Are you on the hunt for good survey sites? Maybe you’ve even heard of Prolific Survey already but don’t want to sign up until you know it’s legit. After 5+ years of using Prolific myself, I can tell you that it’s completely legitimate and can be a fun way to make money online.
In this Polific Survey review, we’ll discuss everything you want to know about Prolific: how you can start, what qualifications you need, how much money you can make, and some pros and cons.
What Is Prolific?
According to Prolific, “As one of our participants, you can contribute to well-paid academic studies, answer industry surveys, and perform tasks that will help inform vital research, drive technology development, or train AIs.”
You might even find yourself participating in a research study from a university in your city (this has happened to me) or in a study with a researcher from the other side of the world.
If you’re worried about safety or privacy, don’t worry, Prolific will give you a Prolific ID. This is the only information researchers receive about you, so they don’t have any personal information on you.
Prolific has participants from over 38 countries and speakers of over 80 different languages.
Do You Need Any Experience or Other Qualifications?
Prolific only has a couple of simple qualifications. First, you need to be at least 18 years old. Second, you need to be from a country where Prolific is available. The US, UK, Australia, Canada, and most OECD countries are on the list. If you want to check if your country is on the list of available countries, click here.
An exception is that you can still participate if you currently live in an OECD country, even if your native country is not an OECD country.
Some surveys are mobile-friendly and allow you to use a mobile device or tablet, while others require a desktop. If you have one, it’s best to use a desktop or laptop as this will give you the most options.
Before taking surveys, you should thoroughly complete the “About you” section, as these answers will help you receive surveys based on your demographics and experience.
How Do You Get Started?
Step 1: Join the Waitlist for Prolific Survey
On the Prolific website, you can sign up by clicking “Become a Participant” and then scroll down to “Sign Up.” From here, you can click “Join the Waitlist.” This will take you to a form where you’ll need to answer some basic information such as name, country of residence, country of birth, date of birth, ethnic group, sex, and email.
Step 2: Receive Your Invite
Once you are signed up, you’ll wait until you receive your invite.
Step 3: Complete Verification
Once you have your invite, you’ll need to get verified. This step should only take about 15 minutes and involves 3 steps. You need to verify your phone number, participate in a practice study, and upload a document to prove your identity.
Step 4: Participate in Studies
Now, you’re ready to start! You’re not obligated to complete a certain number of studies, so you can pick and choose what looks most interesting.
How Do I Qualify for Studies?
Remember the demographic information that you provided when you signed up? Researchers will use this information to see if you are the type of participant they are looking for. Once you’re signed up, you don’t need to do anything further. You will only see surveys you qualify for, so if you don’t qualify, they won’t even appear on your dashboard.
If you have been in the academic or business world, you might be familiar with SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics, which are often used for surveys.
You’ll find that most of the studies you participate in are either academic research studies through universities or conducted by startups. Prolific works with researchers worldwide.
How Do I Choose Which Survey to Participate In?
When you are logged in to your Prolific account, you will see a few tabs on the top left of your screen: “Studies,” “Submissions,” “About You,” and “Messages.” On the top right side, you will see how much you’ve earned and your account info.
If you click “Studies,” you will see all the surveys available to you. Most surveys will give you the following information.
- How many spots are available
- The title or topic
- How much money you can make
- How long the survey should take
- What devices you can use (desktop, tablet, mobile)
How Do I Get the Most Surveys?
One of the best ways to get quick access to new surveys is to download the Prolific Survey extension on your browser. This will allow you to see new studies when they are available.
You can also receive emails alerting you to surveys, but you won’t get an email for every new survey, so downloading the browser extension is the better option.
Click here for more information about the Prolific browser extension.
How Much Money Can You Make With Prolific?
Let’s talk about earnings! According to Prolific, “All participants receive a guaranteed minimum of $8 an hour, with instant cash-outs after your first 4 payments. Some studies even pay hourly rates of $20+ with additional bonuses.”
While this certainly isn’t going to be a full-time job, Prolific Survey can be a great side hustle, especially for those who need something flexible.
Payment is made through PayPal. You can easily cash out your earnings once you have earned at least $6, so you’ll want to ensure you have an active PayPal account. This system of instant cash-outs allows you to get paid quickly and easily. I’ve never had any payment issues with Prolific.
What Happens if I Start a Study but Can’t Complete It?
No problem! You can exit the survey. There is no penalty if you start but need to withdraw. Of course, you won’t get paid, so try to only start the studies that you plan to finish.
A few studies will require a camera and microphone, so if this isn’t something you have on your device, just exit the survey and take a different one.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
Pros:
- Fun, high-quality surveys on interesting topics
- Quick payment with instant cashouts
- Plenty of surveys to choose from
- You can easily choose based on time, topic, and payment amount
- Opportunity to receive a bonus
- Prolific gets a 4.4-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
Cons
- Low paying
- Good survey topics can be competitive
What if I Have More Questions?
Prolific Survey has a very engaged subreddit where you can chat and interact with other Prolific participants. This can be a great place to ask questions. Or, if you’re still unsure if Prolific is a good fit for you, you can browse the subreddit and see what others say.
There is also a useful Help Center that can answer other questions.
Alternatives to Prolific Survey
While Prolific Survey is a great option for taking surveys, opportunities may not always be available. Signing up with multiple survey and market research companies can help ensure that you have a steady stream of extra income-generating opportunities.
Here are some other reputable survey platforms to explore:
Prolific Survey Wrapup
As you can see, Prolific Survey is a great platform for earning extra cash in your spare time. You can easily choose which research studies sound the most interesting to you and start working on the study immediately.
You can complete some surveys on your phone or tablet when you’re on the go and complete others on your laptop or desktop at home. You’ll find surveys at all hours of the day to accommodate your schedule and location.
While this won’t be a full-time option, Prolific Survey is an excellent choice for side income, especially if you want something fun and simple that doesn’t require any experience.