I recently participated in a paid focus group in San Francisco. You know, the kind with the one-way mirror on the wall.

We talked about travel habits and preferences for an hour and half, and I got paid $150 for my time and opinions. Not bad!

(I also won an extra $50 in a raffle for showing up 10 minutes early, which definitely sweetened the deal.)

The whole thing was pretty quick and painless—and actually kind of interesting—which got me thinking that this could be a great side hustle. Especially if I could do it from home!

So down the rabbit hole I went, trying to find other companies that conduct paid research studies online.

And I should note before we get started that these aren’t the typical companies that pop up when you search for “online surveys.” Those companies, like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, are legit, but pay relatively little.

(Though sometimes they do have higher-paying online focus groups.)

The companies I was after here were the ones that pay bigger sums to make it more worth your time. I earned $100 an hour for my little focus group adventure, and you can too.

1. User Interviews

User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.

I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.

In one of my studies, I earned a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a short online survey for bald guys! It said it should take 15 minutes, but all the questions were straight yes/no, so it probably only took 5.

Click here to join User Interviews.

Or check out our full User Interviews review.

2. Respondent

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour!

Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares the type of person the company is looking to connect with, the expected time commitment, and pay rate.

If it looks like a fit, answer the brief screener questionnaire to throw your hat in the ring. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get selected right away—I’ve been selected for 5 studies out of 50 screeners so far.

While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals—up to $750 an hour!

The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far!)

Click here to join Respondent.

Read our full Respondent.io review here.

(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)

3. Rare Patient Voice

A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays $100 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.

If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look. The site is open to residents of United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

4. Survey Junkie

While most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.

These admittedly are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.

Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie.

5. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)

Be on the lookout for the “National” studies that pay between $75 and $200. These are scheduled over the phone or webcam so you can take the calls from anywhere at times that are convenient to you.

It took a while, but I eventually earned $115 for an online study related to a well-known Seattle-area company. Other studies I saw were related to cars, technology, and banking.

I receive a few email notifications every month with studies. Those range from around $2 for 20-minute surveys, up to $150 for 90-minute in-person or online focus groups.

Check out my full FocusGroup.com review to learn more.

6. Lightster

Lightster is a unique money making app, where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.

To get started, you’ll add some demographic information about yourself and answer some questions about your experience and interests.

After that, you may see some questions pop up in the app. Answer those to qualify for paid research conversations that pay $1 per minute.

I got invited to my first half hour session within a couple weeks of downloading the app, and got paid (via Amazon gift card) right away.

7. PingPong

I was excited to discover PingPong as a newcomer to the online market research field. The service specializes in user experience testing for apps and websites, with pay rates ranging between €40 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $45-110.)

You might be curious—with the rates in euros—if this one is open to non-Europeans. PingPong let me join as an American and says they welcome testers from all over the world.

Since joining, I’ve received invites to several studies but haven’t been able to book one just yet.

8. Fieldwork

Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:

Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Los Angeles (Orange County)
Minneapolis
New York
Phoenix
San Francisco
Seattle

Compensation starts at $75 for participating in focus groups, which usually last between 1-2 hours. The drawback was I got paid in Visa gift cards instead of cash, so I went to the grocery store and bought Amazon gift cards with them instead.

9. Product Report Card

Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card. They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.

The best-paying work is for in-home product tests and remote interviews and focus groups — often in the $75-$150/hour range.

Product Report Card will also give you a $5 welcome bonus for completing a short survey after you join. There’s a $25 minimum to cash-out.

10. Experience Dynamics

Experience Dynamics specializes in user experience and user interface testing (UX and UI). Corporate clients pay Experience Dynamics to help “make their users smile,” and they turn around and pay people like you for honest feedback on website designs and software applications.

According to the site, they recruit testers worldwide with all levels of technology experience. Most studies pay between $50-$150 dollars.

Experience Dynamics also facilitates:

Field Studies, 1-2 hour interviews at your home or work.
Diary Studies, where you to record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks.
Phone Interviews
Online Focus Groups
Online Surveys

11. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is another market research company where you can qualify for several surveys a year.

Annoyingly, they insist on using their own “virtual currency” point system. Still, you can earn up to $50 worth of points for longer market research surveys.

There’s a $10 minimum to cash out and you can deposit your earnings directly into PayPal. To give you an incentive to complete the low-paying screener surveys, American Consumer Opinion will add your name to a monthly $50 drawing.

12. FindFocusGroups.com

FindFocusGroups.com is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country.

At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites. The banner ads are distracting, but you can easily navigate to find a list of studies near you or online.

When I checked the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.

13. SIS International

Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You can see a full list of available paid studies on this page.

I found rates from $25-200, depending on the time required and complexity of the topic. SIS recruits participants from all around the world, not just the US.

14. SurveyFeeds

Similar to FindFocusGroups above, SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research company itself, but instead a promising “feed” of paid survey opportunities.

I found their Facebook page updated more frequently than their website, so it might be worthwhile to check there and see what you might qualify for.

The online studies I saw ranged from $75 to $300.

15. Field Voices

When I checked out Field Voices, I found a couple available studies to apply for. One was a neighborhood improvement interview that paid $150 for one hour, and the other was a group workshop on snacking habits that paid $300!

This firm works directly with companies as well, which means they’re not just pulling together lists of other research projects.

16. Prolific

When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific. It’s easy to sign up and start completing online surveys.

The pay on Prolific is a bit lower — often in the $8-15/hr range. But in my Prolific review, I found plenty of quick and easy surveys available, and you can cash out to PayPal.

17. Probe Market Research

Consumers, medical professionals, and executives are in demand for Probe Market Research’s panels. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400, and you can often participate online or over the phone.

Major brands enlist Probe to conduct online surveys, mystery shopping gigs, mock juries, product trials, and more.

18. Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field is one of the longest-running national market research companies. Since 1977, they’ve built up a participant database of over 300,000 consumers, business leaders, and medical professionals.

The company works with lots of name-brand clients and typically pays $100-275 for in-person and online surveys.

19. dscout

The popular and well-rated dscout app connects you with “engaging research missions.” Through those, you can get paid to share your feedback on a product or service.

Typical studies pay anywhere from $2 to $100, paid out via PayPal. The biggest complaints from users are that the often in-depth screener surveys are unpaid.

20. GLG Insights

Less of a market research firm and more of a consulting marketplace, GLG Insights aims to match you up with their clients looking for industry-specific expertise. Request to become a “Council Member” to get notified when relevant paid studies are available.

On GLG, you’ll be asked to connect your LinkedIn profile and upload a resume (or link to an online resume) to verify your career credentials. You can also name your own consulting rate — usually $100-150 and up.

After that, I answered a series of ethics questions based on GLG’s terms and conditions.

21. WatchLab

WatchLab has an obnoxiously inadequate website, but they claim to facilitate all sorts of focus groups, usability tests, interviews, mock juries, and more.

The pay varies depending on the research, and may be in the form of gift cards or cash. I saw ranges from $100 to $175 for 1-2 hour focus groups. WatchLab have locations in San Francisco and Chicago, as well as online options.

For in-person focus groups, you get paid on the spot — online may take 4-6 weeks.

22. Mindswarms

Mindswarms is a unique video consumer research platform. They’ll pay you $50 via PayPal to answer 10 questions about a product or service.

These studies normally take around 10 minutes and can be recorded via your webcam or smartphone, but competition to get selected can be fierce.

To create your account you’ll need to record a 60-second video about one of your passions. Or you can do this through the Mindswarms app on iOS or Android.

23. 20|20 Panel

Earn $50-150 for online focus groups and studies. While the website doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, 20|20 Panel has been around for over 30 years.

24. FocusGroups.org

Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FocusGroups.org was a great find. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!

Topics included pets, hygiene, cooking, luxury cars, and lots more. There are some handy filters you can use to select only online or “National” studies.

25. Focus Insite

I found several online focus groups paying $50-200 on Focus Insite. The company popped up in my Instagram feed, a signal they’re actively recruiting new participants.

You can join their panel database as a medical, technical, or business professional, or just as a general consumer. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the available market research studies listed.

Other Online Focus Group and Paid Research Study Options

The companies listed above certainly aren’t the only research companies around, and for this side hustle, it makes sense to join as many firms as you’re comfortable with.

That way, you’re presented with all the opportunities available, not just the projects managed by one company.

Here are a few more to consider:

PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)
Focus Forward — A unique aggregator of paid focus group and survey opportunities.
UserTesting – Earn $10 for completing 20-minute online user tests of websites, apps, shopping portals, and more. This is pretty fun but you have to be fast because these tests get snatched up quickly.
Brutal – Earn $30 an hour to give feedback on websites and apps. (Love the name!)
Pulse Labs – Earn up to $100 a week providing video feedback on products.
Intellizoom – Get paid an average of $10 testing and reviewing websites.
UserBrain – Receive new websites to test every week, an earn $5 for each 5-15 minute test.
Google User Experience – Google pays gift cards for feedback on their products.
Marketade – Specializes in remote usability testing, market validation, navigation research, and more.
Engage Studies – Earn as much as $100 per focus group through this research company.
Tell Us Your Opinion – Mainly operating in Tulsa but may have online/phone opportunities as well.
Adler Weiner Research – In-person studies in Chicagoland and Southern California, plus remote studies nationwide.
Advanced Focus – Hosts market research panels and focus groups in New York City.
Nichols Research – Get paid to participate in in-person focus groups, primarily in Northern California.

In doing all this research, a new side hustle came to me: web design and social media for these companies.

I ran into dozens of severely-outdated sites with copyright dates in the footer going back to 2010 in some cases. Their Twitter accounts where ghost towns and the blogs (if they had one) hadn’t been updated in years.

They might have a hard time making sales if their online presence makes it look like they went out of business!

Online Focus Groups Alternatives

As with any side hustle, there’s an opportunity cost. As in, what else could you be doing with your time?

I encourage you to check out our monster list of side hustle ideas, but here are a few that are similarly flexible.

Become a Bookkeeper

One of the first jobs that many companies hire out is “someone to keep the books.” If you have experience in this field, or just love numbers, becoming a remote bookkeeper could way to make extra money.

Most businesses don’t need a full-time bookkeeper so they’re open to hiring someone part-time. Most virtual bookkeepers charge $100-300 per client per month.

Network with business owners locally or online and let them know about your service. It might make sense to check out this free training on how to start a remote bookkeeping business.

Alternative Investments

If you’re after passive income, you might consider adding some alternative investments.

For example, Fundrise allows you to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate. This spreads your risk around with properties in multiple geographical locations–and minimums as low as $10.

Disclosure: I’ve been a Fundrise investor since 2015, and earn a commission when you join through my referral link. Opinions are my own.

Mobile Notary Service

Becoming a mobile notary loan signing agent is one of the most popular gigs among the Side Hustle Nation community. The flexible, part-time side hustle involves walking new homeowners through their stack of mortgage documents.

Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.

Start a Business

One big drawback to focus groups or online surveys is you’re limited in how much you can earn. It’s a great side hustle, but it’ll never be a full-time income.

Some popular alternatives that have more room for scale are re-selling products or starting a service business.

For instance, my friend Abbey started a virtual assistant business while she was on maternity leave. Now she helps others do the same. Check out her free training on how to get started and land your first clients.

Your Turn

Focus groups or paid research studies won’t pay your mortgage, but one or two a month will definitely help build your side hustle snowball.

Have you had any success in landing paid focus group studies? What do you think of this little supplemental side hustle?

Let me know in the comments below!

Serious About Making Extra Money?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there such thing as an online focus group?

Yes! Several companies facilitate online consumer research focus groups, which is great because that means you can earn money from the comfort of your home or office. Check out our full list to learn more.

How much do focus groups pay?

The pay for focus groups depends on how long the session lasts. Most commonly, you’ll find rates average around $100 an hour.

Where can I find legit paid focus groups?

Companies like Respondent, Fieldwork, and FocusGroup.com are all legit facilitators of paid focus groups. Or, for the best results, you might try an aggregator service like FindFocusGroups.com, which pools together focus group opportunities from several sources. Be sure to check the list of providers on Side Hustle Nation as well.

How do online focus groups work?

Online focus groups work either via conference call or more commonly, through a group video chat to more closely mimic the in-person experience. A moderator will lead the group discussion and participants can chime in through their webcam and computer microphone or phone line.

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Stock photo by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock

The world can be a dirty place! But in every mess, there’s an opportunity to clean up — both literally and figuratively.

Every year, Americans spend $46 billion on cleaning services and another $1 billion on cleaning supplies. Plus, 43% of the population says they “hate” cleaning!

That’s why cleaning businesses are in-demand — and why smart entrepreneurs are cashing in on that trend.

In this post, I’ll share my top cleaning business ideas that you can use a starting point for your new venture.

I chose these based on:

Interviews with real cleaning business entrepreneurs
Industry growth and profit potential
Startup costs and risks involved

Ready? Let’s do it!

1. Parking Lot Cleaning

Brian Winch began picking up litter in parking lots back in the early 1980s before heading off to work.

Within a few months, he’d turned it into a full-time business. Today, it’s a $600k+ per year operation!

And it makes a great side hustle since the work needs to be done in the early morning hours or after businesses close at night. 

2. Commercial Cleaning

Commercial cleaning businesses have minimal startup costs and charge anywhere from $25-100 an hour, depending on location and complexity of the work.

Customers and employees have an expectation of cleanliness so this is considered an essential service in most retail and commercial settings.

On The Side Hustle Show, Haley Gallagher reported earning over $170k in revenue in her first year in business!

3. Gutter Cleaning

Jimmy Moncrief from Chattanooga Gutter Cleaning started his gutter-cleaning business when he heard people complaining about how they couldn’t get anyone to come to fix the gutters on their house.

Since Jimmy already owned the necessary tools to get the job done, he said he could do it and has created a business around gutters.

He has been making $1,000 – $2,000 a month and has been able to grow his business with referrals and Google Reviews. He has also started setting up some of his customers on a recurring plan for his services.

This is a great low-cost cleaning business idea if you already have the tools and know-how to hang and clean gutters.

4. Window Cleaning

Window-washing is another great low-cost business opportunity. Window cleaning can be done on your own timeline and like some of the other business ideas mentioned can be done on both residential and commercial properties.

There are a couple of different ways you can charge: by pane, by the window, or by the hour. When I spoke with Johnny Robinson, co-founder of Orange Window Cleaning, he described flat-rate pricing of $15.75 per window.

For most providers, the hourly rate works out to be in the $40-$75 dollar range.

5. Headlight Cleaning

With a few dollars in materials and a little elbow grease, you can make some money cleaning headlights on cars.

To start, target office buildings with lots of cars in the parking lot. See if you can advertise the service with a flyer at the front desk or run a special for employees who work there.

6. BBQ Cleaning

When he was just 16, Jacob Shaidle had the idea to start cleaning BBQs around his neighborhood. He began by knocking on doors, and as you might expect, faced a ton of rejection.

Still, he persevered and sold $12,000 worth of work his first year, and $16,000 in 2022.

Not bad for a teenage business with super low overhead!

7. Power Washing

Pressure washing is a simple, low overhead side hustle that’s just plain satisfying to do!

Scott Anderson reported earning $3,000+ per month washing houses part time, and was able to recoup a good chunk of his equipment costs on the very first job.

To get customers, you can advertise online or put up flyers around your neighborhood.

8. Home Cleaning

Some reports show the residential cleaning industry is growing by 20% a year!

And you may not even need to do the cleaning yourself. Anthony and Jhanilka Hartzog have an interesting business model in which they contract with local professional cleaners to help them fill up their schedules.

They’re essentially playing matchmaker — marketing for customers and connecting them with qualified cleaners — and earning 40% of every job. When we spoke, they were doing $20-25k a month in bookings, and have grown significantly since then.

9. Car Washing

A mobile detailing business can be a great cleaning business idea, especially if you’re a “car guy.” Not only can you choose your own hours and work around other commitments, but the job itself is simple yet rewarding.

With the right set-up and some basic knowledge of car care, anyone can get started in this side hustle.

Typical rates are $200-400 per car, and you can stack 2-3 jobs up on a Saturday and make pretty good money. For example, Josh Belk reported earning up to $6,000 a month with the detailing business he started with his brother.

10. Short Term Rentals

With Airbnb and VRBO powering the short-term rental market, there’s been a huge spike in demand for quick-turn cleaning services.

Guests expect a spotless hotel-like experience, and sometimes you only have a few hours between check-out and check-in.

Because of the narrow timing window and “it’s gotta happen now!” race against the clock, short-term rental cleaning services can command premium rates. This cleaning business idea can work in just about any market, but may be easier to start in popular tourist destinations.

11. Pool Cleaning

Many homeowners have pools that need regular cleaning and maintenance during the summer months. This can be a a great side hustle because:

Each pool doesn’t take a ton of time
It needs to happen regularly, which means recurring revenue

The average pool maintenance cost is $180 per month. Build a roster of clients around town and knock out the jobs on a weekday evening.

12. Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning is a great in-demand service you can start. Starting a carpet cleaning business will require you to have access to a carpet cleaning machine, whether you own or rent, and cleaning solutions as well.

There are a number of different ways to clean a carpet so you can pick the option or options that work best for you and are in demand in your area.

A carpet cleaning business has the potential to earn between $75,000 – $100,000 a year.

13. Dryer Duct Cleaning

With a dryer duct cleaning service, you’re preventing fires and promoting peace of mind.

Nationwide, the service costs an average of $139 and you can sign customers up on an annual or bi-annual plan.

It’s a relatively easy side hustle — the hardest part is moving the bulky dryer itself. You can even find affordable dryer duct cleaning kits, like this one on Amazon.

14. Tile Grout Cleaning

Did you know that people will pay to have their grout and tile cleaned in their homes and businesses?

If you like to clean already, this can be a great business idea.

You can easily find the best ways to clean and protect the grout from YouTube and other home improvement sites, gather the supplies needed, and start marketing your new business.

According to HomeAdvisor, pros charge between $30-$50 an hour. Even if it does take you a little time to learn how to do it correctly, that is a nice upside.

15. Pet Cleaning and Grooming

I’ve seen several mobile pet grooming vans around our neighborhood. This could be a good cleaning business idea if you love animals — and can make them love you during a chore they probably don’t enjoy.

Typical rates range from $50-110, depending on the scope of services included.

16. Pet Waste Removal

In Michigan, Erica Krupin turned the poop-scooping chore into a thriving pet waste removal business. She relied on some savvy social media and local marketing to build a roster of 80+ customers.

When we spoke, she estimated earning around $50 an hour for the work!

Obviously, it’s not the most glamorous gig in the world, but it is one that’s well-suited for recurring revenue. Set customers up on a weekly payment plan and keep people’s yards clean.

17. Junk Clear Outs

Could you set up your own junk hauling service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? It’s a blue collar business that can earn $200 per load or more helping people clean out their space.

Alternatively, you could join LoadUp, the nation’s largest network of independent junk removal contractors.

Loaders for LoadUp earn an average payout of between $55 and $200 per trip and up to $2,000 per week.

18. Home Organization

Marie Kondo fan? Love The Home Edit?

You could turn your love of decluttering and organizing into a home organization business.

For example, Leah Rowan of Philadelphia created a profile on Thumbtack and began responding to customer inquiries for organizing work. Two years later, she reported earning $65 an hour and up to $4,000 a month!

19. Estate Sale Service

I connected with a Side Hustle Show listener who specializes in estate sales. He reaches out to local realtors getting ready to list a property.

Realtors have a vested interest in getting inventory and items cleared out of houses so they can get them staged and sold to collect their own paycheck!

The estate sale organizer will take 25% of everything that sells, and they typically enlist the help of some online auction networks to reach a wider audience of buyers. He even mentioned tacking on a 15% fee to the buyer.

So, if there’s a $100 item, the estate sale organizer will earn $25 from the seller and the buyer will end up paying $115 for it after the buyer fee. The organizer would earn $40 in total.

Now, this side hustle does take a lot of work in terms of organizing the inventory and prepping it for sale, but you can see how it can pay off pretty nicely if a house has $10,000-20,000 worth of stuff in it.

20. Laundry Service

Laurie Fulford, a South Carolina mom of 2 young kids, is making around $30,000 a year simply by washing laundry.

She’s a personal launderer on Poplin, a nationwide on-demand laundry delivery service.

The company is relatively new, so there might be an opportunity to jump in as it grows.

21. Yard Service

As a side hustle in high school, a friend and I got paid to help clean up a neighbor’s overgrown yard.

We hacked back weeds, cut the grass, and trimmed the jungle-like plants back to something a little more manageable. It was hard work, but rewarding.

Today, services like GreenPal help connect yard cleaning business owners with customers who need their help. According to the site, the average rate is around $55 an hour.

22. Trash Bin Cleaning

Dustin Riechmann’s 15- and 9-year old ended up making almost $850 combined — or roughly $25 an hour! — cleaning out garbage and recycling bins around their neighborhood.

The business started with some strategically placed flyers and a post in the local Facebook group. With limited startup costs, the duo charged $15 for one can, or $25 for two, and ended up with a couple dozen customers.

One interesting thing they found was that several customers also gave them tips and other odd jobs along the way. Dustin created this short video sharing how it all worked:

23. RV and Boat Cleaning

The worst part of any RV or boat trip? Cleaning up afterward!

Take this pain away for RV and owners by offering to clean both interiors and exteriors of these vehicles. Because it’s such a niche service, you likely won’t have much competition in Google either.

Plus, larger vehicles mean larger average job values.

Cleaning Business Ideas: Your Turn

What cleaning business idea makes the most sense for you?

The answer will depend on:

Your interests and goals
The time you have to dedicate to it
Competition in your local area

Starting a cleaning business can be a relatively quick and lucrative way to make extra money. Plus, you can bring on additional help to serve more customers and scale the business as you grow.

Serious About Making Extra Money?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.