I recently participated in a paid focus group in San Francisco. You know, the kind with the one-way mirror on the wall.
We talked about travel habits and preferences for an hour and half, and I got paid $150 for my time and opinions. Not bad!
The whole thing was pretty quick and painless—and actually kind of interesting—which got me thinking that this could be a great side hustle. Especially if I could do it from home!
So down the rabbit hole I went, trying to find other companies that conduct paid research studies online.
And I should note before we get started that these aren’t the typical companies that pop up when you search for “online surveys.” Those companies, like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, are legit, but pay relatively little.
The companies I was after here were the ones that pay bigger sums to make it more worth your time. I earned $100 an hour for my little focus group adventure, and you can too.
Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies added each month.
Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.
Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.
1. User Interviews
User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.
I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.
In one of my studies, I earned a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a short online survey for bald guys! It said it should take 15 minutes, but all the questions were straight yes/no, so it probably only took 5.
Click here to join User Interviews.
Or check out our full User Interviews review.
2. Respondent
Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour!
Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares the type of person the company is looking to connect with, the expected time commitment, and pay rate.
If it looks like a fit, answer the brief screener questionnaire to throw your hat in the ring. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get selected right away—I’ve been selected for 5 studies out of 50 screeners so far.
While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals—up to $750 an hour!
The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far!)
Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.
Click here to join Respondent.
Read our full Respondent.io review here.
(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)
3. Rare Patient Voice
A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays patients and caregivers $120 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.
If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look.
The site is open to residents of United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.
4. Survey Junkie
While most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.
These admittedly are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.
Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month.
The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.
Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie.
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5. Product Report Card
Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card. They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.
The best-paying work is for in-home product tests and remote interviews and focus groups — often in the $75-$150/hour range.
Product Report Card will also give you a $5 welcome bonus for completing a short survey after you join. There’s a $25 minimum to cash-out.
6. FocusGroup.com
FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)
Be on the lookout for the “National” studies that pay between $75 and $200. These are scheduled over the phone or webcam so you can take the calls from anywhere at times that are convenient to you.
It took a while, but I eventually earned $115 for an online study related to a well-known Seattle-area company.
The next one I did was an hour-long online focus group on credit cards that paid $100.
Other studies I saw were related to cars, technology, and banking.
I receive a few email notifications every month with studies. Those range from around $2 for 20-minute surveys, up to $150 for 90-minute in-person or online focus groups.
Check out my full FocusGroup.com review to learn more.
7. Lightster
Lightster is a unique money making app, where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.
To get started, you’ll add some demographic information about yourself and answer some questions about your experience and interests.
After that, you may see some questions pop up in the app. Answer those to qualify for paid research conversations that pay $1 per minute.
I got invited to my first half hour session within a couple weeks of downloading the app, and got paid (via Amazon gift card) right away.
8. PingPong
I was excited to discover PingPong as a newcomer to the online market research field. The service specializes in user experience testing for apps and websites, with pay rates ranging between €40 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $45-110.)
You might be curious—with the rates in euros—if this one is open to non-Europeans. PingPong let me join as an American and says they welcome testers from all over the world.
Since joining, I’ve received invites to several studies but haven’t been able to book one just yet.
9. Fieldwork
Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Los Angeles (Orange County)
- Minneapolis
- New York
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- Seattle
Compensation starts at $75 for participating in focus groups, which usually last between 1-2 hours. The drawback was I got paid in Visa gift cards instead of cash, so I went to the grocery store and bought Amazon gift cards with them instead.
10. Experience Dynamics
Experience Dynamics specializes in user experience and user interface testing (UX and UI). Corporate clients pay Experience Dynamics to help “make their users smile,” and they turn around and pay people like you for honest feedback on website designs and software applications.
According to the site, they recruit testers worldwide with all levels of technology experience. Most studies pay between $50-$150 dollars.
Experience Dynamics also facilitates:
- Field Studies, 1-2 hour interviews at your home or work.
- Diary Studies, where you to record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks.
- Phone Interviews
- Online Focus Groups
- Online Surveys
11. American Consumer Opinion
American Consumer Opinion is another market research company where you can qualify for several surveys a year.
Annoyingly, they insist on using their own “virtual currency” point system. Still, you can earn up to $50 worth of points for longer market research surveys.
There’s a $10 minimum to cash out and you can deposit your earnings directly into PayPal. To give you an incentive to complete the low-paying screener surveys, American Consumer Opinion will add your name to a monthly $50 drawing.
12. FindFocusGroups.com
FindFocusGroups.com is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country.
At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites. The banner ads are distracting, but you can easily navigate to find a list of studies near you or online.
When I checked the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.
13. SIS International
Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You can see a full list of available paid studies on this page.
I found rates from $25-200, depending on the time required and complexity of the topic. SIS recruits participants from all around the world, not just the US.
14. SurveyFeeds
Similar to FindFocusGroups above, SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research company itself, but instead a promising “feed” of paid survey opportunities.
I found their Facebook page updated more frequently than their website, so it might be worthwhile to check there and see what you might qualify for.
The online studies I saw ranged from $75 to $300.
15. Field Voices
When I checked out Field Voices, I found a couple available studies to apply for. One was a neighborhood improvement interview that paid $150 for one hour, and the other was a group workshop on snacking habits that paid $300!
This firm works directly with companies as well, which means they’re not just pulling together lists of other research projects.
16. Prolific
When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific. It’s easy to sign up and start completing online surveys.
The pay on Prolific is a bit lower — often in the $8-15/hr range. But in my Prolific review, I found plenty of quick and easy surveys available, and you can cash out to PayPal.
17. Probe Market Research
Consumers, medical professionals, and executives are in demand for Probe Market Research’s panels. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400, and you can often participate online or over the phone.
Major brands enlist Probe to conduct online surveys, mystery shopping gigs, mock juries, product trials, and more.
18. Recruit and Field
Recruit and Field is one of the longest-running national market research companies. Since 1977, they’ve built up a participant database of over 300,000 consumers, business leaders, and medical professionals.
The company works with lots of name-brand clients and typically pays $100-275 for in-person and online surveys.
19. dscout
The popular and well-rated dscout app connects you with “engaging research missions.” Through those, you can get paid to share your feedback on a product or service.
Typical studies pay anywhere from $2 to $100, paid out via PayPal. The biggest complaints from users are that the often in-depth screener surveys are unpaid.
20. GLG Insights
Less of a market research firm and more of a consulting marketplace, GLG Insights aims to match you up with their clients looking for industry-specific expertise. Request to become a “Council Member” to get notified when relevant paid studies are available.
On GLG, you’ll be asked to connect your LinkedIn profile and upload a resume (or link to an online resume) to verify your career credentials. You can also name your own consulting rate — usually $100-150 and up.
After that, I answered a series of ethics questions based on GLG’s terms and conditions.
21. WatchLab
WatchLab has an obnoxiously inadequate website, but they claim to facilitate all sorts of focus groups, usability tests, interviews, mock juries, and more.
The pay varies depending on the research, and may be in the form of gift cards or cash. I saw ranges from $100 to $175 for 1-2 hour focus groups. WatchLab have locations in San Francisco and Chicago, as well as online options.
For in-person focus groups, you get paid on the spot — online may take 4-6 weeks.
22. Mindswarms
Mindswarms is a unique video consumer research platform. They’ll pay you $50 via PayPal to answer 10 questions about a product or service.
These studies normally take around 10 minutes and can be recorded via your webcam or smartphone, but competition to get selected can be fierce.
To create your account you’ll need to record a 60-second video about one of your passions. Or you can do this through the Mindswarms app on iOS or Android.
23. 20|20 Panel
Earn $50-150 for online focus groups and studies. While the website doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, 20|20 Panel has been around for over 30 years.
24. FocusGroups.org
Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FocusGroups.org was a great find. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!
Topics included pets, hygiene, cooking, luxury cars, and lots more. There are some handy filters you can use to select only online or “National” studies.
25. Focus Insite
I found several online focus groups paying $50-200 on Focus Insite. The company popped up in my Instagram feed, a signal they’re actively recruiting new participants.
You can join their panel database as a medical, technical, or business professional, or just as a general consumer. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the available market research studies listed.
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Other Online Focus Group and Paid Research Study Options
The companies listed above certainly aren’t the only research companies around, and for this side hustle, it makes sense to join as many firms as you’re comfortable with.
That way, you’re presented with all the opportunities available, not just the projects managed by one company.
Here are a few more to consider:
- PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)
- L&E Opinions — I found nationwide studies paying $125-250.
- Focus Forward — A unique aggregator of paid focus group and survey opportunities.
- UserTesting – Earn $10 for completing 20-minute online user tests of websites, apps, shopping portals, and more. This is pretty fun but you have to be fast because these tests get snatched up quickly.
- Brutal – Earn $30 an hour to give feedback on websites and apps. (Love the name!)
- Pulse Labs – Earn up to $100 a week providing video feedback on products.
- Intellizoom – Get paid an average of $10 testing and reviewing websites.
- UserBrain – Receive new websites to test every week, an earn $5 for each 5-15 minute test.
- Google User Experience – Google pays gift cards for feedback on their products.
- Nelson Recruiting — Nationwide market research company established in 1980.
- Marketade – Specializes in remote usability testing, market validation, navigation research, and more.
- Engage Studies – Earn as much as $100 per focus group through this research company.
- Tell Us Your Opinion – Mainly operating in Tulsa but may have online/phone opportunities as well.
- Adler Weiner Research – In-person studies in Chicagoland and Southern California, plus remote studies nationwide.
- Advanced Focus – Hosts market research panels and focus groups in New York City.
- Nichols Research – Get paid to participate in in-person focus groups, primarily in Northern California.
- Herron Associates — In-person studies in Indianapolis, IN and Tampa, FL.
In doing all this research, a new side hustle came to me: web design and social media for these companies.
I ran into dozens of severely-outdated sites with copyright dates in the footer going back to 2010 in some cases. Their Twitter accounts where ghost towns and the blogs (if they had one) hadn’t been updated in years.
They might have a hard time making sales if their online presence makes it look like they went out of business!
Online Focus Groups Alternatives
As with any side hustle, there’s an opportunity cost. As in, what else could you be doing with your time?
I encourage you to check out our monster list of side hustle ideas, but here are a few that are similarly flexible.
Become a Bookkeeper
One of the first jobs that many companies hire out is “someone to keep the books.” If you have experience in this field, or just love numbers, becoming a remote bookkeeper could way to make extra money.
Most businesses don’t need a full-time bookkeeper so they’re open to hiring someone part-time. Most virtual bookkeepers charge $100-300 per client per month.
Network with business owners locally or online and let them know about your service. It might make sense to check out this free training on how to start a remote bookkeeping business.
Alternative Investments
If you’re after passive income, you might consider adding some alternative investments.
For example, Fundrise allows you to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate. This spreads your risk around with properties in multiple geographical locations–and minimums as low as $10.
Disclosure: I’ve been a Fundrise investor since 2015, and earn a commission when you join through my referral link. Opinions are my own.
Resell Furniture Returns
Reselling furniture returns is a unique low-risk side hustle.
How it works is you join Sharetown as a local “reverse logistics” rep. Sharetown partners with direct-to-consumer mattress and furniture brands to handle their return requests.
When customers decide they don’t want to keep the item, you’ll get dispatched to go pick it up. After that, you’ll:
- clean it up
- photograph it
- list it for resale on sites like Facebook Marketplace
The Sharetown reps I’ve connected with target $150-250 per flip — and, importantly — you don’t have to pay Sharetown for the inventory until the item sells.
Check out my full Sharetown review to learn more.
Pros:
Low startup costs
Great earning power
No hunting for inventory
Mobile Notary Service
Becoming a mobile notary loan signing agent is one of the most popular gigs among the Side Hustle Nation community. The flexible, part-time side hustle involves walking new homeowners through their stack of mortgage documents.
Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.
Market Research Groups: Your Turn
One big drawback to focus groups or online surveys is you’re limited in how much you can earn. It’s a great side hustle, but it’ll never be a full-time income.
Focus groups or paid research studies won’t pay your mortgage, but one or two a month will definitely help build your side hustle snowball.
Have you had any success in landing paid focus group studies? What do you think of this little supplemental side hustle?
Let me know in the comments below!
Serious About Making Extra Money?
- Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
- Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there such thing as an online focus group?
Yes! Several companies facilitate online consumer research focus groups, which is great because that means you can earn money from the comfort of your home or office. Check out our full list to learn more.
How much do focus groups pay?
The pay for focus groups depends on how long the session lasts. Most commonly, you’ll find rates average around $100 an hour.
Where can I find legit paid focus groups?
Companies like Respondent, Fieldwork, and FocusGroup.com are all legit facilitators of paid focus groups. Or, for the best results, you might try an aggregator service like FindFocusGroups.com, which pools together focus group opportunities from several sources. Be sure to check the list of providers on Side Hustle Nation as well.
How do online focus groups work?
Online focus groups work either via conference call or more commonly, through a group video chat to more closely mimic the in-person experience. A moderator will lead the group discussion and participants can chime in through their webcam and computer microphone or phone line.
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Stock photo by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock
Nice job, Nick!
I have only ever been able to score low paying “mystery shopper” gigs. I get a free meal and $15 or $20 for my trouble. It usually takes about an hour, so am making $15 – $20 per hour.
I have repeatedly mystery shopped a “Roy Rogers” restaurant that is on the NYS thruway. Almost every time I have had to travel to or from my daughter’s college campus I have been able to get a free meal, $10 or $15, and a portion of my tolls paid. I wouldn’t make the effort except that I am already driving by and there is a good chance that I would need a bathroom break anyway. Everybody wins. :>)
I will be checking on a couple of the sites you provided to see if there is anything I qualify for.
Thanks Kevin. I’ve been half-heartedly attempting to find a mystery shopping expert to school me on how it really works :)
Hi Nick – If you are still reading these comments, I hope you will remove User Interviews from your list. After reading your article, I applied with them and was excited at first, but they have a serious flaw. They do not screen what the companies post for the surveys. First you have to take a questionnaire to see if you will be selected for the survey. Time after time you spend time answering the flawed questionnaire, and then not being selected, probably because of being forced to complete an answer that is not correct. Here’s an example that I just sent to Tabitha at User Interviews:
“I was applying for the Medical Injectibles survey, and the first several questions went well. Then there was the question “Do you care for a child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?” with the options of yes or no. I checked no, and I cannot imagine there are vast numbers of people who would have been able to check yes.
The next question was required, and it asked for the age of the person I care for, and had a box, also required, asking for the required medications.
Why was I prompted with that question when I had answered no?”
So that was yet another questionnaire that was flawed that completely wasted my time because I could not proceed. I have asked them to remove me from all further communication as I want nothing to do with them anymore, and I honestly don’t think you should be recommending them.
Hmm sorry for the trouble, Balinda. I agree, their conditional logic on the screener surveys could be better — or they could just advance to a “thanks but you’re not a fit” page. When those types of funky follow-up questions happen for me, I just back out and go back to the list since it’s clear I’m not going to qualify.
Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been using User Interviews for about a month and a half and it seems like I hardly ever get selected for any of the surveys. In fact, I’ve only been selected for 1 so far (which literally took 10 minutes and I got a $30 Amazon gift card) and the second one I got approved for, by the time I got around to actually confirming my spot that evening, it was already fully booked up! I’m wondering with all the different options available if it would be feasible to make some decent side money – assuming the time commitment doesn’t get overwhelming. I’m gonna dig into this a little I think and see what I can come up with.
Hey Kyle, I hope you found some good “side jobs.”
You mentioned that you used user interviews and only got 1 job. I’m so surprised by that. I have been using them for a few months and I have made a good bit of money. I had a 20 minute telephone survey and was paid $150! I had another that was in person. They came to my apt (they originally said to see my wardrobe in closet, but never did) they interviewed me on camera for about 10-15 minutes and then we went to a clothing store! They asked me if I liked the store, clothes, etc. In all I was with them about an hour. I got $350! I could have made another $100 for doing “homework,” but I was too busy. That’s just 2 of jobs I had from them.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know, bcuz you should keep trying with them. I plan on hitting all these new ones, thanks to Nick! Good Luck!
Thanks B!
It’s funny you bring this topic up. I LITERALLY started signing up for focus groups last Monday (going on two weeks) and I’ve already made $650. Most have came from respondent. I also signed up for the Reddit r/paidstudy group as well as the cool work ideas.com FB which posts multiple studies a day. I’m loving it so far!
Whoa nice!
Hi Nick, I’ve been using ACOP for a few years now it does take a long time to gather up money. I usually wait till I get up around $50 or so to cash in. The problem I find is it takes two to three months for it to show up in my Pay Pal account, very slow turn around.
Nick, I’ve been doing these for several years. I probably average about $1,000 per year doing these. This a great comprehensive list!
I tried Mindswarms. I had no trouble creating a profile video (though it really does not flatter me, nor had I trouble applying for studies. However, I have been on there for over a month, and I have been rejected for every. Single. Study. Besides that, they do not ever bother telling me, or giving me helpful suggestions. Their FAQ section is so useless as to be counterproductive. And I suspect that my mind and my interests are not average enough to make Mindswarms (or online studies/surveys in general) worth my while.
Here is a good rule of thumb: if you prefer the musical works of Vasily Kalinnikov (or just know who Vasily Kalinnikov was) over “Lady” Gaga, do not bother with surveys. Only the most average individuals with the most average minds can succeed with this rubbish. Or so my experiences would indicate.
Actually, the opposite is true. just regular surveys do kind of suck. However, the focus groups and interviews and so forth, all the ones that I’ve actually gotten into have been because I’m weird or different. That’s why so many people get declined. They look for people who don’t conform, mostly because they’re looking for new and innovative ideas. Why would you research the monotonous and mundane?
Thanks so much for the information. I signed up on Respondent today and have a 71% match on 1 survey. We’ll see how it goes.
I just tried to sign up with Respondent, and probably I’m the only one in the world with this problem of not having any social media sites. They want to verify your work on LinkedIn or your FB profile. I don’t have a FB account nor do I have a LinkedIn account. I know, I must be living in a cave, but the work I do does not allow me to use social media. What to do? I guess Respondent is out. Bummer.
This is pretty much the same for me too, Shari. Even if I had an account on social media I would only have my family and close friends on it. I wouldn’t want to give some site access.
I also ran into one (can’t remember the name) where they wanted you to upload a video of yourself in order to get the surveys. I am also not comfortable with that.
I’ve signed up with all that was listed above. We’ll see how it goes.
Good luck to you!
Since I haven’t seen it noted in the comments or main blog anywhere I just wanted to put it out there that technically if you make over $600 with any single company like this they are supposed to issue a 1099 for your payouts. Normally if you accumulate that much over a year they may not bother BUT I was lucky enough to get into a study that paid $875 which immediately put me over that threshold. So then they issued a 1099 for all my earnings from them in that year. That hurt at tax time. This year I’m going to spread it out over as many companies as I can to hopefull get a lot but no single one over $600. And if you are lucky enough to get into a single high paying study, keep the tax implication in mind.
Very nice blog post. Thanks for sharing.
On respondent I made $30 today. Not bad!
Thanks Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been doing surveys and focus groups for about a year. I’ve had some great paying, easy jobs. I’ve also spent, what felt like like forever, time trying to qualify for them to no avail. However, from my experience, I can definitely say not to give up! Surveys are time consuming with little pay, for the most part. Focus groups, interviews, etc., is where the money is! I have been looking for more sites and you just gave me a bunch! I am gonna try them all! Keep the info coming! Thanks again!
I’m wondering if the earning need to be claimed on our taxes? Is there a record that we are being paid? Do these companies ask for any personal information? Thanks
Try Jackson/Adept in Los Angeles. They have a Beverly Hills and Encino location.
Here are Metro Detroit Focus Groups and my reviews of them
Morpace Inc.
31700 Middlebelt Road
Suite 200
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 737-5300
http://www.morpace.com
Pays $80-$250 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). If they over fill the group which happened to me on one occassion then you get paid instantly without doing the survey. They pay by check or cash after the 1-2 hour in person survey. They offer surveys 1-2 times a year.
Shifrin Hayworth
26400 Lahser Rd #430,
Southfield, MI 48033
Phone: (248) 223-0020
https://www.shifrin-hayworth.com/
Pays $50-$300 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). They pay by check or cash in person after the 1-2 hour survey. They offer surveys about 1-2 times a year.
I recently learned that you can only participate in 1 survey every 6 months which is why after being asked if you’ve done one recently you get disqualified.
I just did a study for them last week. They promised a $200 virtual gift card within 48 hours but it’s been a week and still nothing. They’ve stopped answering my emails and I can’t find a phone number for them, which seems pretty shady.
Did they ever get back to you/pay you?
So I have had really good luck with a lot of these companies you listed. I am a stay at home mom have been looking into all this and actively participating for about 6 weeks and made over 3000 dollars I have made 630 dollars on users interviews, 585 on respondents, 310 on user testing, 270 on validately usability studies , 250 on 20/20 panel, about 140 on intellizoom/ what users do Usability studies, 90 dollars on TrymyUI, and 50 on ping pong research. I have also made 375 dolars from focus point global. plus more companies that i got under 20 each from so there is money to be made here if you invest the time. I have done one on one studies with a web cam, phone interviews, product testing (shampoos, and even new cereal), online diary studies (usually about things you eat), and lots of usability studies. the key is knowing how to answer the screener questions. Thank you so much for your list I am going to check out the companies I have not uses yet
Whoa that’s awesome Casondra – thanks for sharing!
Hi Nick-I just found this post and thank you for “heads up”…
I’m writing to share with you two top performers here in Seattle for in-person focus groups. In-Sight Space and Fieldwork / Seattle.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a few gigs with each of these company’s who conduct only focus groups. Most of the time the pay is cash on the spot and the groups range from 45 minutes to 2 hours. These two company’s have frequent remarkably high-paying gigs. It’s fairly common to attend a 90 minute focus group that pays anywhere from 150.00 – 350.00. On occasion I’ve landed one of their mock jury groups, sometimes held at one of Seattle’s finest hotels and lasts close to 8 hours. These mock jury groups have paid me between 300.00 to 550.00 for the gig and always provide a catered breakfast and lunch.
Again, thanks for sharing your information and I hope you’re able to use my information and experience to help others.
Sincerely,
Jason B.
Nice, Jason — thanks for sharing!
I’m registered with two companies for focus group and mock jury participation. I’ve done both and found them enjoyable and worthwhile. Usually payment was cash. One time it was a VISA gift card. The mock juries required more hours than the focus groups. One was Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Saturday evening. My experience has been food and beverages were provided when the event was more than 3 hours.
Participants were usually limited to one event in 6 months.
I’ve seen a large dropoff in opportunities since I reached a certain age. Sigh.
Very occasionally the local newspaper has a classified ad for focus group participants.
I need the mock jury site
Ok…I see several people are interested in Mystery Shopping so I thought I’d share a little info. I have done a lot of mystery shopping in the past and love it. Not amazing money but interesting and I enjoyed it.
So…here are a few sites to start with…I hope this is OK…I see a few people said they would send information, but a lot of others requested info and I don’t know if they got what they needed. I hope this helps.
So…first…
this is the official website of the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association…it has a ton of good info and resources https://www.mspa-global.org/index.html
Work available always depends on the type of job you are interested in and where you are located so the best companies to work with will vary for different people.
Here are some other resources that may help…
https://www.mysteryshopperjobfinder.com/members/resources/mspa-interview/
https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/
https://www.mysteryshoppermagazine.com/?source=forum-top-discussions
and last but not least… https://www.shadowshopper.com
Shadow Shopper…the first thing that pops up when you google Shadow Shopper will be scam alerts. I’m here to tell you it is not a scam. I have used them for years off and on. They do have a fee option, and to get anywhere, you probably will want to use it at least for a short time. But a lot of job boards charge a small fee. Basically it is where companies post work that they need to get done and shoppers go to find work. It’s a great way to see what is available in your area and skill set and interest and sign up with those companies offering that work. You can go out on your own and start just looking into shopping sites, but that sign up processing can be lengthy and if you pick one that doesn’t offer work in your area or jobs you want, you have wasted time and effort. Once you sign up with a few companies that you’ve found on Shadow Shopper, move on until you want to look for more. No need to keep your subscription if you have the work your want. Just my suggestion, but it has landed me several really good opportunities. One lasted years and was around made me around $2000/yr.
Oh…and if you are wanting a list of companies…go here… it’s a tedious process to choose, but it’s an option…
https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/companies/
Good luck and enjoy :)
Thank you Anna!
I’ve used Focus Pointe Global and Schlesinger in the Boston area for years. I’ve made really good money with them ($75-200 per session). People seem to over-estimate how difficult this all is. Sign up in the database, fill out a survey if you get an e-mail, if you pre-qualify for a study they call you to screen you again, you either qualify or you don’t on that phone call. If you’re picked, you go to their office and sit with the other people picked and just give your opinion for about 90 minutes. The hardest part for me is fighting traffic to get to the office in the city. These focus groups have been a lifesaver for me in periods of unemployment.
Will you get called every week about a survey? No, you definitely won’t, maybe not every month either. But if you sign up with 5-10 companies your chances of getting picked go up. And I agree that sites like Swagbucks are more or less a waste of time. It’s very small money.
Everyone is asking: How do I join? You have to go to the companies website and sign up for the panel (“Join the Panel”) and then wait. Also, the bigger companies post surveys on their Facebook pages so sign up for their notifications.
I do the best with Respondent, User Interviews and UTest.com. Also check out Affectiva’s job listings if you’re in the Boston area. I’ve made a lot helping to test out their automotive AI.
Hi
I have been doing focus groups online for prob 3 years or so. I have done a lot of them with watchlab and user interviews. Also accelerant research is a good one. Field work is another I’ve done them with. I’m sure there is more that I’ve used but i gotta tell u that these have been a life saver for me at times. I most recently did one that paid $400 which is the most I’ve made. I am signed up and in the databases of all that u listed plus a few others like accelerant research. Oh yeah another great place is Elliot Benson research.
Happy day
Thanks for sharing Shelley!
you might try Mturk if you money to pay…
Great job on this article!
I’ve been doing focus groups for many years. Probably made about $2,000 or so altogether.
Nice!
I’d also recommend instapanel. I’ve been using them for several years to complete video surveys. They pay $20 for about 5-10 minutes of work. Here’s a link: https://instapanel.com/.
I work for one of the market research companies that hire these focus group facilities/recruiters to get us the research we need. For in person focus groups (in facility) you can expect to get paid around $100 per hour, and more expensive if you’re in a specialty group (certain ailments, professionals such as tech). For online focus groups they run around $75 per hour.
If you want to know the panels to join around your area to join focus groups, I’d recommend going on Green Book (for research) and search on recruiters or facility around your neighborhood. This is where researchers go to find panels to do research with and you’ll get more opportunities with the facilities/recruiters there.
I don’t recommend online surveys bc you might terminate out of many surveys before you complete one and they won’t pay you more than $5 for one, and that’s on the rare end. Hope this helps!
Appreciate the insight — thanks Michelle!
I love love love all the great information I just obtained by reading your blog. OMG ! If anyone has any leads for Indiana specifically please let me know. I know of Herron Associates does a lot of research focus groups. Just go to their website and sign up. Ive done a few for them in the past and made anywhere from $50-150 for about an hour or so in person focus group. I think those are great and very interesting. If anyone wants to contact me to give me some tips on the mystery shopping I’d greatly appreciate it. TIA ( Thanks in Advance)
Carrie
Thanks a bunch for the informative post! I signed up for several of the ones you have on this list and already got selected for a study. Just curious – most of the prescreen questions ask if you’ve recently participated in a study. If you have (I’ll fall into this bucket once I complete the study I just got picked for), does that greatly reduce your chances of being selected for another one?
Hi, are any of these open to people under 18?
All clinical trials are for ages 18-99.
Amalia, I apologize. I read your question to quickly & transposed the numbers. I thought you said 81.I’m rarely asked to prove my age, but they may have some way of checking. Product reviews are open to 16+, I believe. I’ve never had to show my ID online, only when I do things in person. Obviously medical care you’d show your ID.
Withpower.com is a great website to checkout medical trials. There are all sorts & bonus if you need medical care & don’t have the money to pay for it.
Some just monitor or interview you…all the way up to getting medicated treatment for your condition.
I even saw dental work on there.
Every clinical research compensated me for my time & travel. It’s always paid out very well for me & it’s definitely worth the time.
I got $365 for downloading an app on my phone that I recorded how long I slept the night before.They sent a little survey with 4 questions every day to the app & I told them what time I went to bed, did I wake up during the night, how long did it take me to get back to sleep, and what time I woke up.
I got paid in intervals at week 2, 6, 10, & 14. Super easy money.
I’m on #4 of this list now. User interviews has been fair to me. I’ve seen product reviews, online, and focus groups on there.
If they let you know that you are qualified, act quickly!
Clinical research & focus groups are my favorite. I used to like doing product reviews & I still do. But once you really start getting into it, the rewards get better & better.
Thank you so much, Nick.
Yes, I referred you when signing up. You deserve it.