Making money on the side doesn’t always require special skills or a lot of effort. An easy way to earn extra cash is to get paid to test products in your free time.
In most cases, you can make money from home by trying products and sharing your feedback. This typically only takes a few minutes, making this side hustle a great choice for busy professionals and stay-at-home parents.
Best Product Testing Sites
There are different ways to get paid product testing gigs from home. Some platforms are short task sites that have other small online jobs, while others mail products to you.
1. Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research is one of the top choices for product testing since they have high payouts. Unfortunately, the platform is invite-only. You can join the community by clicking the above link.
Positions to test products aren’t always open, but you can answer paid surveys that pay $3 each and take no more than 20 minutes to complete.
Unlike most survey sites, you cannot take multiple surveys daily and must wait for invitations.
You may receive free products to test, like unreleased grocery items. The opportunities depend on your personal interests and hobbies.
Payment options include Amazon gift cards, PayPal cash, bank transfers, and merchandise with no redemption minimum.
The platform also offers a $500 bi-weekly and $4,500 quarterly cash sweepstakes to increase earning opportunities.
Read our review of Pinecone Research to learn more about the platform and how to maximize earnings.
Trustpilot score: 3.2 out of 5 (due to infrequent survey invitations)
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the more robust platforms on our list of ways to make money testing products at home.
You can try mobile apps or sign up for subscription services and earn as much as $60 on the best offers.
Most offers pay between $1 and $10, with the higher-paying opportunities requiring a purchase. You won’t have to share your opinion on products to make money.
For higher-paying offers, you must decide if the rewards are worth more than the minimum purchase cost.
Other ways you can make money on the platform include:
- Answering surveys
- Watching sponsored videos
- Playing games online
- Using their search engine
Each activity earns rewards points with redemptions for free Amazon gift cards starting at a $1 balance. Other gift cards and PayPal Cash rewards require a $5 balance.
New members can earn a signup bonus worth $5.
Read our review of the Swagbucks app to find out how the platform works and learn strategies to increase your earnings.
Trustpilot score: 4.3 out of 5
3. MyPoints
MyPoints is another site offering several ways to make money, including product testing opportunities.
You can test apps and services, although some offers require a purchase. Several opportunities require canceling your subscription before the free trial period ends to avoid charges.
Other ways to earn points include:
- Answering online surveys
- Using their search engine
- Playing games online
- Watching videos
- Redeeming grocery coupons
- Shopping online
- Booking travel
You can even get paid to read emails about the newest offer to earn points.
Referring friends to MyPoints also lets you earn ten percent of their qualifying points.
You can redeem points for gift cards. Redemptions starting at $3. However, cashing out through PayPal requires a minimum $10 balance.
New members can earn a $10 signup bonus by spending $20 through the online shopping portal within 30 days of joining.
Trustpilot score: 4.4 out of 5
4. Toluna
Toluna is known for working with major companies to learn how consumers like products and services.
The platform boasts one of the largest user groups in the space, with over ten million active members.
You can test products in two ways:
- Direct invitation to test products
- Applying for testing opportunities
If you qualify, they send you products to test. This can range from food to beauty products and more. Payments vary by test and the estimated completion time.
The most common way to earn rewards points is by completing surveys. These surveys review your shopping habits and opinions on popular consumer brands.
Your payment options include gift cards, free PayPal money, or merchandise. The redemption minimum starts at $5, but it can be higher for some awards.
Trustpilot score: 3.3 out of 5
5. LifePoints
LifePoints-US-desktop is primarily an online survey site. You can attempt multiple surveys per day and could receive invitations to test new products.
Additionally, the platform lets you make money watching ads as well as by analyzing what ads you see when browsing the internet.
Amazon and PayPal rewards require a $5 balance. Gift card redemptions are also available to other stores and restaurants, but the selection is smaller than other rewards sites.
You can receive ten bonus points worth ten cents by joining this survey community.
Trustpilot score: 4.4 out of 5
6. MySoapBox
MySoapBox offers surveys and product testing from home. The highest-paying trials can pay up to $50.
While there are many ways to earn points, the redemption minimum is $25 and only includes gift cards to stores and restaurants.
Trustpilot score: 3.2 out of 5
7. FusionCash
FusionCash offers product testing jobs from home. After you finish testing, you answer a follow-up survey sharing your feedback.
These gigs typically involve testing apps or websites, though they do include physical products as well.
You can also make money with these activities:
- Answering paid surveys
- Completing online tasks
- Using their shopping portal
- Reading sponsored emails
- Watching videos
- Playing games
Like other ways to make money testing products at home, you may need to sign up for a product or service to test it.
It’s best to set a reminder for yourself to cancel the item, subscription, or service. This way, you don’t start paying for it at the end of the trial period.
The service gives you $5 to open an account, and you can redeem earnings via check, direct deposit, or PayPal once you earn $25.
Trustpilot score: 2.3 out of 5 (due to high minimum payout)
8. Valued Opinions
Valued Opinions, like LifePoints, is for the most part a survey site. However, you can also review advertising campaigns and may receive invitations to test products for additional rewards.
Registering and creating an account is free with Valued Opinions, but you must be at least 17 years old to use the site. Once registered, you’ll get email invitations to surveys or other earning opportunities.
You can earn up to $5 of credit for each completed survey with Valued Opinions. After your account balance reaches at least $10 you can exchange the credit for gift cards from Amazon.com, Target, or other merchants.
Trustpilot score: 3.7 out of 5
9. McCormick & Company
McCormick & Company is well-known for its line of spices and seasonings. When you apply to test their food products, they notify you via email of upcoming chances to earn money.
Most of the paid product testing jobs occur at their Hunt Valley facility near Baltimore, MD. An in-facility product tester earns between $30 and $100 per test.
Payment is distributed via paper check.
Even if you don’t live near Baltimore, the company offers nationwide testing of their products. You can participate in Home Use Tests and Internet surveys.
It’s possible to earn $10 to $15 per activity via Amazon gift cards. Keep in mind that cash redemptions are not available with this product testing opportunity.
You can join the database and wait for an invitation to get paid to test products.
This platform is one of the best ways to make money from home. Read our guide here on similar opportunities.
Trustpilot score: N/A
10. Johnson & Johnson
Many people are familiar with Johnson & Johnson and their many household products. The Friends & Neighbors program is how the company gains valuable insight into what consumers think of their products.
You can test anything from fragrances to cosmetics or other similar self-care products, either at home or at a local Johnson & Johnson testing facility.
There are several ways other ways to make money:
- Online surveys: Provide opinions about different product types
- Online discussion groups: Share your opinions on a blog or discussion panel
- Local focus groups: A one-time in-person meeting that lasts up to two hours
- Consumer panels: Recurring local meetups on a monthly or quarterly basis
- Sensory panels: In-person testing of skincare products at Skillman, NJ facility
You can join the panel and apply for current openings online. The company may also send you personal invitations for relevant opportunities.
Johnson & Johnson doesn’t publicly state how much testers earn when they review products. You can expect to receive prepaid Visa cards as payment.
Trustpilot score: N/A
11. SheSpeaks
SheSpeaks is a female-only online community that offers paid product testing gigs and the chance to leave reviews on products you already own.
Some of the testing categories include:
- Beauty
- Baby items
- Children’s toys
- Electronics
- Food and drink
- Health
- Movies
The platform also offers giveaways and contests to win money and merchandise.
Trustpilot score: N/A
12. Daily Goodie Box
Consider Daily Goodie Box to receive full-size samples. You will complete a household interest survey, and then the service sends you free products to try when relevant sample boxes are available.
After receiving the box, you produce a short video or written review about the items you receive. Be sure to give honest feedback to qualify for more boxes in the future.
A new box is available each day, and the contents inside differ. Most shipments contain food and beauty samples.
While you won’t make money on this site, you get to keep the samples and discover new products for free.
Trustpilot score: 4.9 out of 5
Make Money Testing Products FAQs
Product testing is a legitimate way to make extra money on the side. However, it’s essential to keep certain things in mind before making money online through testing products.
How do I become a product tester?
You can join several online platforms like the ones mentioned above. Remember that you don’t need any prior experience to start testing products.
In most cases, you will complete a profile survey listing your household information, shopping habits, and interests.
Then, the company will send you samples they believe you are a good fit to test and review. Other platforms open testing opportunities for physical products and online services to all members.
How do you get to test products for free?
Companies want to hear honest feedback from customers to improve their products.
They partner with market research companies to offer online surveys, free trials, and mailed samples to panelists.
Do product reviewers get paid?
Most product reviewers make money for testing the item or service. The most common payment options are cash and gift cards.
Many online tests pay between $1 and $15 per test. In-person testing can pay at least $30 per session.
Clinical trials can be the highest-paying opportunities, but you must have an eligible medical condition and live near the testing facility to qualify.
Some platforms don’t pay the tester. Instead, they let testers keep the items.
What kind of products can I test?
Most free stuff by mail you can test is for beauty, food, and health items.
Online product tests are for websites and apps such as financial tools, mobile games, and streaming services.
Bottom Line
If you need a simple way to earn extra money, consider searching for ways to get paid to try products at home. Companies are happy to pay you to try their products or services and offer quality feedback.
This is also a great way to learn about products you may love. Some of the sites only offer limited product testing, but they are a nice change-up from the usual short online tasks that pay just a few dollars.
To maximize your earnings, use several of the sites listed here and see which one works best for you.
How often do you look for a new product and wish you could test prospective items first? What’s your favorite way to make money in your free time?
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