Where to Find Best Paying Focus Groups in St. Louis
Fun fact: did you know Tums was invented in St. Louis? Jim Howe, a local pharmacist, made the pill in 1928 (maybe after too many pieces of that infamously delicious gooey butter cake).
What does that have to do with focus groups? Well, whenever a new product (like Tums) is developed for the mass markets, companies usually like to solicit feedback from consumers to get feedback before it is available to the public.
While I’m not sure that was the process for Tums (formal focus groups probably weren’t quite invented yet…), nowadays the industry of market research reigns and you can definitely get paid to share your opinions about different products and brands!
So, if you’re ready to discover the best paid focus groups in St. Louis, continue reading!
Studies you can participate in
Aside from Tums, St. Louis hosts quite the market share on America’s favorite brands and products, including:
St. Louis Bread Company (Panera Bread to the rest of the world)
Energizer Holdings, Inc (as in THE bunny)
Anheuser-Busch (of Budweiser fame)
Sara Lee Bakery Group
Edward Jones
Home of blues, booze, bread and bunnies, there is a large market for pretty much everything in St. Louis. A diverse and large economy is important for getting enrolled in best paying focus groups near you. We highlight the best groups you should focus on (pun intended) below!
Online focus groups that are worth checking out
We always recommend you sign up for a few online focus groups to supplement in-person opportunities. These companies are some of our favorites:
Focus Group Name
Qualification
Reviews
Payoff
1. YouGov
Residents of the USA and be at least 14 to join.
Company has rating 3.4 on Trustpilot. It’s based on 1800+ reviews.
100 usd per focus group.
A household name in the focus group world. With over 3 million members and counting, you can get a steady stream of opportunities from surveys, product tests, and focus groups. You are notified via email when you qualify for an opportunity.
Focus Group Name
Qualification
Reviews
How Much Money You Can Make
2. SurveyJunkie
Residents of USA 16+ only.
Rating: 4.4 · 34,402 reviews
This company is awesome because it’s also a mobile app! So you can qualify and take online surveys on-the-go, as well as from the computer. Definitely recommend checking this one out.
It is based in California, but they offer online interviews that are even available through their mobile app! So you could be making money while you’re on the subway to work. That’s pretty cool.
Focus Group Name
Qualification
Reviews
How Much Money You Can Make
3. Respondent
Residents of USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Must be 18+.
Rating: 4.5. Based on 96 reviews
Our average payout is $100 per hour. For specialty occupations, we see up to $500/hour.
This platform runs a bit on the professional side, so some may be a bit specific or difficult to qualify for, but they do allow you to browse the projects available before you sign-up so you can see if it’s a good fit!
Focus Group Name
Qualification
Reviews
How Much Money You Can Make
4. Branded Surveys
Residents of the USA 14+
Branded Surveys holds a 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot from over 24,700 reviews.
From video surveys to more traditional focus groups, you can get rewarded with gift cards, PayPal, or e-vouchers. Choose your own adventure!
It is one of the most versatile, dynamic research companies out there. You can participate in video surveys or focus groups, and collect rewards via Amazon, Visa, or even PayPal!
Focus Group Name
Qualification
Reviews
How Much Money You Can Make
5. Toluna Influencers
Residents of the USA must be 14+
Branded Surveys holds a 2.3/5 rating on Trustpilot from over 545 reviews.
The payoff: An average Toluna user can earn up to $30 by spending about 1 hour per day on Toluna completing surveys and other tasks that the platform offers.
is another diverse firm that offers a variety of surveys and payout options – from cash to gift cards. You can redeem your reward after you earn $10.
Doing OK so far? Time for the main event (we had to warm you up first, of course!) Here’s our round up of the 5 focus group companies in St. Louis. You can learn more about our ranking system here.
Rating: They have 4.6 stars on Google, and 4.8 on Facebook with over 3k likes.
We are currently paying anywhere between $5 – $60 per review
Our first pick is a local firm with over 60 years in the business – and they have the professionalism and positive image to back it up! Peters Marketing Research is located near the Westgate Center on the Westgate Lake side. There are two databases you can participate from: general consumers & medical panels. Study options include focus groups, at-home studies, shop-alongs, product tests and more! Studies typically last about 1-2 hours and you are paid by check. Fill out a short demographic survey to receive emails about upcoming studies you may qualify for. If you qualify from the screening questionnaire, you will receive a follow-up phone call.
Rating: In St. Louis, they carry 4.8 stars on Google and 3.5 on Facebook. You can view current available studies on their Facebook page. There are quite a few running right now.
Average Schlesinger Group hourly pay ranges from approximately $10.95 per hour for Recruitment and Marketing Administrator to $19.15 per hour for Accounts
It’s rare that Schelesinger is present in a city without being a top contender. It’s for good reason, of course. They are well-known in the focus group community for having a wide range of available studies (surveys, product tests, and focus groups) available to a diverse range of participants including consumers, business professionals, healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. On average, studies take about 1-2 hours and they pay through Visa gift cards. To sign up, take a quick survey to receive screening surveys via email. A recruiter will follow-up if they think you qualify for a study.
3. Lucas Market Research
Anyone can be qualified
Rating: 4.7. Based on 31 Google reviews
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This is another local firm with many positive reviews across Google, Facebook… even Yelp (apparently, Yelp isn’t a popular choice among participants in St. Louis). Lucas Market Research offers focus groups, taste tests, mystery shopping, usability tests, product tests and more. I really liked their simple & easy to navigate website. They list their values front and center: family-owned, client-focused, and service driven. Who wouldn’t want to support that? They’re located in Earth City off of Rider Trail North. Fill out a decently long demographic questionnaire to join their database.
4. C&C Market Research
Anyone can be qualified
Rating: They have a more low-key profile in Missouri, with no Facebook or Yelp presence. But they do have a 4.3 average rating on Google!
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C&C is a national market research firm that is familiar to our lists across cities. You can find C&C in the St. Louis Galleria. Right now a clinical trial is running among a couple of other studies, so sign up to receive more information if you’re interested!
5. Health Literacy Media
Anyone can be qualified
Rating: 4/5 on Facebook, based on 4 reviews.
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This pick is a little more unique… it’s actually a non-profit agency that seeks to promote health literacy among at-risk communities. Their website is very clear, but they don’t have a participant database. You will need to use their contact form for more information regarding focus group opportunities. However, they do post current studies on their Facebook page. From their recently posted studies, the compensation is usually $50 Amazon gift cards. If you are involved in the healthcare field, have a medical condition, or are just interested in health-related issues, this is a great opportunity. We recommend you start with their Facebook page to register for studies since they don’t have a database set up.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re in ‘rich town’ or ‘country’, I think there’s a focus group for everyone in St. Louis. Try a few out, you might find yourself enjoying an extra couple of days at Busch Stadium, or even just affording an extra day off to enjoy a nice, fresh day outdoors.
What do you think of our list? Have you participated in any studies with any of these firms? Will you? Let us know in the comments below.
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.
