American Consumer Opinion Panel Review: Low Pay, Lots of Frustration
If you’re looking to supplement your income, online surveys can be an easy way to earn a bit extra with minimal effort. The problem is that not all survey sites are created equal. Some are genuinely worth your time, while others simply aren’t. This American Consumer Opinion review takes an honest look at how it stacks up against better-paying alternatives.
American Consumer Opinion review
A poor-paying survey site with limited redeeming features. While you’ll be sent a reasonable number of surveys, most aren’t worth the time. There are far better options available.
Pros
- A reasonable number of surveys
- Low payment threshold of $10
Cons
- Pay is usually very poor
- Survey rewards aren’t always shown clearly
- Some surveys take far longer than advertised
- Not worth prioritising over better sites
Reviewed by Household Money SavingAmerican Consumer Opinion Panel
I am forever joining new survey sites. Some have been great and have earned me well over £3,000 over the course of several years. On other sites, I have struggled to reach just £10. In all honesty, I can usually tell within a few days if a site is going to be worthwhile or not.
The latest site I found was American Consumer Opinion Panel or ACOP for short. But how would it compare to other survey sites that pay cash?
What is American Consumer Opinion Panel?
This is a free-to-join survey site that pays you for your opinions. Once you reach 1,000 points ($10) you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal.
Is American Consumer Opinion Legit?
Yes, it’s legit. ACOP has been around for a long time. It was founded back in 1986, when surveys were completed by post, and moved online in the mid-1990s. It’s owned by Decision Analyst, a long-established market research company that employs over 175 people.
So there’s no issue with legitimacy. The issue is value for time.
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Is It Only for Americans?
Despite the name, no. While it started in the US, American Consumer Opinion now accepts members from the UK, Europe, Canada, Latin America and Asia. The panel claims to have over 8 million members worldwide.
The name is a bit misleading, but given its age, I’ll let that slide.
How Does American Consumer Opinion Work?
Signing up is straightforward. You register with your email address and complete a short profile. Once you’re approved, surveys appear on your dashboard and are also sent by email.
This is where the cracks start to show. Sometimes, an email will clearly tell you how long a survey takes and how many points it pays. Other times, you’re given no information at all. Many surveys redirect you to third-party sites, where ACOP has no control over survey length or reward.
I’ve had emails offering a huge-sounding range like 5–1,000 points. In practice, that usually means “expect the lower end.”
Once completed, points usually credit instantly. Cashing out is simple once you hit 1,000 points.
ACOP also claims you may get product testing opportunities, which are usually the best type of market research work. Personally, I haven’t seen any of these, and they appear to be far more common for US users. If that side interests you, my guide on becoming a product tester is a far better place to start.
You can pause survey emails from your dashboard if they get annoying, which is at least a small positive.
If you’re screened out of a survey, you’re entered into a monthly draw for a $100 Amazon gift card. Realistically, that’s not much consolation for wasted time.
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Check out the best ways to make a little extra money.
The Big Downsides
This site has real potential to waste your time. I was invited to a survey promising anywhere between 5 and 1,000 points. After several minutes of job-related questions, I was redirected elsewhere and spent another 10 minutes answering questions about supplements. Then I was kicked out.
Total time spent: about 15 minutes.
Points earned: zero.
That happens far too often.
Another downside for UK users is PayPal currency conversion. Payments are made in dollars, and PayPal applies its own exchange rate, which is never generous. Your $10 payout ends up being worth less than it should be.
But even those issues aren’t the main problem. The real killer is the pay. Almost every survey I’ve received has paid significantly less than equivalent surveys on rival sites.
What Do Other People Think?
Reviews elsewhere back this up. On Trustpilot, ACOP scores around 2 out of 5 from a small number of reviewers. Glassdoor paints a slightly better picture with a score just over 3, but that’s still nothing special.
Final Verdict: Is American Consumer Opinion Worth It?
Honestly? No.
I struggle to find a reason to recommend American Consumer Opinion. The surveys are poorly paid, the time estimates are unreliable, and you can spend a lot of effort earning nothing at all. There are far better survey sites available that pay more for the same amount of work.
If you still want to try it, you can sign up below. Just don’t expect much.
