iSecretShop Review: Is It Legit and Worth It in 2026?

iSecretShop is a software platform and job board that functions as a hub for mystery shopping jobs. It brings together opportunities from various “MSPs” (mystery shopping providers) or agencies, aggregating them into one place so that you don’t need to log into different sites to find out what’s available in your area.

iSecretShop describes itself as a “fully-integrated mobile mystery shopping solution.” You can use it via its website, and it also has apps for both Android and iOS devices (iPhones and iPads).

What types of gigs can you find on iSecretShop?

iSecretShop features covert mystery shops, where you pose as a regular customer to anonymously evaluate how well a business is running. For example, you might give feedback on its service, cleanliness, and employee behavior.

After you complete your in-person task or tasks, you’ll usually have to write a detailed report on your observations (all without the staff ever realizing you were there as an auditor).

iSecretShop also says that you can sign up for more opportunities besides covert mystery shops. These include:

• Competitive price audits: This is a type of data collection assignment that involves visiting specific retail locations to record the prices of products and the details of promotions.
• Merchandising opportunities: With these assignments, instead of acting as a customer, you’ll perform tasks like restocking products from the backroom, setting up promotional displays, and making sure that items are organized correctly.
• Market research panels: Joining one of these means providing ongoing feedback on products, services, or brand concepts by taking surveys, helping with in-home product testing, or taking part in other, similar activities.
• Intercept interviews: These are assignments where you stand at a location and ask real customers about their experiences.
• Overt audits: These are not-so-secret shops where you introduce yourself to management to carry out a formal safety or inventory check.

You may also find other types of secret shopping gigs and related work on the app. Some of these gigs will require you to be on-site, but there are also easy jobs you can do remotely (by phone or online).

iSecretShop doesn’t directly reimburse secret shoppers for assignments. Instead, the secret shopping companies or clients (the MSPs) are the ones who pay, and each company has its own payment policy.

As such, the compensation amounts, payment methods, and payout speeds for jobs on iSecretShop depend on the client. However, iSecretShop will share all payment policies for you to review before you agree to do any work.

How much does iSecretShop pay?

As mentioned, because iSecretShop doesn’t pay secret shoppers itself, the assignments it offers may vary a lot in terms of how much they pay.

Many secret shopping gigs pay just a few dollars per assignment, with these tasks usually being fairly quick and easy to complete. Some of the more lucrative assignments pay $10–$20 or even more, but these will probably take closer to an hour—possibly even longer, according to some online reports.

How long does iSecretshop take to pay secret shoppers?

Payment speeds also vary on iSecretShop—again, due to the fact that the platform doesn’t pay secret shoppers itself. iSecretShop says that some MSPs pay within days; others pay on a monthly schedule.

How does iSecretShop pay secret shoppers?

iSecretShop says that most payments are made via PayPal. 1

However, you might also receive payments via Venmo, check, in the form of gift cards, or via various other methods.

How does iSecretShop handle taxes?

iSecretShop doesn’t pay shoppers itself, so it doesn’t issue 1099s or provide you with other tax documents. If you need documents from an MSP or market research company you find on iSecretShop, you’ll have to contact them directly.

Yes, iSecretShop is a legit app that really pays. It has been around since 2009 and has nearly 1,000,000 registered shoppers and panelists around the world.

The iSecretShop apps are also quite popular. The Android app has over 100,000 downloads on the Google Play store. The App Store shows that they update the iOS app several times a year (indicating that they’re dealing with a large daily flow of data and assignments and aren’t in danger of abandoning the platform).

Pros and cons

Although iSecretShop is a popular work-on-demand app, before you accept any mystery shopping opportunities on it, take a moment to weigh the most important pros and cons of the platform.

Judging from online reports, the general consensus about the app seems to be that it’s an effective way to find secret shopping opportunities. It has reasonably good ratings on Google Play and the App Store, and has also been recommended quite a few times on Reddit over the last few months.

However, iSecretShop is also a bit of a wild west in some ways.

iSecretShop claims it isn’t a “company,” just “software.” This means it’s not terribly careful about following labor laws or helping with shopper–client disputes. This may explain a number of complaints we saw about payment issues, unfair rejections, and sudden account deactivations.

The good

Here are some of the things iSecretShop users say they like about this platform:

• Legitimacy: Users confirm that iSecretShop is “not a scam.” It features a wide range of jobs that really pay.
• Efficiency for jobhunting: Users also generally find the platform to be a functional “all-in-one” hub that works well for accessing dozens of different MSPs with a single login and profile.
• Platform functionality: iSecretShop users like having a choice between using the app for “field work” and finishing reports on a computer or just doing everything on their phone. Shoppers who prefer the latter approach can find gigs, snap photos, and submit their reports at the shop location.
• Generally lucrative: Experienced shoppers report making significant side incomes—sometimes earning several hundred dollars in their first month—by focusing on assignments that offer bonuses (iSecretShop has these for some assignments, such as ones that need a fast turnaround just before a deadline).

The bad

Here are some of the notable criticisms iSecretShop has received in recent weeks:

• Strict grading and rejections: Many app users report that agencies can be “stingy” or “nitpicky” about approving work. If a single photo is slightly blurry or you forget one small detail, your entire report (and reimbursement) may be rejected.
• Harsh account deactivations: Missing a deadline or cancelling a single shop can result in an immediate account ban, which may be very difficult to appeal.
• Delayed payments: According to some feedback, iSecretShop assignments can take several weeks to pay or reimburse shoppers for expenses.
• Problems finding jobs: Some users complain of being unable to find gigs in their local areas, limiting their earning potential.

iSecretShop makes it easy to set up an account and start making money as a mystery shopper. Here’s how it works:

1. Register

To use iSecretShop, you first have to register with the platform. Doing this should take just a few minutes.

You can register by downloading the iSecretShop app or visiting the iSecretShop website (or you can do it via a partner agency, such as Intouch Insight).

iSecretShop says that during the signup process, you need to provide an email address linked to PayPal to get paid for your completed shops.

If you don’t already have a PayPal account, iSecretShop recommends that you use the email address you used for your shopper registration to create your PayPal after you finish registering with them.

2. Look for gigs

You can look for secret shopping opportunities under “Available Shops” on the iSecretShop app or website.

You can also set up automated alerts to make sure you don’t miss high-paying gigs. To set alerts, go to your profile, and under “Notification Settings,” opt to receive notifications of available shops (based on a set radius from your home or shop specialty).

When you view assignments, iSecretShop should display their location, the allowed date range during which you can complete them, the compensation amount, and the reimbursements you’ll receive for expenses (if you need to pay for something to complete an assignment).

iSecretShop will provide you with an overview of each shop so that you know the scope of the work involved beforehand.

3. Assign yourself to shopping assignments

In order to assign yourself a shop, you must enter the date on which you plan to complete it.

In certain cases, iSecretShop will automatically place an assignment into your account and send you a confirmation email. However, some shops are set up to be assigned by request; if yours is approved, you’ll get a confirmation e-mail.

After iSecretShop assigns you a shop, you’ll have access to the full guidelines and any questionnaires that it requires. You have to read these documents before you complete your assignment to make sure you don’t miss anything important.

If you’re not sold on iSecretShop, there are many other companies and platforms you can try to find mystery shopping jobs.

Some popular options include:

• PrestoShopper
• Mobee
• iShopFor Ipsos
• GigSpot
• Secret Shopper