Have you ever tried survey sites and found yourself completely frustrated and disappointed?
You signed up months ago and still haven’t gotten a single survey, and when you do, it feels like you’re only getting paid pennies for your hard work.
Fortunately, I have a survey option that is easy to use and pays fairly well. Plus, after years of using this website, I can say firsthand that the surveys are fun and interesting.
It’s called Gauge Research.
What Is Gauge Research?
Gauge Research is a platform that uses surveys to help companies and organizations gather feedback and insight from current or potential users. This allows them to get a better pulse on what customers and users think about their products and services. This can help companies make better decisions in the future.
According to the website, Gauge has worked with prominent companies like P&G, Sephora, A&E, The CW, Pinterest, Paramount, NBCUniversal, and many others.
As Gaugers, you’ll be at the forefront of giving feedback to some of your favorite brands.
How Long Do the Surveys Take?
Some Guage Research surveys take less than 5 minutes, and others take up to 15 or 20 minutes, especially if you take the time to give thoughtful responses, which is what they’re looking for.
You can see the dollar amount you will be paid before you start the survey, so this can be a good way to judge how long the survey will take. If you see that a survey pays $5, you can assume it won’t take more than a few minutes. If you see a payment of $10 or $15, you can assume it will take longer.
The good news is that you’re never required to take a survey, so you can skip it if you’re busy when one becomes available.
How Do I Know When a Survey Is Available?
Gauge Research makes this easy. When a survey becomes available, you will receive an email and a text alert. The email typically provides the title or subject of the survey and how much you’ll get paid, while text alerts typically just state the subject.
You’ll need to opt-in to both of these when you sign up. I recommend getting notifications both by email and text so that you have a better chance of taking the survey before they run out of space.
Sometimes, surveys, especially higher-paying ones, fill up quickly, so if you’re interested in taking one, you’ll want to click on the link quickly.
Do I Need a Computer or Phone to Take the Surveys?
You can use either one! I typically take the surveys on my computer since I prefer typing on a keyboard rather than a phone. But, if you’re often on the go, you can also use the Gauge app to take the surveys.
How Much Does Gauge Research Pay?
According to their website, Gauge Research pays $10 for a quick POV survey and $500+ for deeper engagements.
In my experience, payment is based on the length of the survey. I’ve done a couple of screener surveys where they screen you to see if you’re a fit, and I was paid $1 or $2. These are usually just one or two questions.
For regular surveys, payments have ranged from $5 per survey to $30 per survey for me. The majority that I’ve participated in are paying $10 per survey for just a few minutes of your time.
On one occasion, Gauge emailed me after the survey and mentioned that they really liked my responses and wanted to do a follow-up call with me. The call lasted 30-45 minutes, and I was offered $250 for my time. Not bad, right?
How Do I Get Paid?
Until recently, most users have been paid by PayPal once they have had a balance of at least $10. However, Gauge recently changed this a bit. As of March 25th, 2024, all rewards are redeemed using a platform called Tremendous.
On Tremendous, you can receive your payment through gift card options, which include international currency choices. You can also use direct ACH or PayPal through Tremendous for a 6% fee.
With this new change, I typically redeem using gift cards so that I can avoid the 6% fee. Plus, there are so many gift card options for restaurants and stores where I shop regularly, so it’s not a problem.
How Can I Get More Surveys?
I’ve found a few key things to do to get the most surveys. First, make sure that your phone or computer is nearby so that you’re ready to start a survey once you get a notification that a new survey is up.
Second, be honest and thoughtful in your responses. If there is a short answer type question, write more than a few words or a sentence. Try to write at least a paragraph and be honest and genuine in what you say. Don’t just tell them what you think they want to hear.
Third, they mention that they prefer audio and video responses. I don’t know this for sure, but you might get more surveys if you give audio or video responses rather than written ones.
How Do I Start?
You can get the Gauge Research app via the Apple Store or Google Play to get started. Or, you can visit the website here. To use the app on Apple devices, you’ll need iOS 11.0 or macOS 11.0 on a Mac with an Apple M1 chip or later. Android devices must have 4.4W and up. If you have other questions, you can always contact the Gauge team through the website.
What Are the Biggest Pros?
- The surveys are interesting. With Gauge, you’ll often find yourself helping with market research for some of your favorite brands. It can be fun to know that your responses and feedback impact the brands you use and care about.
- Everything is simple and user-friendly. When a survey becomes available, you’ll get an email, text, or both (depending on your preferences). You just click on the link and start the survey.
- The Gauge team is amazing. All of my interactions with the Gauge team have been amazing. Everyone is so positive and excited about their work, which makes for a great environment.
What Are the Biggest Cons?
- Surveys can be sporadic. You might have months where you have at least one survey or multiple surveys per week. In other months, you might not have any or just one.
- The new payment system is slightly more complicated. With the old system, I just clicked a button and got paid via PayPal. Now, a couple more clicks are involved to get paid via Tremendous. It’s not difficult, though; it’s just a couple of extra steps. In reality, it’s only a few extra seconds, so it’s not a huge deal, but it’s worth noting.
Gauge Research Review Wrapup
Overall, I’ve been really happy with my experience with Gauge Research. I’ve been on Gauge for years now, and it’s definitely the survey site I use the most. Once you sign up, make sure to read their newsletter and emails for future updates. I hope this helps you get a better idea of what Gauge Research is like. If it sounds like something you’d like to do, check out the website and get started.
For more survey sites like Gauge Research, check out Mindswarms, Respondent, and User Interviews.