 min read.

A free trial only helps if you test something real. Give the team a task you would normally do yourself, then measure the result against a short scorecard. Here is a simple plan.

Choose the right task

Pick work that is real but small: one drawing set, one month of bookkeeping, one landing page. Avoid tasks that are too easy to show anything, and avoid tasks so large nobody can finish them in the trial.

A two-day plan

1. Day one: brief and first draft. Share the task, your standards and the files. Watch how many questions they ask and how clear they are. Expect a first version by the end of the day.
2. Day two: revisions and report. Send your comments. See how fast they fix them and whether the same mistakes repeat. Ask for a short written report of what was done.

Your scorecard

• Did they understand the brief, or ask good questions?
• Was the first version close to what you needed?
• How many comments came back fixed the first time?
• Was communication prompt and clear?
• Was the progress report useful?

Mistakes to avoid

• Giving no access to files, then judging the delay
• Judging on price alone
• Changing the brief halfway through the trial

How to decide

If the quality is close and the team responds well to feedback, move to a plan. If quality is weak but communication is good, run one more trial with a clearer brief. If both are weak, move on. Check the pricing page for the current trial terms.