Online Focus Groups: Paid Research Studies Offering Up to $250 per Hour (2025)

Online Focus Groups: Paid Research Studies Offering Up to $250 per Hour (2025)

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      Recently, I took part in a compensated focus group in San Francisco, you know, the type with a one-way mirror. We discussed travel habits and preferences for an hour and a half, and I was compensated $150 for my time and thoughts. Not too shabby!

      Overall, the experience was swift and painless—and quite engaging—which led me to consider this as a potential side hustle, especially if it could be done from home! I began to search for other companies that conduct paid research studies online.

      It’s important to mention that these companies aren’t the usual ones that come up when you search for “online surveys.” While companies like Swagbucks and InboxDollars are legitimate, they tend to offer lower payouts. The companies I was interested in are those that provide higher compensation that makes it more worthwhile for your time. I earned $100 an hour during my focus group experience, and you can too.

      **Best Overall**

      Earn $50-150/hr, with new studies added monthly.

      **Best for Industry Professionals**

      Earn an average of $75 per project and receive notifications about upcoming studies for which you might qualify.

      **Best for Medical Research**

      Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while contributing to medical research.

      1. **User Interviews**

      User Interviews enables both in-person and online consumer discussions regarding products, websites, and services. Pay rates fluctuate, but the average is around $50-100 per hour. I've earned $105 through the site in exchange for about an hour and a half of my time. In one study, I even received a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a brief online survey for bald individuals! It claimed to take 15 minutes, but since all the questions were straightforward yes/no, it probably only took me 5 minutes.

      - **User Interviews is a legitimate facilitator of online (and in-person) consumer research studies**. Participants can earn generally $50-150/hr by sharing their insights and influencing future products and services. While it may not replace your primary job, it can serve as a nice supplementary income.

      **Pros:** One of the highest paying survey companies I've encountered. User-friendly signup. Numerous new studies added weekly.

      **Cons:** Can be challenging to get selected.

      **Click here to join User Interviews. Or check out our full review of User Interviews.**

      2. **Respondent**

      Respondent is an interesting service that organizes online consumer research studies, often compensating $100+ an hour! After creating an account, you'll have access to browse all the available studies for which you might qualify. The research brief outlines the type of participant the company is seeking, the expected time commitment, and the pay rate. If it suits you, complete the brief screener questionnaire to enter the selection process. Don’t be disheartened if you’re not selected immediately—I’ve been picked for 5 studies out of 50 screeners thus far. While there are some “general population” studies, the most lucrative opportunities are for industry professionals—earning up to $750 an hour! The company deducts a 5% processing fee, but the remainder will appear in your PayPal account within 8-10 days after your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far!)

      **Click here to join Respondent. Read our full Review of Respondent.io here.**

      3. **Rare Patient Voice**

      A leading player in medical research, Rare Patient Voice compensates patients and caregivers with $120 an hour. You can browse a comprehensive list of available studies on their site, most of which are conducted via phone or webcam interviews. If you have any medical condition (even if it’s not particularly rare), this could be worth exploring. The site is accessible to residents from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

      **Best for Medical Research**

      **Rare Patient Voice:** Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while supporting medical research.

      4. **Survey Junkie**

      While many earning opportunities through Survey Junkie don't yield high payouts, you occasionally receive invitations for more lucrative focus group and product testing studies. These are admittedly quite rare, but can pay up to $75. Nevertheless, regular users of the Survey Junkie site/app report earnings of up to $40 a month.

      - **Survey Junkie is a highly popular survey app that rewards you for sharing your opinions.** While it may not have all the features of other platforms, they have been doing online surveys successfully since 2013.

      **Pros:** Simple and straightforward to use. A variety of cash-out options, including bank and PayPal transfers. Low $5 minimum to

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Online Focus Groups: Paid Research Studies Offering Up to $250 per Hour (2025)

Focus groups provide a straightforward method to earn additional income, and currently, you can participate in compensated research studies either online or via phone. Here are our top picks!