Testable Minds Review: Is it Really a Prolific Alternative?
Looking for a survey site that actually pays well and isn’t just endless brand questionnaires? Testable Minds might be worth your time. It’s often mentioned in the same breath as Prolific, which is about as good a compliment as a survey site can get.
Testable Minds review
Decent pay and some genuinely interesting studies, but it’s held back by low availability and weak support. Worth trying as a “second site” alongside the bigger earners.
Pros
- Well-paid studies
- Interesting experiments
- Fast payouts (often via Revolut)
Cons
- Limited study availability
- Partner studies can be poor value
- Customer support is weak
Reviewed by Household Money SavingTestable Minds
I’ve been using Testable Minds for years now, so this review is based on real use, real payouts, and a couple of real frustrations too. Let’s look at how it works, how much you can earn, and whether it’s genuinely a good alternative to Prolific.
What is Testable Minds?
Testable Minds is a legitimate survey platform used mainly by academics and researchers from universities around the world. Instead of market research companies trying to sell you toothpaste, you’re taking part in psychology and behavioural experiments.
Because many of these studies are university-funded, they usually pay better than standard survey sites. That’s the main reason Testable Minds stands out.
Taken directly from their site, Testable Minds describes itself as:
A platform where researchers from the world’s most prestigious universities recruit participants for psychological and behavioural experiments.
In short, you help science and get paid for it.
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Why not combine Testable Minds with some of the other great UK survey sites?
Is Testable Minds safe?
This is where some people raise an eyebrow. Testable Minds appears to be based in Romania, which makes it unusual compared to most survey sites that are headquartered in the UK or the US. Any data protection complaints would go through Romania’s National Supervisory Authority.
That said, I’ve personally used the site for over five years without any security issues. Payments have always arrived, studies have been approved quickly, and withdrawals to Revolut have been instant.
Most of their academic advisors are based in the UK, USA, Australia, and New Zealand, which does add some reassurance.
How does it work?
Getting started is straightforward. You complete a short profile so researchers can match you with suitable studies. It only takes a couple of minutes and saves a lot of wasted time later.
When a study becomes available, you’ll see:
- How long it should take
- How much it pays
- A short description of the task
- How many places are available
Places are often limited, sometimes as low as 20–30 participants, so studies fill up fast. If you hesitate, you’ll miss out.
There’s a notification bell on the site which you should turn on. Even then, surveys can still go quickly.
You can also become a “Verified Mind” by uploading photo ID. This can help you access more studies, although it’s not a magic fix.
Once you complete a study, the researcher reviews it. In most cases, payment is approved within around three days.
Partner studies: proceed with caution
Testable Minds also offers “partner studies”. These are hosted on external sites and are, frankly, not worth your time.
You’re not told how long they’ll take or how much they’ll pay. Payment can take up to 14 days and if your answers are rejected, there’s no appeal process. I avoid these completely, and I’d recommend you do the same.
Any downsides?
Unfortunately, there aren’t many survey opportunities. In fact, I joined in the April and only reached $10 by October. That is partly my fault, as I didn’t check it as often as other survey sites; I didn’t receive many notifications either. Many studies only have 20 or 30 spaces available, so they fill up quite quickly. However, I did manage to get to grips with the site a little better after this.
Look out for poorly paid surveys. Fortunately, they are few and far between, but still worth being careful of. The survey below paid just $2 for 45 minutes.
If one of your surveys is rejected, you can’t contact the researcher directly. Instead, you need to go through Testable and this can be a bit of a long winded process.
And I would stay away from the partner studies. First of all, you don’t know how much they pay or how long they take – it never tells you. Plus, you don’t receive payment for 14 days. And that’s as long as your answers are accepted. If they’re not, there’s nothing you can do.
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How much can you earn from Testable Minds?
Because surveys are set by different people, it means the rewards that are on offer differ too. Plus, you are paid in $, so the exchange rate can affect how much you earn. Expect to earn around $9 (roughly £7) per hour.
There are two payment options –
PayPal – minimum withdrawal $10, payments are made every Tuesday and there is a small fee
Revolut – minimum withdrawal $1, payments are made instantly and there is no fee
I guess Testable prefers Revolut. However, you can read my full Revolut review and an account is free to open.
As you can see from below, I’ve earned over to $1,000 as a member. I’m not sure who didn’t approve one of my studies though…
Testable Minds refer a friend
Another way you can make a small amount of money is by referring your friends and family to join. Just share your link and you will earn $1 when your friend makes their first withdrawal.
Customer service
This is where Testable Minds really falls down.
If something goes wrong, the process is slow and opaque. You contact Testable Minds, they contact the researcher, and then you wait. And wait.
In my case, I was rejected from a study because I was told English wasn’t my first language. That was news to me, especially after years on the platform as a verified user. The support team wouldn’t explain how I could prove otherwise.
After weeks of back-and-forth, I eventually pointed them to this blog and my writing work. Only then did they reverse the decision and pay me.
It shouldn’t have taken that much effort.
My Testable Minds review verdict
So, is joining Testable Minds worthwhile? I like this site, but it could do with far more surveys. That said, when combined with other survey sites, it should see you on your way to making a decent side income.
Just ignore the partner studies and consider opening a Revolut account so you don’t have to pay fees on your earnings.
Testable Minds isn’t quite as good as Prolific, which pays slightly more and has more surveys. But it’s not a terrible alternative.
FAQs
Is there a Testable Minds app?
No, there is no app and the surveys are not currently mobile-compatible.
