Paid research studies

Prolific requires researchers to pay at least $8 an hour and recommends $12 or more, according to Prolific's underpaying studies page. CloudResearch states an average of $10 an hour on Connect, which is its own claim on its Connect FAQ. Connect's 25% service fee is charged to researchers on top of your pay, not taken from it.

The catch is access and unpaid time. New U.S. participants join a Prolific waitlist, the hourly rates cover only time inside a study, and Amazon Mechanical Turk closed on September 30, 2026. It suits people who can fit short tasks around gaps and don't need a steady weekly amount.

How the money works

Prolific's payment model page says bonuses sit on top of the base reward and don't count toward its minimum hourly rate. It also says screened-out participants must be paid. Connect's FAQ says it doesn't allow projects that screen out participants by demographics without paying them for their time (Connect FAQ).

What people actually earn

Prolific works out the hourly rate from median actual completion time, so a study that runs longer than estimated can fall below its stated rate (Prolific). Its payment model page cites research (Aksoy & Nevo, 2025) pointing to practical floors of $12.50 an hour for studies up to 15 minutes and about $16 an hour for 30 minutes (Prolific). Neither platform publishes what participants earn across all hours, including waiting.

Where the hours go

Prolific says it invites people when tasks are available, so gaps between invites are unpaid. If a study breaks, Prolific's rejection help page says you aren't paid for waiting time and should return it right away. Submissions can be rejected for finishing too fast or failing attention checks, and a study that times out is unpaid. On Connect, researchers approve or reject each submission, so finished work can go unpaid (Connect FAQ).

What it costs to start

You need a device, an internet connection and a payout account.

Where to find paid studies now that MTurk has closed

Amazon's closure FAQs say MTurk is permanently closed. Former workers must verify payment preferences by October 30, 2026, approved tasks are still paid on the normal schedule, tax documents will still be sent, and transaction history stays available until January 28, 2027. CloudResearch markets Connect as an MTurk alternative, though that pitch is aimed at researchers.

Requirements and rules in the U.S.

Prolific checks your identity against your self-reported date of birth, residence and gender, and mismatches lead to a permanent ban. It also bans duplicate accounts and puts accounts on hold if they are used abroad or through a VPN (verification guide). Connect runs technical checks for U.S. location, one account and duplicate IPs (Connect FAQ).

The IRS says gig income must be reported even without an information return. Prolific doesn't issue 1099s and says PayPal cashouts are included on PayPal's 1099-K (Prolific). The IRS sets that form's threshold at over $20,000 and over 200 transactions (Publication 1099), so you may get no form and still owe tax. Connect says Stripe may collect your SSN, and missing tax information can delay or suspend payouts (Connect terms). Self-employment tax generally applies at $400 or more of net earnings (IRS Topic 554).

Risks and red flags

Prolific gives researchers 22 days to pay rewards or correct an underpaying study, and participants must wait before escalating (Prolific). Connect says ID verification can be rejected for unclear reasons, and verification affects notification priority (Connect). Connect also bans projects that demand personal identifying information or push sign-ups for other services (Connect FAQ), so report any that do.

Who paid studies fit, and who should skip them

Good fit

• You can work in short bursts whenever an invite arrives, with no shifts, travel or vehicle.
• You can wait on a waitlist and don't need the money this week.
• You are fine with photo ID checks and one account tied to your real details.

Consider something else

• You want to set your own price. Retail arbitrage lets you price what you sell.
• You want paid-per-job work. Dog walking and house cleaning charge per walk or per visit.
• You want skilled hourly work. Handyman services are priced by the hour or the job.

How to start

1. Join the waitlist at Prolific's participant page.
2. Sign up on Connect's participant page if you are 18 or older and in the U.S.
3. Complete identity checks as asked. Connect uses Stripe Identity, and Prolific's verification guide explains its process.
4. Link a PayPal account and read Prolific's cash-out page for limits on new PayPal accounts.
5. Read each study description before starting, and return a broken study right away, as Prolific advises.
6. Track your real pay with how to calculate your actual hourly earnings, and keep records for the IRS gig economy guidance.
7. If you used MTurk, verify your payment preferences by October 30, 2026 on the closure FAQ page.