30 Best Mystery Shopper Jobs
Ipsos iSay
i-Say Summary
- You can earn as much as $50 each month
- Earn $1 for each friend you invite
- Low minimum cash out threshold of $5
- Instant cash out for e-gift cards
Ipsos iSay is widely regarded as one of the largest consumer panels with a large number of assignments. There are no lengthy applications to complete, simply register on the site and click the green button to get started.
This company is a little different to other mystery shopping platforms because the reporting process can be very time-consuming. However, the extra effort is worth it because Ipsos offers some of the best paying, legitimate mystery shopper jobs on the market. In general, you can expect to earn around $10 or more per assignment.
Field Agent
Field Agent Summary
- Earn between $3 to $15 for every job
- 10+ different types of jobs available
- 3 to 5 day processing time for payouts
- Get 10% of what your referrals earn
Field Agent is a mobile app that you can use to earn money by completing small tasks on your phone.
Some of the tasks that you can complete to earn extra cash include:
- Mystery shopping
- Doing market research
- Performing audits at retail stores
- Checking prices at local stores
- Taking pictures of landmarks, food, menus and more
- and many more
Thus, Field Agent is a great mobile app to boost your regular income. With a wide range of earning opportunities in addition to mystery shopping, you can stand to earn up to $30 per hour. Some of these jobs don’t even require you to leave your house, so you can complete them from the comfort of your own home.
Marketforce
Market Force Summary
- Earn additional income
- Select assignments
- Shop with purpose
- Flexible schedule
Marketforce, formerly known as Retail Eyes, is one of the best-known mystery shopping platforms with almost 300,000 members.
One of the best things about the platform is that there is always a huge range of legitimate mystery shopper jobs to choose from. Thus, you are likely to find earning opportunities local area and it’s easy to make a little extra money when you’re out shopping anyway.
The only real downside to using Marketforce is that they are not very responsive to member concerns. With average earnings of between $5 to $10 per store visit, the rate of pay is relatively low compared to some other platforms on this list. In some cases, you only receive reimbursement for any products you purchase.
National Consumer Panel
NCPMobile Summary
- High-quality consumer panel
- Offers many earning opportunities
- Free to download and use
- Easy to get rewarded
The National Consumer Panel or NCP is a well-established market research company that pays its users to take part in product testing, barcode scanning and taking online surveys.
Acceptance into NCP is not automatic. They are only interested in certain demographic groups and this can limit your earning potential. So, it’s important to complete an accurate demographic profile to get the best matches for work.
NCP users earn points for various tasks that you can exchange for gift cards from participating brands, including:
- Amazon
- Visa
- iTunes
In general, new users earn 150 points (worth $0.25) each time they upload data from their shopping trips. However, the longer you use the platform, the more you can earn. Experienced anonymous shoppers with NCP can earn up to 280 points (worth $0.47) for a single store visit.
Although the platform doesn’t have the highest paying mystery shopper jobs, it is a great way to earn money if you are already making regular shopping trips.
Best Mark
BestMark is a leading mystery shopping company and they have been in business since 1986. They offer around 10,000 legitimate mystery shopper jobs each month at hotels, restaurants and resorts.
The rate of pay varies a great deal depending on the type of assignments you choose and their complexity.
The platform is also relatively easy to join. Simply click the “Sign Up Now” button on their website, fill in your information and create a unique password.
As soon as your account is approved, you can start browsing the platform for in-person or phone and/or web mystery shopping gigs. On average, you can expect to earn up to $20 per hour.
Sinclair Customer Metrics
Sinclair Customer Metrics is one of the oldest mystery shopping platforms on the market and it has been in business since 1987. They have helped many businesses to improve their customer services. Sinclair offers a wide variety of tasks that users can complete to earn money, including phone, video and in-person mystery shopping.
It is free to join Sinclair as an anonymous shopper, and the process is relatively straightforward and should take no more than 10 minutes. Do note that as an anonymous shopper, you are an independent contractor of the company and will thus not be entitled to any benefits.
You can expect to earn an average of $10 per hour.
Ath Power Consulting
Unlike the other mystery shopping platforms on this list, Ath Power Consulting focuses purely on the financial and banking niche. This means that any jobs you take with Ath will be based on going into a bank or other financial institution and reporting back on your experience.
This company is an elite member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association or MSPA. This trade body ensures that all members comply with a code of standards.
Ath Power Consulting offers over 10,000 legitimate mystery shopper jobs each month and they have over 500,000 registered mystery shoppers.
The amount you can earn will vary greatly based on the job details. Thus, you will need to check the rate of pay for each job on the platform’s mystery shopper portal before you sign up for a job. Ath only pays out twice per month rather than each time a mystery shopping task is completed.
Some Ath jobs are also sensitive in nature and you may need to receive security clearance before you can work on those.
Intelli-shop
Intelli-shop is a top customer experience research company with many high profile clients in various industries. As a result, they have a wide variety of mystery shopping jobs available.
There are three main Intelli-shop methods of mystery shopping, they are:
- In-person
- Phone
- Website
As an Intelli-shop anonymous shopper, you will be paid approximately 30 days after the last day of the month in which the shopping trips were complete. You can expect to earn an average of $11 per hour.
The usual payout day is the 20th and payments are made via Paypal.
In addition, the more you work for the platform, the more likely you are to be given priority for newly posted mystery shopping jobs.
Second to None
Second to None is an interesting platform for those interested in mystery shopper jobs in the US and Canada.
At the moment, the company has a focus on insurance brokers and associated organizations. As a result, they are currently focusing on hiring AARP members. Nonetheless, it’s always worth checking their requirements because they are consistently updated.
The amount you can earn with Second to None is not fixed or based on a flat rate. Instead, the pay will vary based on the complexity and time taken to complete a particular task.
Some jobs on the platform can pay up to $10 or more for a single shopping trip, making Second to None one of the best platforms to earn some extra income as a mystery shopper.
Mystery Shopper America
One of the most renowned companies in the mystery shopping industry is Mystery Shopper America. The company offers a great way to get paid to shop. As a member of Mystery Shopper America, you will be an independent contractor whose job is to visit various stores and establishments in your area and provide feedback about them.
The company is a great fit for a variety of people, including:
- Retirees
- College kids
- Stay at home moms
- Anyone else that wants to make some extra cash on the side
If you’re interested in this kind of work you need to have good attention to detail because your feedback will play an important role in helping business owners improve their products and services. A typical store visit will last around 30 minutes and the rate of pay is in the $10 to $20 range depending on the complexity.
BARE
BARE is one of the highest-paying platforms that is offering legitimate mystery shopper jobs.
This is a newer company that received a Shopper’s Choice award in 2019 from the MSPA. Thus, it is safe to say that mystery shoppers throughout the country have had nothing but positive experiences with the company.
The different types of tasks that BARE mystery shoppers have to perform include:
- Phone shopping
- In-person shopping
- Video shopping
- Testing live customer support chats
When you sign up with BARE, you will need to choose your language, enter your email address, pick the country where you’re shopping and enter your demographic details. You can also list up to five area codes where you would like to do your mystery shopping.
This feature can be very useful and is not something that all other mystery shopping platforms offer. Choosing your preferred shopping area beforehand can enable you to stick to areas that you know well, which saves time and fuel on shopping trips to other areas.
Once your account has been approved, you are ready to start looking for legitimate mystery shopper jobs in your area. As a mystery shopper with BARE, you can also expect to earn an average of $20 per hour.
Secret Shopper
Secret Shopper has been in business since 1990. They are also a charter member of the MSPA, giving the company a high level of credibility.
Some visits to stores or restaurants may also include a reimbursement of your meal or products purchased. To receive this reimbursement, all you need to do is scan your receipt and submit that with your report.
To start looking for mystery shopper jobs on the platform, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have good writing skills to complete your report
- Be a detail oriented person
Simply visit the Secret Shopper website, sign up, agree to the terms and conditions. You’ll need to complete a certification test and fill in your personal demographic information.
As a mystery shopper with Secret Shopper, you can expect to earn between $15 and $25 for every shopping assignment that you complete.
Pinnacle
Pinnacle is one of the longest-running mystery shopping platform that has been in operation for over 20 years. The company specializes in helping financial institutions to improve their services.
As a Pinnacle mystery shopper, you will primarily be working with banks and credit unions. Thus, this is an ideal fit for anyone that enjoys working in the finance industry.
It’s easy to sign up for mystery shopper jobs on Pinnacle:
- Click the “New Shopper Sign Up” button
- Enter your email
- Add your basic information (including bank details to receive payments)
- Answer the demographic questions
- Agree to the terms and conditions
In addition, the company also has one of the highest pay rates on the market and it is possible to earn up to $75 per visit to a bank or credit union.
Perception Strategies, Inc.
Perception Strategies, Inc has been in business since 1998. To date, the company has carried out over 150,000 mystery visits, with a focus on the healthcare sector.
The earning opportunities offered by the company may include a visit to a health care provider in-person, making a phone call for an appointment or even completing an entire visit.
The feedback that you provide will help these healthcare providers to improve their services and make the patient experiences better. To join, visit the site, click the “Shopper Application” link, fill out your demographic information and check for a mystery shopping opportunity.
You can also expect to earn up to $17 per shop.
A Consumer’s Point of View
A Customer’s Point of View, also known as ACPVIEW, is a mystery shopping platform that caters to a wide variety of industries, including:
- Grocery stores
- Retail outlets
- Banking
- Public transport
- Airports
- Restaurants
- Fast food diners
- Government agencies
- and many more
The amount you can earn for each job will vary based on the nature of the particular assignment. Nonetheless, the reimbursement rate for each job will be shown before each job. Thus, you can maximize your earnings by only taking on the higher-paying secret shopper jobs on the platform.
The company pays its mystery shoppers for completed assignments via PayPal around 45 days after the job is completed. Some assignments will also offer reimbursements for the amount you spend on food or shopping.
AboutFace
AboutFace is a well-established mystery shopping platform that is also a member of the MSPA. They have been in business for 20 years and they have an A+ rating with the BBB.
According to the company’s website, they pay up to 15% more than most legitimate mystery shopper jobs on other platforms. This can add up to as much as $25 per shopping assignment. Thus, becoming a mystery shopper with AboutFace is one of the best ways you can earn some extra cash in your free time.
Mercantile Systems Inc.
Mercantile Systems Inc is a top customer experience research company. The company uses data and feedback provided by its anonymous shoppers to help businesses improve their customer experience and services.
The company offers mystery shopping jobs in a wide range of industries, including:
- Retail
- Healthcare
- Financial service
- Golf courses
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Storage facilities
- And many more
When a mystery shopper receives an assignment, it must be completed within 24 hours. The company pays its mystery shoppers within 45 days of the completion.
Reality Based Group
Reality Based Group, also known as RBG, is an MSPA member with high profile clients, such as:
- Cinnabon
- Goodwill
- SportsClips
- Texas Roadhouse
- and many more
RBG provides written, phone, video and other types of secret shopper jobs. There are always plenty of opportunities available in a variety of locations, including banks, bookstores, gyms, restaurants, department stores and more.
With the sheer variety, it’s likely that you will always be able to find suitable mystery shopper jobs in your location. On average, you can expect to earn about $12 per hour as a mystery shopper with RBG.
iSecretShop
iSecretShop is a mystery shopping platform that offers both an app and desktop browser. You can use either of these to look for and complete secret shopper jobs to earn some extra cash.
When signing up as a mystery shopper on the platform, you can choose your preferred mode of shopping. Some of the options available include online shopping and in-person shopping. Once you’ve registered, you can browse the job board to find an opportunity that suits your needs.
In general, most mystery shopper jobs on the platform typically pay around $5 and all payments are made through your Paypal account.
Although the rate of pay may be somewhat lower than the rates offered by competing platforms on this list, iSecretShop is a great platform for beginner mystery shoppers due to how easy the platform is to use. In addition, the availability of a mobile app makes the platform a great way to earn money from your phone.
Shopper’s View
Shopper’s View is an MSPA founding member. The company also has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and there is no shortage of interesting mystery shopper jobs available.
Some of the best opportunities features on the platform are in the retail, food and sporting events sectors.
If you don’t have access to a vehicle or you don’t want to work in person, you can also opt for phone-based mystery shopping jobs only. The company claims that with dedication and by working full-time hours, it is possible to earn $20,000+ per year as a mystery shopper.
SeeLevel
SeeLevel has opportunities in the retail, fast food, automotive and financial services industries. If you want to get free food when you’re working on a mystery shopping job, SeeLevel would be the ideal fit for you.
It is free to join SeeLevel as a mystery shopper. Simply visit the company’s website and fill in your application form. You will then be notified when your application has been approved.
In addition, SeeLeve offers one of the highest pay rates for mystery shopper jobs on the market. It is possible to earn up to $200 per day and the company pays all of your earnings via your Paypal account.
Amusement Advantage
Amusement Advantage is a unique mystery shopping platform that caters specifically to entertainment locations. The company pays people to visit a wide variety of attractions and provide feedback on their experiences.
Some of the places you can get paid to visit include:
- Zoos
- Amusement Parks
- Aquariums
- Bowling alleys
- and other attractions
This can often be more fun than mystery shopping gigs at the grocery and retail stores. Nonetheless, you still need to be detail-oriented as your feedback will play an important role in helping these attractions improve their services.
In certain cases, you may also be reimbursed for the price of the tickets and admission after you’ve completed the mystery shopping gig. You can also earn an extra $5 if you complete your assignment by 10 am on the day after you received your assignment.
Amusement Advantage also has a referral program where you can earn an extra $20 by recruiting new anonymous shoppers. The only real disadvantage is that it can take up to 45 days to receive your earnings via PayPal.
Confero
Confero offers mystery shopping jobs in many industries, including:
- Airports
- Theme parks
- Movie theaters
- Banking
- Retail
- Food service
- Automotive
- And many more
It’s easy to sign up as a mystery shopper with Confero. Simply fill in the application form on the company’s website with the required information and accept the company’s independent contractor agreement. Then, you can choose the area codes where you would like to work and this will help to filter the opportunities that you receive.
In addition, you can stand to earn $100 per week or more depending on how actively you take on mystery shopper jobs on the platform.
Globis Survey
Globis Survey is one of the largest mystery shopping companies with thousands of clients in a wide range of industries. As a mystery shopper, you could earn anywhere from $10 to up to $40 per assignment, depending on the complexity of the task.
Registration is free and you can accept any job that you want. There is no obligation for you to accept any job that you have no interest in. However, the more mystery jobs that you accept, the more you will be offered. Thus, it can be rewarding to be an active member of the platform.
Globis expect high-quality work and you will receive updates about new assignments via email. Alternatively, you can also search the marketplace for secret shopper jobs.
GAPbuster
GAPbuster is a mystery shopping platform that has been active since 1994. It has an HQ in Melbourne, Australia and offices in Europe and across Asia. GAPbuster is active in 105 countries worldwide and they have over 480,000 mystery shoppers.
If you want to work at home, GAPbuster also has plenty of mystery shopper jobs online in over 10 different sectors. They provide a number of services for their clients, including consulting, benchmarking, analytics, audits and surveys.
The hours that you work and your pay will depend on the complexity of each assignment. However, you tend to need to work during regular business hours.
After signing up as a mystery shopper, you will receive notifications of new mystery shopper jobs via email. Payments are made directly to your bank account from the 25th through to the 30th of every month.
AQ Services
AQ Services are always looking for new mystery shoppers that are at least 20 years old and have a good eye for detail.
Opportunities may be available in your area and there are many varied and challenging tasks. In addition, new mystery shoppers with the platform will also have to undergo a training process that includes:
- Studying a detailed briefing manual
- Passing an online comprehension test
- Attending a training session
An AQ Services mystery shopper receives payment for each visit that they complete successfully. Your earnings will vary based on the difficulty of each job, although you can expect to earn up to $25 or more per assignment. Earnings are paid directly to your bank via a cash deposit.
Shoppers Confidential
Shoppers Confidential is a mystery shopping company based in Toronto, Canada. They are also a member of the Independent Mystery Shoppers Coalition or IMSC and they provide a wide variety of services to meet their clients needs.
It’s free to join Shoppers Confidential and anonymous shoppers can earn between $15 to $20 per visit, plus any expenses that they may have incurred.
Certain mystery shopping jobs on the platform may also not have a financial reward, but may instead reimburse shoppers with rewards such as free meals or free cruises.
Intouch Insight
Intouch Insight provides mystery shopping services to a wide variety of stores, making it easy to find opportunities that match your schedule.
When you take on a mystery shopping assignment with the platform, your job is relatively easy. Simply visit the store, evaluate and record your experience and submit a form.
You can expect to earn an average of $15 per hour. The company makes payments to mystery shoppers every 2nd Friday. This includes any visits to stores that you made up to the last day in that weekly pay period.
Payments are sent via Paypal by noon on the payment date and you can consult the payment schedule on the website if you’re unsure when it is due.
Customer Impact
Customer Impact is a retail merchandising service that operates across the entire nation. They offer third party support for many different types of industries and they have been in business for 25 years.
The platform has built a strong reputation with clients and mystery shoppers alike and there are always opportunities available. Mystery shopper jobs on the platform vary in terms of payouts, which can go up to $10 or more per assignment. The company automatically deposits funds into your Paypal account.
Helion Research
Many well known international brands engage customer experience researchers to measure the quality of their service to their customers. Helion Research is one such company that sends its shoppers to try out and evaluate the efficiency and quality of services and products.
Posing as a regular customer may seem tough, but after a few tries, you should be able to assume the role with ease.
You can earn up to $70 per assignment. Helion Research pays around the 20th of the month after you have completed your evaluation period.
Highest Paying Mystery Shopper Jobs
| Platform | Earning Potential |
|---|---|
| iShopFor Ipsos (i-Say) | Around $10 or more per assignment |
| Field Agent | Up to $30 per hour |
| Best Mark | Up to $20 per hour |
| Intelli-shop | Up to $11 per hour |
| About Face | Up to $25 per shopping assignment |
| Reality Based Group | Up to $12 per hour |
| Shopper’s View | Up to $20,000 per year working full-time hours |
| SeeLevel | Up to $200 or more per day |
| Confero | Up to $100 or more per week |
What is a Mystery Shopper?
You may have heard of mystery shopper jobs, but you don’t know much about how this process works. A mystery shopper is paid to act like any other shopper and present feedback based on their shopping experience.
Most companies that provide mystery shopping services give their workers a list of tasks that they need to complete such as asking staff questions on products and services. Once this set of tasks have been completed they provide feedback on their experience including factors, such as: employee helpfulness, store cleanliness, speed or service and more.
For example, the company may ask you to complete an order at McDonalds. You’ll be expected to monitor the time it takes for your order to arrive using a stopwatch. In return for a free lunch, you’ll just need to complete a questionnaire detailing your customer experience.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Mystery Shopper?
A mystery shopping trip can vary in earnings depending on how much work is involved, but a typical assignment could be worth $5-$25.
In most cases the mystery shopper will pay for this service but they will often reimburse the shopper for any purchases and/or expenses they incurred during their visit.
How Do You Become a Legitimate Mystery Shopper?
- Research: It is crucial to choose legit platforms for mystery shopper jobs. The platforms I’ve listed below are certainly legit. But, it is worth checking the terms and conditions to ensure that you are comfortable before starting work.
- Be Honest: Many secret shopper jobs rely on demographic information to match shoppers and gigs. Although it may be tempting to try and game the system to get more jobs, this is counterproductive. Companies are looking for honest opinions, so if you are caught lying you’ll be penalized.
- Be Prompt: Most secret shopper jobs require completion within a certain time frame. So, it is important to be prompt. Demonstrating your reliability will help you to secure more work.
- Read the Instructions Carefully: Finally, be sure to read through all the instructions carefully to ensure that you get paid and the client is happy.
How to Avoid Mystery Shopping Scams?
Every mystery shopping company on our list is a legitimate option but not every company can be trusted. In fact, some are outright scams and it’s very useful to spot and avoid them.
- Only choose mystery shopping companies: When you consider a mystery shopping opportunity on sign up for a company that belongs to trusted sources. Many of the companies on this list belong to the MSPA and you can find a full list of the member companies on their websites. Two other great resources are the Better Business Bureau and TrustPilot and if you cannot find a reputable online footprint they must be avoided.
- Never pay in advance: Every mystery shopping company on our list is free to join for a very good reason. If you even encounter a mystery shopping company that wants you to pay money to join them it will be a scam.
- Don’t wire money: Never, deposit a check in your personal account, withdraw it and then wire it to a third party. Any company that asks you to do this may be sending you a fake check and you will be scammed. Sometimes the check may even appear to have cleared, the money seems to be in your account, but it may take weeks for the bank to discover the fake check.
If your bank discovers a fake check, you will probably be held responsible to pay the deposit amount back to the bank. So, make sure to never deposit a check into your account from someone that you don’t know if they ask you to wire it back.