Paid Research Studies

• by  Niall Doherty
• Updated: January 7, 2025

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

The top sites, based on our quarterly analysis of 450 data points…

Keep reading to 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

🏆 Best Sites for Paid Research Studies

Here is the full list of sites we keep track of…

Keep scrolling for more info and resources.

Jump to…

🤔 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…

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…

1. Focus groups
2. Taste/product testing
3. Questionnaires or surveys (list of best survey sites)

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

👮‍♂️ 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 our top recommendations…

🤓 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?

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