Respondent.io Online Interviews Review: My Real Experience
If you’re on the hunt to make a bit of extra money, then online interviews are hard to beat. Short tasks, decent pay, and no heavy lifting. On paper, it’s a great side hustle. Today, I’m taking a proper look at Respondent.io to see how it actually works and, more importantly, whether it’s still worth your time.
I’ll be blunt. This used to be a very good site. Now? It’s a mixed bag at best.
Respondent.io summary
This used to be a very good site. However, although there are jobs listed on the site, there’s no way of getting hold of Respondent. So if you have a problem, you’re stuffed. I would approach this site with extreme caution. But… I am still being paid by them.
Pros
- A long list of jobs available
- Good rates of pay
- Can refer friends for a bonus
Cons
- All payment is made in $, so earnings depend on the exchange rate
- You can apply for plenty of jobs and never hear anything
- You pay a 5% fee for every study you complete
- Respondent has effectively gone into hiding
Respondent.io
I love a side hustle as it means I don’t have to rely on my day job to make extra money, plus it means I get to try out some interesting things. From working as an extra to mystery shopping, there are plenty of ways I have tried.
But one of the best methods I’ve found to make money is from online interviews and focus groups. Who doesn’t want to get paid for giving their opinion?
And the latest site for me to try is Respondent.io
What is Respondent.io?
Respondent.io is a platform that connects companies with members of the public (also known as users). In exchange for money, these users share their points of view and ideas about products and services. This is usually done through one-on-one interviews (either online or in person), but there are other ways they can share your opinion.
The platform currently has over 1.5 million users across the world and works with some of the biggest companies.
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If you want to increase your chances of earning, take a look at the best sites for online interviews and focus groups.
How does it work?
Your first step is to create an account. You’ll need to share some basic personal information, such as your name and date of birth, as well as contact details like an email address and mobile number.
And in order for you to be matched with the correct interviews, you’ll need to fill in some extra details including your education and employment background, plus any relevant skills you may have.
Once set up, you can visit the dashboard section of your account which will list all the jobs available to you. Sometimes there can be quite a lot (over 100), so there are some handy filters you can use to narrow down your choices, such as how much a survey pays or if it’s meant for somebody in a certain industry.
If you see something that takes your eye, then you’ll need to take a screener survey. This will involve further questions to check that you’re a good fit for the interview. If you are, you’ll receive further information about booking a time and date for the interview.
But be warned, you can only take three screeners in a 24-hour period. So if there are plenty of jobs that you want to apply for, you need to be selective.
What do the tasks involve?
The vast majority of work on the Respondent.io website involves online interviews. However, depending on your location, there may be a chance to take part in an interview in person. Although this requires you to travel, it often pays a bit more.
There’s also the opportunity to take part in focus groups. This will mean that a group of 5 or 6 of you will discuss a certain topic, all led by a researcher. It involves less talking from you but they tend to go on longer than an interview.
You may be invited to take part in longer studies that can last from a few days to a few weeks to maybe even over a year. You may need to upload videos, photos or complete a diary.
The final type of study is screen recording. Here, you will need to look through a website or app and record what you’re doing and let researchers know your thoughts about what’s good and bad about the process. These are generally shorter and will last for 10 – 30 minutes.
Examples of studies I’ve taken part in
As with any site like Respondent.io, I am restricted in what I can share about the companies I have worked with due to confidentiality agreements.
However, I can tell you that I have taken part in screen recordings about a finance app that paid me $25 for 15 minutes of work. For this, I needed to record the sign-up process and let the researchers know how easy I found the activity.
I have also taken part in a study which needed me to weigh my cleaning products each week so researchers knew how much our household used. For this, I was sent a set of Bluetooth scales which connected to my phone, and I would take photos and upload my readings every Sunday. Although this only took 5 minutes, it paid $120 every 3 months.
How much can you earn?
This really depends on the company you’re working with and the amount of effort involved. But roughly. I would expect you to earn around $60 per hour, which is about £50 depending on the exchange rate.
How are you paid?
Your payment will be made via PayPal and will be in $US. This can then be converted into GBP. Although PayPal doesn’t pay fees, it’s important to note that the exchange rate isn’t very generous towards you.
Respondent.io does charge a fee of 5% or a $1 minimum.
So, a $100 interview will mean that you receive $95. Payment should be with you within 10 business days.
Tips for Respondent.io
If you want to receive more invites to interviews, then you should make sure that your profile is complete. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can link to this so that companies know more about you. And if you have even more to share, you can create and upload a personal video introduction.
Adding skills and software that you use will create more earning opportunities too. And sharing your household income will open up more opportunities for being selected for general studies.
And always be reliable. If you’ve agreed to an interview, make sure that you turn up. If something happens and you can’t make it, let the researcher know. Otherwise, you could be banned from further work.
Respondent.io referral
An extra way to earn from this site is to refer your friends and family. In your account section, you’ll find your own unique link. When somebody joins Respondent.io after clicking on the link and earns $75, you’ll earn a bonus $20.
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Fancy some simple cash? Why not take a look at the best refer a friend schemes?
How do you contact Respondent?
So, here’s the thing. You can’t. I’ve searched far and wide and there doesn’t appear to be a way to do it. The help section says you can send a message by clicking on the icon on the bottom right of your screen when you log into your account. However, there is no option to send a message there.
After some time searching the net, I found an email address – support@respondent.io. But that goes unanswered to.
My honest Respondent.io conclusion
Respondent.io used to be a strong recommendation. The pay is still good, and the work itself is often interesting and low effort.
But the lack of customer support is a serious red flag. Until that’s fixed, I can’t recommend it wholeheartedly. If you’re comfortable taking a calculated risk and don’t rely on it for essential income, it can still be worthwhile. Just don’t expect help if something goes wrong.
If you decide to try it, use the button below — but go in with your eyes open.
Further reading
Why not take a look at other ways to make money online?
