Did you know that you can earn money by testing products from the comfort of your own home? 

Many popular companies are looking for product tests to review their products and ensure functionality and performance. Products are usually shipped to your address at no expense to you. Then you simply provide feedback on the goods offered and in return, you will be rewarded with either cash, gift card, or merchandise.

Here are a few organizations that can help you get paid to test products at home. 

1. Friends & Neighbors by Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, one the biggest beauty and healthcare companies in the world, runs the JJ Friends & Neighbors program, which lets users give their opinions on the company’s latest products.

Some of the items you will test include dental floss, mascara, a new body wash line, or perfumes—basically anything that you can find in the product line of Johnson & Johnson’s brands such as Aveeno, Clean & Clear, and Neutrogena. 

Apart from testing products, members can take part in focus groups or discussion panels, take paid surveys or participate in dedicated sensory testing (but only if you live in NYC).

In return for your opinion, J&J will award you with an honorarium in the form of a JP Morgan Chase Payment or gift cards. 

2. McCormick & Company

Foodies who want to earn a little on the side can take a look at McCormick & Company’s product testing panel.

To sign up you will need to fill out an online application and wait for survey invitations in your email. If you qualify and accept the task, simply complete the requirements of the study and receive your payment. Compensation for at-home tests is between $10 and $15, paid out as a mobile deposit via Zelle or as an Amazon gift card. 

McCormick runs five to 10 at-home tests a year, so you can expect to be invited to join a panel at least once in three months. 

3. UserTesting 

UserTesting is a human insight platform with 850+ employees across the world. You can become a UserTesting contributor by filling out an online application form and taking a practice test. If you are eligible, the platform will send products to test, such as websites, apps, and software. 

Some of the companies that work with UserTesting include Microsoft, Skyscanner, Code for America, and 2,500 more of the leading brands in the world. 

Payments are made in USD via PayPal, while the amount paid depends on the type of test you take. 

Keep in mind that your results will be rated—the higher the ratings, the more invites you will get.

4. thePinkPanel

thePinkPanel is one the best ways to get free perfume samples, the latest skincare products, or brand-new hair cosmetics. 

The platform is quite generous—in addition to keeping the products you tested, you will receive compensation between $25 and $100, depending on the brand you are trying out. Panelists will receive beauty products to test as often as two to three times a week, but sometimes an opportunity may come up only once a month. 

This beauty-focused panel welcomes all women aged 18 to 99+, but will only provide you with testing opportunities if you meet the brand’s criteria. 

5. L’Oreal

L’Oreal offers in-person and at-home testing. Opportunities for at-home tests are provided a few times a month and are related to the company’s skincare, makeup, and hair care products. 

To get involved in the L’Oreal consumer testing program, sign up on the site and receive notifications about new studies right in your dashboard. If approved you will receive an email notifying you of when the product will be sent and the amount of money you can expect to make from the task. 

Keep in mind that at-home testing with L’Oreal is time sensitive and you will usually have about a week to try out the product and complete the relevant survey.

Payments are made every week through Tremendous for all panelists. 

6. Vocal Point 

For consumers who want to be at the forefront of emerging product lines and try out early prototypes, Vocal Point is a great option. 

Like other product-testing sites, you need to follow an easy sign-up process, after which samples or products will be shipped to your address. Test the prototype, write your opinion (or participate in a live discussion), and see how it shapes the item before it hits the shelves. 

Vocal Point does not award points but offers exclusive discounts, deals, and gift cards to members who successfully complete tasks. 

Apart from product testing, you can also take part in only surveys, participate in “insider shopping” experiences, or rate and review products. 

Did you know that 60% of all purchased gift cards are digital?

7. SheSpeaks

Unlike the other sites on the list, SheSpeaks does not pay you in cash or points. Instead, the site runs giveaways and cash prize campaigns for users, which can range from free products to gift cards. 

SheSpeaks aims to give a voice to women by allowing them to test products and post their reviews on the site. This way, women everywhere can influence the brands they love and allow them to improve their products or services. SheSpeaks has 250,000 members who have posted 150,000 reviews so far. 

Typically, you can expect to test and review baby products, as well as home and garden, beauty, and entertainment products.  

Paid Survey Sites That Offer Product Testing 

8. Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outposts is one of the highest-paying product testing sites, with over two million users worldwide. Users can sign up for free to the panel and take online surveys, test new products, or watch ads to earn points. Each survey or product testing gig gives an average of 5 points, although some can be worth as much as 250 points. 

Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem those for rewards, such as gift cards from Macy’s, the Home Depot, Target, and more. You may also redeem points as cash with PayPal. 

9. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is joined by millions of people that share their opinions on different brands and exchange this information for cash (via PayPal) or gift cards from Amazon, Target, Sephora, iTunes, and more. 

Each point on Survey Junkie is worth $0.01 and you need at least 500 points ($5) to start redeeming your rewards. 

Like other survey sites, you can test products and take part in focus groups, although these in-depth studies are not offered as frequently as online paid surveys. 

10. Swagbucks

This is yet another survey site that gives members the chance to test products at home, earn points and redeem them for cash or gift cards. 

Besides at-home testing, Swagbucks offers users to make some money by trying free samples, using digital coupons, entering daily polls or taking online trivia quizzes. It also allows you to find product testing opportunities through Swagbucks Discover.

Payments are processed within 5 business days, making this a great opportunity for anyone who needs quick cash. 

11. Ipsos iSay

Owned by multinational market research company Ipsos, iSay is one of the best sites to make a few extra bucks. 

Like other survey sites, iSay works by invite only. Members can sign up for free and wait for an invite email. Once you receive it, you can participate in online surveys and at-home product tests and earn points.

Points awarded vary according to the length of the survey, but on average expect to earn around 5 to 10 points per survey. 

Rewards are pretty generous too. In addition to getting cash via PayPal (you need at least 510 points to redeem $5 in PayPal funds), you can also receive gift cards from some of the leading  retailers in the country, such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart. 

12. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is one of the biggest paid online survey platforms, with over 12 million users worldwide. The site offers many other ways of earning points, including taking paid surveys, watching videos, and testing brand-new products. 

The points can be redeemed for cash via PayPal (the minimal PayPal redemption is only $5) or as gift cards. As a PrizeRebel member, you can get Amazon, Google, Nike, Apple, and many more e-gift cards valued at $5 and higher. 

Interestingly, PrizeRebel has membership levels, so you start at bronze and work your way up to diamond by earning points. At different levels, you get discounts and special bonuses at the end of every month. 

13. Valued Opinions

Valued Opinions can pay up to $5 for testing products and answering surveys online. The platform has 3 million members in more than 20 countries in the world, including the US and UK. 

While Valued Opinions give you chances to influence the way brands market, sell and develop products, you can only earn gift cards in return for your time and effort. On the plus side, the site offers digital gift cards from some of the biggest brands out there, including Amazon, Domino’s, CVS Pharmacy, and more.

How to Test Products and Get Freebies

Some platforms do not pay you but offer freebies instead. This way you get free samples or full-size products to test, after which you get to keep the free stuff as compensation. 

14. BzzAgent 

BzzAgent gives you the chance to try out free samples and products and then share your experience about them on social media, the company’s website, or elsewhere. 

The platform is free to join and you will receive posting instructions on how to write and distribute your review. All you need to do is try out the product and give your honest opinion. 

15. Influenster

This site works similarly to BzzAgent, but instead of free samples, the company will send you VoxBoxes. These boxes are filled with full-sized beauty, wellness, or health products. Sometimes you might get snacks, pet food, or games to try out.

The VoxBoxes typically cost between 30 and $100 in retail value. 

16. Amazon Vine

If you are one of Amazon’s 300 million active customers and regularly post insightful reviews, you could get invited to Amazon Vine. This is a program that lets users post their opinions of certain products on the site. 

You will not get paid for your reviews, but you may request products to test from specific brands. The items are shipped by Amazon at no cost to you and you get to keep the freebies you receive. 

The Takeaway

As you can see, there is no shortage of choice when it comes to getting paid to test products at home. Whether you are getting paid in cash or using gift cards to save on shopping, product testing at home can be a very profitable side gig. Plus, it is super convenient. 

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, pick a site from the ones mentioned above, sign up (almost all of them are free), and start earning money by providing feedback on the products you tested. 

FAQs

What are the most common things you can test from home?

Most companies that do product testing will send beauty, healthcare, or food products. However, there are some sites like UserTesting and Beta Testing that let you try out software and apps or rate a website experience. 

Why do companies want you to test products?

There are several reasons why companies want their products tested. Most firms want consumers’ opinions on their products in order to improve the final version before it hits the market. Well-established brands want feedback on new items to ensure that they align with the brand’s voice, values, and image—after all, brand consistency can increase a company’s revenue by up to 33%. Often, companies want to make sure that their product meets the demands of the target demographics which is why most survey sites do screening tests and match products to a certain group of users. 

How much do you get paid for testing products from home?

This depends on the site you choose and the type of test you need to carry out. In general, you can earn about $5 a month taking surveys and testing products at home. Income from product testing is not enough to compensate for a full-time salary, but it is a great way for unemployed individuals to earn some money.

Do you have to buy those products you test?

No, product testing (from registering on a site to trying out samples) is completely free. Compensation for your services is typically paid out in cash or gift cards.  If you’re not in it for the monetary compensation, but still want to have a say in product design or use, companies like Philips, Reebok, and Under Armour constantly run consumer testing products. In most cases, brands like Nike and Adidas will even let you keep the free products you receive.