If you want a break from talking about all the freeways you took to get here (erm- this is the internet, so… none) – focus groups are your saving grace.
They won’t make you rich, but they will help fund your new fad diet (or lifestyle choice), a Dodgers game, or even that parking ticket you got last week because it was Tuesday.
We found the top paid focus groups in Los Angeles so you can spend your time wisely – drinking an overpriced coffee from Urth Caffe. No judgement – participating in a focus group study will help pay for that! Plus, you deserve it.
Keep reading to see our top picks to get you paid in LA. If you are not in LA and looking for a different city, here’s the page that ranks focus groups in your city.
Focus Groups in Los Angeles you can participate in
Looking at big-name companies in your local area is a good indicator of the focus group market(s) you can look forward to.
Obviously, it’s no secret that LA has a market for pretty much every industry. Here are some of the diverse companies headquartered in the area:
- Dole Food Co
- Mattel Inc
- Smashbox Cosmetics
- City of Hope
- Spectrum Group International
- DirecTV
- City National Bank
There are plenty more where those come from, but you get the idea. LA is the land of opportunity, and focus groups are a great way to capitalize on them.
Online focus groups that are worth checking out
Let’s be real: no one wants to trek across the LA landscape for 2 hours after work to participate in a study. If there’s not a focus group within your reasonable weekday traffic radius, online groups are a convenient and easy choice. Try some of these options:
1. YouGov
One of the most popular online focus group firms, YouGov is a hub for surveys, product tests, and focus groups. They send emails with surveys you may qualify for.
Qualification: Residents of the USA and be at least 14 to join.
2. SurveyJunkie
Whether you are at home or on the go, SurveyJunkie is a perfect choice because they offer a mobile app also. This California company offers surveys and online interviews.
Qualification: Residents of USA 16+ only.
3. Respondent Focus Groups
If working with big brands such as Allstate and eBay attracts you, sign up to Respondent now! You can browse their available studies before you register.
Qualification: Residents of USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Must be 18+.
4. Branded Surveys
Variety is the spice of life. Branded offers video surveys, focus groups, and more. Get paid by PayPal, via e-gift cards, or choose a prepaid credit card.
Qualification: Residents of USA 14+
5. Toluna Influencers
Have fun with a wide variety of studies and payout options. Choose from video surveys and multiple payout options including PayPal and gift cards.
Qualification: Residents of USA must be 14+
Top 5 Paying Companies conducting Focus Group in Los Angeles
Shining bright as Hollywood lights, this is our list of the top 5 focus group companies in LA.
Don’t get discouraged by some of the mediocre reviews we note here. Angelenos shoot from the hip, even a bit too fast. We go through the details that matter and contextualize sometimes contradictory information. Trust our process.
Just make sure that your internal clock is not calibrated in LA time and get there on time. For your sake and our reputation. Here we go:
1. Adler-Weiner:
Alder-Weiner is a smaller firm with locations in California and Illinois. Their LA location is on the Westside, opposite of UCLA.
Study options include traditional focus groups, shop-alongs, and interviews. Studies appeal to general consumers and healthcare professionals.
They are rated 4.5 stars on Google, but 3 stars on Yelp with a very mixed bag of praises and complaints. They ranked number 1 because they have the most active studies right now, and a relatively high reward too! Plus, you can’t please everyone and Google seems to be a better indicator of quality throughout our company research.
Pay ranges from $75-450 depending on length of study, and studies take about 2 hours on average.
Fill out a short survey upon sign-up to be entered in their database.
2. AIM:
Our runner-up has 3.5 stars on Yelp and 4.8 stars on Google, with consistent rave reviews. They have two locations that may be convenient to you: one in West LA off of South Sepulveda & Santa Monica Blvd. The other is by the Long Beach airport.
AIM offers a diverse range of study options, including focus groups, taste tests, mock trials, and even test drives! Focus groups are on topics ranging from candy to clothing
Sign up to receive emails with focus group opportunities that match your profile.
3. Focus and Testing:
This company is a bit further away from the main LA area in Calabasas, but it’s a solid choice if you’re interested in taste testing.
They have a solid 3 stars on Yelp and are a popular choice with 108 Google reviews (4.2 stars, by the way).
Focus and Testing’s main gig is taste tests, but they are gradually expanding to offer more health care, education, technology, and business studies.
Pay range ranges from about $40-100, depending on length and involvement required.
Fill out a survey upon sign-up to view studies available on their site.
4. Facts ‘n Figures:
Facts ‘n Figures is located in Sherman Oaks Galleria, next to P.F. Chang’s. They have pretty average reviews across Yelp, Facebook, and Google. Frequently post studies on their Facebook page.
Study topics include food, children’s toys, entertainment, politics, healthcare, general consumer goods, and more! They state average pay is from $30-200, but can go higher. Length is typically from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.
Fill out the initial registration form and complete your profile.
Once you register, they will send out screening surveys via text or email. Complete the screening survey to further qualify for individual surveys.
5. Contract Testing:
We ranked this company in our Toronto article, so we know and like this company, but they don’t have a strong internet presence for us to do our typical digging.
They offer a minimum of $20-25 per study, which is on the lower side, but typical studies only last about an hour. Studies include taste and product tests, which is always a fun time.
Contract Testing is also located in Calabasas, but if the stars align in your favor you may be able to knock out other focus groups from Focus and Testing. You may even spot a Kardashian!
Create an account to receive emails about future studies.
Other Great Focus Group Companies in LA
Angelenos know better than most that not everyone can be #1 (looking at you, Clippers). But they can still be great. Here are those companies for us:
Schlesinger Associates – 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
SIS Market Research – 1450 2nd St Suite 375, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Opinions LTD – 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Suite 2050, Canoga Park, CA 91303
Blackbox Companies
Here’s some more focus groups but we were unable to validate these. We call companies that lack our ranking criteria data blackboxes.
Jackson Adept Research – 345 N. Maple Dr., Suite 325, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Atkins Research Global – 4929 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #102, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Facts ‘N Figures – 15301 Ventura Blvd. Building B Suite 500 Sherman Oaks CA, 91403
Field Dynamics Marketing Research – 16055 Ventura Blvd Suite 900, Encino, CA 91436
Final Thoughts
We put in blood, sweat, and tears – OK – I’m being a bit dramatic. All this LA talk is getting to me. Still, we put in our hard work and time to research and test all of the top-rated groups in one of the biggest, best cities in the world.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section. Will you sign up for any of these focus groups? It’s what Kobe would do. Be legendary, friends.
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.
