User Interviews Review: We Earned $81 Per Hour Answering Market Research Questions

User Interviews is a research platform that pays members to participate in one-on-one interviews, focus groups and other types of research studies. It’s similar to paid survey sites like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, but the studies take longer to complete and are more involved, occasionally requiring a video chat or participation over multiple days. They’re also harder to qualify for.

As a result, the pay rates are significantly higher. We tested User Interviews for two weeks, completing eight studies and earning $233 for 2 hours and 53 minutes of work. That amounts to a fantastic pay rate of $81 per hour. When factoring in the time it took to search for and apply to studies, that rate went down to (a still great) $42 per hour.

This is actually our second full test of User Interviews: we originally reviewed the platform in 2021, then returned in 2026 to re-run the entire experiment. You can see exactly how the two tests compare below.

In this User Interviews review, we’ll cover how the platform works, what it’s like participating in studies, and who stands the best chance of earning that kind of money.

What’s Changed Since Our 2021 Review

Our original 2021 review was based on a two-week test in which we completed eight studies. For this update, we re-ran the entire experiment in 2026 — another two-week window, tracking every application, study and payment along the way. Here’s how the two tests compare.

	2021 Test	2026 Test
Total earned	$360 in 4 hrs 51 min	$233 in 2 hrs 53 min
Pay rate (participating)	$74 per hour	$81 per hour
Pay rate (including time spent applying)	$55 per hour	$42 per hour
Qualification rate	8%	16%
Pay range of available studies	$10 – $350 (average $119)	$2 – $400 (average $84)
Our average pay per completed study	$45	$29
Average duration of available studies	66 minutes	48 minutes
Payment methods	Amazon gift cards / Reward Link	Tremendous (1,000+ options)
Most common study type (our experience)	1:1 interviews	Unmoderated tasks

A few things stood out when comparing the two experiences:

• User Interviews was acquired by UserTesting in January 2026, though day to day the platform works much like it did before.
• Payments have been modernized. Instead of Amazon gift cards and Reward Link, incentives now flow through Tremendous, which offers more than 1,000 redemption options.
• Unmoderated studies — including surveys run by AI bots — have replaced 1:1 interviews as the most common format we encountered.
• Studies pay a bit less on paper but are easier to get. The average listed payout dropped from $119 to $84, but studies are shorter, our qualification rate doubled, and our hourly rate while participating actually improved.

User Interviews: The Basics

User Interviews was launched in 2015 after its co-founders, who were trying to gather data to test and validate other ideas they were developing, realized that it was difficult to find qualified research participants.

In January of 2026, UserTesting announced its acquisition of User Interviews. According to published acquisition FAQs, there may be future opportunities for users to leverage the greater network but nothing should be noticeably different in the short term.

Here’s the most important information to know if you’re hoping to join the 575,000+ participants who have already been recruited for market research on the platform.

Five Key Facts about User Interviews

1. Basic qualifying information for each study is provided upfront. User Interviews does a good job supplying information about a study’s desired participants, which means you can mark yourself “not interested” in studies that you know you won’t qualify for and focus your efforts elsewhere.
2. Payments are typically issued as gift cards. User Interviews works with a third party incentives provider, Tremendous, which offers over 1,000 ways to provide your payment — e.g., numerous gift cards, virtual Visa cards, and even charitable donations. We also participated in a few studies that paid directly by the researcher via Amazon gift card or PayPal.
3. The average pay per study is >$50. When collecting data for this review, we found that the payment range for studies on the site is between $2 and $400, with an average of $84 per study. However, the highest-paying studies are typically aimed at very specific audiences and are difficult to qualify for. Our average pay per completed study was $29 for our small sample size of eight.
4. There is no cash-out minimum. The company says that participants receive their gift cards via email within 10 days; we received most of ours within the same day and all were received within three business days of completing the study requirements.
5. The average screener duration is only 2 minutes. One of the more frustrating parts of participating in surveys is spending time on screeners for studies that you ultimately don’t qualify for. During our testing period, the application process ranged between 1 and 7 minutes per study, with the average screener taking only 2 minutes.

Study Types

There are a few study types available on the platform. User Interviews indicates that moderated 1:1 interviews are the most common study type; however, in our experience, unmoderated were far more common. In fact, seven of the studies we participated in were unmoderated while only one was a 1:1 interview.

• Unmoderated tasks: These are tasks or surveys you can complete on your own time, as long as you finish them by the researcher-provided deadline. During our testing, we covered various topics: our investing habits, our considerations when choosing dog food, our granola consumption, how our visits to a particular quick-service restaurant have changed over time, and more. Four of our surveys were clearly run by an AI bot that incorporated our responses into subsequent questions. Three surveys had a standard set of questions that didn’t build upon previous inputs.
• Moderated: These are online web-cam, phone or in-person interviews between you and a researcher. They may also take the form of a multi-participant focus group. In a moderated study, you can expect to be asked to provide your thoughts on a prototype, or to answer questions about a specific topic. During testing we met with an interviewer via a webcam for a short discussion about the supplements we take and how much we spend on them each month.
• Focus groups: You’ll meet with several other participants, through an online forum or an in-person session, to provide feedback in a group setting. Although during this round of testing we didn’t participate in any focus groups, a few years back we answered product packaging questions in real-time by anonymously typing responses with numerous other subjects.
• Multi-day or “diary” studies: These are longer commitments where participants complete tasks or interviews over a series of days or weeks.

Study Topics

The pay and time involved in each study vary. However, the correlation between pay and the participant’s skill specialization is obvious.

Below is a sample of some of the studies we saw at various pay rates, including their headlines. You can see that the highest paying studies require highly-specialized backgrounds that will exclude most potential participants. However, I had no issue chatting about what goes through my head when deciding what type of dog food to buy my pups in exchange for $50!

• High ($200+)
  • $400 for 120 minutes: Non-Profit AI Usage study.
  • $300 for 60 minutes: How Your Organization Manages Data Across Systems.
  • $200 for 60 minutes: Microsoft Foundry – Feedback on Model Deployment Prototype.
• Medium ($100 to $199)
  • $150 for 60 minutes: Managing Cloud Backup Policies – Share How Your Team Does It Today.
  • $120 for 60 minutes: Heavy Equipment Recorded Interviews.
  • $100 for a week-long diary: Do You Work in Marketing or Sales?
• Low (less than $100)
  • $85 for 60 minutes: How Experts Investigate Complex Problems.
  • $45 for 45 minutes: Feedback for Senior Living Billing Settings and Resident List.
  • $25 for 12 minutes: Share Your Shopping Opinions.

So as you can see, there are opportunities for a wide range of backgrounds. However, we think most users will need to focus on the “low” end of the spectrum, which tends to include general studies that are open to a wide demographic set. These studies still pay well, but it’s important to go in clear-eyed about how much you’ll likely earn.

Our User Interviews Experience

We applied to 77 studies and successfully participated in eight over a two-week testing period.

We only applied to those that seemed like a natural fit. In other words, we did not pretend to be IT experts, heavy equipment operators or senior living billing agents for testing purposes.

77 studies is a lot, but the application process is short at about two minutes on average. Many of the applications request demographic details, like your age, location or total annual household income. However, the majority of the questions are focused on ensuring you meet the study criteria.

For example, we participated in a study about our “dining opinions.” We were asked the following questions to ensure we were a good fit:

1. Which of the following activities have you done in the past month?
   • Cooked meals at home
   • Ordered food delivery
   • Eaten at a sit-down restaurant
   • Picked up food from a quick-service/fast-food restaurant
   • Meal prepped for the week
   • Eaten at a food truck
   • None of the above
2. Which of these quick-service restaurants have you visited in the past 6 months? Select all that apply.
   • Subway
   • Jimmy John’s
   • Jersey Mike’s
   • Firehouse Subs
   • Sweetgreen
   • Chipotle
   • Panera Bread
   • McAlister’s Deli
   • Freshii
3. How have your visits to Subway changed over the past 1-2 years?
   • I go more often now than before
   • I go about the same amount as before
   • I go less often now than before
   • I used to go but have completely stopped
   • I have never been to Subway

Overall, the platform worked well through the application and testing processes and we only had one technical issue while participating in a study. That particular survey took twice as long as the estimate (15 minutes instead of seven) as there was a glitch the first time through. We answered 34 questions after watching three 30-second ads. For some reason we were unable to submit our responses and had to reach out to the researcher for help. Although they responded quickly, by the time we were able to implement the fix (refreshing the browser) our answers had disappeared and we had to retype the responses before submitting.

The remaining studies took the advertised time or less. The questions in all the surveys and the 1:1 interview were reasonable, professional and, most importantly, we received our payments as promised. In fact, one of our studies even gave us a $5 bonus for providing comprehensive responses!

What It’s Like Participating In Studies

After you apply to a study, plan to monitor your email and phone. If chosen to participate, you’ll receive emails and texts with a subject line that states, “You’ve been approved to participate in…”.

We received these messages within a day of applying. If you receive one, open it quickly and follow the link to sign up for the study: the number of study participants is capped, so you want to participate or sign up for an available time slot before they fill up.

While on the topic of receiving emails, we should prepare you for the onslaught you’ll receive. You’ll get emails…

• After signing up, as User Interviews suggests studies for you.
• Every time you apply for a study.
• Whenever you’ve been accepted, scheduled or paid for a study.
• When it’s the day of your study (to remind you to show up).
• And at other various intervals.

This email bombardment is somewhat par for the course when it comes to paid survey and other get-paid-to platforms, and we recommend using a dedicated email address when signing up for these sites.

Aside from this onslaught of correspondence, participating in studies was a pleasant experience. The 1:1 interviews are a bit strange at first, but after a minute or two we got used to the idea of being recorded and settled in. For unmoderated tasks, all you need to do is follow the instructions you’re given and answer any questions by the deadline.

Regardless of the study type, be prepared to be as honest as possible. We noticed that the researchers got especially excited when we offered constructive criticism for certain aspects of their prototypes. So, if there is something you don’t like, don’t hold back! Oftentimes the point of the study is to identify issues so they can be addressed before launch.

Who is Most Likely to Qualify?

Although we didn’t log every study we saw and categorize them all by profession, IT-related studies were fairly common. However, there are a good number of general-audience studies available.

To get the most out of the platform, be prepared to search through the available studies yourself on a regular basis. You can mark yourself “not interested” in those that you know you won’t qualify for. This hides the study so you won’t see it every time you log in, greatly reducing the time it takes you to scroll through the available options.

User Interviews Earning Potential

During our initial login for this testing period, we found 73 available studies. We collected data from all 73 of those studies to give you a general sense of the time commitment required, as well as the earnings you can expect.

How Long Do Studies Take?

Total number of studies available	73
Average duration	48 minutes
Median duration	50 minutes
Shortest duration	5 minutes
Longest duration	120 minutes

How Much Do Studies Pay?

Average payout	$84
Median payout	$60
Lowest payout	$2
Highest payout	$400
Worst pay-per-hour	$24
Best pay-per-hour	$300

Our Actual User Interviews Earnings

Because the studies used for the estimates above were documented at a single point in time, what is available when you explore the platform will be different.

Here’s how we fared during testing.

• Total number of studies applied for: 77.
• Testing period: 14 days.
• Qualification rate: 16% (12 studies).
• Completion rate: 67% of qualified (8 studies).
• % paid at or above advertised rate: 100%.
• Total earnings: $233.
• Time participating in studies: 2 hours and 53 minutes.
• Time applying for studies: 2 hours 40 minutes.
• Total time spent: 5 hours and 33 minutes.
• Earnings per hour: $81 per hour, or $42 per hour if you include the time spent applying for all 77 studies.

Here’s a rundown of the studies we qualified for:

Study Type	Study Topic	Advertised Time	Actual Time	Payout
Unmoderated task	Talking Investing	28 minutes	25 minutes	$28 via gift card of our choice
Unmoderated task	Dog Food Buying Preferences	60 minutes	45 minutes	$50 via gift card of our choice
Unmoderated task	Personal Banking Experiences	12 minutes	10 minutes	$25 via gift card of our choice
Unmoderated task	Love (or Hate) TV Ads? We Want Your Opinion!	7 minutes	15 minutes	$10 Amazon gift card ($5 + $5 bonus)
Unmoderated task	What Is Your Morning Routine With Breakfast?	35 minutes	29 minutes	$35 via gift card of our choice
1:1 interview	Women’s Wellness & Supplement Experience	30 minutes	6 minutes	$20 via PayPal
Unmoderated task	Share Your Dining Opinions	13 minutes	10 minutes	$15 via gift card of our choice
Unmoderated task	All About Photos	45 minutes	33 minutes	$50 via gift card of our choice
Unmoderated task	Family Wealth Survey	15 minutes	N/A – indicated “deadline passed” immediately after inviting us to participate	N/A (would have paid $4)
Unmoderated task	Welcome to our candy shopping interview	29 minutes	N/A – deemed qualified, then told we were not qualified after starting the task	N/A (would have paid $50)
Unmoderated task	Share Your Shopping Opinions	22 minutes	N/A – sent a link to participate but the study was full	N/A (would have paid $21)
Unmoderated task	Share Your Perspective on Lifestyle & Experiences	43 minutes	N/A – sent a link to participate but the study was full	N/A (would have paid $57)

Getting Paid

Six of our studies offered us payment through Tremendous, a third party provider offering 1,000+ gift card options. One study paid us via an Amazon gift card and one paid via PayPal.

Within a few days of completing a study, you can open up User Interviews, navigate to “My Studies” and push the “Redeem Incentive” button. Ours were typically available the same day but all arrived within three business days.

We had no issues processing the gift cards. If you do have issues, click on the “My Studies” section of the site to see who to contact regarding payment concerns for that particular study. Some of the incentives are paid by User Interviews while others are paid directly by the company running the study.

One important note to keep in mind, per User Interviews’ participant support page: the IRS requires total payments of $600 or more to be reported as taxable income. User Interviews will send you a 1099 if the payments they make on their clients’ behalf exceeds $600, but this won’t include payments issued by researchers. You’ll need to add those earnings back in when you prepare your taxes.

User Interviews FAQ

User Interviews Review: Final Verdict

User Interviews offers the best pay rates we’ve found among market research platforms that are open to the public. Signing up is fast, applying to studies is easy, and the platform was almost completely glitch-free from start to finish. The companies we dealt with had interesting topics and friendly researchers, and they all paid promptly.

What’s not to love?

Our two minor critiques of the platform are the barrage of study-related emails and the limited applicability of the studies that User Interviews recommended for us. Aside from those two minor nitpicks, our experience with User Interviews was extremely positive.

One open question is whether or not a user could maintain that pace of earnings. Given that we limited our test window to a two-week period, we’re not able to say how frequently new studies appear on the platform, or whether our qualification rate would go down over time, after picking all the low-hanging fruit. We checked and applied for new studies daily so this may not be a concern.

We’d recommend the site for anyone looking for a solid way to make a little extra spending money and who is content to be paid primarily via gift cards.