Online paid focus groups can be a real money-making opportunity to earn extra money while sharing your views on a specific topic.

What if your thoughts are worth more than just a penny?

Whether you're looking to make extra money with a side hustle, a freelance job, or doing tasks for quick money, another way to make extra money is by sharing your thoughts or opinions about specific topics and more!

Nowadays, companies are willing to pay participants of the right consumer market for insights about their brands to see how well the market receives their products, help shape their brands, adjust their marketing strategies, and improve their products. Companies will pay for online focus groups or in-person focus groups

Besides, another great thing about online paid focus groups is that you can participate in it anytime and anywhere!

Lucky for you, in this article, we've compiled the highest-paying online focus groups and every nitty-gritty you should know about before taking part in it. Read on!

What is a Focus Group?

Focus groups are highly-targeted small groups of people that are invited to share their opinions. It can be conducted in-person or online.

You can think of paid focus groups as in-depth surveys. Focus groups use the information for market research, either for new or existing products. It can also be used to find out people's insights about a specific brand or opinion research.

Normally, the process would start with you answering questions on a specific subject in exchange for reward points or even cash.

The average payout for paid focus groups is typically around $50-$150 depending on the time spent. Some even earn $400 in one to two-hour sessions.

Therefore, participating in focus groups can help you make extra money with little effort, while the companies get the data needed to further improve or develop their products.

How Focus Groups work

Focus groups can be conducted either online or in-person. However, the main goal is to have a diverse set of sample population participating. This is so that the company doing the research can have a wider range of opinions and insights presented in their findings. In doing so, they will be able to conclude a good result.

In-Person Focus Groups

Focus groups that are held in person are usually conducted via meet-ups or face to face meetings. As a participant, you will come to a specified venue and discuss a particular topic at the meeting.

Often, this is done as part of a group in the same room. In other words, you get to hear what other participants have to say and vice versa. Sometimes, participants are encouraged to do some back and forth conversations and in-depth interviews.

Additionally, there will be a moderator or researcher in the room who will oversee the whole discussion. Do not worry because there are no wrong or right answers. Moderators simply want to hear your thoughts on each of the given questions. They lead the discussion, take down notes, ask questions, and record results.

Also, there will be times when in-person focus groups will be asked to cover more than one session. If you are asked to come a few times, you will be paid for each session you attend.

Online Focus Groups

For this type of focus group discussion, you join via an online platform. You'll often be asked to do this with your webcam turned on, meaning everyone can see you and discuss the different questions covered.

Essentially, they work the same as in-person focus groups, except that you are on the other side of a screen. You can use your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Participants also receive a link to access the discussion, join, and give your opinions and feedback.

Some market research companies have their own application software that they will ask you to use, while others make use of Skype.

Take note that online focus groups discussions are also recorded.

One advantage of online focus groups is that it is a lot cheaper than in-person and it's easier to bring people together; that's why more and more companies are using this technique.

Quick Summary: Highest- Paying Online Paid Focus Groups

1. User Interviews

User Interviews lets you share your opinions with world-class companies like Pinterest, Spotify, Vistaprint, and more. Whether in-person or via Zoom, there are more than 500+ studies are launched monthly that you can freely choose from. There are also diverse topics, so you will never run out of studies to participate in.

In User Interviews, you can immediately see the incentives or how much you'll earn for a session before taking the study. The pay varies, depending on which type of research you participate in.

For instance, you will get to test a new launched app, share opinions on streaming services, and even share feedback on food delivery options.

There are some studies that will pay $75 for a 30 minute session, $125 for an hour, and $200 for weeks. You will be paid via Paypal, check, or Amazon and Visa gift card.

2. Probe Market Research

Established in 2005, Probe Market Research is a research recruiting firm based in New York City & San Francisco. Probe Research constantly hosts focus groups to get feedback for clients’ new advertising campaigns, products, or services. So, if you want to get paid for your opinions about a new TV commercial, beauty product, or soda bottle design, Probe's got you covered.

Focus groups normally pay between $50 and $400 and in some cases; you may not even need to leave your home! Probe captures insights from all cultural, economic, racial, and geographic perspectives. Interviews are conducted in groups, by phone, or online—depending on the amount of time assigned to that particular study.

If you're someone who loves to get a sneak peek of a product before launch or love to learn more about your favorite products, sign up for free on Probe Market Research today.

3. Find Focus Groups

Find Focus Groups has been around since 2006 and claims to have listed over 70,000 legitimate focus groups in the US.

It offers to pay you for a variety of topics such as finance, video games, foods, sports, and more.

Moreover, what's great about using their website is that you can search by city or state to find focus groups near you and even get notified via alerts for any available focus groups nearby.

4. Recruit and Field

If you are looking for legit ways to earn extra money, Recruit and Field is one of the right sites for you. Whether you are a medical professional, business professional, or consumer, Recruit and Field has study opportunities for you.

As a respondent, you will have the opportunity to participate in focus groups (in-person interviews), phone interviews, online surveys, and even in-home product testing.

You will get compensated around $100-$300 per study. The payout is through Paypal, although you can choose to get paid with gift cards.

5. Respondent.io

Respondent offers in-person or online focus group studies that pay up to $250 per research, or more! It's definitely a must-try!

It's also available internationally and free to sign up. Getting started is pretty straightforward as well.

After signing up, you'll immediately have access and browse all the different focus groups available to you. Respondent makes it easier because you don't have to wait. After all, some focus group websites only reach out to you if they think you're fit for a study, and it can be hard to know exactly how many studies are on the offer.

However, take note that Respondent takes a cut of 5% of your total earnings. Given how generous its total payout, it is still reasonable. You can get paid via Paypal or check.

Furthermore, they offer a referral bonus of $50. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today, share your referral links to your family and friends, or strangers (if that's your thing) and start earning money.

6. Fieldwork

If you want to talk about the clothes you bought, radio stations you listen to, or which banks you have accounts with, this migt be the right focus group website for you!

Fieldwork focuses on consumer-related questions, so if you're interested in getting paid for sharing your thoughts about that stuff, check out Fieldwork now.

The site has a list of cities in the US where they hold in-person focus groups. Here are the in-person locations.

• Atlanta
• Boston
• New York City
• Minneapolis
• Denver
• Phoenix
• Dallas
• Seattle
• San Francisco
• LA- Orange County

On the other hand, if you don't live in one of those cities listed, you can still register through their National Database. Afterward, Fieldwork will contact you when it needs a focus group that isn't located in a particular area.

7. Focusgroup.com

I'm sure this site is not difficult to remember as long as you keep focus group in your mind.

Focusgroup.com is part of the Schlesinger Group, pronounced as [shley-zing-er]. It has provided market research services for over 40 years. The site allows you to participate in research studies in a variety of ways:

• In-person, in one of their 16 offices across the US
• On the telephone, or
• Online, from a computer anywhere in the world

Further, it was once known as InspiredOpinions.com. It's name has changed now but the process is the same overall. There's a variety of topics from:

• Sports
• Child-related products
• Pets
• Cars
• Entertainment
• And more!

You also earn reward points or Visa Debit cards for participating in online and in-person studies. However, all these incentives are received within 6-8 weeks of participation, depending on the length a study is open. Make sure this is something that will work for you before you apply!

Keep in mind that every 100 points have a value of $1. These points never expire, as long as you’re an active member of the Focus Group community. This means that as long as you have any survey/community participation within a year of your previous survey/community participation, your points will be valid, and you can either redeem or continue to collect them for higher incentive rewards.

Additionally, reward points can be redeemed online once you reach 1,000 points. Once you have accumulated enough Focus Group Reward points, you can redeem them for several fantastic rewards, in denominations ranging from $5 to $100 depending on your points balance at any time. 

8. Engage

Becoming one of the Online Research Panels for Engage Market Research Studies can earn you cash that ranges from $50-$250. And, most likely it will only took less than an hour of you time. Not bad right?

You can join from anywhere in the world; just select which country you are from when you sign up.

9. Plaza Research

What's nice about Plaza Research is that you will immediately get your cash payment after the session. Typically, pay depends on the survey's length and scope, but it ranges from between $50 and $200 for a 2-hour session.

If you participate in a survey over the telephone or internet, a check will be mailed to you upon completion and verification.

You may be asked to sample a new product, preview a TV commercial, or talk about future products.

10. Watchlab

Watchlab lets you participate online, in-Person, and in-Home. You can check out their social media pages for more!

11. 20|20 Panel

20|20 Panel lets you earn anywhere between $50-$150, even up to $350 in some cases. The company has been in the business since 1986, so you can rest assured it's a legit company.

You may also experience different types of opportunities by taking surveys only, survey + a chance at an online chat interview, online discussion, and in-person study. They pay with pre-paid MasterCard gift cards, virtual Visa cards sent to your email or a physical card sent to your home address. However, you will see the incentive email within approximately 7-10 business days of the study end date, and Gift Card incentives expire after 6 months. 

12. Ipsos- Isay

Isay by Ipsos is one of the largest market research companies in the world. Generally, you earn up to around $100 for a one-hour session, however, you can also download the i-Say app to do surveys through your phone. Although, these will only pay up to $1.50 per survey, it's faster than the focus group sessions.

13. PingPong

PingPong is one of the newer sites offering paid focus group opportunities. It pays participants €15-20 ($20-25 in the USA) for a 30-minute session and makes the payment directly via PayPal or TransferWise.

14. Mindswarms

If you like video blogging (vlogging), Mindswarms allows you to record yourself by filming and uploading responses to the Mindswarms app. It's a fast way of getting cash as you have to answer up to seven questions in one go, and you get $50 for it.

15. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion focuses on paying its members to complete surveys. You are not paid in straight up cash, instead you earn points for every completed survey. But you must have a 1,000-Point minimum balance to redeem your points. These points can be cashed out either through Paypal or by check.

16. Brand Institute

Brand Institute seeks participants all over the world to take part in pharmaceutical and market research. It works by you signing up for free. Then, you will receive an email if you do qualify for any available study. You will get paid via Paypal. Remember to claim your payments within 30 days upon completion of the study.

17. Survey Junkie

Survey junkie is one legit way for earning money through survey sites. There's no cost to membership and it lets you earn between $0.5 t0 $5. However, sometimes, there are higher-paying options available only once a month. Survey Junkie offers product testing, in-person focus groups, and phone survey. To know more about it, read full review below.

Learn More:
Is Survey Junkie Real?- Take Paid Surveys and Get Quick Money

Pros and Cons of Participating in Paid Focus Groups

Pros	Cons
A quick way to make money, since it is a side-hustle that can pay $150 upwards or more per hour	It is not a steady way to make extra money
Most people love to talk about their opinions and thoughts	It can be hard to find online paid focus groups
Your opinions can have an actual impact and it can be done at your convenience	You will not get qualified for every survey

Tips for Participating in Paid Focus Groups

Getting paid for your insights is truly one great way for earning extra bucks but, (yes, there is always a but!) you should still keep in mind some of these tips.

• Do not share any sensitive personal information beyond what is required on the survey
• If it sounds and looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
• A legit survey or paid focus group will never ever ask for a fee or membership payment; it is, most of the time, FREE to join.
• You will not get qualified for every survey you try. Accept this fact and move forward; there are a lot of other online paid focus groups out there that you can check out.
• Before choosing a focus group, consider the time you have available and the requirements, you should research the company as well.

Frequently Asked Questions