Respondent.io Review – Participate in Research Studies for $100+ an Hour

Taking surveys is a popular side hustle. I recently came across a site that takes surveys to the next level. I decided to try it out and provide a quick review.

Respondent is a website that matches companies looking to perform research studies with qualified participants. Respondent claims (and others have reported) you can earn $140 per hour.

Note, the companies doing the studies are looking for a certain set of people. This can make it difficult to be selected for studies.

What is Respondent?

Respondent links you with businesses needing people for research studies.

These research studies are interviews conducted over the phone or are “unmoderated,” meaning a survey you complete on your own.

Respondent doesn’t choose people for the research studies. Companies come to them looking for participants and Respondent provides them with eligible matches. The companies choose who will participate in the study.

This means you may apply for many studies before getting chosen. Just because you qualify from a demographics standpoint doesn’t mean you will get chosen to participate.

And you do not get paid to apply, you only get paid if you are chosen and complete the study. The more information you provide to Respondent, the more likely it is you’ll get matched to opportunities for research studies.

Respondent’s website claims you can make an average of $140 per hour. Before applying for the study you will know how long the survey is and the payment amount.

Keep in mind, it can be difficult to get picked for the studies so it really is extra money, not something that can be relied upon for steady income.

How to Sign Up for Respondent

When you sign up for Respondent, they will ask for basic information like your name, phone number, and location, so you can get your account open.

After checking the box that you are a respondent, you are asked for your email and phone number. You are sent a code to your phone to enter into the site to verify that you are who you say you are.

Next, you are asked for some basic information.

After this, the questions get more personal. You are asked:

• your gender
• ethnic background
• eduction level
• city you live in
• employment status (full-time, part-time, etc)
• industry you work in
• level of seniority you have at work
• name of the company you work for
• job title
• your role at work
• size of your company

You are also asked for your Paypal email so they can pay you when you are selected for a study.

A photo is also required before you can apply for any studies. You can also link your social media profiles, which presumably will increase your chances of being selected.

Once that’s done the company will show matches for you, based on your data. You can also browse available studies, to find options that interest you.

Here’s my list…

You can then apply for one of the studies shown in your list. Or you can browse Respondent for studies that may interest you.

Related: Earn Money Taking Surveys (and More!) with InboxDollars

How Do I Apply for Projects?

When you log into Respondent you’ll see a list of opportunities that Respondent thinks you may be a good fit for. However, you can also browse the site to look for more projects.

Each project says how long they take to complete and what they pay, so you can decide if you want to apply. There are brief descriptions to help you learn more about the project before making a decision.

When you see a project you like, you can click to apply. You’ll then fill out a brief screening questionnaire. That usually takes five minutes or less and is designed to help companies find the right people for their focus groups and research studies.

You can fill out three screening questionnaires per 24-hour period.

That’s a big part of what sets Respondent apart from survey companies. Companies are paying quite a bit for the responses of study participants, so they need to be sure they’re getting people whose opinions they actually want.

This is different than other sites that pay for surveys. Usually, you can fill out any survey you want without limit, but you’ll only earn a few cents per survey.

Here you have the potential to earn a lot more per survey, but the chances of qualifying for the survey are much slimmer.

When you apply for a study, you’ll get a match score when you apply for studies, which will show you a range from 0 percent to 100 percent qualified.

The more qualified you are for an opportunity, the more likely it is you’ll be selected. But getting a 100 percent match doesn’t guarantee you’ll get chosen for the survey.

You might have to apply for several studies before you’re chosen for one, and you may be rejected for a lot of opportunities you wanted or think you’d be a fit for.

That’s just the nature of the site, and it’s important to keep applying for any opportunities where you feel qualified. That’s the way to earn more when you sign up for Respondent.

What’s the Difference Between Research Studies and Surveys?

When you work with Respondent, you can participate in research studies. That’s not the same as taking surveys.

Survey companies have low-paying opportunities that are open to a lot of people. These opportunities are often frequent, but they don’t add up to much.

Some survey companies don’t pay any money. They pay points you can use to enter drawings, or eventually get a gift card. Rather than spend all your time taking surveys, you can spend a lot less time with Respondent.

Research studies pay much better, overall, and Respondent is a trustworthy company to work with.

Related: 8 Legit Paid Survey Sites to Make Some Extra Money

Who Can Join Respondent?

Anyone who’s 18 or older can join Respondent. Most of the research studies are targeted to US-based people, but the site does claim to be international.

If you’re in a country other than the US, you won’t be prohibited from signing up. You just might not see as many opportunities for research studies. You can check out Respondent to see what opportunities are available to you.

How to Maximize Your Earnings

To make extra money with Respondent, you’ll need to be proactive.

Make sure you log in frequently and take a look, so you can see what’s there to apply for. That way you’ll have a higher chance of getting good opportunities, which will close after enough people apply and are accepted.

You can apply for up to three studies per day. The more you apply for the higher your chances of being selected for a Respondent research study.

Studies can fill up fast, and the remote ones fill up faster than the in-person ones. If you see an opportunity you like that’s still open, fill out the screener survey right then.

Don’t wait and come back later, thinking you’ll get around to it that evening or on the weekend. By that time it will probably be full. Decide quickly, to maximize your chances of success.

Is Respondent Legit?

Yes, Respondent is a legitimate company that matches companies looking to complete research studies with participants. Companies do pay for this type of research.

However, it is the company, not Respondent, that actually pays you. Respondent only facilitates the process.

Payments are made via Paypal directly from the company that initiated the study. The Respondent platform helps keep track of all the surveys you’ve completed as well as the status of the payments.

Their customer service will also work on your behalf to resolve any payment issues if they do crop up. And you also have a line of communication with the researcher via the Respondent site.

That said, more than $10 million has been paid to people who have signed up to take part in research studies via Respondent. So while there may be a bad egg out there, most companies are on the up and up and will pay what they promised. Create your Respondent account to get started.

How Respondent Makes Money

The company takes either a $1 or 5% fee from the amount you’re paid, whichever is greater. However, there is no cost to sign up or any ongoing fees. So if you never get selected to participate in a study then it won’t cost you anything.

Is Respondent Worth It?

Sure! Signing up for Respondent is definitely worth it for anyone looking to make real money in research. It’s really an easy process and you can get started applying for things right away.

Yes, it’s frustrating when you don’t get picked for something, but keep trying and keep applying.

Taking surveys and participating in research studies won’t ever be a full-time income, but if you want to make some part-time or extra money, Respondent is one of the ways you can do that.

Have you ever tried Respondent? Were you chosen for any studies?