Top Paid Focus Groups in Calgary – Looking for participants
As fall approaches and the fun of summer departs along with the sun, it can get easy to fall into a funk, especially with the many beautiful parks and landmarks of Alberta feeling farther away in light of lockdown.
Instead of giving into boredom, participating in focus groups can be a great way to keep sharp and make some extra money in the process!Â
I got introduced to focus groups in college. They were a great way to make some extra cash to help support my life outside of work.
Whether you want to stay indoors or take a break from your Netflix binge, I used my experience to scout the best focus group companies in Calgary. BTW if Calgary is a bit too far from where you live, here’s an article that ranks best focus groups near you. Keep reading to learn more about the best money making opportunities.Â
Paid Studies in Calgary you can participate in
Calgary is a leader in the oil and gas industry, so many businesses headquartered in the city are energy and manufacturing companies. Some of the biggest companies in the area are:
- WestJet Airlines
- ATCO Ltd.
- PexCor Manufacturing Company
- SunCor
- AltaGas Ltd
- Advantage Oil & Gas
These companies may not be super exciting, but providing feedback for services that impact your everyday life is definitely something to look forward to.Â
Of course, it’s possible that other local retail and eateries may solicit some focus groups too, so don’t count them out completely.
Online focus groups that are worth checking out
Online focus groups are great because they are flexible and accessible – you can participate from anywhere at any time. The downside is that they typically pay less and may have more competition, so opportunities come and go fast.
I recommend you sign up for a few to increase your chances of qualifying for a study.Â
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1. Branded Surveys
offers a wide variety of online studies, including video surveys and interviews. They also offer various forms of payout: from gift cards to PayPal. I like Branded surveys because of the variety of options for Canadians and reasonable payment for the time spent taking surveys (Look for $3-5 reward for 5-10 min surveys).Â
Qualification: Residents of USA and Canada 14+
Click Here to Apply for Branded Surveys
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2. LifePoints Panel
offers quite a steady stream of fun and engaging studies that are easily seen on their website. Once you sign up, you will receive studies you qualify for via email. Points can be applied to various gift cards.Â
Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 14 years old
Click Here to Apply for LifePoints Panel
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3. Opinion Outpost
looks for fresh ways to solicit feedback online through product tests, watching ads and performing various independent tasks. They offer e-gift cards and Paypal cash rewards.
Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 18 years old
Click Here to Apply for Opinion Outpost
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4. SurveyJunkie
is definitely a top candidate based on convenience alone. Although based in California, they are accessible from Canada and even offer a mobile app.
Qualification: Residents of USA and Canada 16+ only.
Click Here to Apply for Survey Junkie
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5. Leger Opinion
is a Canadian company that also offers an online app with almost 4.5 stars on the Google Play store. You can sign up as an affiliate to earnÂ
Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 13 years old
Click Here to Apply for Leger Opinion
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Top 4 Companies Hiring for Focus Groups in Calgary
Ok, we only have 4 this week, so please don’t be too hard on us. Calgary has a lot to offer, just not by way of focus groups. If you’ve been with us for a while, you know we’re pretty picky with how we choose these groups. Anyhow, these are the ones we selected:Â
1. Qualitative Coordination:
This company is centrally located in the Design District opposite of Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art.Â
They seem to value customer experience: giving very clear directions and accessibility information on their website. They also give you a general rundown of what you can expect as a participant before arrival.Â
Once you fill out a simple contact form they will send active groups via email. They appear to have a couple of active groups right now, but they can be fairly difficult to qualify for.Â
2. Style Labs:
Located between Chinatown and the Downtown Commercial Core, this firm is part of an integrated agency which offers a lot of bells and whistles offered through their online community.Â
We were unable to verify their current studies, but their prior two studies were for consumers who checked flyers and who shopped at pharmacies for personal care items.Â
Those studies offered $50 for 30 minutes for people who qualified. Although past patterns are not a guarantee, they may be indicative of future studies.Â
Once you sign up, recruiters will add you as a candidate for a focus group.
3. Leger Opinion:
I know, I know. We already mentioned this one. But that was for online studies. Great news – they offer focus groups in person too!
The process is very much the same online and in their app. Participants earn points for surveys and focus groups to redeem for cheques, gift cards & travel.
With almost half a million users, you would think that there is more online chatter about this platform, but all I could find is this review. Spoiler alert: it isn’t so favorable. Stil, it’s only one opinion.Â
4. Canada Market Research:Â
This platform offers studies to business professionals, medical personnel, consumers, patients.Â
You complete a mini-survey upon registration that will help determine which studies you qualify for. They will then email you with relevant studies.
Other Great Focus Group Companies in Calgary
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of focus group companies in the city to choose from. However, we handpicked the best and most reputable companies that currently offer quality studies in Calvary. And if you are looking for online groups, you can read our article on best focus groups in Canada.Â
I really think you have a good chance to participate in at least a couple of studies you are interested in, even in Cowtown.
If you think we missed any other opportunities for focus groups, please let us know in the comment section below!
Final thoughts
There you have it! Those are our top focus groups you can explore throughout the fall. Go ahead and sign up for some of these groups and make some money!
If you qualified/participated in any studies, let me know your experience… and the reward you received! This blog only gets better with you guys’ feedback 🙂
Till payday!
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.