A lot of people are looking for ways to get paid while working from home. Whether it be to supplement income, or to just make some extra bucks, going onto paid survey sites is a great way to make money.

Other benefits include:

• getting to work from home
• being your own boss
• potentially saving money
• becoming more independent

There are many different paid sites that vary between the amount of work involved, the types of surveys they offer, and the pay they have. Some of the sites are legitimate, while others are a bit more skeptical. Some have even been known to offer scam surveys, recording private information while under the guise of what seems to be a legit survey panel.

It’s the reason why I’ve decided to write a review about one survey site, called Prolific Academic Review. I’ve been a member for over two years. Because of this, I felt like it was time for me to share my experience with you all.

Prolific Academic Review

Prolific Academic is a crowdfunding site that pays you to fill out surveys, studies, and even test apps. It’s a crowdfunding sight dedicated to helping researchers know just what works and what doesn’t.

There are a number of different subjects that you can participate in, and depending on your background, you may be able to qualify for multiple surveys at a time.

For each study you sign up for, you’ll be able to know details such as how much you’ll be paid, the description, and even the completion rate.

The reason why Prolific Academic is so trusted is because a lot of top-notch institutions use this site, from Harvard University to Cambridge University to even Oxford. While there may not always be studies available, the subjects are interesting, and continues to flourish through participants.

How Do You Make Money?

While the site is known for its surveys and other studies, there are more ways to get paid, with the other two being app and game testing, and referring other people.

• Participating in surveys and studies is often the most recognizable way to earn money online. While it can be time consuming, once you fill out your profile and qualify for surveys, they can be extraordinary in the payout. However, keep in mind that these studies look for specific people, so even if you don’t qualify for one, you can always try again.
• Testing apps and games is oftentimes a very fun way to get money. Because our world is getting more and more advanced, various apps are needed in order to make life easier. You get to test apps before they come out, as to make sure that they can do what they’re supposed to. Better yet, you’re supporting everyone in knowing that you’re marking potential bugs in an app before it gets released.
• Referrals are often profitable ways to make money. Generally speaking, when you refer someone to the site and they sign up, you get a portion of what they earn. A unique aspect of Prolific is that they let you refer both participants and researchers alike, so your earning potential increases.

Who Qualifies?

As long as you’re over eighteen, you have a PayPal or Circle account, and you have computer access, anyone can join.

How Do You Start?

When you visit the site, go to the “Sign Up” tab. After that, you’ll be taken to a page where you’ll be able to sign up to take these surveys either manually or through Facebook. Once you do, you’ll need to follow the instructions in setting up your account, as well as verify that account through your email address and the phone number you signed up with.

Once you do this, you’ll be taken to some pre-screening questions that are meant to save both your time and the researchers. The answers you give depends on the amount of opportunities that are available. Remember to answer honestly, so that you won’t have to comb through other surveys you may not be qualified for.

“You are helping the academic world find solutions to everyday probems”

How Is Prolific Academic So Different?

Of course, there are concerns with Prolific Academic. After all, isn’t it just another survey sites? Despite all its promises and potential, it may not even earn you that much. Even so, there are a couple of reasons why Prolific is different from other survey sites

You Actually Qualify For Surveys

Many sites advertise the fact that they offer surveys. Not only this, but they give off this expectation that you’ll be able to qualify for all the surveys you apply for. This, unfortunately, is simply not true. However, because of Prolific’s pre-screening questions, you’ll be able to get surveys that you’re actually eligible for, and that alone saves time and frustration.

You’re Contributing to Important Research

Because of the many educational, medical, and scientific institutions involved with this site, you’ll know that when you sign up for a survey, that you’re contributing to research that will later be used. I myself had experience with this, and I can tell you just how needed it is for scientists to have research participants. Because after all, how are we supposed to learn anything if the right people don’t sign up? An additional bonus is that you get to enjoy a variety of different topics. After all, knowledge knows no limits.

You Have To Pay Attention

Because of the importance of this research, you’re going to have to start paying attention to the surveys you’re taking. Many universities use this research for further uses, whether it be for statistical purposes, or to better something. As such, make sure that you’re fully engaged with your study so that you’re not wasting anyone’s time. Even so, this tends to give a lot of people motivation in taking these surveys, especially when they know that their answers actually matter.

 You See Your Eligibility

As I’ve said before, Prolific Academic has you answer some questions before bringing you surveys you’re actually qualified for. Because of this, you won’t have to go through each individual survey, trying to find one that you’ll be able to answer.

You Actually See What’s In Your Survey

When you first see a survey you’re eligible for, you get a wide variety of details involving the survey, such as the pay, the rates, and even the time limit for which you can take the survey. This will help you understand just how you benefit from the survey, as well as details you may need to determine whether or not the survey is worth taking. This way, you’ll be able to avoid any confusing problems about the survey, as you can see below.

How Do You Choose Your Survey?

In the screenshot below, you can see the information about the survey I took below.

The great thing about surveys is that you can take it anywhere, whether that be on a computer, or a tablet, or even a smartphone. However, this is only true if it’s still there.

Remember that surveys are on a first come, first serve basis; as such, if you wait for a few seconds, that survey could disappear the next minute. I don’t know how it works with testing apps, but this could be due to the pre-screening.

In order to choose a survey, go to the tab that says “Surveys”. Make sure you check for surveys periodically; you never know what may be there. For instance, when I signed up, I had a single survey invitation.

Just keep checking back. After all, there are some days when there are surveys there, other days when there aren’t.

How Do You Refer Someone?

With Prolific Academic, you have the chance to earn more by enrolling in their enrolment program. In order to do this, you must have a referral link that others will be able to go through. This link works with both survey participants and researchers alike.

But while it’s a good way to earn some revenue, Prolific only gives you approximately 10% when research participants withdraw. However, it’s different with researchers.

For example, if they have a study worth 50 pounds, you’ll be able to earn 20 pounds from that study alone.

There are different ways you could refer someone to Prolific. For example, you could refer your friends or family members to Prolific, as well as other researchers who may be looking for some subjects to interview.

Remember that in order to be successful in this venture, be persistent, as well as respectful.

How Do You Get Paid?

In order to withdraw money from Prolific, you need either a Paypal account or a Circle account. You can either request Prolific to pay every Tuesday or Friday. The minimum payment threshold is 5 pounds.

Do You Get Any Support?

Prolific receives a lot of requests, and because their support team is so small, it may take a while to get back to you, probably a day or two. Even so, if you find that you’re having trouble taking a survey, you can also contact the researchers. Generally speaking, the support team is reliable.

Helpful Tips

• Remember to keep checking the surveys tab for any new surveys. Regularly check for this so that you can maximize your earning potential. I managed to earn around 20 pounds a day just by doing this.
• Make sure that you validate your account with both your email and your phone number. If you just pick one or the other, you might just sit there, asking yourself why you haven’t been getting any surveys.
• You must answer the pre-screening questions honestly, and to provide as much information on your profile page as you can so you’ll be able to be matched with surveys you qualify for.

My Thoughts

Prolific Academic is a good website with a solid reputation. There were a lot of things I liked about it. For example, the surveys often pay well, and you are almost certain to be paid after every survey you complete. Because of the pre-screening questions, you’ll be able to qualify for surveys without the risk of being kicked out. The payment threshold is pretty low, and because of the survey’s transparency, you won’t have to worry about frustrating details. If you’re having trouble, not only do you have Prolific’s support team to help you, but you’ll also have the ability to contact researchers in case you have additional questions or if something else goes wrong.

However, despite this, there were flaws I noticed. For instance, there many not be surveys available. There’s a time limit as to how long you can take the survey, so much so that there were times when I had to quit a few of them. And while the surveys are almost always interesting, I did once get a survey that was incredibly dull.

Conclusion

Surveys are a great way to make good income, whether it be for a rainy day, pay down a debt, or even take your family out somewhere nice. With a site like Prolific, you’ll be able to get surveys you’re qualified for, and be paid once you complete that survey. Even so, while there are a lot of aspects of Prolific that I enjoyed, it just isn’t a reliable way to make money for my demographics. Maybe you might have access to more surveys

Some people claim that they make $20 and up with Prolific, but even then this depends on your background and the answers you’ve given. What’s more, while the surveys are good pay, in the end, you can’t rely on the site to earn a living. Sometimes, there just aren’t any surveys to take, while other times, the surveys are so boring you just want to stop, kind of like what I did. If anything, you can use it to pay some bills, maybe save it for a rainy day, but that’s it.

Overall, I’d say that Prolific is a legit site. It’s straightforward, user-friendly, and efficient. It saves time, and keeps you interested with the variety of topics it has.

Do you have experience with Prolific, or any personal stories you want to share? Write it in the comments below.