Side Hustle Nation

Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion

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!

online focus groups

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.

UserInterviews.com

Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies added each month.

Respondent

Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.

Rare Patient Voice

Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.

1. User Interviews

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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.

user interviews

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.

User Interviews is a legit facilitator of online (and in-person) consumer research studies. Participants can get paid (generally $50-150/hr) to share their opinion and shape future products and services. While this won’t replace your day job, it can be a nice supplemental income.

  • One of the best-paying survey companies I've found.
  • Easy to sign-up.
  • Lots of new studies added every week.
  • Can be difficult to get selected.

UserInterviews.com

Click here to join User Interviews .

Or check out our full User Interviews review .

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour !

respondent paid research studies

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!

respondent hourly rates

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! )

Respondent

Click here to join Respondent .

Read our full Respondent.io review here .

YouTube video

(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)

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.

rare patient voice homepage

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 the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

Rare Patient Voice

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.

survey junkie

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

Super popular survey app that rewards you for sharing your opinion.

Survey Junkie

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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Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card . They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.

product report card paid research studies

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.

Lightster is a unique money making app , where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.

lightster

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.

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 €10 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $11-110.)

pingpong research

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.

Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:

  • Los Angeles (Orange County)
  • Minneapolis
  • San Francisco

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.

Maven is a unique on-demand consulting platform. You can set your own rates to participate in one-off expert interviews, paid market research studies, and online industry surveys.

maven consulting

(Experts can also get hired for longer-term consulting projects, as well.)

Maven has been around since 2008, and routinely has projects paying anywhere from $25-$500+. 

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 record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks
  • Phone Interviews
  • Online Focus Groups
  • Online Surveys

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.

american consumer opinion

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 .

On L&E Opinions , I found nationwide studies paying $125-250.  The company has been in business over 30 years and pays out millions of dollars in research incentives every year.

market research survey paid

FocusGroups.org is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!

focusgroups-org

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.

Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FindFocusGroups.com was a great find. 

At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites, but hadn’t been updated in several months.

When I checked, the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.

Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You’ll have to register for their database to get notified about upcoming paid studies.

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.

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 .

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.

I recently earned $250 for a 1-hour call about business banking!

recruit and field payment

FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)

focus group

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.

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.

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 .

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.

dscout paid market research

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.

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.

Since 2007, Zintro has been connecting researchers with industry experts. According to the site, the vast majority Zintro’s consulting and online focus groups pay between $150 and $300 per hour.

zintro homepage

Popular industries include:

  • Software and tech
  • Banking and finance
  • Healthcare and insurance
  • E-commerce and retail
  • Travel and hospitality
  • and lots more

It’s free to set up your expert profile and start to get invited for calls.

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 has 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.

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.

mindswarms

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 .

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.

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.

focus insight

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.

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:

  • Prolific  — When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific. The pay 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.
  • Ascendency Research — On average, studies pay $60-350. Many are local to the Twin Cities, MN, but they have some national studies, too.
  • Elliott Benson — Conducting paid market research since 1995.
  • PRC Market Research — You can browse upcoming projects (and their pay rate) before registering. Most studies pay $100-300/hour.
  • NewtonX — Strictly for industry professionals to share their insight and get paid.
  • 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.
  • 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, and 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.
  • PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)

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 .

make extra money by starting a 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 .

fundrise review

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

side hustle with sharetown

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.

YouTube video

Sharetown reps make money by reselling gently-used furniture and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Top reps earn $4000+ per month.

  • Low startup costs
  • Great earning power
  • No hunting for inventory
  • Requires a truck or SUV
  • Bulky items to store
  • Not available in all areas

Become a Sharetown Rep

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.

loan signing agent side hustle

Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.

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!

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market research survey paid

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.

********* Stock photo  by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock

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Nick Loper

About the Author

Nick Loper is a side hustle expert who loves helping people earn more money and start businesses they care about. He hosts the award-winning Side Hustle Show, where he's interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs, and is the bestselling author of Buy Buttons , The Side Hustle , and $1,000 100 Ways .

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo Finance, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times, Bankrate, Hubspot, Ahrefs, Shopify, Investopedia, VICE, Vox, Mashable, ChooseFI, Bigger Pockets, The Penny Hoarder, GoBankingRates, and more.

58 thoughts on “Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion”

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hi Nick, this is a great job.

Many of these websites do not authorize participants from Nigeria and Africa. They have country-based restrictions. It sucks.

I have a master’s degree in business administration. I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. I have a postgraduate diploma in economics, a postgraduate diploma in education and a professional diploma in early childhood education. I have a CEFR Level C1 in IELTS exam. I have done some surveys in my country, Nigeria and I performed well.

What survey sites do you recommend that do not have country-based restrictions? I am really curious Nick.

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Get paid to participate in research studies

Find paid user research opportunities in topics you care about. Get paid to share feedback and influence the next generation of products and services.

paid research opportunities online - surveys, interviews, focus groups and more

new projects launch monthly

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Getting started with paid research is quick and easy

1. create your profile.

Personalize your profile with your professional background, skills, and interests.

2. Get matched

Our matching algorithm will send research studies straight to your inbox based on your details.

3. Apply to studies

Answer a few screening questions online to help researchers know if you are a fit.

4. Get paid

Researchers invite participants to studies. Get paid quickly once your work is finished.

Get paid to influence the products you use daily

get paid to participate in surveys, focus groups and research online

Choose from a wide variety of interesting paid research studies.

Unlock the power of your opinions in paid research projects. Influence tomorrow's products and services, from tech innovations to everyday items. Let your voice shape the future market.

Work with brands who value your opinion

Shape your daily tools, apps, and services through your insights. Make money by participating in paid studies, turning your experiences into influential feedback.

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Earn money referring friends and colleagues.

When you sign up as a participant, you can make money by referring friends and colleagues.. Share studies with people in your network that are likely to be a good fit.

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20+ Best Focus Groups For Money – Find Paid Market Research Opportunities!

market research survey paid

In-person and online focus groups are an incredible side hustle opportunity. And I've actually been making money for the last couple of years by taking part in different market research groups.

Unlike survey sites , focus group opportunities often pay $50 to $100+ per hour. Plus, you get to take part in interesting research and studies in a variety of fields.

However, not all focus groups are the same. And some are downright scams or aren't worth your time. This is why I'm sharing some of the best paid focus groups you can use to start earning today!

The Best Focus Groups For Money

Table of Contents

1. User Interviews

User Interviews is my favorite paid online focus group. I've been using it since 2022, and I've completed studies on it before and have always been paid on time.

PrestoExperts

The company has over 2,000 focus group studies per month. Pinterest, Adobe, Spotify, and Wayfair are just a few of the recognizable brand names that have partnered with User Interviews.

The signup process is also painless. Just create an account with your email and then answer a demographic and career questionnaire to help match you to the best focus groups.

One thing that’s great about User Interviews is the search page. You can immediately see how much focus groups pay, their date, how long they take, and a description of what's involved.

Some studies and focus groups are quite generic, like seeking participants to give feedback for a product. These usually pay $10. But you can find more niche focus groups easily paying $50 to $100 upon completion.

For example, one I completed recently paid me $65 for a 45 minute study. All I had to do was give feedback on a new design tool for business cards, which was pretty fun!

You have to apply to focus groups which involves completing a short screener. But if you get accepted, this is an excellent way to get free money and gift cards in exchange for your feedback and opinions.

2. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a leading survey website where you can share your opinion to get paid.

It's free to sign up for and is available in North America and Australia. I've used it for years, and it's one of the highest-paying survey websites in the business.

American Consumer Opinion

Most surveys on Survey Junkie pay $0.50 to $1 or $2. But you can sometimes find longer surveys that pay more. The company also has occasional product testing or paid market research opportunities.

This is certainly more of a survey site than paid online focus group. However, you can cash out with PayPal or free gift cards at only $5, so it's a nice way to get quick money .

👉 Start earning with Survey Junkie!

3. Respondent

Respondent is another amazing way to get paid to be in a focus group. And this is also our favorite User Interviews alternative.

The platform is super easy to use. Simply sign up for free as a focus group participant and complete a demographic questionnaire. You can then browse and apply to available studies and focus groups.

User Interviews pay

In our experience, focus groups and paid market research studies pay anywhere from $10 to $150 per hour or completion. There's also in-person, phone, and Zoom-call focus groups too.

The best part about Respondent is that the very niche studies can pay hundreds of dollars. Many studies look for certain career professionals or business owners too, so keep this in mind.

4. Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys , like Survey Junkie, lets you complete online surveys to earn cash and gift cards.

The site is free to join and is available in North America and the UK. It's a very easy way to earn money online , and you only need $5 to cash out.

market research survey paid

Most surveys you complete pay $0.50 to $2.50. There's also a great loyalty program that pays bonus cash each month if you complete enough surveys.

My advice is to use Branded Surveys in the downtime you have while searching for paid focus groups. The hourly pay is lower, but it's easier to make money consistently since there are almost always available surveys.

👉 Try out Branded Surveys!

5. FocusGroup.com  

FocusGroup.com offers (as the name suggests) focus groups as well as surveys and on-the-go tasks like mystery shopping gigs .

Signing up is similar to other paid online focus group websites. You have to answer some questions about yourself, including demographic and career questions. This takes a bit of time, but it's the only way to unlock focus group opportunities and not just cash surveys .

market research survey paid

Some FocusGroup.com opportunities pay $100 to $300 or more. However, the downside is it generally takes a long time to match and qualify for an opporutnity.

We filled out our personal survey to test out FocusGroup.com. We still haven't been matched to any focus groups or studies, only surveys. So, this site isn't a consistent money-maker, although it does pay participants well.

6. Rare Patient Voice

Rare Patient Voice is one of the best paid focus group websites for patients with rare conditions or their caregivers.

This site lets you take part in both webcam and phone interviews. And it's available in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.

market research survey paid

Rare Patient Voice pays up to $120 per hour to both caregivers and patients. This is one of the higher rates out there. You can also get paid $20 for taking part in a screening, since screenings generally take a bit of time.

If you have any type of condition, even if it's not the most rare, Rare Patient Voice is worth checking out. The same goes if you work in health services or are a caregiver.

7. Field Voices

Field Voices is another popular focus group side hustle you can try out. And we like it since it has both in-person and online focus groups you can participate in.

market research survey paid

It's also a very lucrative side hustle . For example, when we checked them out they were calling for applicants to a 4-hour in-person workshop in Plano, Texas in return for a $300 Visa gift card. The other paid market research group was a 3-day focus group on meeting your healthcare needs, in return for a $350 Visa gift card.

Like other websites, you have to submit some personal information to Field Voices when applying. Many focus groups look for specific demographics or job types, so you won't get accepted every time. But the pay is quite high if you end up getting approved for a study or focus group.

8. Lightster

Lightster is a money making app where you get to share your opinions with different companies to get paid.

The platform works with massive companies like Google, Best Buy, Sephora, and Microsoft. Once you sign up and complete your profile, you can then get receive questions from brands and creators who want your insights. As you answer questions and have a conversation, you get paid.

market research survey paid

This is a unique way to get paid for your advice . And what's nice is that after you complete your profile, researchers and companies reach out to you, so you don't have to hustle and endlessly apply to focus groups.

Payments vary, but you can earn up to $1 per minute. As for rewards. Lightster offers free Amazon gift cards , PayPal cash, or Wise payments.

9. Fieldwork

Fieldwork is another popular paid market research company that's looking for consumers, business professionals, patients, and healthcare professionals right now.

You can create a profile on its website and then complete your profile to get started. You can then receive studies and focus groups to take part. There's one-on-one interviews, virtual sessions, and even at-home studies researching a wide range of topics.

Compensation is fixed at $75 per hour and payment is made with virtual gift cards. Unlink some of the other options listed here, Fieldwork will reach out to you via phone or email about opportunities that might be a good fit.

10. L&E Opinions

L&E has 1.7 million participants and paid out nearly $9 million in 2023. When we signed up, they said there were 205 active studies available. There are also specific medical and B2B panels where patients, caregivers, and business owners can find better-paying focus groups.

According to their website, some medical and business focus groups can pay up to $1,500 (you read that right) depending on position in the organization…all for one hour. Wow…bet you’re wishing you went to med school now, or worked your way up the corporate ladder!

As for the rest of us, focus groups pay quite well. One thing we love about L&E over some of the other choices is that the displayed list of available studies is very transparent. You’ll see the exact range of compensation, the location (nationwide is what you want), age range, gender, and description. You still need to complete pre-screening questionnaires, but they’re all within the L&E website and relatively painless.

Extra Reading – How To Make $200 Fast .

11. Recruit & Field

R&F gleans consumer insights for companies like Apple, Netflix, GMC, and Clinique. The website is a little more lo-fi than some of the others, but that’s okay. After a quick introductory signup, you just fill out a list of demographic information to get matched focus group opportunities.

Payment for participation in groups typically falls between $100 and $275 per session. The sign-up questionnaire takes a while to fill out. But considering these payouts, the effort is worth it.

However, Recruit & Field doesn't have a page to browse paid focus groups. Rather, it’s a targeted research group that reaches out to you. For this reason, you should take the questions seriously.

12. Experience Dynamics

Experience Dynamics specifically focuses on UX, or user design. And this is a way to get paid to test websites and then give your feedback on them

Compensation generally ranges from $50 to $150. Some tasks require one sitting, while others involve a “diary” type of process where you record your experience over a few days or weeks.

This is more involved than using usability testing platforms like UserTesting or PlaytestCloud . However, the pay is much higher since you have to put in more effort.

Even More Focus Group Side Hustles To Try

The above options are some of our favorite ways to make money with focus groups. But you can try even more websites and research studies that pay to maximize your opportunities, including:

  • Pinecone Research
  • American Consumer Opinions
  • Probe Market Research
  • Product Report Card
  • SurveyFeeds
  • FocusInsite
  • GLC Insights
  • PRC Market Research
  • Inspired Opinions

is Ipsos iSay legit

👉 The 25+ Highest Paying Apps To Try .

How Much Can You Make With Paid Focus Groups?

How much you earn with paid focus groups largely depends on how many opportunities you qualify for. Payment per hour also varies depending on the company, type of focus group, and how niche a particular study is. But participants can generally expect to earn at least $50 to $100 per hour.

For example, my latest User Interviews test paid me $65 for 45 minutes. And some of my friends have taken part in multi-day studies paying several hundred dollars.

Ultimately, this isn't a full-time online job . Income can be very inconsistent, so apply to focus group opportunities but don't expect a steady paycheck.

How Can I Find Focus Groups Near Me?

Many focus group and market research groups offer in-person studies alongside phone and online webcam studies. So, you can search for nearby paid focus groups if you use the websites we've listed above.

Just note that larger cities generally have more paid market research opportunities than small towns and rural areas.

How To Avoid Focus Group Scams

There are many paid focus group scams out there or companies that try to steal personal information from participants. And some companies, like Apex Focus Group , just consolidate focus group opportunities but don't run studies themselves.

Ultimately, we suggest sticking with reputable companies that have a proven track record of paying participants. Reference data like Trustpilot scores, Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, and social media reviews or comments when choosing a focus group company.

Extra Reading – The Top Online Jobs Paying Weekly .

Final Thoughts

These are some of the best paid focus groups we could find. And if you snag a few studies per year, you could be looking at hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional income.

Also note that there are so many market research studies out there that pay. This list is a great way to get started. But don't be afraid to search around your city for more market research surveys and studies.

Of course, you can always make money right away with gpt sites or other digital side hustles that are more consistent. But we think applying to a few focus group websites is a good idea. After all, you never know which studies you'll get into. So, a big payday could be around the corner!

Want even more ideas to earn? Checkout :

  • The Best Work From Phone Jobs .
  • The Best Websites Like UserTesting .
  • The Best Microtask Websites .

market research survey paid

Tom is a full-time blogger and freelance writer with a passion for side hustling, passive income, and making money online. His work has appeared on dozens of personal finance websites like Money Crashers, The College Investor, Forbes, and more.

Tom also founded the blog This Online World - a finance site dedicated to helping people make money online - in 2018. After 6 years, that site merged with WebMonkey, with the goal of helping even more people earn their first dollar of online income.

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How To Become a Paid Market Research Participant

Market research participant receiving a $10 bill

A job as a market research participant can be a rewarding side-hustle where you can get paid to offer your opinions on products and services.

In this era of online market research, it’s easier than ever to become a participant in research studies. You can often participate from the comfort of your own home using survey apps and websites and receive payments to your PayPal account, or by digital gift card.

In this guide, we present a comprehensive guide for how to become a market research participant and offer tips for how to make the most of this role.

What Does A Market Research Participant Do?

Woman taking diary survey on her laptop

This data is collected by a market research company, is aggregated and anonymized and is then forwarded to its business client(s). These businesses will use this data to improve their existing products, tailor their marketing, and create new products and services.

Your personal data is collected and stored securely by these market research companies, and is never passed on to the end client in raw form, so you don’t have to worry about any breaches in your privacy.

Typically, you’ll participate by answering questions via forms hosted on websites or a mobile apps, although some market research companies conduct in-person user interviews such as focus groups.

How To Become a Market Research Participant: Step-By-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide will show you how to become a market research participant for a company that best suits your personal goals.

Step 1. Determine the type of research you want to participate in

There are different types of consumer research you may want to get involved with.

Online Surveys

Online survey job worker

Popular survey companies include:

  • Branded Surveys – get a $1 joining bonus and cash out your survey earnings with just $5 in your account.
  • Tellwut – not only offers you the opportunity to take surveys, but also the ability to create them. Earn gift cards and cash for your efforts.
  • Survey Junkie – join 11 million members of this very popular online surveys community.

Focus Groups

Focus group participants

Popular focus group companies include:

  • Survey Junkie – offers online focus groups in addition to paid surveys. Earn cash rewards for participating.
  • LEO Surveys – offers both online and offline focus group sessions. Earn cash or gift cards if you’re seelcted.
  • Clear Voice Surveys – is a popular choice for people wanting to participate in focus groups. Visit their website for more details.

Product Testing

product tester opening box

Popular product testing companies include:

  • Pinecone Research – offers fairly frequent product testing opportunities where you can get paid to test products from your home.
  • Opinion Outpost – also provides its users the ability to test products from home (in addition to paid research studies).
  • YouGov – is a political polling expert that mainly offers online surveys, with some product tests.

Mobile Survey Apps

Mobile phone featuring a survey app

Popular companies that offer survey apps include:

  • MobileXpression – offers a unique app where you can earn rewards passively by letting the app run your phone’s background. Get a $5 Amazon gift card after just one week.
  • Marketagent – offers a slick mobile app which you can use to take surveys. Cash out your earnings via PayPal.
  • Swagbucks – has a mobile app where you can participate in a wide variety of activities (taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, shopping, etc.) in exchange for cash and gift cards.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopper

Landing a mystery shopping assignment is by far the most difficult type of side hustle opportunity for a market research participant to get. There are far more applicants than assignments available out there, but if you’re fortunate, you may be selected for an opportunity in your local city.

Popular companies that offer mystery shopping assignments include:

  • TGM Panel – offers periodic mystery shopping assignments. Sign up to take surveys and participate periodically to be eligible for mystery shops.
  • QuickThoughts – is a mobile app that will connect you with mystery shopping assignments available in your area, in addition to paid survey studies.

It’s important to decide what type of market research you want to participate in when choosing which company to sign up for.

Some companies only offer one type of market research while others will give you the opportunity to take part in several different types of research study projects.

Paid surveys are the most common and convenient type of market research offered, but they also tend to pay the least. Sometimes, you’ll need to build your experience answering surveys for a particular company, before you’re offered the chance to get involved with other more extensive (and better paying) research products, so although not always highly remunerative, being a market research participant in online surveys may lead to bigger things.

Step 2. Determine the type of rewards you want

paypal

Different market research companies will reward their participants in different ways.

Typically, you’ll be rewarded in credits for every project you complete, which you can then choose to convert into a reward of your choice.

The most common types of rewards offered are PayPal payments , Amazon gift cards or gift vouchers to other major retailers. However, many companies will pay their research participants via other methods, such by bank transfer, in virtual Visa cards , cryptocurrency (including Bitcoin ) or charity donations.

The best market research participant jobs will offer a wide variety of options for rewarding their members, or will offer rewards that are actually useful (like cash, vs a magazine subscription). It’s also important to take note of the speed at which rewards are issued. Some inferior companies take weeks to issue payments after claimed. Still others will require you to reach a high threshold of credits before they pay out.

Companies offering unique rewards:

  • SuperPay.me offers a super-low cash out minimum of $1.00 and a $0.20 joining bonus.
  • PrizeRebel offers hundreds of different rewards options ranging from cash options to gift cards.
  • MySoapBox offers payment in Bitcoin or via gift cards from tons of different retailers.

Step 3. Choose the most relevant market research company

Computer with blogging screen

Some smaller companies don’t have enough clients to offer as many projects as their participants would like, so it may take longer to earn your first payment.

It’s recommended to choose a company based in your home country, as these will often have more clients looking for opinions from people living there.

There are international companies accepting members from all over the world, but these will usually also mostly be looking for opinions from specific countries.

Refer to our country-specific list of survey sites that will connect you with market research companies available in your area.

Step 4. Get started

The registration process for becoming a participant with an online market research company is a simple process that typically only takes a few minutes. To start, you’ll be asked for your email address, date of birth and your address. Some companies allow you to enter more details about yourself in your profile, which can help you become eligible for more projects.

Once you’re signed up, you’ll be able to start applying for projects and earning credits straight away. Log in to your account to find a list of opportunities available to you, or wait to be invited to projects via e-mail.

Happy surveying!

Related posts:

  • Paid Survey Panelist Tips and Tricks
  • Best Survey Sites for 2023
  • How to Find the Best Survey Sites

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15 Legitimate Places to Participate in Paid Research Studies

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From testing products and services to sleep and diet studies, here's a list of vetted places you can participate in paid focus groups.

Anna Baluch

  • Side Hustles

market research survey paid

Our mission at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. If a purchase or signup is made through one of our Partners’ links, we may receive compensation for the referral. Learn more here .

A few years ago, I got an invitation to attend a research study hosted by a local skincare company. They were launching a new line of products and wanted feedback from 20 to 25 year-old-women with dry skin.

Since I was a new college grad who needed extra cash, I decided to go. They asked me various questions regarding my current skincare regimen, the products I used, and how I felt about them. It only took an hour, and I got a $75 Visa gift card and a few product samples. Not a bad way to kill an hour.

If you like the idea of getting paid to share your opinions, you’re in luck. There are plenty of places that host paid research studies. While the study I did was in-person, there are many online research studies you can do at home.

Websites That Offer Paid Research Studies

You can find online focus groups that’ll pay you for your time and feedback through a variety of websites. Each site has its own requirements and payment structure, so it’s a good idea to explore all the options available.

1. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a survey site that’s been around since 2005. It will pay you to take surveys and express your opinions to big brands who want to improve their products and services. After you answer several questions about yourself and create a profile, the site will match you to surveys that are relevant to you.

Any time you complete a survey, you’ll earn virtual points, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or online gift cards. Most surveys take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, and you can expect to make between 100 to 200 points or $1 to $3 per survey. You won’t have to buy any products or sign up for other websites.

2. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is a survey panel that partners with large companies who want customer opinions. To join, you’ll enter basic information such as your age and where you live. Then, you’ll take a general household survey where you’ll share details about your lifestyle.

You’ll likely receive survey invitations via email several times a year. The number of points you’ll rack up will depend on the length of the surveys.

While short surveys are typically worth anywhere between 5 and 50 points, you can earn up to 5,000 points with longer ones. One point equals $0.01, and you can cash your points in for PayPal cash or donate them to charity.

Related: 17 Best Places to Take Paid Online Surveys for Money

3. Respondent

Respondent is unique because it organizes one-on-one paid research studies online and in person. You can sign up with your email address or via your Facebook or LinkedIn profile through the site.

Once you do, you’ll fill out some basic personal information such as your name, birthday, and email address. They’ll also ask for demographic details like your gender, ethnicity, and educational background.

After you’ve signed up, you’ll browse all of the “projects” available and details like the pay and how long they take to complete. When you see a project that interests you, you can apply to it through a short questionnaire. You’ll be emailed if the company chooses you for their project.

Most of the projects focus on small business or technology and pay anywhere from $50 to $85 via PayPal for 45 minutes to an hour of your time.

4. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com began in 1988 and offers surveys as well as in-person and online focus groups via phone and webcam. After you create a profile, you’ll be emailed surveys and focus group invitations.

The majority of the site’s surveys and focus groups revolve around health and wellness, pet products, finances, and shopping habits.

You’ll earn between $75 and $150 if you participate in focus groups and points for surveys, which you can apply toward a prepaid Visa debit card. You can cash out 100 points for $1.00.

5. Plaza Research

Plaza Research pays parents, kids, teens, students, doctors, and business professionals to share their opinions on new products and services. It hosts surveys and a variety of in-person focus groups throughout the country.

If you attend a focus group, you’ll likely be asked to try a new product, watch a TV commercial, or discuss your thoughts about future products. To receive survey and focus group invitations, fill out an online form. The form will ask you questions about your education, electronic use, employment, household, pets, and more.

You’ll get an email if you’re a good fit for a survey or focus group. The amount you’ll earn depends on its length and scope. Most participants will earn between $50 and $200, paid via check, for two hours of their time.

Related: How to Get Paid to Write Reviews

6. Mindswarms

You can create an account online or via the Mindswarms mobile app and get paid to answer questions via your smartphone or webcam.

After you apply to a survey that appeals to you, you’ll answer a few targeted questions to make sure you’re a good fit for it. If you are, you’ll answer seven questions and earn about $50. The money will be sent to your PayPal account within 24 hours. You can also redeem your earnings for an Amazon gift card.

7. Fieldwork

Fieldwork has facilitated marketing research studies since 1980. The company hosts in-person focus groups in 11 cities across the U.S. If you don’t live near any of these cities, you can still register for Fieldwork’s national database and participate in online or phone interviews.

To register, fill out an online questionnaire and wait for Fieldwork to call or email you when an opportunity is available. Most in-person focus groups last between one and two hours and can be on random topics such as cereal and video games. Compensation is usually a $75 Visa gift card.

8. User Interviews

User Interviews organizes focus groups in-person, via phone, or video streaming about products, services, and websites. For a chance to participate, create a profile with your birthday, gender, household income, marital status, and education level.

If you find a project that interests you, complete a short screener survey to see if you’re eligible. If you are, you can sign up for the focus group and earn an average of $50/hr. You’ll get paid via check.

9. Brand Institute

Brand Institute is a branding agency that supports healthcare and pharmaceutical companies with their marketing initiatives. You can become a Brand Institute panel member after you fill out a short online registration form. If you qualify for a paid research study, you’ll get an email notification and can participate right away.

Payment depends on the survey you take, and you’re more likely to receive invites for higher-paying surveys if you have a medical background. You can earn between $2 and $30 via check or PayPal. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others in healthcare report that they receive about four surveys a month.

Engage finds respondents for various market research and usability studies. It offers both in-person focus groups and online discussions for panel members. You can join the healthcare panel if you’re a medical professional or consumer panel if you’re an everyday consumer.

You’ll have to provide information about your income, marital status, education level, and job. Once you do, you’ll receive an email notification whenever you qualify for a study. Most studies cover topics like cars, electronics, food products, music, and medical conditions. They usually pay $50 to $250 via check or PayPal.

Universities that Facilitate Paid Focus Groups

Find research opportunities at your local university

  You can also find paid focus groups at colleges and universities. Many of them offer year-round opportunities and focus on psychology and human behavior. While most of these studies are performed online, a few require that you participate in person.

You don’t have to be a student to participate, and payment is typically in the form of PayPal cash, gift cards, or a check. If you’d like to earn money via college-run focus groups, take a look at the schools near your home. Their websites will likely include details about these types of opportunities.

  • Purdue University ( See studies )
  • Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School ( See studies )
  • Northwestern University Department of Psychology ( See studies )
  • Harvard University Psychology Study Pool ( See studies )
  • MIT Behavioral Research Lab ( See studies )

DollarSprout co-founder Jeff Proctor participated in a six-week research study on high-fat diets at Virginia Tech. During the study, he was compensated with meals and $500.

“It was a great experience but very involved,” he said. “I had to check in every day to get weighed, choose my meals, and get several blood and urine samples taken.”

How to Tell if a Focus Group Opportunity is Legit

Even though many focus group opportunities are legitimate, there are plenty of work-from-home scams out there. If you have to pay to participate or reveal confidential information such as your Social Security number or credit card details, that’s a red flag. Stay away from any focus groups that force you to buy products or services or sign up for other websites.

If you find an opportunity that interests you, do some online research to make sure it’s valid. Check the Better Business Bureau to see its rating and read any complaints. This way you can avoid a situation where you get excited about a focus group and then find out it’s a scam.

A legitimate company will never charge you to attend a focus group or take a survey. In addition, they’ll have a privacy policy that’s prominently displayed on their website and will only email you from a business email account, rather than one from a free service like Gmail or Yahoo.

Related: How One Woman Earns $5,000 per Month as a Surrogate Mother 

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Updated: February 13, 2024

Paid Research Studies

34 sites to find legit paid research studies and focus groups....

market research survey paid

This is the definitive guide to finding online paid research studies that you can earn from.

Today you’ll learn:

  • What online paid research is
  • What types of research you could participate in
  • Legit places to find well paying research studies you can do from home
  • Tips on how to succeed making money from paid research

I’ve spent a week researching and learning about all the different places you can earn cash from taking part in studies.

Paid Research Studies

🏆 Best Sites for Paid Research Studies

If you’re in a hurry, these are the top sites we recommend:

🌎 Worldwide

🇺🇸 Inside USA

  • FindFocusGroups.com

Reddit r/PaidStudies

Keep scrolling for more info and resources.

Jump to…

  • What is online paid research?
  • How much can I earn?
  • Best International Sites
  • Best Sites for the USA
  • 30+ More Legit Sites
  • Are paid research studies legit?
  • Are $350+ focus groups real?
  • What skills do I need?
  • General Tips

Pros and Cons

  • Can I be a full-time participant?
  • Share your experience

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🤔 What Is Online Paid Research?

Online paid research is a broad term. It mainly includes activities like:

  • Focus Groups Providing feedback with a bigger group of testers or participants.
  • In-home Interviews Talking directly with people over the phone or internet.
  • One-on-one Interviews Sharing your opinion via video conferencing software.
  • Answering Questionnaires Giving feedback to short questions based on your opinions or experiences.
  • Taste / Product Testing Receiving a “first-look” at products and testing them.
  • Mock Trial / Mock Jury Participating in a simulated court trial to help legal workers train.

You’ll sometimes see paid research called “paid studies” or “paid focus groups” too. 

Generally you’ll be providing companies information about their products or services to help them improve. Or you might be helping scientists or researchers gather information about things like diseases or human behavior.

The subject of research can be varied.

Note that we differentiate between paid research studies and paid surveys, though there can be some overlap. Both are considered GetPaidTo (GPT), but you’ll usually earn more money with research studies.

  • See our list of best survey sites

🤑 How Much Do Research Studies Pay?

Typically, research studies can pay anything between $8 – $450 per hour .

While generally not a consistent source of income, they can be a great way to earn some extra money.

An example of a paid online research study that many people could potentially qualify for:

market research survey paid

Potential earnings rely on a few factors:

  • Method of research Online studies tend to pay less than in-person ones. This is because the range of information a researcher can receive is limited to text or speech. Sometimes the higher paying studies need more information (i.e. health metrics in clinical research).
  • Length of study The longer the study, the higher the chance of earning. Some studies can be less than an hour in length. Others might go on for several weeks or months.
  • Type of payment Some online paid research positions don’t pay in cash at all but rather gift cards or vouchers. These could limit you to certain vendors you may not be interested in (Walmart when you live outside the U.S. for instance).
  • Number of research studies available Don’t be fooled into thinking high paying online studies are everywhere, they’re not. As far as market research companies or clinical trials go, they are expensive to set up and manage.
  • Demographics Certain studies want to target a specific age, income or gender etc. There’s no promise you’ll qualify for enough studies to make it worth your while.

The highest to lowest earning online paid research study types are:

  • Focus groups
  • Taste/product testing
  • Questionnaires or surveys ( list of best survey sites )

The last group pays the least but usually has more regular opportunities.

🌎 Best Places to Find Paid Studies Online

There are several legit sites to find paid research studies.

The two best places, in my opinion, are PingPong and Respondent . They take participants from anywhere, not just the U.S.

Let’s take a closer look at each.

Respondent.io is a website that helps companies like Allstate and eBay perform market research studies.

As a “respondent” (fancy word for research participant), you’ll be paid for taking part in focus groups, one-on-one interviews and other research work.

Examples of paid research studies available at Respondent:

Respondent review: Respondent interface

The majority of the studies are performed online or via phone (i.e. remote).

🤑 Earning Range

  • $20 – $500 per study
  • High payout
  • Good reputation among online workers
  • Not easy to qualify for research studies
  • Slow customer support
  • Full Respondent review

PingPong is a recent player in the marketing research space, launched in 2017. Its platform is designed to bring developers and research participants together in one-on-one video calls to help test websites . 

As their past clients include companies like BT, Skyscanner, Zapier and Nestle, you know they’re legit.

One user reported earning €40 per hour participating in 3 studies on PingPong:

market research survey paid

  • €10 – €100 for every session
  • €30+ per hour of a video call (special cases up to €200)
  • You don’t need to match any special criteria
  • The chance to work with top brands
  • Requires providing feedback with a webcam
  • Possibly boring if you’re not interested in web design and usability

🇺🇸 Best Sites For Paid Studies Online In The USA

If you’re a U.S. resident there are two more options worth checking out: FindFocusGroups.com and r/PaidStudies .

These are listing sites as opposed to market research companies. 

FindFocusGroups.com allows you to search for both in-person and online research studies taking place across America. 

At the time of writing, there are several online focus groups and clinical trials listed. These cover topics as broad as credit cards, Bay Area living and home ownership.

market research survey paid

  • $65 – $400 per study
  • Frequently updated 
  • Good number of focus-groups and research studies available
  • All studies with decent pay
  • Third-party site, can’t always promise legit studies
  • The application process isn’t standard (dependent on whatever site you’re referred to)

r/PaidStudies is a growing subreddit that was first started in 2017.

It lists paid market research studies, including the ones that can be done online from anywhere in the USA.

An example of a paid study linked from r/PaidStudies:

market research survey paid

  • $25 – $500 per study
  • New research studies posted daily
  • Big range of study types; clinical trials, focus groups, product testing, etc.
  • You don’t have to create an account to apply 
  • Some overlap with platforms like Respondent re-posting studies

😎 30 Other Legit Places to Find Paid Focus Group

There are a bunch of other legit places with research studies available.

Sites below are listed in alphabetical order. So, there are some really good ones mentioned even towards the very end of the article. Keep scrolling down and you will see examples of online studies that pay up to $500 for a 75-minute call interview …

20|20 Research

Part of the Schlesinger marketing group, 20|20 Research has over 30 years experience in the industry.

They offer both online focus groups and one-on-one interviews mainly to U.S. residents. Examples:

market research survey paid

  • $50 – $350 per qualitative research
  • $1 – $10 for each quick survey (quantitative research)
  • High earning potential
  • Many short survey opportunities available, paying out anything between $1 – $10 cash
  • Lengthy pre-screening tests
  • Higher earning rates for in-person studies (specifically for people in Charlotte, Nashville and Miami)

Adler Weiner Research

Adler Weiner Research has over 60 years experience in the industry. They specialize in consumer, medical and business-to-business marketing.

They offer focus-groups, in-depth interviews and shop alongs (a research team goes with you to shop).

An example of online study:

market research survey paid

  • $25 – $300 per study
  • Diverse research study types
  • Reputable company
  • Mostly want people for in-person studies in Chicago, Los Angeles and Orange Country

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)

Mechanical Turk is a “microjobs” site from Amazon where you can get paid to perform small tasks, including participation in research studies.

MTurk brings researchers and participants together allowing for pseudo-anonymity between both. Having a third party (Amazon) overseeing payments is a great way to protect both parties.

Examples of the higher paying tasks one user reported on the Hustle:

market research survey paid

As you can see above, this user was earning between $10.54 – $14.24 per hour, while only taking the highest paying surveys.

However, most tasks pay at the lower end:

market research survey paid

The Hustle reported average earnings:

A 2018 academic study analyzed 3.8m tasks completed by 2,676 workers on MTurk and found that average earnings through the platform amounted to $2 per hour . Only 4% of all workers earned more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.
  • $1 – $14 per hour
  • Many varied opportunities
  • Open to internationals
  • Lower paying
  • Strong competition for places
  • Check this subreddit which posts the highest paying tasks on MTurk

American Consumer Opinion

Boasting 6 million members, American Consumer Opinion runs paid research studies several times a year. They normally don’t pay much, but you might be selected for those rare market research studies that pay up to $50.

The platform runs on a points system rather than cash payouts. When you hit $10.00, you can request your money.

  • About $2 – $5 for a few minute study
  • $0.1 – $0.3 compensation if you disqualify
  • Varied research subjectis (product opinions, website testing, etc.)
  • Much more low-paying surveys than higher-paying focus groups

Apex Focus Group

Apex Focus Group is seeking individuals to participate in paid focus groups, survey panels, clinical trials, and phone interviews.

Most of their studies are 90 – 120 minutes in duration and on the topics like food, sports, entertainment, pets, electronics, automobiles and parenting.

market research survey paid

  • $35 – $75 (per 1 hour session)
  • $250 – $500 (multi-session studies)
  • High payouts
  • Varied research topics
  • High competition among participants
  • U.S. residents only

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Brand Institute

As the parent of the Drug Safety Institute (DSI), Brand Institute specializes in medical research surveys.

They only work with licenced healthcare workers as participants. Most surveys seem to take 15 to 40 minutes and pay between $10 – $20 on average .

The list of open surveys is only available for signed-up users. But you can find their users reviews on Facebook . One user posted a screenshot of his survey history a few years ago…

market research survey paid

  • $2 – $30 per study
  • Quick earning opportunity for healthcare workers
  • Many reported that surveys were interesting and fun
  • Requires a medical license number from participants
  • Not that many surveys seem to be available lately

Carnegie Mellon University | Center for Behavioral and Decision Research

Carnegie Mellon runs a few online studies from their research lab. Subjects include things like personal attitudes, beliefs, human judgement and decision-making. 

market research survey paid

  • $8 per hour on average (for online studies)
  • Short online studies (from 5 minutes to an hour)
  • Enter a lottery for a chance to win a larger prize
  • Participants are primarily needed for in-person studies in labs on campus
  • Can not participate in more than one study at one time

Columbia Business School | Center for Decision Sciences

Columbia Business School is continually recruiting people to take part in online studies.

Recent topics of study have involved completing interactive decision-making tasks, short cognitive tests, solving brain teasers and answering general questions about politics.

  • About $16 per hour
  • Good number of research projects
  • Steady pay rate
  • Few studies for people outside US
  • May be strict eligibility requirements

CenterWatch

CenterWatch is an aggregator of worldwide clinical research studies. They list studies from research labs and clinics all over the globe, including those doing important research on subjects like dementia and genetic screening.

Unfortunately, they often don’t disclose the earning ranges on their studies and many are strictly voluntary.

You’ll need to play around with the search filters to find paid and/or online studies. Try searching for the following keywords:

  • Compensation
  • Compensated

Here’s an example of a paid online study I found via search:

market research survey paid

  • Available studies on all continents (but mainly in North America, Europe and Asia)
  • You can find well-paid studies
  • Poor site navigation (hunting for paid online studies can take a while)
  • Many studies are voluntary

Fieldwork is a marketing research company that has been operating since 1980.

They are mainly focused on consumer and medical panels and have several in-person paid research locations in the US.

  • $75 minimum for focus groups
  • Short sessions (1-2 hours)
  • Variety of topics
  • Few online paid research gigs (most are in-person)

FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com is another research company owned by the Schlesinger Group. They list many online focus groups and research studies on their Facebook page .

FocusGroup.com also operates under the brands Focus Pointe Global and Inspired Opinions.

Example of an online focus group:

market research survey paid

  • $75 – $200 per study
  • Reputable brand
  • Slow payout (cash usually received within 6-8 weeks of participation)
  • There could be some delays in payment
  • Check out Focus Group on Facebook for the latest studies

Google’s User Experience Research

Google runs different focus group studies to get user feedback on a range of their products and services.

Many of these studies offer redemptions in the form of gift cards or charity donations. Gift card options are relevant to your country.

  • $25 – $200 per hour of screen-recording surveys
  • About $0.5 or more for 30-40 minutes of surveys that don’t require screen recordings

Here’s the official word from Google :

Once your participation is complete, you’ll get a small thank-you gift like a gift card or a donation to your favorite charity . We’ll always tell you what the reward will be before you decide whether to participate.
  • Wide eligibility (just have to use Google products)
  • Open for people outside the US
  • Donate to your favorite charity
  • Lengthy sign-up process (1-2 hours survey regarding your usage of Google products)
  • Pay varies greatly depending on a type of survey

Harvard University | Psychology Department Study Pool

Running since the 1800’s, Harvard’s reputation as one of the world’s finest educational institutions is global.

Harvard’s Psychology Department is also one the highest ranked in the world. It has openings for paid research on the regular.

Some of the studies require you to attend in person, but they also do online studies. Time and compensation will be listed in the description of each study.

  • $10 – $25 per hour on average
  • Available opportunities for foreign internationals
  • Limited places (plus high competition)

MIT Behavioral Research Lab

There are many different types of paid research you can do with the MIT Behavioral Research Lab. Common activities include completing group assignments, filling out questionnaires, playing games and taking part in interviews or discussions.

MIT uses the platform Sona to bring participants and research leaders together. Online studies usually last between 15 and 45 minutes.

  • $10 – $20 per hour for online studies

While most researchers pay participants a flat rate, some researchers prefer to use a performance-based payment system, where participants receive a fixed base rate for completing a study, plus a variable bonus that reflects how well they perform in certain tasks.

  • Performance-based payment gives opportunity to earn more
  • Strict eligibility criteria
  • Open to US residents only

Mindswarms is a market research company that’s focused exclusively on video.

Completing one of their studies involves recording your insights on a business or product via a smartphone, tablet or webcam. Past clients include Nike, Verizon and Google. You can find out more about their clients here .

  • $10 – $50 per study (from a few minutes to 20 min)
  • Video format
  • Few studies available

Northwestern University | Department of Psychology

Northwestern University’s Psychology Department is at the cutting edge of psychological research in America.

Recent study topics include Covid-19, the impact of the Trump presidency and the efficiency of female leaders.

An example of a recent online study:

market research survey paid

  • $15 – $421 per study
  • Interesting topics
  • Available studies for those under 18 years of age
  • Most surveys for U.S. residents only

Purdue University

Purdue University, known as one of the most innovative schools in America, is another site that will pay you for taking part in studies.

A recent online telehealth study, looking at speech in individuals with Parkinson’s disease, shows the type of research they do…

market research survey paid

  • $10 – $70 per study
  • Some studies provide extra bonuses for completing sessions
  • Website is difficult to navigate (hard to figure out which opportunities are online vs in-person)
  • Few online studies

Plaza Research

In business since 1982, Plaza Research runs a lot of studies targeted at consumers, parents, teens, students, business professionals and healthcare workers.

Most focus groups are up to 2-hours long and discuss things like new products from major manufacturers.

market research survey paid

  • $50 – $200 per study
  • Growing number of opportunities (online survey taking, paid interviews and focus groups)
  • Long sign-up process
  • Poor website design

Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research conducts group interviews over the phone or online. You can get paid for your opinions on things like new TV commercials, beauty products and even soda bottle designs. Past clients include Dell, Lego and eBay.

An example of recent online research on credit cards:

  • $50 – $400 per study
  • Chance to work with top brands
  • Mostly US-based opportunities
  • Check out PMR’s on Facebook to view recent research opportunities

Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field has been in business since 1977. They specialize in connecting and inviting participants to take part in focus groups, phone interviews, online surveys and in-home product testing.

Some studies pay cash while others offer Amazon gift cards and PayPal payouts.

market research survey paid

  • $100 – $300 per study
  • Varied research formats (phone, online, in-home, etc.)
  • Competitive (the website claims a pool of 300,000 respondents)
  • Check out Recruit & Field on Facebook for the latest studies

Reddit r/FocusGroups

r/FocusGroups is a community very similar to r/PaidStudies and has a lot of crossover. You can sign up to each of the opportunities they list directly.

At the time of writing there are studies paying as high as $250 per hour that require only a WebCam to share product opinions…

market research survey paid

  • New daily listings
  • Overlaps with other sites on this list

Resolution Research

Resolution Research looks for “engaged and enthusiastic participants from all walks of life in the US and Canada”, according to their website.

They run focus groups, product and device tests, mock juries, taste tests and online surveys. They also run two other research panels; The Medical Panel and PaidStudies.com.

  • $20 – $200 per survey (estimated)
  • Reputable brand (several studies running across different panels)
  • Confusing web interface (lots of redirection to other panels/websites)

SIS International

SIS International does research into topics like smoking and tobacco use, social media opinions and online entertainment use.

You’ll get paid to join focus groups, do online surveys and give product feedback in one-to-one interviews. Example:

market research survey paid

  • $25 – $400 per study
  • Open to international participants (Germany, London, Milan, etc.)
  • Available studies for teenagers
  • Some users reported poor customer service
  • Check out SIS International on Facebook for the latest studies in the USA

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford’s School of Business is another Ivy-league University running a research lab.

Most studies can be done online or in-person at choice. Studies typically include cash or gift card payments averaging $25 an hour .

Studies are usually run through Sona, MTurk or Opinion World.

  • $25 per hour
  • Most studies can be done online
  • Specific eligibility requirements

SurveyFeeds

SurveyFeeds is another aggregator site that lists several online paid research gigs.

market research survey paid

  • Nationwide studies
  • Not many studies available

Survey Squad

Survey Squad is most active on their Twitter account when it comes to listing new paid research spots. Recent studies include online live chats on the topic of finance, nutrition and dating.

market research survey paid

  • Earn additional rewards by completing multiple surveys through Survey Squad
  • Many users reported never qualifying for surveys or being denied after initial confirmation
  • Slow payout
  • Check out SurveySquad’s Twitter account for the latest studies

University of California | Anderson Behavioral Lab

The UCLA Anderson School of Management has a couple of online paid research places looking at things like decision making, consumer and organizational behavior and human judgement. 

You’ll have to register via Sona ( here ) to apply for paid studies.

  • $13 – $15 per hour
  • Few research gigs

University of California | Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

The Semel Institute offers mainly in-person research studies but does have a few online studies occasionally.

Research focuses on neuroscience, with investigations into things like body dysmorphia, depression and sleep. Some studies focus on teens under 18 years too.

Click on the studies that interest you on this page and contact the email address provided.

  • $10 – $15 per hour (estimated)
  • Interesting and varied research topics
  • Online studies are rare (and hard to filter them on the site)

User Interviews

User Interviews does what it says, it pays to hear your thoughts over Zoom calls and other conferencing software.

Recent studies have looked at things like streaming services, food delivery and mobile apps. You can view the list of available paid research studies here .

market research survey paid

  • $15 – $340 per study
  • Many studies with decent pay
  • The company has good reputation
  • Long screeners to apply for studies
  • May be hard to qualify

The WatchLab is an American-based marketing agency operating out of Portland and Chicago.

They sometimes have paid studies you can do over the phone or online. Most of these are 1-2 hour long focus groups.

market research survey paid

  • $90 – $200 per study
  • Mainly focus groups
  • Most studies are in-person
  • Check out watchLab’s Facebook page for the latest studies

👮‍♂️ Are Paid Research Studies Legit?

I’d say paid research studies are definitely legit.

Like any online earning opportunity you have to be careful though. Many sites will just waste your time with screening questionnaires if you don’t fit certain demographics.

Make sure the paid research study you do apply for has their criteria clearly listed.

⚠️ How to Make Sure Research Companies Are Legit

Here’s what you can do to avoid wasting your time and only find legit chances to earn:

  • Check for an official address Does the company have a listed public address with contact numbers and staff listings?
  • Look for a professional website Does the website look well put together with a good about page that talks about how studies work?
  • Read the company privacy policy Read all documentation available so you know your rights as a participant.
  • Check email correspondence Does the email address include the company or institution’s name?
  • Avoid any request for money If someone is asking for money up front it’s definitely a scam.
  • Check online profiles : Verify who you’re dealing with by looking for a company profile at the Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot.org.

🧐 Are $350 focus groups real?

Although there are chances to earn this amount of cash (or higher) don’t expect it to be standard. Earnings like this aren’t typical.

Your best chance to earn high are to go with the sites recommended at the beginning of this article:

  • r/PaidStudies

🤓 What Skills Do You Need For Paid Studies?

You only need basic skills to take part in paid studies.

Besides being able to confidently use a computer or mobile device, you’ll also need to be good at the following:

  • Communication Speaking when requested and giving precise feedback.
  • Punctuality Attending studies at the time specified.
  • Question comprehension Understand and matching what’s asked in each study.
  • Upholding confidentiality Respecting the privacy requests of the research.

😎 General Tips For Doing Well With Paid Research

Here are some suggestions to do well in paid research and increase your chances of landing further gigs:

  • Know your rights Carefully read the terms and conditions of every study you join.
  • Give honest information Be truthful with your answers, don’t give research leaders the answers you think they might want to hear.
  • Remain patient Don’t interrupt other participants.
  • Follow instructions Do the things researchers ask of you to the best of your ability.

What Are The Pros and Cons of Paid Research?

The main pros and cons below:

  • It’s a simple and fast way to make decent money
  • Sharing your opinions can be interesting and fun
  • Your opinions can have an important impact
  • It’s not a reliable way to earn 
  • It’s tough to find high paying online research gigs
  • Meeting the criteria and getting accepted can take a long time

Can I Be A Full-Time Online Research Participant?

My opinion is that it’s next to impossible to do online research as a full-time job.

There just aren’t enough studies to qualify for and most of them won’t pay out enough to make it worth your while.

  • See more reliable ways to make money online

💬 Share Your Experience

Have you participated in any online research studies? Are there any good sites you’re aware of that we didn’t mention?

Let us know in the comments below .

Other ways to make money online

There are many other ways to make money online, to work from home or anywhere in the world.

  • Full list of ways to make money online
  • More profiles of online money makers

About The Author

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Website flipping starter guide – 11 things you really should know about website flipping.

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Extra Money

20 Best Online Focus Groups in 2024

Sireesha Narumanchi | Published: March 21, 2023 | Updated: May 1, 2024

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS – IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE .

paid research studies

You must have come across paid research studies if you have ever searched for extra income options.

These are a step-up from survey sites and require more participation, but they pay well.

Research studies are one of the many side hustles that are worth your time for the following reasons:

  • They pay well (depending on the study).
  • They are “quick money” gigs.
  • The studies are quite extensive and interesting.

Though they are a good way to earn money on the side, you should tread carefully when taking part in paid research studies. There are many scams out there claiming to be legit. Always sign up with trusted and legitimate market research companies.

If you are ready to part with a good amount of your time for money—definitely more than your typical surveys—you can look into research studies. 

survey junkie logo

Survey Junkie

Make money by sharing your opinion! Survey Junkie rewards you for taking surveys and testing products. Get free gift cards or cash!

20 Paid Research Studies You Can Do for Extra Money

#1. user interviews.

user interviews logo

User Interviews

Participate in research studies and earn extra cash in your free time! User Interviews has paid over $25 million in rewards to its members till now. It’s simple: sign up, give your opinion, and get paid.

User Interviews is one of the more popular websites for participating in paid research studies online. It has many types of studies available including in-person interviews, phone interviews, multiday studies, etc. The studies can pay up to $150, depending on the duration and the type of study.

You can sign up on the website, and once you pass the screening survey, you can participate in the study you are interested in. User Interviews is available in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and South Africa.

Recommended reading:

  • Is User Interviews Legit? My Honest Review

Up to $150 per study. 

#2. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a popular survey panel often has product research studies available. In addition to high-paying surveys, Survey Junkie offers product testing, in-person focus groups, and phone surveys. The pay may range anywhere from $50 to $150 for these opportunities.

The best thing about Survey Junkie is it’s a legit survey panel with loads of extra income options like surveys and product testing. Just sign up and get started.

Can pay up to $50 to $150 per study. 

#3. Fieldwork

Fieldwork is another market research company that has paid research studies in 11 locations in the US, like San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, New York City, Minneapolis, and more. Even if you don’t live near these cities, you can still register in the company’s database to get phone or online studies. Fieldwork has different types of studies, including taste tests, product trials, shop-along reviews, etc.

The discussions range from 1 to 2 hours, and the pay is around $75 or more for one to two hours.

#4. Mindswarms

Mindswarms is a market research company that pays its participants to share their views about products and services via video. You can record your answers on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Once you sign up, you can apply for studies in your dashboard. After some screening questions, if you are selected, you can record your answers through video.

You get $50 for answering 10 questions about products, and payments are made via PayPal.

  • 23 Product Tester Jobs from Home in 2024 (Extra Money & Free Stuff)
  • 20 Best Sign-up Bonus Apps for Free Money in 2024
  • 31 Clever Ways to Make Money Doing Nothing (Updated 2024)

#5. Respondent

Respondent is another research study website that has many paid research interviews available. This website works similarly to User Interviews. You can sign up online and choose the studies via the website or through email invitations. Once you go through the screening surveys, you can proceed with the study.

The pay is usually around $120 per study and is made via PayPal. Keep in mind that Respondent takes a cut of 5% from the pay.

#6. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) has been around for a long time and is a trusted website for surveys and research studies. This survey panel is available worldwide, and it sends you invites for studies whenever they are available. Unlike other websites, American Consumer Opinion only pays in points.

You can accrue anywhere from 50 to 5,000 points for surveys depending on their length, which can be redeemed for cash via PayPal. You can also enter into sweepstakes or donate to charity.

Pay depends on the study.

#7. Inspired Opinions

Inspired Opinions is backed by the Schlesinger Group and has many diverse market research studies including in-person interviews, telephone interviews, online surveys, etc. It is available in the US, the UK, Spain, and Germany.

The in-person studies pay up to $100 for two hours, and the online surveys are paid in points that can be redeemed for Amazon e-vouchers.

#8. Engage in Depth

Engage in Depth has paid research studies for two demographics: general consumer/business professionals and medical/healthcare community members. Their studies range from in-person, telephone interviews to online, video and mobile studies.

You can sign up from anywhere globally.

The pay can go up to $200, depending on the study. Payments are made via virtual gift card after 5 to 7 days.

#9. Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research offers online and phone interviews as well as in-person studies. Once you fill out the online form with all the required information, the company will contact you if suitable studies come up.

The pay is usually between $50 and $400, depending on the study.

#10. Brand Institute

Brand Institute has regular studies available in pharmaceutical and market research areas. You can sign up with your details and get email invites for new studies.

It accepts participants from all over the world.

The pay depends on the type and length of the studies.

#11. watchLAB

watchLAB homepage

watchLAB offers paid focus groups, telephone and in-person interviews, and online studies. You can sign up online and get email invites, or check its Facebook page for new studies.

If you pass the screening questions, you can go ahead with the study. Online study payments are made via checks.

Up to $50 to $100 per study.

#12. Plaza Research

Another website that provides various market research studies is Plaza Research . It has focus groups, online surveys, and telephone and in-home interviews.

It mainly looks for consumers, parents, kids/teens, students, physicians, and business professionals.

The payment depends on the length and type of study.

Universities Offering Paid Online Research Studies:

#1. carnegie mellon university.

You can participate in online or in-person studies conducted by Carnegie Mellon University . The length of an online study ranges from five minutes to one hour.

Type of studies: Personal attitudes and beliefs, human judgment and decision-making, preferences, interpersonal perceptions, group performance, interaction with computers and machines, and public policy perceptions.

Payment usually averages around $8 per hour for online studies, or participants may be entered into a lottery to win a larger prize. In-person studies pay around $10 per hour.

#2. MIT Behavioral Research Lab

The Behavioral Research Lab of MIT has many studies available, and you need to sign up online before you get started. If you are 18 years of age or over, live in the US, and speak and write English without difficulty, you can join the participant pool.

It offers both in-person and online studies.

The pay is around $11–$20/hour for online studies and $15–$25/hour for in-person studies.

#3. Yale School of Management

Yale School of Management has both online and in-person studies. You can sign up to be considered for upcoming studies or like its Facebook page to learn about new studies.

The payment is usually cash or Amazon gift cards.

#4. Harvard University Psychology Study Pool

You can participate in online studies with Harvard University Psychology Study Pool . Participants must be aged between 12 and 99 years old. Credit studies are for Harvard students, and payment studies are open for anyone.

Payment goes up to $25 per hour and is paid through gift cards.

#5. Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford Graduate School of Business recruits participants for in-person or online studies. You must be 18 years or older and complete a prescreen form to participate. You can sign up for these studies even if you are not a US citizen.

Average pay is up to $25 paid in cash or gift cards.

#6. The University of Texas at Austin Department of Psychology

This university has many in-person paid medical studies available; you can check them out here . They are suitable for current students and others as well.

Pay ranges from $20 to $150, depending on the study.

#7. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior has studies related to brain functioning and behavior. It has both adult and child studies, and you can sign up online.

The pay is up to $100 per study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can you find research studies online.

You can find many research study opportunities with the companies listed above. Always go with trusted and legit websites when looking for paid studies.

How much can you get paid for research studies?

There are many types of research studies; they can be in-person, online, over the phone, etc. How much you earn depends on the type of study and the duration.

They can range anywhere from $5 to $200 per study.

Are paid studies legit?

Yes, they are legit and pay well. Sign up for the right ones with all your details and respond to the invites on time.  Keep in mind that standard research studies take more time and involvement than surveys. The upside is they pay more.

High-Paying Alternatives to Focus Groups

If you want a more stable income and want to do it flexibly, here are some of the best alternatives :

#1. Proofreading

Got a keen eye for detail? Love correcting errors in documents? Then proofreading might be a perfect fit for you. This is a high-paying job that has the potential to become a profitable business. If you are keen to give this a try, check out  this workshop , where you will discover the skills needed to become a proofreader from home.

  • 51 Best Proofreading Online Jobs for Beginners & Pros (Pay, Requirements)

#2. Blogging

Blogging is an excellent way to make extra income entirely online, and the best part is that it is quite flexible, and you can do it along with a full-time job. I am making around  $5,000 a month  blogging part-time, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for extra income online. I have a super easy-to-follow a  step-by-step guide  to starting your own money-making blog.

  • Top 8 Reasons You Should Start Blogging Today
  • How to Make Over $4,000/Month Working from Home

#3. Bookkeeper

I know you might be thinking this job might be for accountants or people with experience in bookkeeping. It’s not. You can be a work-at-home bookkeeper without any experience. Bookkeeper  is a perfect online work option, giving you extra income. If this is something you are looking for, then check out this detailed   post   about bookkeeping .

  • 15 Companies for Remote Accounting Jobs in 2024

Final Thoughts 

If you are looking for ways to earn money from home or to do side gigs without any commitment, participating in research studies for money is a great choice. Paid research studies are great extra income earners if you have some free time on hand. Just take care to sign up only for authentic studies and choose only the ones that suit you.

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Vocal Views

Recruit & Interview Consumers Globally

Sign up as a Client to schedule Online Video Focus Groups, or as a Moderator, Translator or Consumer to advertise your services.

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A flexible suite of research tools for human-insight-driven companies

VocalViews® is an online market research community with over 185,000 members fully verified globally.

Our bespoken recruitment algorithms allow you to recruit your target audience in under 24 hours to face to face methodologies and directly onto our secure and robust video interviewing platform.

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Webcam group, webcam interview, focus group, mystery shop, how it works, create interview.

Create customised projects as a Client selecting from a variety of online and in-person methodologies including; Webcam FGD's, Online Communities, Offline Interviews, home visits and more.

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Filter 185,000 registered members based on profile variables; demographics, purchase habits, hobbies and interests. Alternatively, Upload a list of respondents by email. Upon registration, users will receive an invite to the private interview.

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If you require assistance with recruiting a target audience, filter through 185,000 registered members based on profile variables; demographics, purchase habits, hobbies and interests.

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Create an email campaign, using our template meta variables, or create custom text specific to the project, directly inviting filtered members to participate or complete a pre-screener first.

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Send complimentary direct messages to Consumers and Suppliers via the dashboard, requesting additional information and clarification prior to sending an invitation to participate.

  • Participate

Collaborate face-to-face with your respondents in real-time in video conference mode with automatic speaker detection. The system allows 20 consumers to participate in any one focus group.

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Schedule interviews, create screeners, invite members, send confirmation emails and pay incentives all within VocalViews®.

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Money4Talk – Paid Focus Groups and Surveys

Step 1 - Sign Up

Sign up for free by answering a few simple questions about yourself on this website. When you submit the survey, you will automatically be added to our database of potential participants.

Step 2 - We Call You

When we have a paid online focus group, paid focus group or survey for which you might qualify, you’ll be contacted by us over the phone. At that time, you will be told the topic of discussion and payment amount.

Step 3 - Participate in Paid Focus Group or Survey

These are group discussions that take place in an office building or similar location. These groups typically last two hours and usually take place in the evening.

Step 4 - Get Paid

At the end of the survey or focus group, you will be handed the agreed upon compensation in cash.

We are a national market research firm that conducts telephone surveys and paid focus groups and paid online focus groups in NYC and around the country.

What our participants say.

market research survey paid

Small Business Trends

Surveys for money: the 10 best legit paid survey websites to try.

Table of Contents

Filling in Surveys for Money Online

In the world of online money making apps , surveys offer an avenue, but it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. Participating in surveys won’t replace a full-time job, but surveys pay enough to bring in a supplemental income. Market research companies rely on these surveys to gather consumer insights. Legitimate paid online survey sites provide a bridge between businesses seeking opinions and individuals looking to earn a bit extra.

Choosing the Best Surveys-for-Money Platforms: Our Methodology

Surveys for money: the top 10 online survey sites to try.

Looking to earn extra cash? Dive into our list of the best surveys for money with these top paid gig apps sites. These best-paid survey sites are your ticket to share opinions, complete surveys, and pocket some bucks. Let’s explore the top options together…

1. Survey Junkie

2. opinion outpost, 3. swagbucks.

Swagbucks stands out with its versatile rewards system, offering opportunities to accumulate points through surveys, video-watching, shopping, and more. This well-established platform is favored by those looking for diverse earning avenues. With tens of thousands of paid surveys and options like cash back or gift cards, Swagbucks is one of the most legitimate and significant survey companies, open to users in several countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and others. The age requirement starts from 13 years old.

4. LifePoints

5. mypoints, 6. branded surveys, 7. kashkick.

Kashkick presents US users aged 18 and above with versatile ways to earn rewards, including surveys, video watching, and offer completion. Its assortment of options caters to those looking for diverse avenues to accumulate rewards gradually. Although there’s no mobile app, the user-friendly online dashboard simplifies navigation. Beyond surveys, Kashkick rewards tasks like game playing and account sign-ups, ultimately paying out cash through PayPal upon reaching $10.

8. Ipsos iSay

10. valued opinions.

SiteAmount Per SurveyPayout ThresholdPayment MethodRewardsOverview
Survey Junkie$1 to $3$10 (1000 points)PayPal, gift cards, bank transferNoneUser-friendly, reliable payouts, diverse survey topics, automatic points on sign-up.
Opinion Outpost$0.50 to $5$10 (PayPal), $5 (gift cards)PayPal, gift cardsNoneIdeal for beginners, user-friendly, low payout threshold.
Swagbucks$0.40 to $2$25 (PayPal), $3 (gift cards)PayPal, gift cards$10 sign-up bonusMultiple earning opportunities, available in various countries, low age requirement (13+).
LifePoints$0.60 to $1550 LPs (~$5)PayPal, gift cards10 LifePointsGlobal platform, quick survey qualification, 18+ age requirement.
MyPoints50 to 600 Points (~$0.28 to ~$3.42)$3Gift cards$5 Welcome BonusMix of surveys and shopping, multiple earning methods, US and Canada only.
Branded Surveys$0.30 to $3$5PayPal, gift cards, bank transfer100 Points Welcome BonusElite program, reward levels, quality surveys.
Kashkick$0.50 to $5$10PayPalNoneDiverse earning methods, no app, US, 18+.
Ipsos iSay$0.10 to $1$15 (PayPal or Visa), $10 (gift cards)PayPal, gift cardsNoneReputable, diverse survey topics.
Toluna$1 to $5$10PayPal, gift cardsNoneSurveys on products, services, and trends.
Valued Opinions$1 to $5$20Gift cardsNonePlatform for diverse opinion sharing.

Online Surveys for Money Tips

When it comes to making the most of online surveys for money, a bit of strategy can go a long way. Here are some essential tips that will help you navigate the world of paid surveys and make the most out of your efforts:

Avoid Online Surveys for Money if You Spot These 6 Red Flags

Start to take paid online surveys today, which money surveys are legit, can you make a living doing surveys.

While paid surveys are among the easiest ways to make money on your phone and online, making a full living solely from surveys is unlikely. Surveys are more suitable as a supplemental income source, allowing you to earn extra cash by sharing your opinions and insights on various topics.

What survey site gives the most money?

What is the highest-paying survey app.

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  • Studies All Focus Groups App Installs Clinical Trials Online Surveys Product Testing

EARN EXTRA CASH

  • Earn $50-$200 for each study (sometimes even up to $1200!)
  • From the comfort of your own home
  • Shape the products of the future
  • 100's of new studies every month
  • Free to join!

Total Focus Groups

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Some of the top cities we serve

Los angeles (la), new york city (nyc), philadelphia, san francisco (sf), how it works.

Registration is free and only takes 2 minutes.

More than 150 listings at any time.

Found a study you’re interested in? Take the intake survey.

Your application will be reviewed. If you qualify, you will be invited to participate.

5. Get paid

After completing the focus group, you will be paid by either VISA card or check.

You can sign up for as many studies as you want

We offer the following market research studies

Focus groups.

We publish 250-300 focus groups every month. Most pay between $50 - $200.

Clinical Trials

Do you suffer from an illness or disease? You may qualify to participate in clinical trials. Earn up to $1200.

App Installs

Earn passive, monthly income by installing apps on your phone. Collect monthly payments automatically.

Online Surveys

Take quick and easy online surveys from the comfort of your home.

Product Testing

Get paid to share your opinions by testing products from the top brands. Product testers receive free samples and get paid to review the products!

Mystery Shopping - Coming Soon!

Get paid to shop! If you love shopping you will love these assignments.

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user

3 hours ago

I have attended a few focus groups which was interactive and was educational too! I enjoyed the group discussions and contributed as well! I would highly recommend it to anyone interested!

I suggest that you sign up for focus groups and see for yourself just have patience and will come up that you would be a perfect candidate for trust me.

10 hours ago

An awesome way to get paid and enjoy your job while giving and honest output that may make a difference

I’ve been doing these groups FOREVER!! They can really be fun sometimes! I’ve learned a lot about different products and industries from them. Just wish you could do more than one every 6 months!

12 hours ago

Not time consuming! Great way to give my opinion! And get paid to do it!

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Best Wallet Hacks

Five Best Market Research Survey Companies (that have paid out millions!)

I hate waiting in line. Whether it’s at Costco, the grocery store, or just waiting in a parking lot for my kids, I really don’t like to sit around.

It’s a waste of time!

But, I recently discovered that I could use those five or ten minutes (or more sometimes) to make a little extra money. I won’t get rich doing this but it’s better than not earning anything. I’d rather be making a little money, answering a survey while I listen to the radio or my favorite podcast, than flipping through Facebook and earning nothing.

So, here are the five best survey sites I found.

I’ve used each one and I’ve been paid by each one, so each come with my personal seal of approval.

Never pay to join a market research survey site . That’s a sign that it’s surely a scam. None of these approved market research survey companies will ask you to pay. They should always be paying you!

1. Survey Junkie

market research survey paid

SurveyJunkie is one of my favorite survey companies because they only do surveys . They don’t have games, videos, emails, and all that other stuff. They’re 100% surveys and they pay you in points that translate directly into cash. No funny math here either.

Survey Junkie is the survey arm of Active Measure and was founded in 2013 in Glendale, California. They have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and I’ve personally used them to fill out surveys and make money.

Here’s a detailed review of Survey Junkie.

👉 Learn more about Survey Junkie

2. Swagbucks

Swagbucks

Swagbucks has paid their members over $566 million (as of January 2024) for doing the things you’re already doing.

Here’s how it works. You earn Swagbucks for doing the things you already do online like:

  • Shopping through their cashback portal,
  • Searching the web, their search is powered by Yahoo,
  • Answering surveys,
  • Watching videos in a variety of categories like entertainment, food, music, etc,
  • Playing games (this pays very little but is available),
  • and printing coupons.

You earn the most points through cashback shopping, searching the web, and answering surveys. Everything you do will earn you points and you can redeem those points for gift cards or get cash deposited into your PayPal account.

Swagbucks, incorporated as Prodege LLC, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (their highest rating) and is an Accredited Business. They’ve been around since 2005, which is nearly as long as Facebook, which is an eternity in Internet years.

The best part is that they give you $10 in SwagBucks to start. ( read our Swagbucks review )

👉 Learn more about Swagbucks

3. Pinecone Research

market research survey paid

Pinecone Research was one of the first survey companies I signed up for. They used to send you these $5 blue checks before they sent the survey details and you could cash them – it seemed too good to be true. This was because they were extremely selective about who they let into their marketing research groups and so they carefully curated each person.

Pinecone Research offers surveys and pays in “points” but you can convert them into cash or merchandise fairly easily. Sometimes it involves a simple survey, sometimes you’re part of a focus group that tries out new products, and you never know what you’ll get.

Like all the others on this list, there is no cost to join.

👉 Learn more about Pinecone Research

IMPORTANT: If that link works and you enter your information, you will get your first survey – it’s to fill out your profile. Fill it out! If you don’t, there’s zero chance you get accepted.

4. InboxDollars

InboxDollars

This is similar to Swagbucks, you can earn money for shopping online, watching videos, answering surveys, and even just clicking on links in emails (you don’t have to sign up for anything, but you earn more if you do). The big difference is that it’s just cash – no gift cards. They tell you how much you earn per task and then pay you that amount.

In terms of earnings, they’re not the highest paying but you can turn a minute into money. You can earn a few cents each time you click a link in a PaidEmail. If you’re waiting in line and have just a few minutes, you can turn it into a few cents.

The surveys themselves pay very little. That part surprised me. A just looked at a recent survey offer – $0.40 for a 20-minute survey. Sorry, no thanks.

But a few cents to click an email? I’ll take it. You won’t get rich but it’s better than zero cents.

InboxDollars, incorporated as CotterWeb Enterprises, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (their highest rating) and is an Accredited Business. They’ve been around since 2012 and recently merged with Swagbucks. You can learn more about InboxDollars in our full review or just sign up and start making money!

👉 Learn more about InboxDollars

5. Opinion Outpost

opinion-outpost

In the world of surveys, you have survey companies and then you have market research companies. Opinion Outpost falls into the second category, where shorter online surveys are just the gateway to accessing larger, more lucrative market research studies.

Opinion Outpost pays for surveys on a points system, which you can redeem for gift certificates or cash into a Paypal account. They also enter you into an “instant win” drawing each quarter, which makes you eligible to win a cash prize. One of the nice things about Opinion Outpost surveys is that if you don’t qualify, you still get an entry into the quarterly giveaway. Again, I wouldn’t count on the drawing but at least you get something for answering the qualifying questions.

Opinion Outpost, incorporated as Survey Sampling International, LLC, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau and has been in business since 2002. I’m not sure when Opinion Outpost was founded but the parent company has been in business for ages.

👉 Learn more about Opinion Outpost

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20 Best Paid Research Studies in 2024

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Table of Contents

Best Paid Research Studies

Online Surveys Top Pick

branded surveys logo

$0.50 – $5 on average per survey

Surveys length up to 20 minutes

$5 minimum withdrawal

Best for Free Gift Cards

swagbucks logo

Redeem e-gift cards from $1

Free coupons and daily deals

100+ gift cards available

Great for Earning PayPal Cash

survey junkie logo

Withdraw to PayPal from $5

Take 3 surveys per day and earn $40 monthly

Bank transfer available

Best for Online Shopping

mypoints logo

Up to 10% cashback for shopping

Rewards for playing games

$3 minimum withdrawal

20 Paid Research Studies

Survey junkie.

survey-junkie logo

Survey Junkie Summary

  • $0.50-$3 average earnings per survey
  • Get 2-3 extra points if you screened out of survey
  • Additional ways to earn up to $150
  • Install Survey Junkie extension for bonus

How to cash out my Points with Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the most well-regarded survey platforms available. You can earn money simply by sharing your honest opinions, which brands can use to improve their products and services. What makes Survey Junkie stand out from other platforms that offer paid research studies is that you can start making money immediately. 

During sign-up, you will need to provide some of your personal details, so Survey Junkie can match your personal profile with research studies and surveys. You can then earn up to $100 per survey or focus group. Nonetheless, high-paying opportunities are rare and most surveys pay $0.50 to $3.

You can redeem your earnings via PayPal or via gift card starting from just $5. Depending on how active you are on the platform, you can stand to earn up to $200 per month.

American Consumer Opinion

americanconsumeropinion logo

American Consumer Opinion Summary

  • Easy to understand point system
  • Longer surveys can pay up to $50, but most of them pay $0.50 to $2.50 on average
  • Product reviews pay up to $200
  • Low minimum payout threshold of $10

What are Other American Consumer Opinion Services

ACOP, also known as American Consumer Opinion , has accumulated millions of members since it began in 1986. This platform offers some great opportunities to participate in paid research studies . Most shorter surveys will pay you around $0.50 to $2.50, but there is the potential to earn up to $50 with longer studies.

You can redeem your earnings via PayPal starting from just $10. Alternatively, you can donate your points to charity or use your points to enter into sweepstake draws for the chance to win cash or other prizes. 

Ipsos i-Say

i-say logo

i-Say Summary

  • You can earn as much as $50 each month
  • Earn $1 for each friend you invite
  • Low minimum cash out threshold of $5
  • Instant cash out for e-gift cards

What are Alterntive Benefits of i-Say

Ipsos i-Say believes that personal opinions can make a massive difference. This platform has more than three million members who regularly earn rewards from paid research studies conducted via surveys.

On average, you can earn up to 150 points per survey. In addition, one unique feature of the platform compared to other platforms on this list is that you will receive 5 points even if you get screened out of a survey. The platform also features a loyalty program, and you can earn more points per survey the more you take. 

When you accumulate at least 1530 points (worth $15) in your account, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal .

Note that it can take up to 3 weeks for your earnings to appear in your PayPal account.

respondent logo

Respondent Summary

  • Earn up to $700 per hour for your opinion
  • Get between $20 to $50 for each referral
  • Get paid even if the study is cancelled
  • Get paid via PayPal, usually within 5 days

Respondent-Sign-Up-Process-How-Do-You-Become-a-Respondent

Respondent is a platform that frequently conducts market research through online focus groups and in-person studies.

When you create your Respondent account, you can browse the available studies that you qualify for based on your demographic information. You will also see the number of hours you will need to commit to each study and how much you can earn.

If you are interested in a project, you will need to answer a brief screener questionnaire to determine whether you qualify for it.

How much can you earn with Respondent?

ProfessionAverage Hourly Rate
Software developers$200 per hour
Marketers$150 per hour
Executives$700 per hour
Enterprise software users$150 per hour
Business owners$500 per hour
Sales and support$100 per hour

You can earn an average income of $140 per hour by participating in the company’s paid research studies. Respondent charges a relatively low 5% processing fee. Your earnings will usually arrive in your PayPal account within 10 days of completing the study. 

User Interviews

userinterviews logo

User Interviews Summary

  • 4 types of studies you can join to earn
  • Over 2k new studies launched each month
  • Get a $30 bonus when you refer a friend
  • Earn up to $100 per hour for your opinion

User Interviews is a popular platform that organizes online and in-person paid market research studies. In general, study participants can expect to earn $50 to $200 per hour. Depending on the study’s goal, participants could discuss anything from their financial decisions to the types of skincare products they use.

Like most other platforms on this list, you will need to answer a screening survey before each study to determine your eligibility.

Before answering the screening survey, you can see what the research study pays. Thus, you can decide which studies really interest you.

sign up for phone surveys

Related: 10 Sites for Phone Surveys

Valued Opinions

Valued Opinions offers paid research studies that pay up to $5 per survey. On average, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to fill out one survey and you may need to complete 2 to 20 surveys to reach the $10 threshold. 

Once you have at least $10 in earnings, you can redeem them for gift cards. You can claim gift cards from Amazon, Target, Macy’s, The Home Depot, and Restaurant.com.

The paid research studies topics typically revolve around:

  • Environmental issues
  • Blockbuster films
  • Fashion trends
  • Favorite food

Toluna Influencer

What is Toluna Payment Methods

Toluna Influencers is a market research platform that has been around for over 20 years.

Some of the paid market research studies you can earn money by participating in include:

  • Focus groups
  • Product testing

On average, most opportunities on the platform will reward you with around 100 points. You can also earn more points by referring family and friends. You will get 500 points for each successful referral, up to a maximum of 10 friends per month.

You can redeem your earnings for a $10 PayPal payment.

highest paying survey sites

Related: 9 Highest Paying Survey Sites for Money

How to Join Mindswarms

Mindswarms is an innovative market research platform that uses video surveys instead of traditional online surveys . Thus, this means that you will have to record yourself answering each question in a survey. Similar to other platforms on this list, you will need to answer some qualifying questions to determine your suitability before each survey.

Each project will have specific instructions that you will need to follow. Typically, you will need to record your answers for up to seven questions. Usually, there is also a set time for you to answer each question. 

Up to $50 can be earned per project. However, shorter surveys typically offer $10 per question. Mindswarm processes payments through PayPal, and generally, the money will be in your account within 1 day of submitting your video recording.

Brand Institute

Scoring Funds on Brand Institute

Brand Institute is a branding company that specializes in the medical industry. Although the company has surveys on various topics, the medical surveys are the best paying. Regular surveys can pay up to $5, whereas medical surveys can pay up to $30. 

To join the platform, you need to complete a simple questionnaire with your basic personal details.

Brand Institute also gives priority to applications from medical professionals such as:

  • Pharmacists
  • Medical technicians

However, note that the company processes payments quite slowly. Brand Institute only releases payment when surveys close, so you may sometimes need to wait several weeks to receive your payment.

Nonetheless, there is no minimum cash-out threshold, and you can redeem your earnings via PayPal or check. 

Engage Studies

Engage Studies regularly advertises for participants to join the various market research studies that it organizes. The format of the paid research studies hosted by Engage Studies can range from online discussions to in-person focus groups .

To join the platform, you need to provide some personal information. Engage will then review your application, and you will receive an email notification when a suitable study becomes available. 

The topics of research include:

  • Electronics
  • Food Products
  • Medical Conditions
  • and many more

You can expect to earn $50 to $250 for your participation, paid via PayPal or check. 

Focus Group

focusgroup logo

Focus Group Summary

  • Many ways to earn money
  • Make money online
  • Earn $1 to $10 per survey
  • Work from home or on the go

As its name suggests, FocusGroup .com conducts paid research studies and online focus groups. 

The company conducts national research studies that can pay between $75 to $200 each. You can participate in research studies over the phone or using a webcam. As with most other platforms, you will need to complete a relatively simple screening survey to qualify for projects.

The research studies conducted by the company can be on any topic ranging from banking and pets to entertainment and beer. As such, you are sure to find the best paid online focus groups that align with your hobbies and interests. 

paid research studies

Related: 20 Places that Offer Paid Research Studies

PingPong is a relatively new online market research company. Unlike most of the other platforms on this list, PingPong does not conduct its studies through surveys. Instead, the platform specializes in website testing for websites and apps. You can test these products and get paid for providing feedback on your user experience. 

On average, you can earn between $45 to $110 per website testing job. Each job usually takes no more than an hour to complete.

Payments are made via PayPal or Wise within 7 days of completing each job. 

Fieldwork is one of the most popular companies that carry out in-person paid research studies in various cities across the USA.

The company has locations in:

  • Minneapolis
  • Los Angeles
  • San Francisco

Typically, most sessions hosted by Fieldwork take around one to two hours to complete. Compensation for participating usually starts from $75. Fieldwork usually pays via Visa gift cards and you will receive your payment on the spot after each study.

WatchLab is a leading company that facilitates all types of focus groups and research studies. The pay varies for each project, although it typically ranges from $100 to $175 for a 1 to 2-hour focus group. 

The company has locations in Chicago and San Francisco, where you can receive on-the-spot payments for joining a focus group. You can also work online, but you will need to wait four to six weeks to receive your payment. 

focus groups for money

Related: 28 Online Paid Focus Groups for Money

Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research also regularly conducts research panels for medical professionals, executives, and consumers. You can participate over the phone or online to help researchers gather the data they need.

The company works with major brands and manufacturers, conducting mystery shopping projects, online surveys, product trials, and other paid research studies. 

Focus groups conducted by Probe Market Research typically cost between $50 and $400 and last just a couple of hours.

Survey Feeds

SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research platform itself but provides access to the best paid online focus groups and survey opportunities. The projects are mostly online, but there are some that are conducted physically throughout the US. 

This company frequently updates its website and social media feeds. Thus, you can browse its Facebook page or visit its website to get an idea of the types of paid research studies available. 

The payout for each study can vary, although most studies typically pay between $75 to $300. 

Resolution Research

Resolution Research offers paid research studies in various subjects. After you create your account, you can immediately start participating in opportunities.

Earning OpportunityEarning Potential
Paid SurveysAround $5 for a 15 minute survey
SweepstakesUp to $100 with daily, weekly, and monthly sweepstakes
Referrals$0.50 per referral, up to a maximum of 10 referrals

Once you have earned at least $10, you can withdraw your earnings via Payoneer or exchange them for gift cards. 

Recruit & Field

Recruit & Field is one of the longest-running platforms on this list and has been conducting paid research studies for over 40 years.

As a participant, you can participate in various types of studies to earn money, such as:

  • Online surveys
  • Phone interviews

In general, you can expect to earn between $100 to $275 per research study. The company typically pays participants via PayPal, but some studies may offer the option for payment via gift cards. 

Research studies on the platform are open to participants of any age or gender. However, medical professionals such as nurses, doctors, and lab technicians get priority for participation slots.

Carnegie Mellon University Research

If you’re an English speaker over 18 years old and have never joined any studies at this research center, you can join paid research studies at Carnegie Mellon University Research . 

The topics of the studies vary, and can include topics such as:

  • Decision making
  • Personal beliefs
  • Interpersonal perceptions

Online studies typically take 5 to 20 minutes and you’ll earn approximately $8 per hour.

However, the institution does not compensate study participants in cash. Instead, participants will get gift cards as a token of appreciation for their time.

dscout logo

Dscout Summary

  • Offers high rewards
  • Pays via PayPal
  • Offers different types of missions
  • No minimum threshold

What Is a Paid Research Study?

Companies pay research studies to get honest feedback about their products and services from consumers. Online surveys are one of the most common ways that companies conduct such studies.

In general, paid research studies take the following format:

  • A business hires a market research company to get feedback on their product
  • The researcher creates a survey or focus group
  • Participants answer questions in the survey or focus group anonymously
  • The researcher collates the data and presents it to the business
  • The business uses the feedback collected to improve their product

What Are the Requirements for Research Studies?

Most studies are designed to gather feedback from a target demographic.

Depending on the goal of the survey, you may need to:

  • Be of a certain gender
  • Be of a certain race
  • Fit into an age range
  • Have a specific occupation
  • Meet some other criteria

Due to the targeted nature of paid research studies, you will usually be asked to answer some screening questions before each survey. These screening questions identify whether you fit the target demographic of the survey. If you don’t you may be disqualified.

Most platforms offering paid research studies do not provide any compensation if you screen out of a survey. However, there are some platforms that will pay you a small amount even if you do not qualify for a survey, such as Ipsos i-Say .

Do You Get Paid for Research Studies?

Depending on the platform that you join, you could earn up to $100 or more per hour by participating in paid research studies.

For instance, Respondent pays its market research participants one of the highest rates on the market. Research study participants on the platform can earn an average of $140 per hour. Participants from certain in-demand demographics can even earn up to $700 per hour.

Are Focus Groups Safe?

Focus groups are generally safe. However, you need to ensure that you choose a legit platform. As with most industries, some scam companies promise unrealistic pay and usually require you to sign up for something. 

If you choose a legit company, you can rest assured that participating in a focus group is safe and a fun way to earn cash in your spare time. 

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ivetriedthat

35 Paid Online Research Studies Seeking Participants

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How can one participate in paid online research studies and get paid for your brain, your health, and your opinions?

  • Inbox Dollars - Get paid to check your email. $5 bonus just for signing up!
  • Survey Junkie - The #1 survey site that doesn't suck. Short surveys, high payouts, simply the best.
  • Nielsen - Download their app and get paid $50!

Well, you’re in the right place.

Today, let’s look at 35 different opportunities to get paid as a participant in research studies.

Types of Paid Online Research Studies

A medical study involves a group of people within an age group, gender, race, ethnic group, or individuals with the same specific health issues.

Participating in these studies often involves answering a combination of interviews, tests, surveys, or experimentation to be able to answer questions on how to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure health disorders and diseases.

Aside from paid medical studies, market research makes use of paid online research to find out what customers want or need from various products and companies.

The cool thing about paid online research studies available today is that even if you are not a part of the target audience, you can still participate in the study in another capacity.

Online research studies can be either quantitative or qualitative.

Quantitative studies are the ones with static, pre-planned answers. A questionnaire with multiple-choice answers is a good example of this study. It is made as such so that the researcher can easily analyze the results.

Qualitative studies are a bit more complex since they involve open-ended answers.

However, this type of study ends up with better data. Focus groups and interviews are both methods used in qualitative studies.

How Much Can You Earn from Paid Research Studies?

Imagine earning up to $1,000 just for sharing your opinion, review of a product, or thoughts about a particular experience without even stepping out of the house.

You don’t even have to spend a cent to participate in these research studies.

Most of the time, you’d only have to be at least 18 years old and currently live in the US.

Even when you’re below 18 years old, researchers sometimes allow you to participate as long as you had a waiver from your parent or legal guardian.

The amount you earn from joining research studies depend on the following:

  • Method of research — Did you join a focus group? Answered a lengthy interview? Filled out a survey form?
  • Length of study — Some interviews only take an hour and earn you $150. Some focus groups could take several sessions and end only after several weeks.
  • Type of payment — Not all companies pay cash. Some use PayPal, while others prefer checks, gift cards, prepaid cards, and so on.

Quick surveys can be as little as $10 and high as $100.

Focus group sessions range between $50 and $500 per session.

Interviews can earn you somewhere from $50 to $400 for an hour of your time.

Simply put, the amount you’ll be paid will vary from study to study.

Join These to Start Making Money Today!

Before digging into the list below, I suggest you sign up for the 3 best focus group/market research companies.

Anyone can participate and you will be invited to take part in research studies, focus groups, and product testing opportunities.

These companies pay in cash and offer cash signup bonuses to get you started.

  • SurveyJunkie - Get paid CASH to share your thoughts on some of the world's biggest brands.
  • Branded Surveys - Work directly with companies like Nike, Samsung, Amazon, and Disney to improve their product lines.

On to the list!

35 Ways to Get Paid for Research Studies Online

The following universities have year-long research studies in a wide range of topics.

1. Northwestern University Department of Psychology

Northwestern Research Studies

Earn from $10 to $40 an hour if you participate in one of the school’s online studies.

The studies change regularly and vary widely from topics such as phone usage, changes in thoughts and feelings, Artificial Intelligence,  sleeping patterns, psychosis, aging, and even products like hearing aids.

2. Harvard University Psychology Study Pool

Harvard Research Studies

Join Harvard’s Psychology Study Pool and earn from $10 to $25 an hour, paid via gift cards.

The online studies are available year-round for both Harvard students and guests.

3. Carnegie Mellon University

CMU Research

If you’re at least 18 years old, can read and speak English, and have never joined any research studies at the Center for Behavioral and Decision Research at Carnegie Mellon, you can sign up for their paid online research studies.

Topics range from personal beliefs, attitudes, decision-making, human judgment, interpersonal perceptions, and group performance, among others.

You’ll earn $8 an hour, paid in gift cards. Each study takes anywhere from 5 and 20 minutes.

Paid participants are needed for in-person studies in labs on campus, but may sometimes be able to participate online on a home computer.

Note that only students are accepted (ID will be requested).

4. Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School

CDS Research Study

For participating in an online survey or study, you can earn $16 an hour, as long as you’re 18+ years old and have a PayPal or Amazon.com account to receive payments.

No need to be a student at Columbia Business School, but you need to register in the CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel.

5. MIT Behavioral Research Lab

MIT Research

There are in-person and paid online research studies available at MIT.

Payment amounts vary from study to study, but participants usually earn $11 to $20 per hour for online studies.

Anyone aged 18 or older, residing in the United States, and proficient in spoken and written English can join the BRL participant pool.

Membership is open to all; you don’t need any association with MIT to participate. Other requirements may be needed for studies requiring specific respondents.

6. University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business

UMD Research Studies

As long as you’re a current Smith student (and eligible for certain studies), you can get paid for research studies online here.

Make sure you create an account, sign up for the studies that you want to participate in, and get paid once you fulfill your role.

7. Purdue University

Purdue research studies

You can find a lot of paid online studies here.

Currently, they have studies on Parkinson’s disease (and other neurodegenerative diseases), flavored water, biosensors, mushroom nutrition, linguistics, cancer, and so on.

Participants are paid somewhere between $10 and $500.

What’s great about Purdue University is that the studies are varied and open to the public.

8. Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford research studies

You’ll be paid up to $25 an hour for online research studies, but you’d have to be eligible and complete a prescreen form.

You also can’t participate in the same study more than once.

9. UCLA Anderson School of Management

UCLA Lab

The behavioral lab has some paid online studies, if you’re interested in topics like consumer behavior, organizational behavior, judgment, and other similar topics.

Most studies here pay from $10 to $20 an hour.

They also have in-lab and in-person studies.

10. Boston University Behavioral Lab

Boston university research studies

If you’re interested in human behavior and is willing to participate in online studies, try to join if you’re eligible.

These studies pay between $10 and $20 an hour.

The studies from Boston University’s Behavioral Lab is open to both BU students and the general public.

11. University of Maryland Department of Psychology

UMD Psychology Research Studies

You need to create an account at the SONA System website to see available research studies.

Each of the studies have different eligibilities and payment.

12. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nebraska Research Studies

This college holds a wide range of research studies revolving MRI research, human brain, behavior, and so on.

There are studies exclusively for seniors, and those that are for teens.

There are two ways to volunteer for these studies:

  • Join the CB3 Research Participant Volunteer Registry (and wait for them to e-mail you)
  • Pick the study and contact researchers directly.

Pay can go as high as $80 per study.

13. American University Psychology Department

American university research studies

Topics vary widely, but they are related to psychology and human behavior.

You can earn up to $20 an hour for just filling out a form as a smoker’s first-hand experience during stressful situations.

14. Respondent.IO

Respondent.io

This next one isn’t a university, but it’s a comprehensive resource if you plan to participate in numerous market research and other online studies.

Pay ranges from $25 to $200.

Eligibility requirements vary between studies.

Make sure to check details and never pay to join a focus group or study.

15. Brand Institute

Brand Institute

Want to be at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry?

Join consumer market research panel groups by signing up with Brand Institute.

16. mindswarms

mindswarms

It’s sort of like an interview since you are required to answer ten questions with a video.

In exchange for your thoughts, you’ll be paid $50.

Engage Research

Earn somewhere between $50 and $250 by participating in healthcare or consumer market research studies.

18. Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research

The company pays people for online, phone or group interviews about their clients’ products, services, ads, or other campaigns.

Payment goes as high as $400.

19. Penn State University

(Quick shoutout to my Alma Mater… We Are!)

… and they are seeking just about anyone who’s alive to participate in a research study. With over 200 current open studies, odds are, you’ll qualify for something they have available.

Keep an eye out for “Total Compensation” to see just what the study pays.

20. User Interviews

User Interviews

Get paid for your feedback on real projects.

Create an account by filling up a form and wait for project invitations if you’re eligible.

There are online and in-phone interviews available.

21. Yale School of Management

Yale Paid Online Research Studies

If you live anywhere near Yale campus, be sure to sign up for their newsletter as they frequently put out requests for both in person and paid online research studies.

You will be paid, in cash, at the completion of your study.

They also have a Facebook group that announces when new studies are available to participate in.

22. Georgetown University Department of Psychology

Georgetown Research Studies

Georgetown’s Department of Psychology is regularly looking for both students and non-students alike to participate in studies.

Average pay will run you about $10 per hour, so it can be some nice change to pick up in your spare time.

Their research includes personality, memory, and impulse control tests to name a few.

23. UCLA Semel Institute

UCLA Research

UCLA offers both in-person and online research studies to check out.

They have a massive list of open opportunities for you to click through. The highest paying ones often need you to come into their offices for scans and interviews, but there are a lot of remote positions available too.

24. PingPong

PingPong

Web designers and developers working on websites and applications value the input of real-life users and are willing to pay for these users’ opinions and insights

You can get paid anywhere from €15 to €40 per hour and even up to €100 for special projects.

Payment is credited through Transferwise or PayPal.

25. American Consumer Opinion

Yet another survey site, American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) pays you for your answers to their survey questions.

You can even get paid up to $100 if you fit a certain demographic and able to participate in special projects.

Research studies on this site may not be constantly available, though. It’s best to check back frequently.

26. Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field is a market research company that hosts paid online research studies all around the US and even in international locations.

They look for participants from any gender and age for their studies, including professionals and medical professionals (doctor, nurse, lab technician).

They normally pay via PayPal but also offer Amazon or digital gift cards.

The pay ranges from $100 to $275 for phone interviews, online surveys, and sometimes in-home product testing.

27. Focus Group

Focus Group is an aptly named online community comprised of participants interested in sharing opinions and views on popular products and brands through in-person, telephone, or online surveys.

The pay ranges from $75 to $200, and specialized health studies may pay more.

28. 20|20 Panel

2020 Panel

Since 1986, 20|20 Panel has been recruiting participants to share their opinion on various companies.

They specialize in qualitative market research, which is achieved via in-person or online roundtable discussions. You can get paid from $50 to $350 to participate in these discussions.

They also send out quick surveys for which you can get paid smaller amounts (from $1 to $10).

29. FindFocusGroups

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a directory of all the paid research opportunities in the country?

FindFocusGroups is probably the closest one, as it lists more than 75,000 verified and legitimate focus groups in the country.

It’s quite simple to search by city and state, and check the information for details on whether the discussions are online or in-person.

It’s difficult to know how much the average payment would be, but upon browsing the first few studies on the homepage, they range from $50 to $300.

30. SIS International

SIS International

SIS International conducts focus group discussions in cities all over the US and globally and collects consumer feedback on anything from appliances, skincare products, gadgets, and just about anything.

Rates range from $25 to $200 for 2 to 3 hours of your time.

31.  Apex Focus Group

Apex Focus Group connects regular people like you and me with researchers, who will pay for participants to join clinical research trials, phone interviews and focus groups.

As a participant at any Apex Focus Group study, you can be paid up to $750 a week.

Online and in-person studies are available.

32.  Fieldwork

If you live near New Jersey, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis, you can participate in current Fieldwork research studies.

Most of the paid focus groups are face-to-face (but online are sometimes available).

Each study lasts about 1 or 2 hours. Participants earn between $75 and $100 for their time.

33. Rare Patient Voice

This company mostly looks for participants who have rare diseases and medical conditions. As such, only eligible people can benefit from the studies.

However, anyone who qualifies will receive $120/hour.

You can share your views via online surveys, clinical trials, or web-assisted phone interviews.

34. ClinicalTrials.gov

The federal government continually seeks individuals willing to participate in clinical trials testing different medications and treatments.

Studies are often conducted by the National Institutes of Health.

You can check out a list of ongoing clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov.

Unlike other paid online research studies on this list, DScout is an app you can download.

You need to register to become a “scout” and participate in research “missions,” which will earn you money after completion.

DScout studies are usually 1-on-1 interviews or video responses, so you’d have to be comfortable in front of the camera.

Missions pay from $50 to $100, each lasting about 30 minutes.

Can I turn these Paid Online Research Studies into a Full-Time Job?

While paid online studies are highly interesting and offer legitimate side cash, this gig cannot replicate the steady income and benefits you can get with a full-time job.

You’d have to consider that many research studies:

  • have eligibility requirements (which means you’re not guaranteed a slot every time)
  • cannot be joined twice (once you’ve participated in a specific study, you can’t do a repeat)
  • have varying payments (there’s no stability in such income)

I do think it’s a legitimate side gig if you’re in between jobs or have a lot of free time on your hands.

You can also get paid answering surveys , joining focus groups , or testing products .

READ THIS NEXT: The EASIEST ways to make money online. See how.

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What Is Market Research and How Can You Get Paid for It?

If you’re not a business professional, market research may seem like a complex idea—and it certainly has nothing that has to do with you, right? Guess again. If you want to make money online, market research is a term you should definitely get familiar with. In this post, we will discuss what market research is and how you can cash in on it, starting today.

What Is Market Research?

Market research is the process of gathering information about a particular target audience: their likes, dislikes, needs, wants, and opinions. For example, researchers may collect this data to:

  • Test consumer awareness of a particular product or service
  • Measure public opinion about a brand or current issue
  • See how consumers are using goods and services
  • Determine what can be done to improve a product or service

Market research is one of the most critical parts of refining a business plan. It helps leaders guide decisions about products, distribution channels, and branding. Plus, it pinpoints what it will take for a product to be successful. However, for it to be effective, the information gathered must be accurate and thorough, painting a picture of the average consumer and how, when, and where they use the product.

A market researcher is someone who collects, analyzes, and organizes data and then presents it to their clients. In turn, the clients use the information to make decisions about what to do next. 

What Do Market Researchers Do?

Market researchers may be directly employed by a corporation or a company, or they may work at a marketing agency. While they have many duties, one of the most important aspects of the job is creating surveys geared toward consumer behavior, distributing them, and assessing the resulting data. 

For example, one of your responsibilities as a market researcher might be to help a company determine if the ads they are running for a new beverage are creating sales or not. So, you create a survey with a list of questions about the products and advertisements. The questions might go something like this:

  • When you hear a radio ad for this beverage, do you like or dislike the music?
  • Which colors do you prefer in this magazine ad for the beverage? Do you like the green color scheme, or does the red color scheme appeal to you more?
  • How many times a week do you think you would purchase this beverage?
  • How many times in the past year have you purchased similar drinks?

Once the researcher has all this information, they present it to their clients, who can then make decisions about what to do next. 

What Does Any of This Have To Do With Me Making Money?

By now, you’re probably wondering how any of this pertains to you—especially the part about making some extra cash at home in your spare time with market research. Here’s the exciting part. Market research firms will pay people for their opinions! There are several gigs you can take part in to earn cash this way:

1. Focus Groups:

Market researchers use focus groups to gain deep insight into consumer behaviors. Usually, there are six to twelve participants invited, and they are led by a moderator for one to three hours. Users are screened beforehand to ensure they are part of the appropriate target market for the study. 

While you can make a decent amount of money participating in focus groups, it’s not a regular side hustle since they can be few and far between. However, you can sign up with several market research firms online, and you’ll be notified if you meet the criteria to join.

2. Mock Jury Duty

Often, attorneys will enlist market research companies to put together a panel of mock jurors to get insight on a case before it goes to trial. You typically need to live in the county or state where the trial will be held. Once you’ve reviewed the case (which can take a few minutes to an hour or more), you get paid via check or Paypal. 

There are several online sites that you can sign up with, including Online Verdict and Ejury. However, like focus groups, the opportunities to get paid to be an online juror are few and far between, and you need to wait to be chosen.

3. Paid Online Surveys

A third way to earn with market research is to take surveys for cash . This is the easiest opportunity. Since you don’t have to wait for an invitation, you can start right away. Why and how does this gig work?

Consumers are bombarded with surveys for products and ads these days. It seems like everywhere you go, and for every purchase you make, you are asked to answer some type of survey. It’s exhausting, annoying, and can feel downright intrusive. We’ve all developed survey fatigue. We’re tired of taking surveys.

However, since companies rely heavily on this data, they had to devise a way to get people to respond to their queries without making them feel resentful and bothered. This is how market researchers developed the idea for paid surveys.

What Are Paid Online Surveys?

Paid online surveys are the market research industry’s answer to consumers being fed up with answering questions. By offering something in exchange for the needed data, people feel a little better about spending time filling out questionnaires and responding to surveys.

So, market researchers partner with online survey sites to get the data they need. The firm compensates the survey site, and the survey site has users complete surveys for money. It’s a win/win situation for everyone involved.

Who Can Participate in Online Surveys?

This is the great part about this aspect of market research. Anyone can get involved. There are no special skills or qualifications needed, and you don’t need to devote large chunks of time to take online surveys for money .

In fact, as long as you have a smartphone, tablet, computer, or laptop (and an internet connection), you can take surveys anytime, anywhere, and make money online.

Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not! Next, we’ll talk about how you can get started taking surveys for money.

Paid Market Research Surveys: Steps To Making Money Online

Now that you know how the paid survey business works, you’d probably like to know how to get involved. The good news is, getting started with paid surveys is easier than you think, and you can be up and running in the time it takes you to read this article!

Step #1: Choose a Reputable Survey Site

Not surprisingly, most online ventures have some level of risk involved, and in the case of online surveys, there are quite a few bad players in the industry. That’s why it’s vital to find a legit survey site to work with, and it’s not hard if you follow a few simple guidelines:

Never pay to play: Reputable survey sites never ask for a membership fee, but scam sites do. If a site requests payment from you—no matter how small—move on.

Seek out genuine user reviews: Legit sites have legit user reviews. People generally share their experiences (good and bad) with any online money-making ventures, and surveys are no exception.

You’ll want to find a site that has a lot of good reviews from real users. For example, Branded Surveys (our favorite survey site) has over 42,000 reviews on Trustpilot, and a rating of excellent. This is the type of company you want to align yourself with.

Look for a site with great payment options: It’s not going to be very beneficial to you if you join a site that makes it hard to withdraw your earnings. Instead, search for a site that offers multiple ways to get paid. 

For example, at Branded Surveys, you have several payment options:

  • Take surveys for PayPal money or direct deposit.
  • Take surveys for gift cards (Branded has hundreds of national and online retailers to choose from).
  • Take surveys for Amazon gift cards .

Step #2: Sign Up With Your Preferred Site

Once you’ve followed the steps above and found a site you like, you’ll need to sign up. In most cases, registration is pretty simple. First, you’ll fill out a form containing basic information like your name, age, where you live, and your email address.

Then, you’ll need to confirm your email to become a member. This double-opt-in process should be familiar to anyone who participates in online activities since it is one of the methods used by companies to protect your data.

Finally, once you’ve confirmed your address, you can access the site, have a look around, and get a feel for what’s involved.

Step #1: Complete Surveys

Once your membership is confirmed (a process that takes mere minutes), you can start taking surveys for money. The first surveys available to you will be profile surveys. These are paid surveys that market researchers use to get to know you better. Don’t skip this step, as it’s vital to get paired with the most lucrative survey opportunities for you.

After you’ve completed all your profile surveys, you can start taking regular surveys. You don’t need to work in any particular order—just pick something that seems interesting to you and answer the questions carefully.

Take your time and put some thought into answering the questions. Honest and thorough answers will ensure that you get paid for your time and effort.

Closing Thoughts

Market research firms offer several ways for everyday consumers to make money online—focus groups, mock jury duty, and paid online surveys. However, the most accessible opportunity is paid online surveys. There are no special skills involved. You can start right away and keep working on them indefinitely. That means that you can work on paid surveys again and again, earning some extra cash anytime you need it.

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15 Best Sites To Find Paid Research Studies In 2024

Kelan Kline | Updated January 24, 2024 Make Money

paid research studies laptop work Portrait of pretty young woman working with laptop at home.

Many people regularly participate in paid research studies as a side hustle to make extra cash quickly .

However, finding legitimate studies can sometimes be difficult if you don’t know where to look.

If you want to learn more about participating in paid studies, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll share 15 of the best sites and companies offering paid studies.

So without further ado, let’s get started.

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Start sharing your opinion, earn points, and cash them out for free gift cards or cash today. Claim your FREE $10 sign-up bonus now!

Table of Contents

Quick Picks

I’m sure you want to know all the options for paid research, but here are the top picks we’ve done to get quick and high payouts for our time:

  • Quickest Payout: Swagbucks
  • Most Survey Offerings: Survey Junkie
  • Biggest Payouts: Northwestern University Department of Psychology

15 Best Sites For Paid Research

For paid research studies, we have a variety of survey sites, marketing research, and clinical research that give a variety of payouts.

There are plenty of creative ways to earn money , and these sites give you many options.

Some can give you a few bucks for a few minutes of answers, whereas others take a few hours and can make you $300!

Let’s check out your options for research studies:

1. Swagbucks

Have you taken any Buzzfeed quizzes lately? Where you won’t know which Hogwarts House you’re in, you could answer survey questions and make instant money !

One of the quickest ways to take paid online surveys and get fast payouts is Swagbucks .

Swagbucks is a site that connects people with paid research opportunities from marketing companies.

They have an extensive database of paid online surveys from all types of industries, like beauty products, baby products, housewares, and more.

And they also offer other ways to earn money, including watching videos, playing games, and shopping online.

Check out our Swagbucks Review to find out more!

Typical Payout

Most surveys pay an average of $1 to $5.

Many surveys vary regarding how long they take to complete and how much they pay. But you can typically expect to make around $10 – $15 per hour.

  • $10 sign-up bonus available
  • Can cash out to PayPal
  • No minimum withdrawal amount
  • Free to join
  • Easy to use
  • Not available in all countries
  • Some surveys may take longer
  • Surveys have lower payouts than other research studies

2. Survey Junkie

Do you like the idea of earning money by sharing your opinion? If so, Survey Junkie is one of the best survey sites to do it!

You can take surveys on a variety of topics. Best of all, you can do it entirely from the comfort of your own home!

All you need is a computer and an internet connection. Simply sign up for an account and start taking surveys. Each online survey will earn points that can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.

Learn more about them in our Survey Junkie review !

The typical payout for a survey is around $1 – $3. However, some surveys can pay up to $10 or more.

  • $5 sign-up bonus
  • Surveys are easy to take
  • Payout threshold is low
  • PayPal is a cash-out option
  • May not qualify for every survey
  • Surveys can be boring to some people

Survey Junkie

Want to make money from your couch? Survey Junkie pays out over $40,000 daily to its members for taking paid online surveys. Get your share today!

3. Respondent

Respondent.io

Respondent is a platform that connects businesses with research participants. Companies use Respondent to get high-quality feedback from consumers fast.

The platform is free to join, and you can start earning money by participating in online research studies as soon as you’re approved.

Studies are matched to your demographics and profile information. Respondent doesn’t choose who participates in the paid studies; the companies requesting the research choose who participates.

The typical payout per paid study is anywhere from $50 to over $200, with more comprehensive studies paying more.

  • High-paying research studies
  • Paid research is relevant to the participant’s demographics
  • Research opportunities are available to people worldwide
  • Slow customer service
  • Interface is sometimes slow
  • Chances of getting into research studies are lower

4. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer

American Consumer Opinion is a paid research study site that has been around for over 20 years connecting businesses with consumers.

Businesses and organizations rely on consumer feedback to improve their products and services, so your online surveys provide valuable info.

Surveys on various topics are available, and they also have a panel where you can participate in focus groups and product testing.

You can complete surveys on your own time and get a payout with PayPal cash or gift cards.

The average payout per survey is $2 – $5 for surveys that take only a few minutes.

They offer a few cents compensation if you don’t qualify for the survey, which other sites don’t offer.

  • Different research topics are available
  • Easy payouts
  • Compensation for unqualified surveys
  • More lower-paid surveys are offered than higher-paid surveys

5. User Interviews

user interviews

User Interviews  is a website that allows you to sign up to participate in paid studies. These studies can take place through phone interviews, in-person, or streaming focus groups.

The interviews about products, services, and websites usually last between 30 minutes and an hour. Study participants are paid by cash, check, PayPal, or by gift cards like Amazon or Visa.

Want to see what some of the research study topics are? You can see some research studies and the price they will pay before you apply with User Interviews.

Payouts vary but start at around $15 per hour up to over $300 per hour

  • Easy to sign up as a User Interviews participant
  • Can see current research studies before signing up
  • Open to participants in other countries, not just U.S. and Canada
  • Studies may take more time to complete than surveys
  • May need specialized skills or fit a specific demographic to complete the higher-paying research studies

Engage

Engage Studies  is a research company that conducts studies on behalf of various pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

They’re looking for people to participate in their studies through online discussions or in person.

Engage Studies conduct studies essential for advancing the knowledge and treatment of diseases.

Participating in their studies can help make a difference in the lives of people affected by these diseases.

Their homepage says you can make anywhere from $50 – $250 for studies that often take less than 30 minutes.

  • Get paid via PayPal or check
  • Different types of studies are available
  • Studies only last around 30 minutes
  • Can be hard to qualify for studies

7. PingPong

PingPong

The PingPong program offers one-on-one video chats to help developers and participants work together on testing websites .

They’ve previously worked with organizations like BT, Skyscanner, Zapier, and Nestle. to get research on how their sites work.

You’ll need a computer or laptop with a camera and microphone. In the one-on-one sessions, you can share your computer screen and honestly discuss the websites you test.

They pay you automatically within 7 days of the interview via Transferwise to your bank account or your PayPal account.

You’ll earn rewards from €10 to €100 for each session.

  • Get paid automatically within 7 days of the interview
  • Can get paid via bank account or PayPal account
  • Can work with some top brands
  • Requires participating via video chat
  • May not be for you if you don’t like web design

8. Recruit & Field

Recruit.Field

Recruit & Field   has been around since 1977, providing many opportunities for paid research studies, focus groups, and online surveys.

Some clients include GreyGoose, Microsoft, Apple, Uber, and more. They have studies for everyone and often have a high payout, especially if you’re a medical professional.

They are a company worth checking out if you’re looking for paid opportunities.

The typical payout is $50 – $300 per study.

  • Studies are offered in different formats – online, by phone, or in person
  • Offer higher payouts
  • The website says there are over 300,000 participants, so there may be competition for getting studies

9. Apex Focus Group

Apex Focus Group

Taking part in one of the focus groups with  Apex Focus Group  is a great way to voice your opinion and get compensated for your time. 

They connect people with paid focus groups, clinical research trials, and phone interviews. You can take part online or in person, and the company has opportunities across the country.

Sometimes, you may even get a sample of new products before they are released to the public!

Participants can get paid up to $750 a week.

  • Can participate online or in-person
  • Work with legit companies
  • Provide samples of new products
  • Pay is higher than most focus groups
  • Has a low acceptance rate for focus groups
  • Customer support can be slow to answer
  • Sends out several emails a day

10. Northwestern University Department of Psychology

Psychology

If you’re looking to get paid to participate in research studies, the  Northwestern University Department of Psychology  is a great place to start.

They regularly run psychological research studies on various human behavior topics such as linguistics research study, guided breathing and a smell test, mood and phone usage test, and more.

The online research studies may take anywhere from an hour to two hours over one to multiple days, so be sure to know the details of what you sign up for.

Depending on the study, the pay for the in-person research projects ranges anywhere from $7 – $700.

  • Interesting tests are available
  • In-person studies are available for people under 18 years of age
  • Studies are usually available for U.S. residents only

11. Brand Institute

BrandingInstitue

Brand Institute  is a Better Business Bureau-certified research company specializing in medical branding.

It’s been in business for over 20 years and has conducted surveys for major pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer and Merck.

Its mission is to assist its valued, worldwide clients in obtaining best-in-class strategy, name development, trademark screening, market/safety research, and visual identity services.

While Brand Institute is geared more toward medical professionals, they also welcome non-medical people such as business professionals, consumers, parents, etc., to participate in their research.

Brand Institute offers various surveys and online research, so there’s sure to be one that interests you.

And, you can be confident that your answers will be used to improve the quality of medical care.

Surveys pay anywhere from $2 – $5 and typically take 30 minutes. Medical professionals have access to medical surveys that pay more, usually around $30.

  • Receive invitations to participate in surveys via email from the research team
  • No minimum payouts
  • Pay for the survey is shown in dollar amounts instead of point amounts
  • Pay is low for non-medical surveys
  • Most surveys are for a medical professional

12. MIT Behavioral Research Lab

Behaviorial Research Lab(BRL)

Taking research studies at MIT’s Behavioral Research Lab (BRL) could be a great way to earn some extra money.

BRL conducts studies on various topics, ranging from consumer behavior to economic decision-making.

Participants are typically paid for their time and can sign up for multiple studies if they wish. BRL is an excellent opportunity for those who want to help shape the future of behavioral research.

You may be asked to complete questionnaires, play games, complete computer tasks, participate in group activities, and so on.

Online research and in-person studies are available. Lab studies will be conducted in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whereas online tests may be performed online from anywhere using a computer.

BRL offers a competitive pay scale and an opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading researchers. 

Participants are paid  between $15 – $25 an hour for lab research and $12 – $20 an hour for internet studies.

Participants receive payment in cash, gift cards, electronic gift certificates, or checks. The researcher determines this.

If the payment reaches $75+, researchers will only accept checks to reimburse participants because this is necessary for MIT tax filing.

  • Pay is competitive hourly pay
  • Offers both in-person and online research
  • Sign up process is easy
  • The researcher determines the method of payment
  • Research is open to U.S. residents only
  • Strict criteria for research studies

13. Mindswarms

Mindswarms

Mindswarms is a unique survey site that collects responses in video format, which allows respondents to provide more detailed and personal responses than traditional written surveys.

Top brands from all fields such as tech, advertising, retail, healthcare, and other fields use Mindswarms as a market research firm.

A short introductory survey takes less than a minute to complete and has a few multiple-choice questions.

After you’ve submitted your introductory survey, a Mindswarm researcher will go through it within 24 hours to see if you’re suitable for the survey.

Once the researcher accepts the introductory survey, you can start recording video answers to the survey. Mindswarms surveys usually have one to seven questions.

There is a time limit to the video submissions, usually limited to 45 to 60 seconds long.

Respondents are paid based on the number of questions they receive in the study.

Pay for less than seven questions is typically $10. For studies with more than seven questions, the pay is up to $50.

  • Video format for the surveys
  • Available on iOS and Android apps
  • Studies can pay as much as $50
  • Acceptance rate for surveys on Mindswarms is lower

14. Fieldwork

FieldWork

Fieldwork  connects people with opportunities to participate in paid research studies, typically in person rather than online, but with some phone options available.

The paid focus groups are conducted in one of their locations.

Fieldwork has locations in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Jersey, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle.

You can select it if you live near one of the Fieldwork locations. You may join their national database for phone interviews if you don’t reside near any.

The groups last approximately 1 – 2 hours, and participants are paid $75 – $100 for their time and opinions.

  • Easy to sign up
  • Interesting topics are available
  • Focus groups are moderated
  • Must go to one of the Fieldwork locations to participate in a focus group

15. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup

FocusGroup.com  is a website that connects people who need engaged and enthusiastic participants for research studies with those looking to participate in a study.

Members of FocusGroup.com are people like you that want to share their opinions on various topics by participating in paid research studies.

The topics available include technology, food taste tests, healthcare, and product and device tests.

Research studies can be completed in one of three different ways:

  • Over the telephone
  • Online focus group using a computer from anywhere in the world
  • In-person focus groups at one of the 16 Focus Group offices in the U.S.

Payment for each research study varies, but you can typically expect to earn $50 – $200 for your participation.

  • Simple and free to join
  • Several online focus groups and online research studies can also be found on their Facebook page
  • Has higher-paying research studies
  • Offers both in-person focus groups and online focus groups via phone and webcam
  • May take 4 to 6 weeks to get paid
  • Can be hard to qualify for in-person research studies

FAQs: Paid Research Studies

What pays better, in-person or online paid research studies.

make money laptop

In general, in-person paid research studies pay better than online research, so they’re the more profitable side hustle opportunity .

However, there are some notable exceptions to this rule, so it’s always best to research various options before choosing which study to participate in.

Also, remember that the amount you’re paid for a study may vary depending on your qualifications and the length and complexity of the study.

What is a focus group?

A focus group is a group of people who market research companies bring together to give their opinions on various topics.

These focus groups are generally used by businesses to get feedback on products, services, or marketing campaigns.

Focus groups generally look for engaged participants willing to share their opinions.

A representative of the market research company usually moderates paid focus group discussions.

The research can be conducted in person or in an online research group, typically lasting for one to two hours.

Are all focus group opportunities legit?

No, not all focus group opportunities are legit. There are several scams out there, so it’s essential to be careful when looking for paid focus groups and use actual companies to connect with research.

The best way to avoid these scams is only to join focus groups that are proven to be from a reputable market research company.

Generally, companies that request payment to participate in a focus group are not legitimate.

Do your online research and look for reviews of the focus groups and research companies you’re considering before joining to make sure you’re not getting scammed.

How much can I earn from paid focus groups?

Paid focus groups can be used as a part of your multiple streams of income . You can typically earn anywhere from $50 to $200 per session, depending on the focus group and the length of the session.

Some groups may also offer a small compensation for your time in transit. Generally, you’ll be paid in cash at the end of the focus group.

What are clinical trials?

HSA one of the best ways to invest money

Clinical trials are research studies that test new drugs, treatments, or therapies. They also can be used to compare existing treatments to see if one is better than the other.

Participants vary, including consumers, parents, kids/teens, students, physicians, and business professionals.

The payments can vary significantly, so it’s best to research each opportunity before deciding whether to participate in one as a way to get paid the same day .

Pharmaceutical companies or hospitals usually conduct paid clinical trials. These trials can last several weeks or months and may require multiple visits.

Are there other survey sites that offer paid market research?

Many other survey sites offer paid market research. Some popular online research studies include Pinecone Research , Ipsos iSay , and MySurvey .

Each of these sites has a different payout structure and different types of surveys available, so it’s worth signing up for a few of them to see which one works best for you.

Are there other ways to make money with my phone?

There are several side hustle apps to make money online with your phone. You can complete paid surveys, download and use apps, or get paid to play games.

Paid surveys are a great way to make money with your phone, as you can earn rewards simply for sharing your opinion.

Apps can also be a great source of income, as you can sell products or services through them.

Finally, playing games on your phone can also be a great way to make money. There are many ways to do this, such as entering competitions or earning rewards for high scores.

Final Thoughts

happy woman working on a laptop outside working on starting a blogging business

Paid market research is a great way to make money from the comfort of your own home.

You can easily make an extra $100 per month participating in online focus groups, studies, and surveys. You can also make money by playing games on your phone or downloading apps.

Remember that each site has different rules and regulations, so read the terms and conditions before signing up.

Also, ensure you know the payout structure and how you’ll be paid for your participation in online research studies.

Your time is really the only investment you need to put into this side hustle, so it’s a great low-cost money-maker to try out.

See what offerings there may be in your local town just by searching for research studies, or start small with Swagbucks surveys on your phone.

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About Kelan Kline

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The Best Survey Sites and Apps to Make Money

R.J. Weiss, CFP®

  • Updated May 26, 2024

Taking online surveys is one of the quickest ways to make extra cash. 

Our testing shows you can earn $10 to $40 monthly by completing a few surveys daily from the right mix of sites and apps.

For this article, we identified the best sites and apps based on the following criteria:

  • Reasonable pay rates.
  • Low minimum withdrawals.
  • A large inventory of surveys.
  • Effective pre-screening.
  • Good reputation. 
  • Excellent mobile experience.

Every app on this list has been extensively tested, and we have data revealing how much we made per hour.

Table of Contents

#1: Survey Junkie

We earned $3.75 per hour during our testing of Survey Junkie . 

While Survey Junkie doesn’t have the highest hourly rate on our list, it offers one of the largest inventories of surveys. Other higher-rated sites often have limited surveys, meaning you might only earn a few dollars a month. With Survey Junkie, you can potentially earn a lot more due to the higher availability of surveys.

The site also features a mobile app, a low $5 minimum payout, and offers additional earning opportunities, such as product testing and focus groups, which can pay up to $100 each. 

Filling out profile surveys and using their Pulse browser extension helped increase our survey qualification rate. 

  • Minimum payment : $5.
  • Payment options : PayPal, bank transfers, virtual gift cards.
  • Sign-up bonus : None.
  • Time to credit : Instant.
  • Time to receive : 1 to 4 business days.

Sign up here or read our Survey Junkie review to learn more. 

#2: Rakuten Insight

We tested Rakuten Insight for a month, earning an average pay-per-hour of $9.62.

That makes the platform one of the best-paying survey sites we’ve tested by a fairly wide margin. Plus, the site offers quick and easy surveys that are usually 5 to 10 questions about your habits and preferences, and which usually take just a couple of minutes to complete.

However, the number of surveys is very limited. We were invited to only 18 surveys and completed 13 in 30 days. In total, we earned $4.01.

  • Payment options : PayPal cash or Amazon gift cards.
  • Time to receive : Payments are issued automatically every week to users who have accumulated at least $5 in their account.

Sign up here or check out our in-depth Rakuten Insight review .

#3: Swagbucks

Swagbucks offers a large inventory of surveys but excels when combining surveys with activities like cash-back shopping, playing games and completing offers. 

We earned an average of $20 per hour by leveraging these various opportunities. 

While surveys and small tasks pay less, signup offers and cash-back shopping can yield higher earnings (sometimes up to $100 for a single offer).

  • Minimum payment : $3.
  • Payment options : PayPal cash or gift cards for most major retailers.
  • Sign-up bonus : $10 for spending $25.
  • Time to credit : Varies by activity; instant to 90 days.
  • Time to receive : 1 to 4 business days for most options.

Sign up here or learn more about the site in our Swagbucks review .

#4: User Interviews

User Interviews is the best-paying platform on this list, though it requires more time commitment. Instead of traditional surveys, you provide feedback on products, apps and websites, usually via video chat. 

During our testing, we completed eight studies and earned $360 for 4 hours and 51 minutes of work, resulting in a final pay-per-hour of $55. However, most studies take 30 to 60 minutes and must be conducted during business hours, which may not suit everyone.

You can apply to studies based on your demographics and interests. The application process involves answering a few screening questions to determine your eligibility. 

  • Minimum payment : None.
  • Payment options : Gift cards (no cash payment options).
  • Time to credit: Upon completion.
  • Time to receive : Average of three days.

Sign up here or learn more about how the site works in our User Interviews review .

#5: Branded Surveys

During our Branded Surveys test, we earned $5.06 after 2 hours and 18 minutes, averaging $2.20 per hour. 

While the disqualification rate is high at 81%, the platform offers a large inventory of surveys, ensuring there’s almost always something available. The site’s ease of use and quick cash-out process make it worth checking out, as experiences can vary based on your demographic. 

Additionally, Branded Surveys has a loyalty program called Branded Elite, where you can earn bonus points by maintaining consistent activity on the platform. This can boost your earnings if you frequently participate.

  • Minimum paymen t: $5.
  • Payment options : PayPal, bank deposits, virtual gift cards, charitable donations.
  • Sign-up bonus : 50 cents.
  • Time to receive : 1 to 3 business days.

Sign up here or read our Branded Surveys review to learn more.

#6: SurveyMonkey Rewards

We earned $13.56 per hour during our testing period (one of the best pay rates of all the survey sites we’ve tested). The app features short surveys (typically five minutes or less), an easy-to-use interface, and a low minimum cash-out amount of $5.

The only factor preventing SurveyMonkey Rewards from ranking higher on this list is the relatively low number of surveys available. You can only take the surveys you’re invited to — unlike some sites, there’s no dashboard with surveys to choose from — and we only received a couple of invitations (sent via push notification) per week.

As a result, hitting the $5 minimum for withdrawal still took a few weeks of use, despite the high per-hour pay rate. 

  • Payment options : Amazon gift cards or charity donations.
  • Time to credit : Instantly.
  • Time to receive : Instantly.

Sign up here or learn more in our SurveyMonkey Rewards review .

We tested Toluna for five hours, attempting 50 surveys and completing 20. 

Our earnings reached $3.43 per hour, which is above average among survey sites offering short-form questionnaires (10 minutes or less to complete).

One of the big downsides we encountered was a 64% disqualification rate. Additionally, Toluna is a survey aggregator, which means you’ll take surveys in many different formats — not all of which are equally user-friendly or optimized for a mobile screen.

Still, the large inventory of surveys and relatively good pay make the site worth looking into.

  • Minimum payment : $10.
  • Payment options : Transfers to your PayPal account, paper checks, and virtual gift cards.
  • Sign-up bonus : 500 points (about 18 cents).
  • Time to credit : 20 minutes to several days.
  • Time to receive : Up to three weeks.

Sign up here or learn more in our Toluna Surveys review . 

#8: Respondent

Respondent is an online focus group platform that pays you to participate in marketing and research studies. We earned $31 per hour during our testing, though we were selected for only one of the 24 studies we applied to, resulting in a 95% rejection rate. 

The platform offers various study formats, primarily conducted via video chat, including one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and providing written comments on your experience with a product. 

While the application process is straightforward and typically takes just a few minutes, you can only apply to three studies per day. 

  • Payment options : PayPal.
  • Time to credit : Upon completion.
  • Time to receive : Average of five days.

Sign up here or learn more in our Respondent review . 

#9: Google Opinion Rewards

During our nearly two months of testing, we earned $5.56, averaging $22.24 per hour for the limited time spent on surveys. While this hourly average sounds impressive, the opportunities to take surveys are very limited. 

You get infrequent opportunities to take short surveys (of typically a minute or less) and the pay is between 10 cents and $1 each. Enabling location tracking may increase your chances of receiving more surveys.

  • Minimum payment : $2 for PayPal cash, no minimum for Google Play credit.
  • Payment options : PayPal or Google Play credit.
  • Time to credit : Instantly upon survey completion, though some credits may take up to a few days.
  • Time to receive : PayPal payments are issued automatically at $2; Google Play credits can be cashed out anytime.

Sign up here or learn more in our Google Opinion Rewards review .

#10: InboxDollars

InboxDollars pays you for completing simple tasks like filling out surveys, playing games and reading emails. The site has paid over $60 million in rewards, and the per-survey pay rate is high compared to other platforms.

However, there are a couple of notable drawbacks to the site.

First, the inventory of surveys is limited. You’re only shown 10 surveys at a time, and there’s no way to dismiss them or search for others if you don’t like their payout for the estimated time required. And second, InboxDollars has an unusually high minimum withdrawal amount of $15.

  • Minimum payment : $15 for the first withdrawal, then $10 for future withdrawals.
  • Payment option s: PayPal, paper checks, virtual gift cards, and prepaid Visa cards.
  • Sign-up bonus : $5.
  • Time to credit : Between 15 minutes and three weeks.
  • Time to receive : Three business days for PayPal and three to five business days for virtual gift cards; paper checks are mailed once per week.

Sign up here or read our InboxDollars review to learn more.

# 11: PrizeRebel

During our test period, we completed nine of the 31 surveys attempted, resulting in a 71% disqualification rate and ultimately earning $5.53. This meant we had an average earning rate of $1.46 per hour. 

PrizeRebel operates as a survey aggregator, connecting users with surveys from various market research companies. This setup can lead to different, and sometimes frustrating, experiences with each survey. 

  • Minimum payment : $2 for gift cards and $5 for PayPal.
  • Payment options : PayPal or virtual gift cards.

Sign up here or learn more in our PrizeRebel review . 

How to Maximize Your Survey Earnings

The following tips will help you earn as much as you can in as little time (and with as little effort) as possible.

Tip #1: Use a Separate Email Address

The first thing you should do before signing up for any survey website is create a separate email address specifically for the purpose of taking surveys. Simply put, you don’t want your regular inbox bombarded by the offers you’ll receive, as some sites send surveys every few minutes. 

Tip #2: Complete Every Profile/Demographic Survey You’re Offered

The highest paying online surveys are those that target specific demographic niches, so it’s important to answer every profile questionnaire you’re offered.

This is usually the first thing you’ll be prompted to do when you join a survey platform, and most users know they need to provide basic details like their household size, age, and income level. 

However, most survey sites will continue prompting you to provide additional demographic information over time. And while these may not be the surveys that pay the most (often, they pay very little), they can help you unlock those more lucrative niche studies.

Plus, a survey company may use this information for pre-screening purposes — which means you’ll have a lower disqualification rate and waste less time trying to complete surveys you’re not qualified for.

Tip #3: Go Fast But Answer Correctly

To maximize your time when taking paid online surveys, you obviously have to work quickly. But you also have to answer your surveys honestly and in a way that makes sense.

Market research companies are smart, and they have a vested interest in making sure they’re getting real data to share with their customers (i.e., the brands that pay them for insights into consumer behavior and preferences). 

So they build quality control checks into their surveys to ensure that you’re paying attention and answering honestly. Examples of this are asking the same question in two different ways to see if you contradict yourself, and asking questions that require you to select a specific option or “none of the above.” 

If you don’t take the time to actually read the survey instructions and the question details, you might disqualify yourself from not only that particular survey, but from the platform as a whole. And on top of that, many survey sites use these QC checks to grade your performance, doling out the best surveys to the users with the highest scores.

How to Stay Away From Survey Site Scams

To avoid survey site scams, stick with companies that have good user ratings. But equally important is looking for companies with a lot of ratings. Don’t be fooled by a site that might have a few misleading reviews.

Beyond that, here are some tips: 

  • Never pay to join a site. Legit survey sites are always 100% free to use.
  • Ask yourself whether there’s evidence of people getting paid for their time — such as thousands of positive App Store reviews. There are many survey sites that aren’t scams per se, but which make it next to impossible to earn enough money to cash out. These sites benefit from collecting your data with no intention of ever paying you.
  • Avoid spending the points you earn on sweepstakes entries. Your chances of winning are astronomically low, so in most cases you end up working for free. 

Get Paid to Take Surveys: Closing Thoughts

Based on our findings, here’s a breakdown of the top survey sites by category:

  • Best for taking a lot of surveys : Survey Junkie
  • Best for high pay rates : Rakuten Insight
  • Best for participating in focus groups : User Interviews
  • Best for quick and easy surveys : SurveyMonkey Rewards
  • Best for earning rewards in multiple ways : Swagbucks

As we’ve said countless times on this site, it bears repeating: answering surveys and using money-making apps will never make you rich or serve as a meaningful source of income.

But if you enjoy answering surveys and go into it with realistic expectations about the potential reward — perhaps a free Amazon gift card or a little bit of extra cash every month — they can be a great way to monetize your bits and pieces of downtime.

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Labour market overview, UK: June 2024

Estimates of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and other employment-related statistics for the UK.

This is the latest release. View previous releases

Contact: Email Labour Market team

Release date: 11 June 2024

Next release: 18 July 2024

Table of contents

  • Other pages in this release
  • Main points
  • Latest indicators at a glance
  • Labour market data
  • Measuring the data
  • Strengths and limitations
  • Related links
  • Cite this statistical bulletin

Print this Statistical bulletin

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1. Other pages in this release

Average weekly earnings in Great Britain

Earnings and employment from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, UK

Employment in the UK

Labour market in the regions of the UK

Public sector employment, UK

Vacancies and jobs in the UK

2. Main points

Trends and considerations around comparisons..

This month's figures continue to show signs that the labour market may be cooling, with the number of vacancies still falling and unemployment rising, though earnings growth remains relatively strong.

Short-term movements varied across our different measures of employment. There were decreases in estimates of employment from the Labour Force Survey and in estimates of payrolled employees from HMRC's Real Time Information data in recent months. Today, we have also published our quarterly workforce jobs provisional estimate for March 2024, which suggests employment has increased since December 2023. These different series measure slightly different concepts and cover different time periods, with divergent trends possible for individual data points. In these instances we advise making longer term comparisons that offer more stability.

Dataset X12 sets out the annual growth rates for these measures in recent periods and suggests that the medium-term trend for employment growth is steadily weakening.

Latest data

Payrolled employees in the UK decreased by 36,000 (0.1%) between March and April 2024, but rose by 201,000 (0.7%) between April 2023 and April 2024.

The early estimate of payrolled employees for May 2024 decreased by 3,000 (0.0%) on the month but increased by 167,000 (0.6%) on the year, to 30.3 million. The May 2024 estimate should be treated as a provisional estimate and is likely to be revised when more data are received next month.

Increased volatility of Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates, resulting from smaller achieved sample sizes, means that estimates of quarterly change should be treated with additional caution, and we recommend using them as part of our suite of labour market indicators, alongside Workforce Jobs, Claimant Count data, and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) estimates.

The UK employment rate (for people aged 16 to 64 years) was estimated at 74.3% in February to April 2024, below estimates of a year ago, and decreased in the latest quarter.

In March 2024, the total Workforce Jobs (WFJ) in the UK estimate rose by 431,000 on the year to 37.2 million, with increases in both employee jobs and self-employment jobs.

The UK unemployment rate (for people aged 16 years and over) was estimated at 4.4% in February to April 2024, above estimates of a year ago, and increased in the latest quarter.

We also publish the  Claimant Count , a measure of the number of people who are receiving a benefit principally for the reason of being unemployed. The UK Claimant Count for May 2024 increased on the month and on the year, to 1.629 million.

The UK economic inactivity rate for people aged 16 to 64 years was estimated at 22.3% in February to April 2024, above estimates of a year ago, and increased in the latest quarter.

In March to May 2024, the estimated number of vacancies in the UK decreased by 12,000 on the quarter to 904,000. Vacancies decreased on the quarter for the 23rd consecutive period but are still above pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels.

Annual growth in employees' average regular earnings (excluding bonuses) in Great Britain was 6.0% in February to April 2024, and annual growth in total earnings (including bonuses) was 5.9%.

Annual growth in real terms (adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH)) for regular pay was 2.3% in February to April 2024, and for total pay was 2.2%.

There were an estimated 17,000 working days lost because of labour disputes across the UK in April 2024.

This bulletin includes data from business and social surveys, as well as data from administrative sources. It includes a combination of accredited official statistics and official statistics in development and, therefore, we advise the consideration of this when using.

Read more in Section 6: Measuring the data

3. Latest indicators at a glance

4. labour market data.

Summary of labour market statistics Dataset A01 | Released 11 June 2024 Labour market statistics summary data table, including earnings, employment, unemployment, redundancies and vacancies, Great Britain and UK, published monthly.

Earnings and employment from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, seasonally adjusted Dataset | Released 11 June 2024 Earnings and employment statistics from Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI), seasonally adjusted. These are official statistics in development.

A guide to labour market data Methodology | Updated 21 April 2023 Summary of labour market datasets, providing estimates of employment, unemployment, average weekly earnings, and the number of vacancies. Tables are listed alphabetically and by topic.

View all related data on our related data page .

Alternatively, Nomis provides free access to the most detailed and up-to-date UK labour market statistics.

5. Glossary

Average weekly earnings.

Average weekly earnings measure money paid by employers to employees in Great Britain before tax and other deductions from pay. The estimates are not just a measure of pay rises, because they also reflect, for example, changes in the overall structure of the workforce.

More high-paid jobs in the economy would have an upward effect on the earnings growth rate.

Economic inactivity

People not in the labour force are not in employment but do not meet the internationally accepted definition of unemployment. This is because they have not been seeking work within the last four weeks or they are unable to start work in the next two weeks. The economic inactivity rate is the proportion of people aged between 16 and 64 years who are not in the labour force.

Employment measures the number of people in paid work or who had a job that they were temporarily away from (for example, because they were on holiday or off sick). This differs from the number of jobs because some people have more than one job. The employment rate is the proportion of people aged between 16 and 64 years who are in employment.

Unemployment

Unemployment measures people without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks and are available to start work within the next two weeks. The unemployment rate is not the proportion of the total population who are unemployed. It is the proportion of the economically active population (people in work and those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed.

Claimant Count

The Claimant Count is an official statistic in development that measures the number of people who are receiving a benefit principally for the reason of being unemployed. Currently, the Claimant Count consists of those receiving Jobseekers' Allowance and Universal Credit claimants in the "searching for work" conditionality group.

Vacancies are defined as positions for which employers are actively seeking recruits from outside their business or organisation. The estimates are based on the Vacancy Survey. This is a survey of businesses designed to provide estimates of the stock of vacancies across the economy, excluding agriculture, forestry, and fishing (a small sector for which the collection of estimates would not be practical).

Pay As You Earn Real Time Information

These data come from HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC's) Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) system. They cover the whole population, rather than a sample of people or companies, and they will allow for more detailed estimates of the population. The PAYE RTI statistics are official statistics in development (previously called experimental statistics) because the methodologies used to produce the statistics are still in their development phase.

In June 2023, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) published an assessment report of HM Revenue and

Customs (HMRC) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics on earnings and employment from Pay as You Earn Real Time Information (PAYE RTI). HMRC and the ONS welcome OSR's assessment report and have developed an action plan focusing on the six requirements .

A more detailed glossary is available in our Guide to labour market statistics methodology .

6. Measuring the data

Official statistics.

On 7 June 2024, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) introduced the new accredited official statistics badge, to denote official statistics that have been independently review by OSR and judged to meet the standards in the Code of Practice for Statistics .

This UK labour market bulletin includes a combination of accredited official statistics and official statistics in development .

The following labour market outputs are accredited official statistics:

average weekly earnings

labour disputes

Office for National Statistics (ONS) vacancy statistics

Workforce Jobs

The following labour market outputs are official statistics in development:

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) estimates

Labour Force Survey estimates

ONS Claimant Count

Labour Force Survey

We have been facing the challenge of falling response rates for household surveys, as have other comparable countries. This issue became more acute in the Labour Force Survey (LFS) data collected for August 2023. The LFS estimates due to be published in October 2023 were suspended because of quality concerns. We developed a comprehensive plan to address these concerns and reintroduce LFS, as described in our Labour Force Survey: planned improvements and its reintroduction estimates methodology .

As stated on 5 February 2024 in our Impact of reweighting on Labour Force Survey key indicators: 2024 article , from 13 February we have reinstated reweighted LFS estimates into our monthly publication. These LFS estimates are official statistics in development .

Reweighting does not address the volatility we have seen in recent periods and which we expect to see to some extent in the future, so we would advise caution when interpreting short-term changes in headline rates and recommend using them as part of our suite of labour market indicators, alongside Workforce Jobs, Claimant Count data and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) estimates.

Further information on response rates and other quality-related issues for the LFS can be found in our quarterly Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports .

Our Comparison of labour market data sources methodology compares data sources and discusses some of the main differences.

Coronavirus

For more information on how labour market data sources were affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, see our Coronavirus and the effects on UK labour market statistics article .

Making our published spreadsheets accessible

Following the Government Statistical Service (GSS) guidance on releasing statistics in spreadsheets , we will be amending our published tables over the coming months to improve usability, accessibility and machine readability of our published statistics. To help users change to the new formats, we will be publishing sample versions of a selection of our tables and, where practical, initially publish the tables in both the new and current formats. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at [email protected].

Labour market transformation

We have published a Labour market transformation article and a blog providing an update on the transformation of labour market statistics.

We welcome your feedback on this latest update and our plans. Please email us at labour.market. [email protected] to tell us what you think

7. Strengths and limitations

The estimates presented in this bulletin contain uncertainty. For more information, see our Uncertainty and how we measure it methodology .

Information on revisions is available in our Labour market statistics revisions policy .

Information on the strengths and limitations of this bulletin is available in our Labour market overview, UK: April 2021 bulletin .

Further information is available in our Guide to labour market statistics methodology .

8. Related links

Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators: 6 June 2024 Bulletin | Released 6 June 2024 Early data on the UK economy and society. These faster indicators are created using rapid response surveys, novel data sources and innovative methods. These are official statistics in development.

Business insights and impact on the UK economy: 6 June 2024 Bulletin | Released 6 June 2024 The impact of challenges facing the economy and other events on UK businesses. Based on responses from the voluntary fortnightly business survey (BICS) to deliver real-time information to help assess issues affecting UK businesses and economy, including financial performance, workforce, trade and business resilience.

Labour market transformation - update on progress and plans: April 2024 Article | Released 29 April 2024 Labour market transformation overview, building on previous engagement on the transformed Labour Force Survey.

Quarterly economic commentary: October to December 2023 Article | Released 28 March 2024 Economic commentary for the latest quarterly national accounts, prices and labour market indicators.

Impact of reweighting on Labour Force Survey key indicators: 2024 Article | Released 5 February 2024 Indicative estimates of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) reweighting methodology on key indicators for the UK and countries of the UK, between July to September 2022 and September to November 2023.

Impact of imputation changes in employment statistics from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information methodology Methodology | Revised 4 March 2024 An assessment of changes to the way missing data is modelled in monthly estimates of employees from Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) data.

Rising ill-health and economic inactivity because of long-term sickness, UK: 2019 to 2023 Article | Released 26 July 2023 Experimental statistics estimating the different health conditions of the working-age population and those economically inactive because of long-term sickness.

9. Cite this statistical bulletin

Office for National Statistics (ONS), released 11 June 2024, ONS website, statistical bulletin, Labour market overview, UK: June 2024

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What is survey research.

15 min read Find out everything you need to know about survey research, from what it is and how it works to the different methods and tools you can use to ensure you’re successful.

Survey research is the process of  collecting data from a predefined group  (e.g. customers or potential customers) with the ultimate goal of uncovering insights about your products, services, or  brand overall .

As a  quantitative data collection  method, survey research can provide you with a goldmine of information that can inform crucial business and product decisions. But survey research needs careful planning and execution to get the results you want.

So if you’re thinking about using surveys to carry out research, read on.

Get started with our free survey software

Types of survey research

Calling these methods ‘survey research’ slightly underplays the complexity of this type of information gathering. From the expertise required to carry out each activity to the  analysis of the data  and its eventual application, a considerable amount of effort is required.

As for how you can carry out your research, there are several options to choose from — face-to-face interviews, telephone surveys, focus groups (though more interviews than surveys), online surveys, and panel surveys.

Typically, the survey method you choose will largely be guided by who you want to survey,  the size of your sample , your budget, and the type of information you’re hoping to gather.

Here are a few of the most-used survey types:

Face-to-face interviews

Before technology made it possible to conduct research using online surveys, telephone, and mail were the most popular methods for survey research. However face-to-face interviews were considered the gold standard — the only reason they weren’t as popular was due to their highly prohibitive costs.

When it came to face-to-face interviews, organisations would use highly trained researchers who knew when to probe or follow up on vague or problematic answers. They also knew when to offer assistance to respondents when they seemed to be struggling. The result was that these interviewers could get sample members to participate and engage in surveys in the most effective way possible, leading to higher response rates and better quality data.

Telephone surveys

While phone surveys have been popular in the past, particularly for measuring general consumer behaviour or beliefs, response rates have been declining since the 1990s .

Phone surveys are usually conducted using a random dialling system and software that a researcher can use to record responses.

This method is beneficial when you want to survey a large population but don’t have the resources to conduct face-to-face research surveys or run focus groups, or want to ask multiple-choice and  open-ended questions .

The downsides are they can: take a long time to complete depending on the response rate, and you may have to do a lot of cold-calling to get the information you need.

You also run the risk of respondents  not being completely honest . Instead, they’ll answer your survey questions quickly just to get off the phone.

Focus groups (interviews — not surveys)

Focus groups are a separate  qualitative methodology  rather than surveys — even though they’re often bunched together. They’re normally used for  survey pretesting and designing , but they’re also a great way to generate opinions and data from a diverse range of people.

Focus groups involve putting a cohort of  demographically  or socially diverse people in a room with a moderator and engaging them in a discussion on a particular topic, such as your product, brand, or service.

They remain a highly popular  method for market research , but they’re expensive and require a lot of administration to conduct and analyse the data properly.

You also run the risk of more dominant members of the group taking over the discussion and swaying the opinions of other people — potentially providing you with unreliable data.

Online surveys

Online surveys  have become one of the most popular survey methods due to being cost-effective, enabling researchers to accurately survey a large population quickly.

Online surveys can essentially be used by anyone for any research purpose – we’ve all seen the increasing popularity of polls on social media (although these are not scientific).

Using an online survey allows you to ask a series of different question types and collect data instantly that’s easy to analyse with the right software.

There are also several methods for running and distributing online surveys that allow you to get your questionnaire in front of a large population at a fraction of the cost of face-to-face interviews or focus groups.

This is particularly true when it comes to mobile surveys as most people with a smartphone can access them online.

However, you have to be aware of the potential dangers of using online surveys, particularly when it comes to the survey respondents. The biggest risk is because online surveys require access to a computer or mobile device to complete, they could exclude elderly members of the population who don’t have access to the technology — or don’t know how to use it.

It could also exclude those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds who can’t afford a computer or consistent internet access. This could mean the data collected is more biased towards a certain group and can lead to less accurate data when you’re looking for a representative population sample.

When it comes to surveys, every voice matters.

Panel surveys

A panel survey involves recruiting respondents who have specifically signed up to answer questionnaires and who are put on a list by a research company. This could be a workforce of a small company or a major subset of a national population. Usually, these groups are carefully selected so that they represent a sample of your target population — giving you balance across criteria such as age, gender, background, and so on.

Panel surveys give you access to the respondents you need and are usually provided by the research company in question. As a result, it’s much easier to get access to the right audiences as you just need to tell the research company your criteria. They’ll then determine the right panels to use to answer your questionnaire.

However, there are downsides. The main one being that if the research company offers its panels incentives, e.g. discounts, coupons, money — respondents may answer a lot of questionnaires just for the benefits.

This might mean they rush through your survey without providing considered and truthful answers. As a consequence, this can damage the credibility of your data and potentially ruin your analyses.

What are the benefits of using survey research?

Depending on the research method you use, there are lots of benefits to conducting survey research for data collection. Here, we cover a few:

Advantages of questionnaires

1.   They’re relatively easy to do

Most research surveys are easy to set up, administer and analyse. As long as the planning and survey design is thorough and you target the right audience , the data collection is usually straightforward regardless of which survey type you use.

2.   They can be cost effective

Survey research can be relatively cheap depending on the type of survey you use.

Generally, qualitative research methods that require access to people in person or over the phone are more expensive and require more administration.

Online surveys or mobile surveys are often more cost-effective for market research and can give you access to the global population for a fraction of the cost.

3.   You can collect data from a large sample

Again, depending on the type of survey, you can obtain survey results from an entire population at a relatively low price. You can also administer a large variety of survey types to fit the project you’re running.

4.   You can use survey software to analyse results immediately

Using survey software, you can use advanced statistical analysis techniques to gain insights into your responses immediately.

Analysis can be conducted using a variety of parameters to determine the validity and reliability of your survey data at scale.

5.   Surveys can collect any type of data

While most people view surveys as a quantitative research method, they can just as easily be adapted to gain qualitative information by simply including open-ended questions or conducting interviews face to face.

How to measure concepts with survey questions

While surveys are a great way to obtain data, that data on its own is useless unless it can be analysed and developed into actionable insights.

The easiest, and most effective way to measure survey results, is to use a dedicated research tool that puts all of your survey results into one place.

When it comes to survey measurement, there are four measurement types to be aware of that will determine how you treat your different survey results:

Nominal scale

With a nominal scale , you can only keep track of how many respondents chose each option from a question, and which response generated the most selections.

An example of this would be simply asking a responder to choose a product or brand from a list.

You could find out which brand was chosen the most but have no insight as to why.

Ordinal scale

Ordinal scales are used to judge an order of preference. They do provide some level of quantitative value because you’re asking responders to choose a preference of one option over another.

Ratio scale

Ratio scales can be used to judge the order and difference between responses. For example, asking respondents how much they spend on their weekly shopping on average.

Interval scale

In an interval scale, values are lined up in order with a meaningful difference between the two values — for example, measuring temperature or measuring a credit score between one value and another.

Step by step: How to conduct surveys and collect data

Conducting a survey and collecting data is relatively straightforward, but it does require some careful planning and design to ensure it results in reliable data.

How to conduct a survey

Step 1 – Define your objectives

What do you want to learn from the survey? How is the data going to help you? Having a hypothesis or series of assumptions about survey responses will allow you to create the right questions to test them.

Step 2 – Create your survey questions

Once you’ve got your hypotheses or assumptions, write out the questions you need answering to test your theories or beliefs. Be wary about framing questions that  could lead respondents or inadvertently create biased responses .

Step 3 – Choose your question types

Your survey should include a variety of question types and should aim to obtain quantitative data with some qualitative responses from open-ended questions. Using a mix of questions (simple Yes/ No, multiple-choice, rank in order, etc) not only increases the reliability of your data but also reduces survey fatigue and respondents simply answering questions quickly without thinking.

Step 4 – Test your questions

Before sending your questionnaire out, you should test it (e.g. have a random internal group do the survey) and carry out A/B tests to ensure you’ll gain accurate responses.

Step 5 – Choose your target and send out the survey

Depending on your objectives, you might want to target the general population with your survey or a specific segment of the population. Once you’ve narrowed down who you want to target, it’s time to send out the survey.

After you’ve deployed the survey, keep an eye on the response rate to ensure you’re getting the number you expected. If your response rate is low, you might need to send the survey out to a second group to obtain a large enough sample — or do some troubleshooting to work out why your response rates are so low. This could be down to your questions, delivery method, selected sample, or otherwise.

Step 6 – Analyse results and draw conclusions

Once you’ve got your results back, it’s time for the fun part.

Break down your survey responses using the parameters you’ve set in your objectives and analyse the data to compare to your original assumptions. At this stage, a research tool or software can make the analysis a lot easier — and that’s somewhere Qualtrics can help.

Get reliable insights with survey software from Qualtrics

Gaining feedback from customers  and leads is critical for any business, data gathered from surveys can prove invaluable for understanding your products and your market position, and with survey software from Qualtrics , it couldn’t be easier.

Used by more than 13,000 brands and supporting more than 1 billion surveys a year, Qualtrics empowers everyone in your organisation to gather insights and take action. No coding required — and your data is housed in one system.

Get feedback from more than 125 sources on a single platform and view and measure your data in one place to  create actionable insights  and gain a deeper understanding of your target customers.

Automatically run complex text and statistical analysis to uncover exactly what your survey data is telling you, so you can react in real-time and make smarter decisions.

We can help you with survey management, too. From designing your survey and finding your target respondents to getting your survey in the field and reporting back on the results, we can help you every step of the way.

And for expert market researchers and survey designers, Qualtrics features custom programming to give you total flexibility over question types, survey design, embedded data, and other variables.

No matter what type of survey you want to run, what target audience you want to reach, or what assumptions you want to test or answers you want to uncover, we’ll help you design, deploy and analyse your survey with our team of experts.

Start your survey research today with Qualtrics

Related resources

Thematic analysis 11 min read, post event survey questions 10 min read, choosing the best survey tools 16 min read, survey app 11 min read, close-ended questions 7 min read, survey vs questionnaire 12 min read, likert scales 14 min read, request demo.

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How US consumers are feeling, shopping, and spending—and what it means for companies

Stick to new COVID-19-era habits, or go back to the old ways of doing things? For most US consumers, the answer seems to be “both.” Two years into the pandemic, people across the country have discovered that they like shopping online, but they’re also going back to brick-and-mortar stores. They’re venturing out of their homes again, but they’re continuing to spend money on home improvement. And—in what could be boon or bane for manufacturers and retailers—today’s consumers are quite willing to abandon their once-preferred brands in favor of new ones that offer value or novelty.

Taking the pulse of the US consumer

The following seven charts highlight findings from our latest Consumer Pulse survey, which was in the field between February 25 and March 1, 2022, and garnered responses from more than 2,100 US adults (sampled and weighted to match the general US population). The survey results, combined with third-party data on consumer spending, provide insights into how US consumer sentiment and behavior have been evolving  since the COVID-19 pandemic began. And the evolution continues: this survey did not address the invasion of Ukraine in any form. We believe, therefore, that the results do not capture the full effect of the invasion on US consumer sentiment.

It remains to be seen how—and how intensely—recent geopolitical and economic developments will affect US consumers’ outlook. What’s clear is that, more than ever, companies must stay on top of consumers’ fast-changing attitudes and behaviors .

Inflation hasn’t stopped consumers from spending—yet. In the early months of 2022, amid record inflation, US consumers continued to open their wallets. US inflation grew to nearly 8.5 percent in March 2022, with the May 2021 to March 2022 period showing the highest inflation in a decade. Yet, US consumers spent 18 percent more in March 2022 than they did two years earlier, and 12 percent more than they were forecast to spend based on the pre-COVID-19 trajectory.

This loosening of purse strings was perhaps not surprising: US consumers had approximately $2.8 trillion more in savings than they had in 2019, and many didn’t hesitate to dip into those savings as pandemic restrictions eased across the country. But it isn’t just the savers who have been making purchases: credit card debt is starting to rise as well. People in every age cohort and income group spent more of their money, but year-over-year spending growth was highest among millennials (17 percent) and high-income consumers (16 percent). That said, consumer sentiment began to dip in late February, as we discuss further below.

Consumers continue to spend more on certain product categories, but inflation is slowing volume growth. In some categories, much of the growth in spending in February and March 2022 was because people bought more; inflation accounted for only a small portion of growth. This was especially true in categories that boomed during the pandemic: sporting apparel , pet supplies, cosmetics , and software and electronics. But in other categories—including gasoline, restaurants , and travel—inflation has masked a drop in volume of consumption. Consumers bought mostly goods rather than services or experiences. Spending on goods was higher than prepandemic levels, whereas spending on services was still 2 percent lower than it was prepandemic—a pattern that will likely continue until more people feel comfortable being in crowds and attending public indoor events.

In light of persistent inflation  and the war in Ukraine , consumer confidence—which rose steadily through 2021—dipped in February 2022. Only 38 percent of survey respondents said they feel optimistic, down from 44 percent in October 2021. The steepest drop in consumer sentiment was among high-income consumers, a group that frequently traded up to more-expensive products and brands in 2020 and 2021 but that might soon moderate what it buys. Companies will need to figure out the value equation that high-income consumers find most compelling: Will they continue to spend but start to trade down more than they did in 2020 and 2021? Will they shift more of their spending to channels providing better value?

The “loyalty shake-up” continues. More US consumers reported switching to different brands and retailers in 2022 than at any time since the beginning of the pandemic—and most of them say they intend to incorporate that behavior into their routines. Their reasons? With inflation at a record high, more people are looking for value; price is at the top of the list of consumers’ motivations for switching. Almost all consumers—90 percent—have noticed that prices are going up. In particular, they’ve noticed significant price hikes in two things that many people buy multiple times a week: gasoline and groceries. Among consumers who said they’ve switched brands, slightly more than a third said they opted to buy private-label products .

Availability, which was a big reason for switching in 2020 and 2021, still matters a lot but is less of a differentiator than it was at the height of the pandemic, when some brands couldn’t keep up with demand and were constantly out of stock. Meanwhile, brand purpose is now less of a buying factor for consumers than it was in 2020. Novelty, on the other hand, has steadily risen in importance. Consumers are keen to try something different, making innovation an imperative for brands  that want to win (or win back) consumers. Combining innovation with the perception of better value could be a particularly attractive offer.

Shoppers are spending more both online and in stores. People began shopping online in droves at the start of the pandemic, when they didn’t have much of a choice. But it turns out that many people enjoy the convenience that e-commerce offers. Even when brick-and-mortar stores reopened , spending in online channels continued to climb. Year-on-year growth in e-commerce was 27 percent in March 2022; the total uplift in e-commerce penetration, from the onset of COVID-19 until March 2022, was 33 percent.

Contrary to what some in the industry predicted, the rise in e-commerce hasn’t made brick- and-mortar retail obsolete. In fact, in-store spending  is recovering at a healthy clip—with 8 percent year-over-year growth in March 2022, compared with approximately 5 percent in early 2021. Providing a seamless experience in both online and offline channels is becoming table stakes for brands and retailers. In addition, companies would do well to differentiate the service and experience of in-person shopping, while giving consumers reasons to continue to visit their websites and apps.

Omnichannel shopping is becoming the norm. Seventy-five percent of US consumers say they’re researching and purchasing both in-store and online. And this omnichannel behavior isn’t confined to a few types of products: consumers are doing it for both food and nonfood purchases across a broad range of categories. What’s more, 45 percent of consumers say social media is influencing their purchases.

Not surprisingly, social-media influence is heaviest among younger people and is most relevant in appearance-related categories such as cosmetics and sports apparel. Social commerce, already a phenomenon in China, is still nascent in the US market, but one in ten omnichannel shoppers said they’ve already made purchases directly via social media. It’s a channel that’s only growing in importance—yet too many consumer and retail executives today still haven’t taken the time to educate themselves in social media and thus are missing out on powerful opportunities to reach and engage consumers.

Even as people go out again, their “nesting” continues. More than half of US consumers have already resumed their normal out-of-home activities; another 20 percent are in the process of returning to their prepandemic routines outside the home. Almost 40 percent of survey respondents report that they’re now exclusively working in an office or other workplace outside the home. On average, consumers are working from home only about two days a week. But about one-third of consumers say they aren’t yet comfortable attending public indoor events.

Interestingly, despite resuming most of their out-of-home activities, US consumers haven’t pulled back on making their homes more attractive and comfortable. Spending on home improvement and maintenance is still growing: it’s 11 percent higher than pre-COVID-19 projections even after adjusting for inflation. Given the overall shift in the way people have used their homes during the pandemic as well as many people’s expectations of continuing to work from home at least one day a week, companies can expect this nesting behavior to continue.

Consumers say they care about ESG, but it means different things to different people. When choosing which brands to buy, consumers—in particular, younger generations—say that their choices are at least somewhat influenced by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors . More than two-thirds of younger survey respondents said at least one aspect of ESG is very important to them. Paramount among their concerns is that companies are transparent and show that they care for people (employees, customers, others in their communities).

In general, younger consumers prioritize authenticity and social issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion , whereas older consumers pay more attention to health and environmental issues. Today, with inflation driving many consumers to switch brands—value has become more of a motivator than values, so to speak—companies that can deliver on consumers’ expectations for both value and values will be best positioned for success.

The next US Consumer Pulse survey will be in the field in autumn 2022. Watch for our analysis of those survey results and our updated perspectives on the state of the US consumer, forthcoming on McKinsey.com. In the meantime, listen to the authors discuss the latest Consumer Pulse findings in this McKinsey on Consumer and Retail podcast episode .

Kari Alldredge is a partner in McKinsey’s Minneapolis office; Tamara Charm is a partner in the Boston office; Eric Falardeau is a partner in the Montreal office; and Kelsey Robinson is a senior partner in the Bay Area office.

The authors wish to thank Christopher Cannizzaro, Jordan Chmielarz, Aleksandr Gorushkin, Daniela Jamri, Andrea Leon, Daniela Sancho Mazzara, Jason Rico Saavedra, Meera Singh, and Tom Skiles for their contributions to this research.

This article was edited by Monica Toriello, an executive editor in the New York office.

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Content Marketing Institute

B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Outlook for 2024 [Research]

B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2024

  • by Stephanie Stahl
  • | Published: October 18, 2023
  • | Trends and Research

Creating standards, guidelines, processes, and workflows for content marketing is not the sexiest job.

But setting standards is the only way to know if you can improve anything (with AI or anything else).

Here’s the good news: All that non-sexy work frees time and resources (human and tech) you can apply to bring your brand’s strategies and plans to life.  

But in many organizations, content still isn’t treated as a coordinated business function. That’s one of the big takeaways from our latest research, B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Outlook for 2024, conducted with MarketingProfs and sponsored by Brightspot .

A few symptoms of that reality showed up in the research:

  • Marketers cite a lack of resources as a top situational challenge, the same as they did the previous year.
  • Nearly three-quarters (72%) say they use generative AI, but 61% say their organization lacks guidelines for its use.
  • The most frequently cited challenges include creating the right content, creating content consistently, and differentiating content.

I’ll walk you through the findings and share some advice from CMI Chief Strategy Advisor Robert Rose and other industry voices to shed light on what it all means for B2B marketers. There’s a lot to work through, so feel free to use the table of contents to navigate to the sections that most interest you.

Note: These numbers come from a July 2023 survey of marketers around the globe. We received 1,080 responses. This article focuses on answers from the 894 B2B respondents.

Table of contents

  • Team structure
  • Content marketing challenges

Content types, distribution channels, and paid channels

  • Social media

Content management and operations

  • Measurement and goals
  • Overall success
  • Budgets and spending
  • Top content-related priorities for 2024
  • Content marketing trends for 2024

Action steps

Methodology, ai: 3 out of 4 b2b marketers use generative tools.

Of course, we asked respondents how they use generative AI in content and marketing. As it turns out, most experiment with it: 72% of respondents say they use generative AI tools.

But a lack of standards can get in the way.

“Generative AI is the new, disruptive capability entering the realm of content marketing in 2024,” Robert says. “It’s just another way to make our content process more efficient and effective. But it can’t do either until you establish a standard to define its value. Until then, it’s yet just another technology that may or may not make you better at what you do.”

So, how do content marketers use the tools today? About half (51%) use generative AI to brainstorm new topics. Many use the tools to research headlines and keywords (45%) and write drafts (45%). Fewer say they use AI to outline assignments (23%), proofread (20%), generate graphics (11%), and create audio (5%) and video (5%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: B2B marketers use generative AI for various content tasks.

Some marketers say they use AI to do things like generate email headlines and email copy, extract social media posts from long-form content, condense long-form copy into short form, etc.

Only 28% say they don’t use generative AI tools.

Most don’t pay for generative AI tools (yet)

Among those who use generative AI tools, 91% use free tools (e.g., ChatGPT ). Thirty-eight percent use tools embedded in their content creation/management systems, and 27% pay for tools such as Writer and Jasper.

AI in content remains mostly ungoverned

Asked if their organizations have guidelines for using generative AI tools, 31% say yes, 61% say no, and 8% are unsure.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Many B2B organizations lack guidelines for generative AI tools.

We asked Ann Handley , chief content officer of MarketingProfs, for her perspective. “It feels crazy … 61% have no guidelines? But is it actually shocking and crazy? No. It is not. Most of us are just getting going with generative AI. That means there is a clear and rich opportunity to lead from where you sit,” she says.

“Ignite the conversation internally. Press upon your colleagues and your leadership that this isn’t a technology opportunity. It’s also a people and operational challenge in need of thoughtful and intelligent response. You can be the AI leader your organization needs,” Ann says.

Why some marketers don’t use generative AI tools

While a lack of guidelines may deter some B2B marketers from using generative AI tools, other reasons include accuracy concerns (36%), lack of training (27%), and lack of understanding (27%). Twenty-two percent cite copyright concerns, and 19% have corporate mandates not to use them.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Reasons why B2B marketers don't use generative AI tools.

How AI is changing SEO

We also wondered how AI’s integration in search engines shifts content marketers’ SEO strategy. Here’s what we found:

  • 31% are sharpening their focus on user intent/answering questions.
  • 27% are creating more thought leadership content.
  • 22% are creating more conversational content.

Over one-fourth (28%) say they’re not doing any of those things, while 26% say they’re unsure.

AI may heighten the need to rethink your SEO strategy. But it’s not the only reason to do so, as Orbit Media Studios co-founder and chief marketing officer Andy Crestodina points out: “Featured snippets and people-also-ask boxes have chipped away at click-through rates for years,” he says. “AI will make that even worse … but only for information intent queries . Searchers who want quick answers really don’t want to visit websites.

“Focus your SEO efforts on those big questions with big answers – and on the commercial intent queries,” Andy continues. “Those phrases still have ‘visit website intent’ … and will for years to come.”

Will the AI obsession ever end?

Many B2B marketers surveyed predict AI will dominate the discussions of content marketing trends in 2024. As one respondent says: “AI will continue to be the shiny thing through 2024 until marketers realize the dedication required to develop prompts, go through the iterative process, and fact-check output . AI can help you sharpen your skills, but it isn’t a replacement solution for B2B marketing.”

Back to table of contents

Team structure: How does the work get done?

Generative AI isn’t the only issue affecting content marketing these days. We also asked marketers about how they organize their teams .

Among larger companies (100-plus employees), half say content requests go through a centralized content team. Others say each department/brand produces its own content (23%), and the departments/brand/products share responsibility (21%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: In large organizations, requests for B2B content often go through a central team.

Content strategies integrate with marketing, comms, and sales

Seventy percent say their organizations integrate content strategy into the overall marketing sales/communication/strategy, and 2% say it’s integrated into another strategy. Eleven percent say content is a stand-alone strategy for content used for marketing, and 6% say it’s a stand-alone strategy for all content produced by the company. Only 9% say they don’t have a content strategy. The remaining 2% say other or are unsure.

Employee churn means new teammates; content teams experience enlightened leadership

Twenty-eight percent of B2B marketers say team members resigned in the last year, 20% say team members were laid off, and about half (49%) say they had new team members acclimating to their ways of working.

While team members come and go, the understanding of content doesn’t. Over half (54%) strongly agree, and 30% somewhat agree the leader to whom their content team reports understands the work they do. Only 11% disagree. The remaining 5% neither agree nor disagree.

And remote work seems well-tolerated: Only 20% say collaboration was challenging due to remote or hybrid work.

Content marketing challenges: Focus shifts to creating the right content

We asked B2B marketers about both content creation and non-creation challenges.

Content creation

Most marketers (57%) cite creating the right content for their audience as a challenge. This is a change from many years when “creating enough content” was the most frequently cited challenge.

One respondent points out why understanding what audiences want is more important than ever: “As the internet gets noisier and AI makes it incredibly easy to create listicles and content that copy each other, there will be a need for companies to stand out. At the same time, as … millennials and Gen Z [grow in the workforce], we’ll begin to see B2B become more entertaining and less boring. We were never only competing with other B2B content. We’ve always been competing for attention.”

Other content creation challenges include creating it consistently (54%) and differentiating it (54%). Close to half (45%) cite optimizing for search and creating quality content (44%). About a third (34%) cite creating enough content to keep up with internal demand, 30% say creating enough content to keep up with external demand, and 30% say creating content that requires technical skills.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: B2B marketers' content creation challenges.

Other hurdles

The most frequently cited non-creation challenge, by far, is a lack of resources (58%), followed by aligning content with the buyer’s journey (48%) and aligning content efforts across sales and marketing (45%). Forty-one percent say they have issues with workflow/content approval, and 39% say they have difficulty accessing subject matter experts. Thirty-four percent say it is difficult to keep up with new technologies/tools (e.g., AI). Only 25% cite a lack of strategy as a challenge, 19% say keeping up with privacy rules, and 15% point to tech integration issues.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Situational challenges B2B content creation teams face.

We asked content marketers about the types of content they produce, their distribution channels , and paid content promotion. We also asked which formats and channels produce the best results.

Popular content types and formats

As in the previous year, the three most popular content types/formats are short articles/posts (94%, up from 89% last year), videos (84%, up from 75% last year), and case studies/customer stories (78%, up from 67% last year). Almost three-quarters (71%) use long articles, 60% produce visual content, and 59% craft thought leadership e-books or white papers. Less than half of marketers use brochures (49%), product or technical data sheets (45%), research reports (36%), interactive content (33%), audio (29%), and livestreaming (25%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Types of content B2B marketers used in the last 12 months.

Effective content types and formats

Which formats are most effective? Fifty-three percent say case studies/customer stories and videos deliver some of their best results. Almost as many (51%) names thought leadership e-books or white papers, 47% short articles, and 43% research reports.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Types of content that produce the best results for B2B marketers.

Popular content distribution channels

Regarding the channels used to distribute content, 90% use social media platforms (organic), followed by blogs (79%), email newsletters (73%), email (66%), in-person events (56%), and webinars (56%).

Channels used by the minority of those surveyed include:

  • Digital events (44%)
  • Podcasts (30%)
  • Microsites (29%)
  • Digital magazines (21%)
  • Branded online communities (19%)
  • Hybrid events (18%)
  • Print magazines (16%)
  • Online learning platforms (15%)
  • Mobile apps (8%)
  • Separate content brands (5%)

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Distribution channels B2B marketers used in the last 12 months.

Effective content distribution channels

Which channels perform the best? Most marketers in the survey point to in-person events (56%) and webinars (51%) as producing better results. Email (44%), organic social media platforms (44%), blogs (40%) and email newsletters (39%) round out the list.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Distributions channels that produce the best results for B2B marketers.

Popular paid content channels

When marketers pay to promote content , which channels do they invest in? Eighty-six percent use paid content distribution channels.

Of those, 78% use social media advertising/promoted posts, 65% use sponsorships, 64% use search engine marketing (SEM)/pay-per-click, and 59% use digital display advertising. Far fewer invest in native advertising (35%), partner emails (29%), and print display ads (21%).

Effective paid content channels

SEM/pay-per-click produces good results, according to 62% of those surveyed. Half of those who use paid channels say social media advertising/promoted posts produce good results, followed by sponsorships (49%), partner emails (36%), and digital display advertising (34%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Paid channels that produce the best results for B2B marketers.

Social media use: One platform rises way above

When asked which organic social media platforms deliver the best value for their organization, B2B marketers picked LinkedIn by far (84%). Only 29% cite Facebook as a top performer, 22% say YouTube, and 21% say Instagram. Twitter and TikTok see 8% and 3%, respectively.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: LinkedIn delivers the best value for B2B marketers.

So it makes sense that 72% say they increased their use of LinkedIn over the last 12 months, while only 32% boosted their YouTube presence, 31% increased Instagram use, 22% grew their Facebook presence, and 10% increased X and TikTok use.

Which platforms are marketers giving up? Did you guess X? You’re right – 32% of marketers say they decreased their X use last year. Twenty percent decreased their use of Facebook, with 10% decreasing on Instagram, 9% pulling back on YouTube, and only 2% decreasing their use of LinkedIn.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: B2B marketers' use of organic social media platforms in the last 12 months.

Interestingly, we saw a significant rise in B2B marketers who use TikTok: 19% say they use the platform – more than double from last year.

To explore how teams manage content, we asked marketers about their technology use and investments and the challenges they face when scaling their content .

Content management technology

When asked which technologies they use to manage content, marketers point to:

  • Analytics tools (81%)
  • Social media publishing/analytics (72%)
  • Email marketing software (69%)
  • Content creation/calendaring/collaboration/workflow (64%)
  • Content management system (50%)
  • Customer relationship management system (48%)

But having technology doesn’t mean it’s the right technology (or that its capabilities are used). So, we asked if they felt their organization had the right technology to manage content across the organization.

Only 31% say yes. Thirty percent say they have the technology but aren’t using its potential, and 29% say they haven’t acquired the right technology. Ten percent are unsure.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Many B2B marketers lack the right content management technology.

Content tech spending will likely rise

Even so, investment in content management technology seems likely in 2024: 45% say their organization is likely to invest in new technology, whereas 32% say their organization is unlikely to do so. Twenty-three percent say their organization is neither likely nor unlikely to invest.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Nearly half of B2B marketers expect investment in additional content management technology in 2024.

Scaling content production

We introduced a new question this year to understand what challenges B2B marketers face while scaling content production .

Almost half (48%) say it’s “not enough content repurposing.” Lack of communication across organizational silos is a problem for 40%. Thirty-one percent say they have no structured content production process, and 29% say they lack an editorial calendar with clear deadlines. Ten percent say scaling is not a current focus.

Among the other hurdles – difficulty locating digital content assets (16%), technology issues (15%), translation/localization issues (12%), and no style guide (11%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Challenges B2B marketers face while scaling content production.

For those struggling with content repurposing, content standardization is critical. “Content reuse is the only way to deliver content at scale. There’s just no other way,” says Regina Lynn Preciado , senior director of content strategy solutions at Content Rules Inc.

“Even if you’re not trying to provide the most personalized experience ever or dominate the metaverse with your omnichannel presence, you absolutely must reuse content if you are going to deliver content effectively,” she says.

“How to achieve content reuse ? You’ve probably heard that you need to move to modular, structured content. However, just chunking your content into smaller components doesn’t go far enough. For content to flow together seamlessly wherever you reuse it, you’ve got to standardize your content. That’s the personalization paradox right there. To personalize, you must standardize.

“Once you have your content standards in place and everyone is creating content in alignment with those standards, there is no limit to what you can do with the content,” Regina explains.

Why do content marketers – who are skilled communicators – struggle with cross-silo communication? Standards and alignment come into play.

“I think in the rush to all the things, we run out of time to address scalable processes that will fix those painful silos, including taking time to align on goals, roles and responsibilities, workflows, and measurement,” says Ali Orlando Wert , senior director of content strategy at Appfire. “It takes time, but the payoffs are worth it. You have to learn how to crawl before you can walk – and walk before you can run.”

Measurement and goals: Generating sales and revenue rises

Almost half (46%) of B2B marketers agree their organization measures content performance effectively. Thirty-six percent disagree, and 15% neither agree nor disagree. Only 3% say they don’t measure content performance.

The five most frequently used metrics to assess content performance are conversions (73%), email engagement (71%), website traffic (71%), website engagement (69%), and social media analytics (65%).

About half (52%) mention the quality of leads, 45% say they rely on search rankings, 41% use quantity of leads, 32% track email subscribers, and 29% track the cost to acquire a lead, subscriber, or customer.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Metrics B2B marketers rely on most to evaluate content performance.

The most common challenge B2B marketers have while measuring content performance is integrating/correlating data across multiple platforms (84%), followed by extracting insights from data (77%), tying performance data to goals (76%), organizational goal setting (70%), and lack of training (66%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: B2B marketers' challenges with measuring content performance.

Regarding goals, 84% of B2B marketers say content marketing helped create brand awareness in the last 12 months. Seventy-six percent say it helped generate demand/leads; 63% say it helped nurture subscribers/audiences/leads, and 58% say it helped generate sales/revenue (up from 42% the previous year).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Goals B2B marketers achieved by using content marketing in the last 12 months.

Success factors: Know your audience

To separate top performers from the pack, we asked the B2B marketers to assess the success of their content marketing approach.

Twenty-eight percent rate the success of their organization’s content marketing approach as extremely or very successful. Another 57% report moderate success and 15% feel minimally or not at all successful.

The most popular factor for successful marketers is knowing their audience (79%).

This makes sense, considering that “creating the right content for our audience” is the top challenge. The logic? Top-performing content marketers prioritize knowing their audiences to create the right content for those audiences.

Top performers also set goals that align with their organization’s objectives (68%), effectively measure and demonstrate content performance (61%), and show thought leadership (60%). Collaboration with other teams (55%) and a documented strategy (53%) also help top performers reach high levels of content marketing success.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Top performers often attribute their B2B content marketing success to knowing their audience.

We looked at several other dimensions to identify how top performers differ from their peers. Of note, top performers:

  • Are backed by leaders who understand the work they do.
  • Are more likely to have the right content management technologies.
  • Have better communication across organizational silos.
  • Do a better job of measuring content effectiveness.
  • Are more likely to use content marketing successfully to generate demand/leads, nurture subscribers/audiences/leads, generate sales/revenue, and grow a subscribed audience.

Little difference exists between top performers and their less successful peers when it comes to the adoption of generative AI tools and related guidelines. It will be interesting to see if and how that changes next year.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Key areas where B2 top-performing content marketers differ from their peers.

Budgets and spending: Holding steady

To explore budget plans for 2024, we asked respondents if they have knowledge of their organization’s budget/budgeting process for content marketing. Then, we asked follow-up questions to the 55% who say they do have budget knowledge.

Content marketing as a percentage of total marketing spend

Here’s what they say about the total marketing budget (excluding salaries):

  • About a quarter (24%) say content marketing takes up one-fourth or more of the total marketing budget.
  • Nearly one in three (29%) indicate that 10% to 24% of the marketing budget goes to content marketing.
  • Just under half (48%) say less than 10% of the marketing budget goes to content marketing.

Content marketing budget outlook for 2024

Next, we asked about their 2024 content marketing budget. Forty-five percent think their content marketing budget will increase compared with 2023, whereas 42% think it will stay the same. Only 6% think it will decrease.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: How B2B content marketing budgets will change in 2024.

Where will the budget go?

We also asked where respondents plan to increase their spending.

Sixty-nine percent of B2B marketers say they would increase their investment in video, followed by thought leadership content (53%), in-person events (47%), paid advertising (43%), online community building (33%), webinars (33%), audio content (25%), digital events (21%), and hybrid events (11%).

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: Percentage of B2B marketers who think their organization will increase in the following areas in 2024.

The increased investment in video isn’t surprising. The focus on thought leadership content might surprise, but it shouldn’t, says Stephanie Losee , director of executive and ABM content at Autodesk.

“As measurement becomes more sophisticated, companies are finding they’re better able to quantify the return from upper-funnel activities like thought leadership content ,” she says. “At the same time, companies recognize the impact of shifting their status from vendor to true partner with their customers’ businesses.

“Autodesk recently launched its first global, longitudinal State of Design & Make report (registration required), and we’re finding that its insights are of such value to our customers that it’s enabling conversations we’ve never been able to have before. These conversations are worth gold to both sides, and I would imagine other B2B companies are finding the same thing,” Stephanie says.

Top content-related priorities for 2024: Leading with thought leadership

We asked an open-ended question about marketers’ top three content-related priorities for 2024. The responses indicate marketers place an emphasis on thought leadership and becoming a trusted resource.

Other frequently mentioned priorities include:

  • Better understanding of the audience
  • Discovering the best ways to use AI
  • Increasing brand awareness
  • Lead generation
  • Using more video
  • Better use of analytics
  • Conversions
  • Repurposing existing content

Content marketing predictions for 2024: AI is top of mind

In another open-ended question, we asked B2B marketers, “What content marketing trends do you predict for 2024?” You probably guessed the most popular trend: AI.

Here are some of the marketers’ comments about how AI will affect content marketing next year:

  • “We’ll see generative AI everywhere, all the time.”
  • “There will be struggles to determine the best use of generative AI in content marketing.”
  • “AI will likely result in a flood of poor-quality, machine-written content. Winners will use AI for automating the processes that support content creation while continuing to create high-quality human-generated content.”
  • “AI has made creating content so easy that there are and will be too many long articles on similar subjects; most will never be read or viewed. A sea of too many words. I predict short-form content will have to be the driver for eyeballs.”

Other trends include:

  • Greater demand for high-quality content as consumers grow weary of AI-generated content
  • Importance of video content
  • Increasing use of short video and audio content
  • Impact of AI on SEO

Among the related comments:

  • “Event marketing (webinars and video thought leadership) will become more necessary as teams rely on AI-generated written content.”
  • “AI will be an industry sea change and strongly impact the meaning of SEO. Marketers need to be ready to ride the wave or get left behind.”
  • “Excitement around AI-generated content will rise before flattening out when people realize it’s hard to differentiate, validate, verify, attribute, and authenticate. New tools, processes, and roles will emerge to tackle this challenge.”
  • “Long-form reports could start to see a decline. If that is the case, we will need a replacement. Logically, that could be a webinar or video series that digs deeper into the takeaways.”

What does this year’s research suggest B2B content marketers do to move forward?

I asked CMI’s Robert Rose for some insights. He says the steps are clear: Develop standards, guidelines, and playbooks for how to operate – just like every other function in business does.

“Imagine if everyone in your organization had a different idea of how to define ‘revenue’ or ‘profit margin,’” Robert says. “Imagine if each salesperson had their own version of your company’s customer agreements and tried to figure out how to write them for every new deal. The legal team would be apoplectic. You’d start to hear from sales how they were frustrated that they couldn’t figure out how to make the ‘right agreement,’ or how to create agreements ‘consistently,’ or that there was a complete ‘lack of resources’ for creating agreements.”

Just remember: Standards can change along with your team, audiences, and business priorities. “Setting standards doesn’t mean casting policies and templates in stone,” Robert says. “Standards only exist so that we can always question the standard and make sure that there’s improvement available to use in setting new standards.”

He offers these five steps to take to solidify your content marketing strategy and execution:

  • Direct. Create an initiative that will define the scope of the most important standards for your content marketing. Prioritize the areas that hurt the most. Work with leadership to decide where to start. Maybe it’s persona development. Maybe you need a new standardized content process. Maybe you need a solid taxonomy. Build the list and make it a real initiative.
  • Define . Create a common understanding of all the things associated with the standards. Don’t assume that everybody knows. They don’t. What is a white paper? What is an e-book? What is a campaign vs. an initiative? What is a blog post vs. an article? Getting to a common language is one of the most powerful things you can do to coordinate better.
  • Develop . You need both policies and playbooks. Policies are the formal documentation of your definitions and standards. Playbooks are how you communicate combinations of policies so that different people can not just understand them but are ready, willing, and able to follow them.
  • Distribute . If no one follows the standards, they’re not standards. So, you need to develop a plan for how your new playbooks fit into the larger, cross-functional approach to the content strategy. You need to deepen the integration into each department – even if that is just four other people in your company.
  • Distill . Evolve your standards. Make them living documents. Deploy technology to enforce and scale the standards. Test. If a standard isn’t working, change it. Sometimes, more organic processes are OK. Sometimes, it’s OK to acknowledge two definitions for something. The key is acknowledging a change to an existing standard so you know whether it improves things.

For their 14 th annual content marketing survey, CMI and MarketingProfs surveyed 1,080 recipients around the globe – representing a range of industries, functional areas, and company sizes — in July 2023. The online survey was emailed to a sample of marketers using lists from CMI and MarketingProfs.

This article presents the findings from the 894 respondents, mostly from North America, who indicated their organization is primarily B2B and that they are either content marketers or work in marketing, communications, or other roles involving content.

Content Marketing Trends for 2024: B2B  industry classification, and size of B2B company by employees.

Thanks to the survey participants, who made this research possible, and to everyone who helps disseminate these findings throughout the content marketing industry.

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

About Content Marketing Institute

market research survey paid

Content Marketing Institute (CMI) exists to do one thing: advance the practice of content marketing through online education and in-person and digital events. We create and curate content experiences that teach marketers and creators from enterprise brands, small businesses, and agencies how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. Global brands turn to CMI for strategic consultation, training, and research. Organizations from around the world send teams to Content Marketing World, the largest content marketing-focused event, the Marketing Analytics & Data Science (MADS) conference, and CMI virtual events, including ContentTECH Summit. Our community of 215,000+ content marketers shares camaraderie and conversation. CMI is organized by Informa Connect. To learn more, visit www.contentmarketinginstitute.com .

About MarketingProfs

Marketingprofs is your quickest path to b2b marketing mastery.

market research survey paid

More than 600,000 marketing professionals worldwide rely on MarketingProfs for B2B Marketing training and education backed by data science, psychology, and real-world experience. Access free B2B marketing publications, virtual conferences, podcasts, daily newsletters (and more), and check out the MarketingProfs B2B Forum–the flagship in-person event for B2B Marketing training and education at MarketingProfs.com.

About Brightspot

Brightspot , the content management system to boost your business.

market research survey paid

Why Brightspot? Align your technology approach and content strategy with Brightspot, the leading Content Management System for delivering exceptional digital experiences. Brightspot helps global organizations meet the business needs of today and scale to capitalize on the opportunities of tomorrow. Our Enterprise CMS and world-class team solves your unique business challenges at scale. Fast, flexible, and fully customizable, Brightspot perfectly harmonizes your technology approach with your content strategy and grows with you as your business evolves. Our customer-obsessed teams walk with you every step of the way with an unwavering commitment to your long-term success. To learn more, visit www.brightspot.com .

Stephanie Stahl

Stephanie Stahl

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