Online focus group platforms are a perfect way to share your opinion about different products and services. The best part is the majority of them compensate you generously for your time, making them a great way to get extra cash.
With some of the offers I’ve gotten my hands-on, it’s a surprise that more people aren’t aware of their unique benefits.
If you’re interested in finding online focus groups that essentially pay you for your opinion, you’re in luck! Let’s review some of the best platforms that you can use from the comfort of your home.
Why Join Online Focus Groups?
Before we get into the list of the best focus group platforms, let’s take a look at some of their most impressive benefits.
1. Extra Cash
There’s no doubt that the most agreed-upon benefit of online focus groups is that they put extra cash in your pocket. If you’re a professional opinion-giver, it can be a reliable source of income if you’re able to find legitimate offers.
I’ve come across groups that offer up to $150 for a couple of hours’ worth of time, well worth the investment. With that said, companies design most focus groups to give you a small amount of extra spending money.
It’s more likely you’ll be able to offset costs, like getting a daily morning coffee, than making enough to pay bills.
2. Convenience
Compared to in-person focus groups, online focus groups are better for their convenience. You won’t have to pay for travel or worry about leaving your home early to make it to the group on time. Instead, you log into the platform and are ready to provide your opinion on a specific product, service, or topic.
Did you know that research companies often prefer online focus groups as well? As participants are in a more comfortable environment (their homes), their answers are more likely to be truthful. Also, there’s no chance of bias as other participants don’t surround them.
3. Efficient
It’s essential to consider the amount of time you have to put into specific focus groups, especially if the payout is low. With that said, the majority of online focus groups are incredibly efficient, helping you make more per minute or hour.
You’ll find that this method also helps you take advantage of more offers than you usually would. For example, you won’t have to spend time commuting from one group to another during the day.
Being at home can allow you to take advantage of more offers as you don’t have to consider commuting time.
The Best Online Focus Group Platforms
Now that you have all of my top-rated benefits of online focus groups let’s discuss some of the best platforms.
With the importance of market research, you can guarantee there’s a vast selection to choose from. I have independently vetted all of the following platforms to provide reliable opportunities.
1. User Interviews
User Interviews primarily have focus groups for residents of Canada and the United States with few international offers. After signing up, you’ll be able to browse through an assortment of diverse topics relating to your interests.
Also, the sign-up process requires you to provide basic demographic information so it can pair you with opportunities. Each user can decide what type of format they prefer for answering questions and providing their input.
Most often, you’ll find focus groups, one-on-one interviews, tasks, and multi-day studies. After the study, you’ll be paid either by Visa gift card, PayPal, check, cash, or to your Amazon account.
The transparency of User Interviews is what makes it one of my favorite options for focus groups. You can find our User Interviews Review Here. . Every opportunity has the approximate time it will take to complete with info about the pay for each task.
You’ll also find an assortment of exciting categories, including:
- Software
- Hobbies
- Beauty
- Music
- Sports
- Pets
- Food
- Technology
2. Ipsos I-Say
If you’re a fan of filling out surveys, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Ipsos before. Their I-Say platform is a phenomenal option for people interested in a more personalized approach to giving opinions.
As the third-largest survey firm worldwide, there are plenty of top-tier brands that consider them for brand research. Like many of the other platforms we explore in this list, you’re most likely to find surveys on Ipsos I-Say.
However, there are sometimes focus groups, which can provide you with points to your account. Once you accumulate a certain number of points (500 minimum), you can then cash out for tangible rewards.
Users can choose between Amazon and iTunes gift cards as well as PayPal deposits or prepaid Visa cards. Another considerable convenience of this platform is that it allows you to manage surveys and focus groups from anywhere. By downloading their mobile app, you can connect directly to your account to begin taking surveys.
3. Respondent.io
If you prefer to blend in-person and online focus group options, Respondent.io is a great resource to consider. It’s one of my favorites because of the diverse number of offers they add to their site daily.
Also, the majority of their groups are open to U.S. and international residents. Depending on the type of research, you can earn anywhere from $50 to $250 for one study.
The sign-up process is also relatively simple, as all you need is a PayPal account, LinkedIn, or Facebook profile. Once you’ve connected your account, you can begin browsing through the currently open studies.
I apply for as many studies as possible if they’re a good fit for my interests and experience. After the application, the researchers or study sponsors contact those who are the best fit.
Once you receive the invitation, you’ll have to select a time slot for the study that fits into your schedule. It’s important to note that with every payment, Respondent.io takes a small fee from your total.
In most cases, it’s a minimum of five percent, or a one-dollar fulfillment fee, whichever is the higher amount. If you’re able to find higher-paid surveys, this fee could be relatively hefty.
4. Focus Group by Schlesinger
If you’re a United States resident, Focus Group by Schlesinger is another top-rated option in my books. They offer a combination of online and in-person groups revolving around several fascinating topics.
As with most platforms, you’ll have to sign up for an account and provide basic demographic information. The vast majority of research categories fall within consumer topics, making them easy to accommodate numerous lifestyles.
Some of the most common topics include:
- Sports
- Dining out
- Cell phones
- Pets
- Cars
- Baby products
When it comes to processing payments, they have a couple of different options. You can select from a prepaid Visa card, other gift cards, cash, or a check. It’s important to review the payment terms for each study, as they can differ depending on the study’s sponsor.
5. Survey Junkie
It can be great to switch things up now and then, which is why I love Survey Junkie. Instead of a standard focus group platform, they offer many unique research opportunities. I’ve experienced product testing, phone surveys, and in-person focus groups, as well as online surveys.
One of its most notable benefits is that there’s always an endless number of surveys to participate in. Also, the payments can vary, and the survey lengths differ as well, making it easy to find short and long options.
It’s essential to pay close attention to the payments per activity, as the range can differ significantly. For example, some surveys can pay as little as $.05 while others can be up to $5.
On average, you can expect most of their offers to fall between one and two dollars. I’ve found that most high-paying options are available at certain times per month and fill up rather quickly.
6. Mindswarms
Survey lovers looking for a straightforward approach will love the design of Mindswarms. This platform is a mobile survey option, allowing you to give your opinion on products and services quickly.
Alternatively, you can access the site on a web browser using your desktop or laptop. What makes the platform unique is that it typically requires video submissions rather than text-based answers.
It’s one of the better options similar to in-person focus groups from the comfort of your home. Some of the surveys require you to answer one to two questions, while others can have seven or eight.
Depending on the survey’s length, they pay up to $10 per question or $50 for the entire study. On average, most studies can take less than 15 minutes to film and submit, making it incredibly efficient. Also, once you’ve submitted your response, you’ll receive payment via PayPal within 24 hours.
Final Thoughts
Participating in online focus groups is one of my favorite pastimes to get extra cash in my account. By quickly providing my opinion about products and services, I can get compensated for less than an hour of my time.
I highly recommend these offers to anyone interested in earning cash in exchange for their review.
I am a father to a beautiful baby girl, a husband and a serial gigster 🙂 I live in Toronto, Canada. My claim to fame: I made thousands of dollars from focus groups and surveys over the last 15 years. Studied Marketing in Ryerson Univerity and worked in Marketing and Marketing Research for the last 14 years+ My mission is to educate others how to be successful with side hustles. You can contact my be email or on Facebook.
