Guide
What drives pay for research studies, and how to earn more
Updated 10 September 2026
Four things set the pay for a study: how long it takes, whether it is in person, how rare the people it needs are, and whether you have to travel. The people who earn more fill in their profile fully, respond to invitations quickly, and choose formats where their profile is rare.
What affects the payout
A researcher is not paying for "an opinion in general" but for the time of a specific person who is hard to find. Hence four factors.
- length: a fifteen-minute task in our catalogue pays a median of $15, an hour-long interview $75
- format: in-person sessions pay a median of $200 against $40 online
- profile rarity: a specialist in a narrow field or a manager is harder to find than a typical user, and is paid more
- travel and effort: an in-person meeting, a week-long diary study or an at-home device test are paid extra
Compare the hourly rate, not the payout
Comparing studies by payout is misleading: $150 for three hours is less than $60 for 30 minutes. Divide the payout by the time. In our catalogue the typical rate is $80–100 per hour of stated time, and anything well below that is only worth taking when nothing else is available.
Five ways to earn more
None of these guarantees invitations, but together they noticeably increase the number of studies that accept you.
- fill in your profile completely: job, industry, role, devices, services; these are the fields researchers filter on for well-paid interviews
- respond to invitations quickly: recruitment closes as soon as the study has enough people
- look for formats where your profile is rare: an accountant does better in interviews about finance software than in general surveys
- do not ignore in-person sessions if you live in a large city: they are the best-paid studies in our catalogue
- take part conscientiously: some platforms track your history, and no-shows reduce the invitations you get
What is not worth your time
Endless surveys for points that never reach the payout threshold. "Studies" that ask you to buy or pay for something first. And tasks whose hourly rate is a third of the typical one: the time spent on the screener and waiting does not pay off.
Questions and answers
Which research studies pay the most?
In-person sessions and long interviews with people in narrow professions. In our catalogue on 10 September 2026, in-person studies paid a median of $200 and studies longer than 90 minutes $250.
How do I get more invitations?
Fill in your profile completely and honestly, respond to invitations quickly, and apply where your experience is rare.
What is a fair hourly rate for a study?
The typical rate in our catalogue is $80–100 per hour of stated time. A much lower rate is a signal to ask whether the study is worth your time.
Ready to try?
Fill in your profile once and see only the studies you actually qualify for.
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