This side hustle can take as little as 30 minutes—and pay as much as $200 (2024)

There's no shortage of easy side hustles to try, for those who are looking to add another income stream. You can take care of people's pets, rent out your house or apartment or do some virtual assisting.

Another side hustle worth exploring is market research. Before launching products to the public, companies often test run them with potential users to get feedback. They could be "trying out a new tech product and want to get somebody's idea of how well it would work," for example, says CEO and editor of Sidehusl.com Kathy Kristof. Often they'll seek out people with specific backgrounds to make sure they test the right audience.

Here are several ways to do some market research and how much each could pay.

There are several ways to participate in market research: as an individual or in a group. If you're interested in individual opportunities, consider signing up for the following websites:

• Respondent features various online surveys. You'll create an account on the site and be asked about your background — family, health, country of origin, etc. Then the site will notify you when you're a fit for opportunities. For example, a survey might ask for women, take 10 minutes and pay $25, or ask for web developers, take 30 minutes and pay $200 — though the specifics on demographic, amount of time and pay vary with each survey, according to the website. You'll be paid via PayPal.

• User Interviews allows you to create a profile and either apply to studies or wait to hear from the site about which ones you're a good candidate for. Instead of surveys, studies are often one-on-one interviews. The site lists examples like a 30-minute study paying $75 and a 45-minute study paying $200. User Interviews often pays with gift cards to companies like Amazon and Target.

• Rare Patient Voice is geared toward patients or caregivers, specifically. Illnesses and disorders that qualify vary but it can be anything from "asthma to diabetes to Alzheimer's disease," says Kristof. You'll share your input in surveys, interviews or online communities and earn $120 per hour, according to the site.

Side hustle expert Daniella Flores, who runs the blog I Like to Dabble and who goes by they/them pronouns, has done surveys on Respondent themselves. "It was anywhere from like $15 to $100 per each of those," they say.

You won't be able to do it "for a set schedule," they say, but it's a good way to make some extra cash.

If you're interested in participating in market research groups, consider signing up on sites like Find Focus Groups, where recent opportunities include a $180, 90-minute study for dog owners and a $150, two-hour Zoom call for homebuyers. Another option to consider is Fieldwork, where studies can pay $75 or more, according to Sidehusl.com.

Both sites offer many in-person opportunities and Fieldwork also includes some individual studies.

Because one-on-one interviews are more selective and focus groups are by default looking for a larger pool of people, opportunities for focus groups might be "little bit more common," says Kristof.

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