Best Paid Focus Groups in Toronto – 2023 Ranking

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Are you getting bored cooped up in the house? Running out of cash? Or just want to run around the 6 carefree with your ‘woes’  like Drake? I got you covered. We scoped out 5 of the best paid focus groups in Toronto to help curb your boredom.

Whether online or in-person, below you can find at least one Toronto focus group company that suits your side-hustle needs.

My name is Stan, and I have been doing focus groups and other market research gigs for 15+ years. And since I live in Toronto, this is exactly where I have done them.

But first, let me be straight with you: if you are new to the game, please understand that this is not a rich get quick scheme. And you won’t replace your full time income. But if you want to occasionally score a few hundred bucks, focus groups and paid surveys are really worth exploring.  

New to focus groups? No worries, in the end of the rankings we will give you a brief run down so that you too can participate in the best focus groups Toronto has to offer.

Otherwise, keep reading to discover the best paid research studies in Toronto.

Focus Groups in Toronto you can participate in

As the capital of Canada’s economy, Toronto has some heavy lifters in the financial industry and beyond. The city that birthed superstars like Drake and The Weeknd both borrows and lends much of its culture and capital from New York (only better), so you get many similar opportunities in media, tech and hospitality. So many of the focus group and market research efforts are around these industries. On a side note, if you are not in Toronto, check out other large cities where we ranked the focus groups

Here are a few possible companies you can contribute your opinions to:

  • Marriott International, Inc.
  • TD, CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank, Citibank Canada, etc
  • Microsoft Canada
  • Labatt Brewery
  • ASUS
  • Intel
  • BMG Music Canada
  • Sirius XM Canada

Online focus groups that are worth checking out

If you are looking for opportunities anytime and anywhere, or just want to stay safely indoors until forever (I wouldn’t blame you), online groups are a great option. It’s a good idea to sign up for a couple from this list so you have some variety.

 

 

pineconeresearch

1. Pinecone Research

This company offers plenty of online surveys and interviews. They also have a mobile app, so you can literally participate anywhere. Just don’t tell us where you choose, please. They are known for their emerging product tests and usually pay $3+ for short surveys. Great option especially if you want to try new products (you also get to keep them).

Qualification: Residents of USA & CANADA 18+ only.

Click Here to Join PineCone Research

 

Branded Surveys Website

2. Branded Surveys

From video surveys to more traditional focus group studies, you can get rewarded with gift cards, PayPal, or e-vouchers. Choose your own adventure! Payment threshold is fairly low and the payouts for each survey are pretty good ($3-6 for a 5 min survey is not uncommon). 

Qualification: Residents of USA & CANADA 14+

Click Here to Apply for Branded Surveys

 

 

Lifepointspanel Website

3. LifePoints Panel

Is a very easy-to-use survey site with plenty of available surveys and occasional focus groups or bigger interviews. Once you are a member, all you have to do is to wait for the survey invitations to hit your inbox. 

Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 14 years old

Click Here to Apply for LifePoints Panel

 

 

 

Opinion Outpost Website

4. Opinion Outpost

This platform is mainly a way to share your feedback through online surveys. It has a low payout threshold so if you are looking for fast rewards, this is a great option. You can get paid in cash or gift cards.  

Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 18 years old

 

Click Here to Apply for Opinion Outpost

 

 

Leger Opinion Website

5. Leger Opinion

This Canadian based company gives you access to a good number of surveys about interesting and relevant local topics and you will also occasionally get access to bigger studies or paid focus groups. It also has an app so you can quickly get to the surveys before the maximum number of respondents has been reached.

Qualification: Residents of Canada and at least 13 years old

Click Here to Apply for Leger Opinion

 

 

Top 5 Market Research Companies that have Paid Focus Groups in Toronto

For the brave folks looking to venture outdoors and make some extra money, here are my recommendations where you should start. I explain my ranking criteria in this post.

1. CRC Research:

With one location downtown, another Midtown, and one more on the way, CRC Research is definitely making accessibility a priority. They offer a list of comprehensive market research services, so focus groups are definitely on the menu!

They offer taste tests, traditional discussion-style paid focus group studies, and even individual interviews. Opportunities are on a wide range of general consumer goods such as television, cars, drinks, and government services. Pay can vary significantly based on the type of study you choose/qualify for. Online tests typically have the lowest payouts, and focus groups the highest.

CRC is relatively well-known and received, with over 10,000 likes on Facebook. They post studies frequently on their feed. I was unable to confirm registration via email by time of this posting, but they pre-qualify you via a survey upon sign-up. (Which means less work on your end). The focus group facility has great reviews, so feel free to give this market research company a go!

2. Decision Point Research:

This company goes by Inclusive Insights for their participant portal. They offer a wide range of unique studies – from usability testing to central location, where you can give live feedback on advertisements. 

Pay varies widely, but they list general ranges depending on the type of study. Payout is via email money transfer, check or PayPal, which is nice because you receive cash as opposed to a gift card.

Sign up is easy through a simple form, and they will reach out via phone or email when you qualify for a study.

3. Contract Testing

This exciting market research firm focuses on product testing, primarily food (yum!) They have quite a few locations where they hold focus groups in Canada and the U.S. In Toronto, their focus group facility is located at Dufferin St & Sheppard Ave, not far from the Subway.

From their site, they seem to value innovation and inclusivity… you can even bring your kids to test along with you!

You have to sign up before you register. Then they will let you know if/when you qualify for any current studies through email. They offer a minimum of $20-25 per session, which is pretty decent as a baseline. 

4. JMRS


JMRS has quantitative and qualitative capabilities. With focus Groups, shopping studies, usability tests, taste tests, surveys, and shop – alongs, JMRS may have the most diverse group of opportunities on this list.

JMRS is very straightforward in managing your expectations on the application page. However, they aren’t very transparent in terms of pay range or the availability of studies available on their site.

They do have very positive reviews on Yelp and Facebook, but you won’t find much luck looking for studies there either. They were at least courteous enough to let me know that I didn’t qualify for studies at this time. Maybe better luck with their next research project. 

Of course, you may have better luck.

5. Malatest & Associates Ltd


Located a few blocks away from David A. Balfour Park (Rosedale), Malatest is currently running studies on hot topics such as traveling during Coronavirus, recycling and waste management, and societal changes after a pandemic.

You will fill out a brief questionnaire upon registration used as a screening tool for future surveys.

They are a relatively small firm with minimal presence online, but they occasionally post opportunities on their Facebook page.

Other Great Focus Group Companies in Toronto

Smart Point Research – SmartPoint Research, 67 Sand Valley Street, Maple, Ontario, L6A 0R9

QUE&A – undisclosed location. Contact via website: https://queanda.ca/

Quality Response – 2200 Yonge Street Suite 903 Toronto, Ontario M4S 2C6 Canada

Customer Foresight Group – 111 Pacific Ave #1513, Toronto, ON M6P 2P2, Canada

Blackbox Companies

Here are a few more companies to try. These are companies that we found but could not verify if they are actively recruiting for participants. We categorize these as blackboxes due to the lack of information available.

Abbott Research & Consulting – 18 Banff Road Toronto, Ontario Canada M4S 2V5

Campaign Research Inc. – focus group facility 100-2 Toronto Street, Suite 555 Toronto, ON M5C 2B5, Canada

Oraclepoll Research Limited – 42A Shaftesbury Ave Toronto, Ontario M4T 1A2

HEAD RESEARCH – 82 Richmond Street East Toronto, ON, Canada M5C 1P1

Final thoughts on Focus Groups in GTA

So there’s the roundup of our top focus groups in TO. The best city in the world if you ask me. 

ave you applied to any of these focus groups in Toronto? Will you? Would love to hear from fellow hustlers who take advantage of marketing research opportunities. 

The taste test one definitely perked my ears up. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Till payday!

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