Short online activities
$10–$50Examples may include surveys, quick concept reviews, short usability tasks, or brief mobile assignments.
Paid Research / New York
Looking for a flexible way to earn extra money? Join paid market research studies and share your opinions about products, services, apps, advertising, healthcare, food, shopping, technology, and everyday life.
Opportunities may include remote interviews, online focus groups, surveys, product tests, usability studies, and in-person research across New York City and the surrounding region. Registration is free, and no previous experience is required.
The simple answer
Companies need feedback from real people before they launch products, improve websites, design services, develop advertising, or make major business decisions.
Instead of guessing what customers want, they conduct market research. Qualified participants are compensated for the time, attention, and personal experience they contribute.
Market research can be a useful source of occasional extra income, but it is not guaranteed employment or a dependable replacement for regular wages.
Studies may be open to people across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester, nearby New Jersey, or anywhere in the United States for remote projects.
Potential compensation
Compensation varies widely based on the study, length, location, subject, participation requirements, and how difficult the target audience is to find.
Short online activities
$10–$50Examples may include surveys, quick concept reviews, short usability tasks, or brief mobile assignments.
Remote interviews
$50–$250+One-on-one conversations typically conducted by phone or video call with a trained researcher.
Online focus groups
$75–$300+Moderated group conversations where participants discuss products, services, experiences, or ideas.
In-person research
$100–$500+Focus groups, product tests, taste tests, shopping research, interviews, and central-location studies.
Multi-day studies
$150–$1,000+Diary studies, online communities, product placement, in-home testing, and repeated assignments.
A study may need a particular profession, health experience, product ownership, purchase history, household profile, or technology background. Compensation is not guaranteed simply for registering.
Remote opportunities
Many research studies can be completed from home. You may need a smartphone, computer, webcam, reliable internet connection, and a quiet place to participate.
Video interviews
Online focus groups
Website testing
Mobile app testing
Online communities
Diary assignments
Product feedback
Concept reviews
You may still need to complete a screener, attend at a scheduled time, test your technology, keep your camera on, or complete assignments by specific deadlines.
In-person opportunities
In-person studies may take place at research facilities, offices, retail environments, restaurants, test kitchens, event spaces, medical-research offices, or other approved locations.
New York’s size and diversity make it valuable for research involving food, media, fashion, finance, healthcare, technology, retail, entertainment, transportation, travel, advertising, and everyday consumer behavior.
Who can participate?
Companies do not only want “experts.” They need feedback from people with different jobs, ages, interests, routines, purchases, households, and life experiences.
Families, expecting parents, new parents, caregivers, and people making household decisions.
College students, graduate students, early-career professionals, and first-time customers.
Employees, managers, executives, healthcare workers, educators, tradespeople, and business owners.
Homeowners, renters, commuters, travelers, pet owners, shoppers, cooks, and fitness enthusiasts.
Gamers, app users, streaming subscribers, online shoppers, creators, and software customers.
People with relevant healthcare experiences may qualify for non-clinical opinion research.
Research often needs perspectives from older consumers, Medicare users, caregivers, and retirees.
Recent purchases, unusual hobbies, particular products, cultural backgrounds, or life events may matter.
Ways to participate
Moderated discussions with several participants. These may be online or held in person at a research facility.
Private conversations about your habits, experiences, work, purchases, opinions, or use of a product or service.
Try food, household goods, technology, packaging, personal-care products, or other items and provide feedback.
Use a website, prototype, platform, or mobile app while explaining what is clear, confusing, helpful, or frustrating.
Complete short activities over several days or weeks, upload photos, answer prompts, or record your experiences.
Shorter research tasks that may ask about shopping, brand preferences, advertising, services, or recent experiences.
Researchers may observe how a product, room, device, service, or routine fits naturally into everyday life.
Shop-alongs, intercepts, store visits, restaurant studies, mystery shopping, or feedback gathered in real environments.
How it works
Joining a research community is easy. Getting selected depends on whether your profile matches the specific audience needed for each study.
Share accurate basic information so Probe can identify studies that may be relevant to you.
When a potential match appears, you may receive an invitation to answer screening questions.
Screeners determine whether your background, habits, experience, or availability fit the study.
If selected, review the date, time, location, technology, tasks, and payment details carefully.
Arrive on time, follow instructions, stay engaged, and provide thoughtful, honest feedback.
Payment methods and timing vary by project and will be explained before participation.
Why your opinion matters
Launching the wrong product, confusing customers, using ineffective advertising, or building a difficult website can cost a company far more than conducting research first.
Participants help businesses understand how real people think, shop, communicate, compare options, solve problems, and make decisions. The incentive compensates you for contributing your time and experience.
You do not need the “right” opinion. Researchers need your honest opinion.
Qualification
A project might need people who recently purchased a certain item, use a particular app, work in a specific field, or have a relevant life experience.
Even when you technically qualify, a project may already have enough participants from your age, neighborhood, occupation, or customer category.
You may fit the topic but be unable to attend the required session time, travel to the location, or complete all study activities.
Trying to guess the desired answers can lead to removal from a study or the participant community. Accurate responses are always best.
Safety and legitimacy
A legitimate research company pays participants. Participants should not have to send money, purchase access, deposit a check and return funds, or pay to unlock earnings.
Improve your experience
Update important changes such as your location, occupation, household, technology, vehicle, or recent purchases.
Popular studies may fill quickly. Complete invitations when convenient, but do not rush through the questions.
Check the session time, time zone, location, transportation, device requirements, and preparation tasks.
Researchers depend on a complete group. Late cancellations and missed sessions can affect future invitations.
You are not being tested. Explain what you really think and why, even when your opinion differs from others.
Some studies involve products or ideas that have not launched. Follow any confidentiality terms you accept.
A practical note
Research incentives may be taxable income. Payment reporting and tax forms depend on the payer, total amount, payment type, and your circumstances.
Keep your own records and speak with a qualified tax professional when needed. Probe does not provide tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from people interested in earning extra money by participating in legitimate market research.
Paid market research allows companies and researchers to collect feedback from qualified people. Participants may discuss products, services, advertising, technology, healthcare experiences, shopping habits, or other topics. An incentive is often provided in exchange for the participant’s time and feedback.
Yes. Qualified participants may receive compensation for focus groups, interviews, surveys, product tests, usability studies, diaries, online communities, and other research. Registration does not guarantee selection or payment because each study has different qualification requirements.
Compensation varies. Some shorter activities may offer modest incentives, while longer focus groups, specialized interviews, in-person studies, or multi-day projects may pay significantly more. The amount should be disclosed before you agree to participate.
Yes. Registration is free. You should never have to pay a membership fee, buy access to study invitations, or send money in order to receive a research incentive.
No. Most consumer studies are looking for everyday people with relevant experiences, habits, purchases, jobs, or opinions. The most important requirements are honesty, reliability, and thoughtful participation.
Yes. Remote opportunities may include video interviews, online focus groups, website testing, app testing, product feedback, surveys, diary studies, and online communities. Technology and privacy requirements vary by project.
Yes. Studies may be held in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester, nearby New Jersey, or other regional locations. Availability changes based on current projects.
Invitation frequency depends on your profile and the studies currently available. Some people may receive several potential opportunities in a short period, while others may wait longer for a relevant match.
You may not match the exact audience, a quota may already be full, your availability may not fit, or the project may have changed. Screeners are used to find a specific mix of participants, and not being selected does not necessarily mean you answered incorrectly.
No. Answer honestly. Researchers often review responses for consistency and may ask follow-up questions. Misrepresenting your identity, behavior, purchases, job, health experience, or product use can lead to removal from a study or future participant opportunities.
Studies may range from a few minutes to several hours. Diary studies, communities, product tests, and in-home usage projects may continue over several days or weeks. The expected time commitment should be explained before participation.
Payment methods vary by project and may include digital payments, electronic gift cards, physical gift cards, checks, or other approved methods. The payment type and expected delivery timing should be provided before the study.
Timing depends on the project and payment method. Some incentives are delivered shortly after participation, while others require processing or verification. Multi-day projects may pay after all required activities are complete.
Research incentives may be taxable income. Reporting requirements depend on the amount, payer, payment type, and your individual circumstances. Keep records of what you receive and consult a qualified tax professional for personal guidance.
Some studies include children or teenagers, but parental or legal guardian permission is generally required. Age requirements and consent procedures vary by project.
Yes. Some studies specifically need college students, graduate students, young adults, first-time renters, technology users, or people entering the workforce. Students will not qualify for every project.
Yes. Many studies need older adults, retirees, caregivers, homeowners, Medicare users, travelers, financial consumers, technology users, and people with extensive life or professional experience.
Yes. Some studies seek physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, administrators, technicians, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals. Professional studies often require additional verification.
No. Market research typically gathers opinions, experiences, and feedback and is not medical treatment. A clinical trial evaluates medical interventions under a different research and regulatory framework. Always review the study description carefully.
Research companies should explain how participant information is collected, used, stored, and shared. Review the applicable privacy policy and study consent information. Do not provide sensitive information unless it is reasonably necessary and you understand why it is requested.
Never pay to participate, send cryptocurrency, buy gift cards, deposit a check and return part of the money, or pay a fee to unlock earnings. Be cautious of guaranteed income claims, urgent unsolicited messages, vague company identities, and requests unrelated to legitimate screening or payment.
Paid research is better treated as occasional supplemental income. Opportunities are not guaranteed, qualification rates vary, and professional research companies may limit how frequently the same person can participate.
Some remote studies are open to participants across the United States, while others require New York City, New York State, or a specific regional location. Review each invitation carefully.
Register with accurate information and keep your profile current. When a potentially relevant project becomes available, complete the screening questions honestly and review all participation requirements before confirming.
Join the community
Register for free to be considered for paid focus groups, interviews, product tests, usability studies, online communities, surveys, and other research opportunities.