Getting paid for market research is becoming increasingly popular online. Are you making money working for research companies? If not, you’re missing out on some easy money.
The fact is that market research is a very huge industry. According to Statista, by 2019, the industry’s global revenue was over $73.4 billion, with the US taking the largest market share at 54% followed by Europe at 26%. With companies spending such vast amounts of money to get people’s views and opinions, why would you want to be left out?
The most important thing to remember about making money with research is that you’ve got to sign up with many companies. You will not make a ton of money with one company, but if you sign up to many, the amount of money you make will skyrocket.
Besides research studies, you can also earn money doing freelance writing or transcription jobs.
How Much Can You Get Paid For Market Research Jobs?
I know several people who have received calls from companies to visit their offices and answer some questions about their skincare routines, travel preferences, software uses, and such like questions.
A few have ignored such calls assuming they were scams, but those who show up know that these are genuine jobs that can pay anywhere from $50 to over $400 for just an hour or less of answering questions to do with your daily habits.
A few companies will pay much less like $10 to $20 for answering a few questions on a form regarding a habit in your life, like your smoking or eating habits. These are usually online or over-the-phone questions.
Other companies will pay upward of $400 for more detailed research studies where they require a lot more information and require that you travel to the company’s premises for the interview.
There are also different payment methods for paid market research jobs. The most common ones are:
- PayPal payment
- Payment by check
- Free product samples
- Gift cards
You should ensure that the company is legitimate before taking part in the research to ensure that you get paid for your services. Do thorough online research on the company you are interested in working with and talk to people for reviews to avoid getting scammed.
Get Paid For Market Research Jobs with These Legitimate Companies
The following companies will pay you to do market research for them
1. FocusGroup.com
FocusGroup.com is exactly what you think it is. They recruit participants for focus groups. They’re one of the best paying research companies out there, and they’re perfect for students who are sick of working retail jobs or are looking to make some extra cash while they finish college.
Pay is anywhere between $75 and $150.
2. Survey Feeds
Survey Feeds is a company that offers online and offline market research opportunities in many of the US cities. They post a lot of these opportunities on their Facebook page and you can keep checking and then apply.
Their pay is anywhere between $50 and $500.
3. American Consumer Opinion
American Consumer Opinion is one of the best-paying research companies out there. They pay you to contribute to online surveys. So the more surveys that you qualify for, the more money you can make with them.
For a longer research study, you can earn points worth up to $50.
4. Get Paid To do Market Research For Respondent
The neat thing about Respondent is, you get to take part in focus groups in person. That means you have to go there and be a part of the focus group. So, if you’re only looking for something that you can do online, Respondent isn’t for you.
There’s something special about in-person focus groups, and you’ll notice that right away when you’re sitting with a group of your peers discussing the topic of the day. Respondent will pay you about $140 per every hour of your time.
5. Plaza Research
Plaza Research pays all kinds of people to share their opinions on new services and products. They’re always hiring consumers to take part in focus groups. Your opinion is valuable to corporations, and that’s why they’re willing to pay you for it.
6. Fieldwork Market Research Jobs
Fieldwork has in-person focus groups in 11 cities across America. You can potentially make a fair amount of money, but you need to be in one of those cities that are at least close enough to go there.
7. Brand Institute
Brand Institute works with healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. Your job here is to answer questions related to healthcare or employment in the industry. Doctors and nurses make the most with Brand Institute, and they can make up to $30 per survey.
8. User Interviews
User Interviews asks questions of their members via telephone or by webcam regarding a person’s opinion of a product or service. They pay an average of $50 per hour, and they only pay via check. So, if you have a bank account, User Interviews is an excellent choice if you don’t mind chatting it up about your opinions.
9. Engage
Engage is a company that solely works with various industries. You will talk as a group or one on one with someone. You can contribute in both in-person discussions and ones that take place on the internet.
The nice thing about Engage is that you don’t have to work in a specific field to participate in the research. Their pay ranges from $50 to $250.
10. Mindswarms
Mindswarms will pay you up to $50 to answer questions via your smartphone or webcam. The questions are related to shopping trends and products. You will have to download their app or talk to them via their website. This is one of those research sites for those comfortable talking to others while they can see them.
11. YouGov
YouGov works with clients to get feedback on websites, services, and products to improve. You’d be surprised at how much companies are willing to pay you to give them your opinion. You can trust YouGov because they’re one of the most popular research sites online. There’s a reason why everyone is talking about YouGov, and it’s because they pay.
12. Nielsen Market Research Jobs
Nielsen is one of the more respectable companies you’ll find on this list. They offer studies in a variety of fields, and they pay well. You’ll want to apply with Nielsen because they make it onto the media when they do focus groups every once in a while.
You’ve heard of Nielsen before, and it’s because their research groups are always mentioned in the media. Yes, you too can sign up to Nielsen and take part in their famous research groups.
13. Experience Dynamics
Experience Dynamics researches the user experience for websites and software and their pay ranges from $50 to $150 per study. They will pay you to answer questions such as, how usable is the website? How quickly is it loading? Is there anything wrong with it?
You will also get paid to test out software and see if there are any bugs in it. Companies need people like you to check to ensure everything is running okay with their site or software before releasing it to the public.
14. Inspired Opinions
Inspired Opinions works with some of the biggest companies to get opinions from people covering a wide range of topics. Your job here is to answer questions honestly so that these companies can get a feel for what the public thinks about their products and services.
Your pay will be anywhere from $5 to $100 depending on the type of study.
15. SIS International Research
SIS International Research is a global company that pays up to $150 per hour. They’ll pay you for participating in online focus groups, online surveys, and phone-based focus groups. Your opinion matters to these major companies, and SIS International Research works hard to deliver them to the people they need.
SIS will pay you an average of $150 per hour.
16. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a rock-solid company that will pay you to do research. Basically, you sign up with them and participate in surveys. They pay for each survey you participate in, and they also payout to those who are qualified based on the companies they choose to work with.
Survey Junkie is one of the most reputable companies online, and you can feel safe when investing your time with them. However, you need to note that they pay in form of points which you can then redeem for gift cards.
Bonus Online Research Companies
The following two companies will also pay you for research, although not in the traditional focus group or field research methods discussed above. They pay you to do online research for their clients.
Ask Wonder
Ask Wonder is a New York research company that pays researchers to do online research and answer clients’ questions. Although you have to pass a test before being hired, the job is straightforward and you work on your own schedule.
I have worked for Wonder in the past and can attest that it is a great research company to work for. If you are interested in working with them, you can read my review of the company and my experience working with Wonder. Experienced researchers at Ask Wonder can make as much as $30 an hour.
JustAnswer
Just answer is another company that pays for online research work. You start by signing up and choosing your expertise, which is the area you wish to answer questions in. Almost anyone can find a category to choose from the almost 200 categories available.
JustAnswer pays new researchers 20% of the amount paid by the client. With time though, as you gain more experience on the platform, you can get paid up to 50% of the amount.
Final Thoughts On How To Get Paid For Market Research
As you can see, you can get paid for market research by answering a few questions and giving your opinion. If you enjoy doing this already on Facebook and elsewhere, why not get paid for it? These companies pay great, and they’re worth your time if you want to work from home.
Some of these research companies will require you to visit their offices, but if that’s the case, they will make it well worth your while. They typically have free break areas, free snacks and drinks, and more. In the end, you’re contributing immensely to these important businesses.
Whether you choose online or offline research companies, your opinion matters, and they’ll pay you a pretty penny for it. You may also check out these other extra cash opportunities for quick money.