Prolific Review: How I’ve Earned Almost £30,000
If you’re serious about making money in your spare time, surveys can still be one of the most reliable earners. But most survey sites pay peanuts. Prolific is the exception — and yes, it’s absolutely worth your time. After eight years on the platform, I’ve made almost £30,000. Here’s why it’s still miles ahead of the competition.
Prolific review
Probably the best-paying survey site available. A must for anybody who wants to make an extra income. However, Prolific only accepts a limited number of users and surveys fill up very quickly.
Pros
- Highest pay in the industry
- Instant cashouts available
- Academic & AI research focus
Cons
- Waiting list for new users
- Surveys fill up in seconds
- Inconsistent daily availability
Reviewed by Household Money SavingProlific
Survey sites can be an excellent way to earn extra money in your free time. And one that I’ve had the most success with is Prolific (formerly Prolific Academic).
Combine it with some of the best-paid survey sites and you can be on your way to making a decent side income.
What is Prolific?
Prolific (formerly Prolific Academic) is a UK-based research platform used mainly by universities, academics, government bodies and some private companies. You’re paid to take part in studies that range from quick questionnaires to multi-part research conducted over weeks or even months.
It’s one of the few survey sites that consistently offers fair pay and interesting studies, not the usual mind-numbing drivel most survey sites churn out.
It’s not just available in the UK, but also in many countries across the world, including USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa.
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Is it safe?
Yes. Prolific is a legitimate UK company based in Oxfordshire and has been operating since 2014.
A few important points:
- Researchers cannot request personally identifiable information
- Prolific explicitly bans collecting anything that could identify you.
- Any messages to researchers go through the Prolific dashboard — your real email stays hidden.
- After years on the platform, I’ve never had a single security or payment issue.
If a researcher steps out of line, you can report them directly, and Prolific does step in when needed.
There are occasions when a researcher may ask for more personal information (such as a zip or postcode). But this will be told to you beforehand.
How does Prolific work?
1. Sign up as a participant
Don’t choose the “researcher” option unless you’re planning to run your own studies.
2. Complete your profile questions
There are quite a few (10 minutes or so), but this is crucial — the more info you give, the more studies you’ll qualify for.
3. Validate your account
Yes, that means adding a phone number. If you don’t, you will sit for days wondering why nothing appears. (Speaking from experience…)
4. Wait for studies to appear automatically
There’s no need to refresh. Studies pop up on your dashboard the second they’re available.
Each study shows:
- Length
- Pay
- Hourly rate (one of Prolific’s best features)
- Number of spaces left
- Device compatibility
If the hourly rate is poor, skip it. Simple.
5. Accept and start
Once you accept a study, you have 10 minutes to begin. You’ll see a countdown timer and usually more than enough time to finish.
6. Get paid once approved
Most studies are approved within 24 hours. However, researchers are given up to 21 days to approve your submission… so you may have to wait a bit longer depending on how busy they are.
Can you use Prolific from a phone?
Often, yes. A study will clearly tell you if it’s suitable for mobile, tablet or desktop. Even when it says “desktop only”, I’ve occasionally managed to complete them on my phone.
But for reliability, desktop always works best.
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The good
★ 1. The pay is outstanding
Prolific guarantees a minimum of £6 per hour, but most studies sit comfortably between £7–£9 per hour. Many are higher.
I’ve had:
- £10 bonuses for completing a 5-minute task
- Multi-day studies that added up to more than £50
- One weekly study that effectively paid £84 per hour
No other survey site comes close.
★ 2. You rarely get screened out
Because your profile is matched in advance, screen-outs are genuinely rare. And if they do happen, you usually still get paid for your time.
★ 3. Bonuses & multi-part studies
Researchers often reward accuracy or engagement with surprise bonuses.
Longer-running research pays extremely well.
★ 4. Specialised Participant Groups
If you prove reliable, Prolific may invite you into special research pools. These studies are where the big money comes from — and they helped me massively boost my earnings.
★ 5. Direct contact with researchers
If something goes wrong in a study, messaging the researcher normally fixes it quickly. And if not, Prolific can step in.
The downsides
❌ 1. Studies fill up ridiculously fast
Some have just 10–50 places. Blink, and they’re gone. You’ll often get a “Sorry, this study is full” message even when you accept immediately.
❌ 2. Studies drop during the day
Most academics work office hours, so that’s when studies appear. If you’re free during the day, you’ll earn far more than someone who only checks at night.
❌ 3. Approvals can take ages
Most researchers approve within 24 hours. But the odd one can drag on for weeks.
❌ 4. Payments in a foreign currency are now worse value
If you’re paid in a foreign currency (either $ or £), this will go straight to PayPal when you withdraw. And PayPal’s exchange rate is atrocious, so you lose a bit when you send it to your bank.
❌ 5. Support is slower than it used to be
As the platform has grown, response times have slipped.
How much can you make?
This is where Prolific crushes every other survey site.
Over 8+ years, here’s what I’ve earned:
- £14,000
- $19,000 (converted by PayPal)
- Total: almost £30,000
And that’s with me having a full-time job and kids. If you’re dedicated, you can easily earn:
- £20–£50 per week
- More in good weeks
- A few thousand a year without much stress
That’s not fantasy. It’s been my reality for years.
This survey paid £84 per hour!
How long does Prolific take to pay?
Once you’ve built up at least £6, you can withdraw into your PayPal account.
Payments are processed on Tuesdays and Fridays, so how quickly you receive your money depends on how close to these days you request your money. Once you have made four cashouts, withdrawals should hit your PayPal account instantly.
However, I have found that larger withdrawals (I’m talking £200+) can take a few days.
How to get more studies
If you want to maximise your earnings:
✔ Keep your profile up-to-date
Prolific constantly adds new profile questions. Missing them means missing surveys.
✔ Use the Prolific Assistant browser extension
Available for Chrome and Firefox.
This alerts you when new studies appear — a must-have.
✔ Enable email notifications (but don’t rely on them)
They’re slow. By the time the email lands, the study is often gone.
✔ Be online during busier times
Weekday mornings and early afternoon are peak times.
What other people say
When writing survey site reviews, I find it helpful to look at other users’ views, too. On Trustpilot, Prolific scores a rather unimpressive 4.5 out of 5. Positive reviewers say that the site pays well and the surveys are interesting. On the negative side, a number of members have complained that their accounts were suspended without warning.
Waitlist introduced
Due to enormous demand, Prolific introduced a participant waitlist in 2022.
So you may have to submit your email and wait until a space opens.
It’s frustrating, but it shows how popular the site is.
My Prolific review conclusion
Prolific is easily the best-paying, most interesting survey site I’ve ever used — and I’ve tried a lot. Nothing else has come close to the money I’ve made here.
If studies were available 24/7, you could genuinely earn a full-time income from it. As it is, it’s hands down the strongest option for anyone who wants a flexible, well-paid side hustle.
If you get the chance to join, take it. You won’t regret it.
If you want further ways to earn, why not take a look at my post on the survey sites most similar to Prolific?
FAQs
Are there any sites like Prolific Academic?
These kinds of sites are few and far between. However, a similar site worth looking at is Testable Minds.
Is Prolific Academic legit?
Yes, you can have no concerns with this website. It has been operating for over 6 years and has no issue with paying users.
Is Prolific better than MTurk?
Far better. Although MTurk tends to have more work, Prolific is far more reliable and the pay is usually better.
Is there a referral scheme?
Not any more. The Prolific referral scheme was closed in 2018.
Can partners have an account?
You can have more than one account in a household (both my wife and I have one). However, many of the surveys can only be taken by one person in each home.
