Get Paid to Test Products: Beginner's Guide

Companies value your opinion as a customer. You can cash in on it by getting paid to test products from home.

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If you want to make a lot of money, you're NOT in the right place.

But if you just want to get free stuff and make a little bonus cash, try product testing.

You probably spend a lot of time online already, so this could be a great way to make the most of it. Plus, who doesn't like free stuff?

How Does Product Testing Work?

Before a company launches a product, they need to know if people will actually buy it.

That's where you come in.

Companies will pay for your opinion since it helps them improve their products. You can get paid to give feedback on anything from beauty samples to mobile apps.

Signing up to be a product tester is easy. Most programs just need you to fill out a short online form. You can even sign up for multiple programs to try more products.

How do you know if you're making the most of your time? Check out the 5 best tricks at the end for making money on testing sites.

10 Best Ways to Get Paid to Test Products

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Ready to make a little money without leaving your house? Here are the top product testing sites.

Highest Pay Rates: Vindale Research

screenshot of Vindale Research

Vindale stands out from most of the list because it pays in cash instead of points or gift cards. You can earn money by taking surveys, watching videos, and testing products.

Their studies and panels span a wide range of topics, from baby food to sports. Vindale offers some of the highest pay rates. You can earn up to $75 for longer studies. But keep in mind that you need to earn a minimum of $50 to cash out your money.

Special Features

• Cash payments through PayPal
  
• Get $5 when you refer your friends

What You Can Earn
You can earn between $0.25 and $75, depending on the complexity of the survey.

Eligibility
You must be 18 years old and live in the U.S., U.K., or Australia to join.

Product testing can put you onto new products. Find out what's cutting edge with the next pick.

Unreleased Products: Pinecone Research

screenshot of pinecone research

If you like to stay ahead of trends, consider taking surveys and testing products with Pinecone Research. They focus on unreleased products and pay in cash, gift cards, and merchandise.

They only accept new members a few times a year, so keep an eye out for their enrollment periods. Once you're in, you receive only the surveys you qualify for. That means you won't waste time answering screening questions only to find you don't meet the requirements for a survey.

Special Features

• Short 10-15 minute surveys
  
• $500 biweekly drawing and $4,500 quarterly drawing

What You Can Earn
Pinecone Research pays a flat rate of $3 per survey.

Eligibility
Pinecone Research accepts applications from users over 18 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Germany.

Testing products takes up your time. Make the most of it with the 5 best hacks to make money with product testing. Stick around to the end to learn more.

Reward Options: National Consumer Panel

screenshot of national consumer panel

The National Consumer Panel rewards you for products you already buy. Once you become a member, you use their app to scan barcodes on your purchases and answer surveys about your shopping experience.

You can earn points weekly by scanning barcodes, taking surveys, and participating in specialty panels. The points add up quickly, and you can start redeeming them for gift cards and merchandise once you hit 8,000.

Special Features

• $200 monthly sweepstakes and up to $5,000 quarterly sweepstakes
  
• Bonus points on birthdays and site anniversaries

What You Can Earn
Earn 150 points per week when you first start out, plus extra points if you do additional tasks. Points accumulate faster the longer you've been a member.

Eligibility
Anyone can sign up. Their requirements depend on their need for certain demographics at the time.

Looking for a little variety? These sites give you plenty of options to make things interesting.

Most Ways to Earn: Swagbucks

screenshot of swagbucks

If you don't like the idea of just doing surveys, Swagbucks lets you earn points for playing games, watching videos, and even using their search engine. You can redeem your points for gift cards or cash.

Since there's so much to do on Swagbucks, it's a little harder to navigate their site. But they also give you more opportunities to rack up your points. You can cash out 300 points for gift cards or redeem 2,500 points for PayPal cash.

Special Features

• Earn 100 points per referral, plus 10% of your referral's earnings
  
• $5 signup bonus

What You Can Earn
One point equals $0.01. Rewards range from 1 to 2,000 points depending on how complicated the task is.

Eligibility
Swagbucks accepts anyone over 13 years old from the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and U.K.

Product Variety: American Consumer Opinion

screenshot of national consumer opinion

American Consumer Opinion rewards your feedback on products, advertisements, and surveys with points that are redeemable for PayPal cash. Once you become a member, you'll need to answer monthly screener questions so they know which products you qualify for.

They only send survey invitations a few times a year, so sign up for additional sites if you want to participate often.

You can cash out your points through PayPal or Hyperwallet once you've earned at least 1,000.

Special Features

• Option to donate to charity instead of cashing out your points
  
• Get an entry to their monthly 5,000-point sweepstakes for every referral you make

What You Can Earn
Each reward point is worth $0.01. Short surveys pay 5 to 50 points. Longer surveys pay up to 5,000 points.

Eligibility
American Consumer Opinion accepts members worldwide, ages 14 and up.

Want a break from all the stuff getting sent to your house? Not every product is a physical item. Learn more below about unique ways you can give feedback.

For Good Communicators: UserTesting

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If you're interested in tech, UserTesting pays you to explore apps and websites while speaking your opinions—literally. You'll need a microphone to record your live feedback, which developers will use to improve the site. They also require you to download their screen recording software so companies can see any issues you run into.

Talking aloud might feel weird at first, but you'll be paid well after you get over the initial awkwardness.

Special Features

• Receive a PayPal cash payment exactly 7 days after completing a test
  
• Higher pay rates than other sites

What You Can Earn
Earn $10 per 20-minute test. You can earn up to $60 if you complete a Live Conversation. This involves getting on a video conference call with a customer.

Eligibility
English speakers ages 18 and up can apply. UserTesting accepts users from the U.S., Canada, and other countries. Visit their website for a full list of countries.

Making a few bucks from a product testing site isn't hard. Signing up shouldn't be either. The next site makes it easy to get started.

Easiest Sign-Up: MySoapBox

screenshot of mysoapbox

MySoapBox gives you points mainly for surveys, but they'll sometimes offer product testing. Every survey you receive will have screening questions at the beginning. Even if you don't qualify for the survey, you'll still get a consolation prize of 10 points.

This isn't much (10 points only equals $0.01), but it's better than other sites that don't give you anything when you're disqualified.

MySoapBox has a minimum cashout balance of 25,000 points, or $25.

Special Features

• $2 sign-up bonus
  
• Get $0.25 for every friend you refer

What You Can Earn
1,000 points equal $1. Most surveys are worth 600 to 1,000 points, but some can get you up to 50,000 points.

Eligibility
Anyone over age 13 with a valid mailing and email address can join.

Most surveys are quick to take. Why should getting paid take long? Don't waste time; take a look at the choice below.

Fastest Payout: Valued Opinions

screenshot of valued opinions

Valued Opinions lets you take surveys, test products and packaging, and review ads to earn credit for gift cards. To start, they'll send you unpaid screener surveys to get a feel for what you like. Then, they'll send paid surveys that reflect your interests.

Most surveys take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Like other sites, the more complicated the task, the more it will pay. Once you earn at least $10, you can redeem your balance for gift cards.

Special Features

• Receive gift card codes within 24 hours of redeeming points
  
• Frequent opportunities available

What You Can Earn
Most product tests and surveys pay $1 to $5.

Eligibility
Valued Opinions is available to U.S. residents over the age of 13.

Household Brands: Johnson & Johnson

screenshot of johnson & johnson

You probably have heard of Johnson & Johnson from the wide range of home products they have on the market. Their Friends & Neighbors program conducts studies that involve product testing, surveys, online discussion groups, and more.

Free sample products are the main draw of this program, but they'll occasionally reward you with a Visa gift card at the end of a study.

Special Features

• Test products from reputable household brands
  
• Opportunities to participate in in-person focus groups or panels

What You Can Earn
You get to keep the products you test, which can include mascara, baby shampoo, or dental floss. They reward you with Visa gift cards at the end of some studies.

Eligibility
U.S. residents ages 18 and up can join the program.

Tastiest Products: McCormick Consumer Testing

screenshot of mccormick consumer testing

If you want to spice up your product testing options, try McCormick's food and drink tasting sessions. McCormick caps its users at one test every three months. Test sessions run between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

You'll earn the most if you're able to test products at their facilities in Maryland, Louisiana, or the U.K., but you can still participate from home. Folks who can test on-site get paid by check, while home testers are paid in Amazon gift cards.

Special Features

• Complete surveys for additional Amazon gift card drawings
  
• Generous payouts, especially for on-site testers

What You Can Earn
Earn $30 to $100 per on-site test, or $10 to $15 for home tests.

Eligibility
Users ages 18 and up in the U.S., Canada, and U.K. can apply. Minors can also participate by enrolling under a parent's profile.

What Experts Say

Making a living isn't always glamorous. Lots of people are afraid of getting stuck in unfulfilling jobs.

In an unpredictable job market, you don't have to go it alone. As part of our series on gig work and employment, CreditDonkey asked a panel of industry experts to share their insight on what the future of work may look like.

Here's what they said:

How to Make Money With Product Testing Sites

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Like with any gig, there are things you can do to make your workflow a breeze. Follow these tips to make the most of your time and money:

• Create an email address just for product testing
  You'll get a lot of emails about new test opportunities. Keep track of all of them in one place without cluttering your main inbox.

• Sign up for as many sites as possible
  The more you test, the more you'll earn. You won't qualify for every assignment. So sign up for lots of programs for a higher chance of getting products.

• Watch out for scam sites
  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You'll generally only make a few dollars per assignment. If a site promises thousands of dollars for a short test, you know something's off.

• Answer honestly
  You might be tempted to lie about yourself to get more test opportunities. That's a bad idea. Product testing companies flag suspicious answers. They could stop sending you tests if you provide inaccurate info.

• Cash out as soon as you can
  Make sure you get paid in real money for your work. Unless you're saving for a specific prize, cash out your points once you reach the minimum. Avoid letting your points sit in your account forgotten.

Bottom Line

Product testing is a fun way to make your opinions heard (and make a few bucks). Without leaving your home, you can impact products and services that hit the market. Check out different product testing sites to find ones that cater to your interests.