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Prolific Survey Review 2024. Is Prolific Survey Legit?

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We test online survey websites weekly and provide real-user reviews so you can decide whether each platform is right for you to earn some side money. So far, we have reviewed over 100 survey sites. Methodology.

Prolific Review

prolific logo

Prolific is a top market research company that connects researchers with survey participants. Members can get paid for taking part in research studies just by answering questions. The platform has over 150,000 members and has one of the higher survey payouts on the market at a minimumof $6.50 per hour. However, due to the high demand, new registration is currently paused but there is a waitlist.

Rating

4.4

Safe & Legit

Pay Per Survey

Earning Potential

Payout Process

Pros

  • High survey payout – the platform guarantees a minimum payout of $6.50 per hour, which is higher than most other surveys platforms on the market.
  • Low minimum cash out threshold – you can request to withdraw your earnings in cash via PayPal once you have accumulated at least £5 in your account.
  • Instant cashouts – payments are processed 2 times a week on Tuesday and Friday. After your first 4 cash outs, your payments are processed instantly.
  • Get notified of 1 to 2 new studies per day – use the Prolific Assistant chrome extension to get updates whenever a new study is released on Prolific.

Cons

  • Long potential waitlist time – due to high demand, new sign ups are closed and you may need to wiat 2 to 3 months on the waitlist to get a slot.
  • Troublesome verification process – to get your account approved, you must to verify your email, phone numeber and ID, which can take up to 5 days.

Jump to: Full Review

Best Online Survey Sites

Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys logo

$0.50 – $5 on average per survey with bonus points ($1 sign up bonus)

Average survey length is 10-20 minutes and minimum withdrawal is $5

Collect rewards in PayPal, Direct Deposit or gift cards (100+ brands)

Swagbucks

Swagbucks logo

$0.50 to $2.50 per survey – earn up to $100 each month using Swagbucks

18 unique ways to earn money and free gift cards, plus $5 sign up bonus

Redeem e-gift cards from $1 or withdraw $5 minimum payment from PayPal

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie logo

$0.50 – $3 per survey + extra ways to earn up to $100 with focus groups

Each survey time varies, but on average it takes 15 minutes to complete

Redeem rewards using PayPal, e-giftcards or bank transfer when earned at least $5

How Does Prolific Work?


The Prolific survey database of participants helps researchers to find the ideal participant to take part in specific studies or surveys. This offers quality data to universities, businesses, governments, or individuals through on-demand and self-service data collection.

Researchers pay according to the number of participants needed and the length of the research study. 

Additionally, the company has partnered with different companies and organizations to help them in online research, academic research studies, behavior research, and participant research.

Also, Prolific can be integrated into software databases, including Gorilla, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, and Qualtrics.

How Much Can You Make from Prolific Online Surveys?


You can expect to earn at least $6.50 an hour, but the final payment depends on the length of the study and the number of participants

However, there is no guarantee of how many surveys you will be asked to participate in since surveys are listed according to researcher needs and will depend on the target audience. Up to 100 people will be notified for surveys.

What Are the Other Ways to Make Money on Prolific?


While the Prolific Participant Referral Scheme is no longer in effect, it is still possible to earn credit through the Researcher Referral scheme.

This allows both the referrer and new client to earn credits of $50 and $100 respectively once the new researcher has topped up their account. Also, this credit can be used to pay any Prolific study fees.

The main problem with Prolific is that most of the time the list of Studies will be empty or filled with low paying options.

Prolific Reviews: Is Prolific Legit?


Yes, Prolific is a legitimate site that connects researchers with participants to provide feedback on products and services. The company has a global presence and works with prestigious companies and institutions such as The World Bank, Stanford, and the University of Oxford.

Prolific has a rating of 2.7 on Trustpilot and 3.6 on Survey Police, with most users happy that they could receive bonus payments for their responses. Other reviewers liked how Prolific focuses heavily on academic research-based studies as they feel worthwhile to complete.

Unfortunately, some users were not happy with most complaints revolving around the company’s slow support and frequent account bans and locks.

Who Is Prolific For?


Prolific is for researchers (mostly professors and university students) looking for high-quality responses from people around the world within a short time.

The company is also for individuals and moms who want to take part in engaging research, and in the process improve human knowledge.

What is Prolific Sign Up Process?


There are two options to sign up with Prolific; as a participant or as a researcher through the official website. You will need to provide a valid email address and supply personal information including your name, address and other demographic details.

As a participant, the more information you supply Prolific, the greater the chances of being matched to a research study. Such includes demographic and geographic variables, political, religious and personal beliefs, education, languages, family and relationships, general health, hobbies, interests and shopping habits.

Researchers, on the other hand, will need to supply a survey link to help Prolific find a target audience and collect responses.

Prolific Requirements


Prolific requires participants to confirm that they are at least 18 years old and it is not a global company, so it is not available for all countries around the world. 

Anyone can sign up as a researcher, but participants need to be in listed countries to qualify for the pool. The majority of these countries are in the developed world including the U.S and the United Kingdom.

How Much Prolific points are Worth?


Unlike many survey sites, Prolific does not operate with a points system, participants are paid in cash, a minimum of 5 to 6.50 pounds per hour.

Prolific Hacks


  • Ensure your dashboard remains open and join new studies as fast as possible. This will guarantee you a spot in the study.
  • If you answer an attention check wrong the researcher has the right to reject your answers and withhold your pay.
  • And if you believe your study was wrongly rejected, reach out to the researcher to try and work something out. If they don’t respond, reach out to Prolific support.
  • Use the Prolific Assistant extension to get notifications when new studies arrive.
  • Do not skip crucial questions
  • You need to sufficiently engage in the task

How to Redeem Points with Prolific?


PayPal

Payments are made via a PayPal account in GBP (British Pounds) and once you have reached earnings of more than £5 ($6.50), you can schedule a payment. Prolific will pay you within 22 days from the date you completed it.

What are the Prolific Pros & Cons?


Prolific Pros

  • You can expect at least $6.50 an hour and Prolific is an easy-to-use platform on desktops, tablets, or mobile devices.
  • Approval or even rejection of submissions are normally completed within 48 hours of completion.
  • You can earn real money for completing surveys rather than accumulating points or rewards.
  • With a cash-out threshold of approximately $6, you can work just one hour and not have to wait to receive a payment.

Prolific Cons

  • Prolific has limited availability. It is mostly limited to developed countries such as the USA, Canada, and EU countries.
  • Does not offer any incentives for signing up and completing your profile.

Prolific Review Verdict: Is Prolific Worth it?


Prolific is a reputable site that offers real money for participants. Participant incentives are paid by the researchers conducting the study, creating an opportunity to earn at least $6.50 per hour.

Although your earnings will depend on the target demographics for specific studies, Prolific provides a great option for anyone looking for a side gig to earn extra money. It is ideal for students or anyone who has some spare time and access to a computer or mobile device.

However, Prolific has no rewards or additional incentives and you will not be paid if your survey submission is rejected. Although it can provide a decent side gig, it is not the best option if you’re looking to make money quickly.

Sites Like Prolific


CompanyProlificBranded SurveysSurvey JunkieLifePoints
Logo prolific logo branded-surveys logo survey-junkie logo lifepointsus logo
Earning Potential Per Survey$6.5Up to $3Up to $75$5
Payment OptionsPayPalPayPalPayPal,e-gift cards, bank transferAmazon gift cards, PayPal credit and charitable organizations.
Minimum Payout$5$10$10$5
Minimum Age18 years18 years16 years and above18 years

Prolific  vs. Branded Surveys


Branded Surveys Summary

  • $1 sign up bonus
  • Earn $0.50-$5 on average per survey
  • Average survey length is 15 min
  • Pays by bank transfer, PayPal & gift cards
  • Cash out from $5
  • Bonuses available for daily survey takers

Branded Surveys is a legitimate market research survey company that allows you to make real money by participating in surveys. Unlike Prolific that focuses on academic research, BrandedSurveys mostly dwells on surveys dealing with consumer products. 

Apart from surveys, Branded Surveys offers a daily poll, Partner Survey, and Elite Bonus program that rewards you for being active. As for earnings, Branded Surveys gives you points for every task or survey completed with each point worth $0.01 while Prolific pays you at least $6.50 per study.

Prolific vs. Survey Junkie


Survey Junkie Summary

  • $0.50-$3 average earnings per survey
  • Extra points if you screened out of survey
  • Additional ways to earn up to $100
  • Install Survey Junkie extension for bonus

Survey Junkie is an easy-to-use survey site that allows you to make money for taking surveys. While both apps are free to sign up and get started, Prolific deals with academic research while Survey Junkie surveys focus on consumer products. 

In addition, Prolific is best for students, professors, and researchers, while Survey Junkie is meant for anyone who wants to supplement their income by completing tasks like surveys and watching TVs. Besides, Survey Junkie pays $2 for short surveys against Prolific $6.50.

Prolific vs. LifePoints


LifePoints is a website that allows you to share your opinion in market research and earn cash. Although both platforms offer research services, LifePoints main areas include completing surveys, shopping, and using their services, Prolific helps with academic research. 

Compared to Prolific that pays at least $6.50 per survey, LifePoints gives you between 20 to 100 points for every task completed. You can then redeem 550 points for a $5 Amazon gift card or PayPal money.

Other Sites Like Prolific Survey


Prolific Survey Site FAQ


What is Prolific?

Previously known as Prolific Academics, Prolific is a survey website that specializes in academic research and pays participants to take surveys. A British research company, Prolific kind of surveys are largely research studies being conducted by universities.

As one of the best survey platforms, Prolific acts as a self-service research collection tool and it has been operating since 2014. This company is registered as Prolific Academic Ltd and was founded by Ekaterina Damer (CEO) and Phelim Bradley (CTO). 

Currently, it has 20+ employees and allows participants to participate in different types of research projects including academic research studies.

It also has over 150,000 participants and more than 10,000 researchers. While Prolific does not have a BBB rating, it’s backed by Yale University and Oxford University Innovation.

Is Prolific free?

Prolific is a free website where you can easily sign up and participate in research and other academic surveys.

How to download Prolific mobile app?

Prolific does not have an app. However, it has a mobile-friendly website that you can just open in your internet browser on your phone.

Where Prolific is available?

Countries Where Prolific is AvailableAustralia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland. 
Other countries include Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Prolific is available in countries like Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland. 

Other countries include Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Is Prolific a scam?

Prolific is a legitimate company that actually pays.

Is your information safe with Prolific?

Prolific has detailed security and privacy practices to keep this info safe. 

How to contact Prolific customer service?

To contact Prolific support, visit the help center, and submit a request through a request form.

If you find surveys asking for unnecessary personally identifiable information or other sensitive data, report and ignore these types of studies.

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Kate Starr

Dollarbreak

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