11 Best Focus Group Sites: Paid Online and In-Person Gigs

A focus group is a market research tool that companies use to get the public’s opinion on a certain product, service, or idea. Many companies use focus groups to get feedback they can use to make improvements to their products.

Unlike other market research tools like paid surveys and product testing gigs, focus groups are a type of group interview involving multiple participants.

How do focus groups work?

Focus group sessions are led by a moderator who works for a particular company or organization. The moderator guides the discussion and notes down or records each participant’s input and responses.

Most focus groups are run in one of two formats:

• In person: As the traditional approach, in-person focus group sessions are held in a physical location where participants meet and discuss market research topics face-to-face.
• Online: Also known as virtual focus groups, virtual studies, or digital focus groups, online focus groups are conducted online. These types of studies are often used to survey a nationwide sample, and they’re a good option if you live in a remote area.

Focus groups can vary in size, and the sessions can vary in duration. You could find yourself in a mini focus group with under five participants or a large focus group with more than 10 people. Many sessions last 1–2 hours. 1

Don’t expect to be able to qualify for every single focus group. Companies tend to target a specific demographic when choosing participants, so you may need to meet certain eligibility requirements.

How much do focus groups pay?

Many focus group gigs pay somewhere in the range of $25–$200 per hour or per study, but pay rates can vary widely depending on the type of research. You can expect to earn more if you’re required to meet highly niche inclusion criteria or do additional work outside of the interview.

With that said, not all focus group gigs offer monetary compensation. Some offer other types of incentives, such as gift cards or Visa cards, and others are completely unpaid.

Always take a few minutes to check out a focus group platform before signing up. Doing so can help you avoid focus group scams and steer clear of companies that have bad reputations.

To save you time and put your mind at ease, we’ve rounded up 13 legit focus group websites you can sign up for today.

1. User Interviews

User Interviews is a platform that connects researchers and participants. Once you sign up, you can choose from studies run by an impressive list of prominent companies, including Pinterest, Spotify, Wayfair, Amazon, and Adobe.

Payment methods vary from one study to the next. Some researchers reward participants with gift cards, whereas others pay in cash.

How much it pays: Varies depending on the type of study

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: In person, online, and by phone

Where to sign up: User Interviews sign-up page

2. Respondent

When you create an account on Respondent, you’ll have to provide details about your professional experience, which the site will use to match you with suitable studies. Researchers will then ask you to answer some screening questions online to decide whether you’re the right fit for them.

You could potentially earn hundreds of dollars from focus groups through Respondent. The main downside is that they charge a service fee equivalent to either $1 or 5% of your pay (whichever is higher). You’ll also need to have a PayPal account to receive payments.

How much it pays: $100 on average; up to $750+ for specialty occupations

Types of studies: Occupational

Study format: In person and online

Where to sign up: Respondent sign-up page

3. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is an online research market platform where you can earn rewards by sharing your opinion. You must be 18+ years old and live in the US, Canada, the UK, or Australia.

Although Survey Junkie is mainly a paid survey site, they sometimes offer limited opportunities to earn rewards through focus group studies and product testing jobs.

Rewards come in the form of Survey Junkie points, which you can redeem as cash or gift cards for a variety of shops, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Sephora. You can cash out via PayPal or bank transfer once you’ve earned 500 points.

How much it pays: $25–$150 per study 2

Types of studies: Unspecified

Study format: Online

Where to sign up: Survey Junkie sign-up page

4. Rare Patient Voice

Rare Patient Voice (RPV) is a platform that enables patients and caregivers to provide researchers with insight into different diagnoses. You can find examples of some of the studies RVP is currently trying to fill on their studies opportunities page.

You can expect to get paid after you complete a study, either by check or by gift card for some smaller studies. Additionally, you’ll receive a unique sign-up link from RPV as part of their referral program. If someone signs up with RPV using your link, you’ll earn $10.

How much it pays: $120 per hour

Types of studies: Related to rare and nonrare diagnoses

Study format: Online and by phone

Where to sign up: Rare Patient Voice sign-up page

5. FindFocusGroups.com

As its name suggests, FindFocusGroups.com is a platform designed to help you find paid focus groups in the US. You can search by city or state to find suitable focus groups near you or online.

Start by browsing focus group listings, and then apply for one you’re interested in. If you qualify, the company may reach out to you with follow-up questions before inviting you to participate.

How much it pays: Varies

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: Online and in person

Where to sign up: Apply for individual focus groups at FindFocusGroups.com

6. FocusGroup.com

Focus Group is an online community operated by Sago, a market research service provider. FocusGroup.com has opportunities for almost everyone—from parents and business professionals to gamers and pet lovers. However, you must be at least 18 years old to join.

You can expect to receive compensation within 4–6 weeks for each study you complete. You’ll get paid with either Visa debit cards or reward points (100 points = $1). Once you’ve earned 1,000 points, you can redeem them online for digital gift cards.

How much it pays: Unspecified

Types of studies: Various types of studies

Study format: In-person, online, and by phone

Where to sign up: Focus Group sign-up page

7. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is a website and app that pays you to give your opinion on products and services. In addition to focus group gigs, they also offer paid online surveys and product testing jobs. Membership is free and open to everyone around the world, but it’s limited to one person per household.

American Consumer Opinion rewards participants with points. Every 100 points you earn is equal to $1, and you can redeem them for cash once you’ve earned 1,000 points ($10).

How much it pays: $1–$50 per survey or research project

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: Online

Where to sign up: American Consumer Opinion sign-up page

8. Recruit & Field

Established in 1977, Recruit & Field has study opportunities for people worldwide from all walks of life. They work with several well-known companies, including Google, Nike, Apple, Netflix, and Uber.

In addition to in-person focus groups, you can also take part in online surveys, phone interviews, and at-home product testing. Over the years, Recruit & Field has collected opinions from 300,000+ consumers, business professionals, and medical professionals.

How much it pays: Unspecified

Types of studies: Various types of studies

Study format: In person

Where to sign up: Recruit and Field sign-up page

9. Fieldwork

To participate in focus groups with Fieldwork, you’ll have to first register. Fieldwork will then call or email you once they match you to a study, and then you’ll then need to answer some screening questions.

While in-person focus groups are the main type of studies that Fieldwork facilitates, they also have taste tests, at-home interviews, product trials, phone interviews, shop-along interviews, and online research opportunities.

They have in-person focus group centers at the following locations:

• Seattle
• San Francisco
• LA-Orange County
• Denver
• Phoenix
• Dallas
• Minneapolis
• Chicago-Schaumburg
• Chicago-Downtown
• Chicago-Flex
• Boston
• Fort Lee, NJ
• New York City
• Atlanta

With that said, they sometimes orchestrate focus group meetings at other locations through their Fieldwork Anywhere program. Their focus group sessions usually last 1–2 hours, and incentives vary.

How much it pays: Unspecified

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: In person

Where to sign up: Fieldwork sign-up page

10. FF Focus Group

You need to live in the US to register with FF Focus Group. Once you enroll, you’ll begin to receive email invitations to participate in different studies.

The email invitations will detail how you’ll be compensated for your participation, and you can expect to get paid within 6 weeks of participating in a focus group session. Before actually taking part in a study, you’ll first have to answer a few screening questions.

Most studies offer payment in the form of an online Visa card, although you may receive alternative types of compensation, such as Focus Forward Points (1,000 points = $1), which you can redeem once you reach 20,000 points.

How much it pays: Varies

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: In person, online, and by phone

Where to sign up: FF Focus Groups sign-up page

11. FocusGroups.org

FocusGroups.org is a website that allows you to find focus group gigs near you. They list focus group openings across 200 cities in the US, and it’s free to register. You can also find online focus group gigs on their site.

You’ll have to take an intake survey to find out if you qualify for any given focus group and then wait to hear back. After participating, you’ll get paid by check or with a Visa card.

How much it pays: $50–$200 for most; some pay up to $1,200

Types of studies: Varies

Study format: In person and online

Where to sign up: FocusGroups.org

If you’re not sold on the idea of signing up to participate in focus groups, then consider one of these other similar jobs:

• Take paid surveys
• Sign up for product testing jobs
• Get paid to write reviews
• Become a secret shopper

Getting paid to give feedback or voice your opinions is one of the easiest and quickest ways to earn extra income. And if you’re a vocal person, then one or more of these gigs could be the ideal side hustle for you.