User Interviews alternatives: sites that pay US participants for studies, interviews and tests

Why look beyond User Interviews

User Interviews is one of the largest research platforms: it says over 5,000 studies launch every month and that the average study pays over $45. It covers interviews, focus groups, surveys, diary and in-person studies.

But every study has a narrow brief, and you only see invitations that match it. Adding platforms with different study mixes, such as academic surveys on Prolific or recorded website tests on UserTesting and Userlytics, widens what you can apply to.

The alternatives at a glance

Each alternative is strongest in one format. Use the table to decide which ones fit how you like to work.

Respondent: the biggest source of interviews

For interviews, Respondent is the natural second platform. In our catalog it was the source of 636 of the 704 studies open to US residents on 27 September 2026. Respondent names about $40–150 for a remote interview of 30–90 minutes and about $75–250+ for in-person interviews and focus groups.

Two differences from User Interviews matter in practice: Respondent keeps a 5% fee from each reward, at least $1, and pays through Tremendous about 7–10 business days after the researcher confirms your attendance.

Prolific: steady short surveys

Prolific is built on short online studies, many of them academic. It sets a minimum reward rate of $8 per hour and recommends researchers pay $12 per hour or more, and you cash out to PayPal. Individual studies pay less than interviews, but they need no booking, so they fit into short breaks.

UserTesting and Userlytics: website and app tests

If you are comfortable thinking aloud while using a website or app, testing platforms add a different stream of work. UserTesting pays for recorded tests and live conversations; the reward is shown on your dashboard before you start, and payments go to PayPal, usually 14 days after the test.

Userlytics runs remote usability tests, recording your screen and voice. It does not publish fixed rates; the amount is in each invitation. It pays only to PayPal, on Fridays every two weeks, about 15 days after you complete a test, once the client has approved it.

dscout: research in a mobile app

dscout works through a mobile app. In its missions you answer questions, take photos and record short videos over days or weeks, and some missions are live video conversations. dscout says most missions pay $25–150, and it pays to PayPal, in US dollars, within 10 business days after a mission closes.

CleverX and Askable: two more interview sources

CleverX recruits consumer, business and professional audiences and says moderated interviews and product tests usually pay within 48–72 hours. Askable recruits in 42 countries including the US, works in English and lets you choose a gift card or PayPal after each study.

Which formats pay best per hour

When you add platforms, you add formats, and formats pay very differently. In our catalog on 27 September 2026, studies open to US residents paid these medians per hour:

A weekly routine across platforms

Several platforms work well only with a routine. Here is an example.

• morning: check new studies and invitations on every platform, apply to the screeners you honestly fit
• during the day: take short surveys or tests when you have a free half hour
• evening: confirm bookings for the next days and prepare the room and devices
• weekly: update profiles if something changed, such as a new job, device or household member
• monthly: note what each platform paid, so you know where your time is best spent

Stay safe on every platform

The FTC’s warning signs apply everywhere: being asked to pay to get the job or the reward, to buy something, or to send part of a payment back. Apply through each platform’s own website, keep your answers consistent with your profile, since User Interviews says it can suspend people who give false information, and never give passwords or bank access to an unverified contact.

What to expect in your first month on a new platform

How soon the first invitation comes depends on your profile and on which studies are open; platforms do not guarantee it. A few weeks of steady applying usually show which platforms fit you.

• first days: set up two or three platforms, complete every profile field and set up payout methods
• then: apply to screeners you honestly fit; rejections often say more about the brief than about you
• as sessions come: note which platform sent them, since studies that fit your profile tend to cluster on one or two
• after a few weeks: compare what each platform sent you and focus your time on the best ones

How LazyBounty helps

We do not run studies or pay rewards; the platform handles your application and payout. What we do is collect open studies from research platforms every hour, keep each study’s requirements, and match them to your profile, so you see the studies you are likely to qualify for in one feed instead of checking several sites.

On 27 September 2026, that feed had 704 studies open to US residents, with 271 of them published in the previous seven days.

Taxes when you use several platforms

More platforms means more payout sources to track. The IRS says income from gig and online platform work must be reported even if you do not receive a Form 1099; how that applies to a specific payment depends on your circumstances. A simple record of each reward, its date and the platform that paid it saves time at tax season, and a tax professional can confirm how the rules apply to you.