Prolific Surveys Review 2024 –  Is Prolific Legit?

Do you dream of managing your schedule? 

Join the club. Flexibility is now the #1 priority for job-seekers. 

You may have heard of one common online method for earning flexible income: completing surveys. 

Yes, this is a real thing. 

Companies will pay survey participants to collect data for clients. In fact, we published a list of apps that pay you real money instantly. Surveys and games are prominent on the list!

Prolific is one such company. It’s a reputable name in the industry, and you can earn real money by completing Prolific surveys. 

Is Prolific legit? Yes.

Is Prolific worth it? It depends.

I’ll explain further in my full Prolific review below. 

What is Prolific?

Prolific is a company that helps researchers and businesses conduct online surveys. 

Imagine that someone’s studying something and wants to know how people feel about a certain issue. With Prolific, they can create a survey, then receive responses from the pool of paid participants. 

Most Prolific surveys are created by two groups of people:

• Academic researchers (who want to study human behavior)
• Marketers (who want to understand consumer habits and preferences)

These folks need responses from ordinary people – people like you! And they’re willing to pay.

Prolific surveys are based on a wide variety of issues. Some examples listed on the Prolific website include:

• Describing what shapes you imagine when you hear certain sounds
• Rating your loyalty to certain businesses
• Selecting how you’d react if you were a member of a hypothetical jury 

So the surveys aren’t just paid; they can also be genuinely interesting. 

Of course, I won’t go so far as to say you’ll be entertained the entire time. Some surveys are certainly more entertaining than others. 

But you can look for studies on the site that capture and keep your attention. 

If you’d like to get paid for surveys, focus grous, and even clinical trials, check out “Is Apex Focus Group Legit?”

How Does Prolific Work?

Taking paid surveys for Prolific is simple and easy – as long as you can get in off the waitlist. 

Once you’re in, you can take surveys at your leisure, earning money as you go.

Here’s how the process works:

1. Join the waitlist. Lots of people want to take Prolific surveys, so you’ll have to wait for your chance.

2. Create an account. Prolific will verify your identity, so they know you’re a real person. But don’t worry; they won’t share your real name with researchers. You can also provide additional background information, which will make you eligible to take more surveys.

3. Find and take surveys. You’ll see a list of surveys you’re eligible to take, and you can complete them as you choose. Some are quick (only take 5 minutes to complete), while others take longer.

4. Get paid! Each survey has its own pay rate, but the minimum is $8.00/hr. Your earnings will appear on your dashboard, and you’ll receive payouts twice a week to your Paypal account. Once you make four cash outs to the same PayPal account, you’ll be eligible for instant pay. 

How to Sign Up For Prolific

Signing up for Prolific is straightforward, but you will have to spend some time on the waitlist.

The first step is to make sure you’re eligible. 

If you’re living in the U.S., then this shouldn’t be a problem. Prolific surveys are available to anyone in OECD countries, which includes the United States. 

The next step is to get on the waitlist.

You can do this quickly through the website. Having to wait is certainly disheartening, but it’s actually a sign that Prolific cares about its survey participants. 

If anyone could sign up right away, the existing account holders would struggle to find available surveys. 

Once you’re off the waitlist, you’ll have to officially sign up. You can provide your email address and phone number or simply use your Facebook account. 

You’ll also be asked to verify your identity. You can do so by submitting a copy of your passport, driver’s license, or other I.D. 

This step is meant to ensure that Prolific participants are real people with real identities. Which makes sense, right? Researchers don’t want answers from scammers!

Once your identity has been verified, you’ll have access to available surveys.

Is Prolific Legit?

Prolific is a completely legitimate company. Founded in 2014, it’s now used by more than 25,000 researchers around the world.

And these researchers aren’t just random people. They’re serious scholars and hardcore marketers from major institutions. 

Where do these researchers come from? 

Renowned universities like Oxford and Stanford and major companies like Google and Meta. 

Talk about big players on the global stage! 

So, is Prolific legit? 

I think it’s safe to say the answer is “yes.”

Is Prolific Safe?

Prolific is a perfectly safe place to conduct online surveys. 

The company is legitimate, and countless online users can attest to its fair business practices. 

Prolific even has a 4.5 average rating on Trustpilot, a major website for online reviews.

Now let me be real. 

Is Prolific the right choice for you? Maybe not – the pay, while better than many survey sites, is hardly through-the-roof.

But is it safe?

Yes, yes – a thousand times yes! And that’s what you should take away from my Prolific review. 

Pros and Cons of Prolific 

Prolific is widely considered one of the better survey sites out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. 

Here are some pros and cons to consider. 

Pros

• The website is mobile-friendly. That means you can participate – and earn money – from almost anywhere. 
• There’s a minimum rate of $8/hr. This is better than what many survey sites are offering. 
• You can contribute to meaningful work. This isn’t just mindless drudgery. Your responses will assist researchers who are working to change the world!

Cons

• There’s a waitlist for creating an account. Looking to start today? Then this isn’t the platform for you. 
• The verification process can take a few days. Prolific needs to make sure you’re legit – and that doesn’t happen right away.

Prolific Reviews

Prolific has over 130,000 participants, and many of them have written Prolific reviews online. 

This is great news because it means you don’t have to rely only on my Prolific review. You can also see what other users are saying.

And what exactly are they saying? 

When you look at Prolific reviews online, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Plenty of people praise the decent pay and remarkable convenience. 

Others complain about getting kicked off the platform or being denied access altogether.

Let me break it down.

On Reddit, one user raved about the site, saying they made more than $20 with just a couple of hours of work.

Another user on Trustpilot shared a similar sentiment. They were especially happy not to be asked screening questions before completing each survey. 

A dissatisfied former user complained that they were abruptly banned from the site. This seems to be a somewhat common phenomenon, as Prolific can act swiftly when it decides an account isn’t satisfactory. 

Another would-be user said they never got past the verification process.

So, what to make of these cases? 

Well, with so many positive Prolific reviews, it would be difficult to doubt the legitimacy of the company. 

What you can doubt is that Prolific represents a secure source of income. 

It’s a great option for padding your bank account or filling an income gap, but you can’t be sure it will last forever or work out in the first place.

Commonly Asked Questions About Prolific Surveys

How Much Do Prolific Surveys Pay?

Prolific pays a minimum of $8.00/hr – and some Prolific surveys pay even more. So is Prolific going to become your 75K/year dream job? No. But it pays better than many survey sites, and it can help you pad your income. 

Does taking surveys really pay? It does! And here are more ways to make money taking surveys,

How Long is the Waiting List For Prolific?

Getting off the waitlist for Prolific can take anywhere from 6 hours to over six months, depending on your demographic background. Why does your background matter? Because researchers want survey respondents with certain characteristics, and Prolific manages the waitlist accordingly. 

Check out this article if you’d like to play games to win gift cards while you’re on Prolific’s waiting list. And if you’d like to play games to win money, check out these options:

• Bubble Buzz (read “Is Bubble Buzz Legit?”)
• Bingo King (read “Is Bingo King Legit?”)
• Bingo Tour (read “Is Bingo Tour Legit?”)
• Solitaire Clash (read “Is Solitaire Clash Legit?”)
• Solitaire Smash (read “Is Solitaire Smash Legit?”)
• FreeCash (read “Is Freecash Legit?”) 

Here are some of the best GPT Sites that pay you for tasks like playing games and taking surveys. There are even apps that pay you to walk!

• Is Rakuten Insight Legit?
• Is Buff Legit?
• Is CashWalk Legit?
• Is Cookie Cash Legit?
• Opinion Edge review

 And check out these free games that pay real money instantly.

For more ways to complete tasks like playing games, taking surveys, and signing up for subscriptions to make money, check out Is Flash Rewards Legit? and Is Rewards Giant USA Legit?

And if you’re looking to make some extra cash in your spare time, check out these side hustles from your phone.

You can also learn here how to get a free DoorDash gift card.

Got gift cards you don’t want? Learn how to get instant cash for gift cards.

And if you’d like to drive for DoorDash, learn how you may be able to get off the DoorDash waitlist. 

If you’d like to try out great products for free, learn about Nike product testing and Adidas product testing.

How Fast Does Prolific Pay?

Researchers usually approve Prolific survey responses within a few days, which sends the money to your balance. If the researcher doesn’t act, your survey will be automatically approved after 22 days. You can cash out on Tuesdays and Fridays as long as your account has at least £5 (about $6).

If you’ve been thinking of opening a new bank account, check out these banks with immediate sign-up bonus to boost your balance fast.

What is the Highest Paying Legit Survey Site?

Prolific is often listed among the highest-paying legit survey sites. Other sites offering decent pay include Branded Surveys and MyPoints. 

Here’s how to make an extra $100 a week. And learn how you could make money as a mystery shopper in this Field Agent review.

For more ways to answer questions for money, check out our reviews of these survey apps:

• Five Surveys review
• Test’em All review (also pays for gaming and mystery shopping)

And check out these apps that pay $100 a day if you combine your efforts. You can even make money watching videos!

To make money just for opening a bank account or inviting a friend to, learn how you can get a Chime referral bonus.

Are Paid Surveys Worth It?

Paid surveys can be worth it if you have plenty of free time and you’re only looking to pad your income. You certainly don’t want to quit your day job! But if you’re just looking to make an extra buck here or there, it would be worth considering. Another option is AttaPoll (check out this guide to “Is AttaPoll legit?“).

Is There a Prolific Survey App?

Prolific doesn’t currently have a mobile app. Yeah, it’s a bummer. But here’s the good news: Prolific does have a “Prolific Assistant” browser extension that can make it easier to look out for survey opportunities. 

How Much Does Prolific Pay?

Prolific pays a minimum of $8.00/hr, and some Prolific surveys pay even more. This rate is higher than what you get from many other survey sites. 

You may also want to find out if you could have any unclaimed money class action settlements and what the average class action lawsuit payout per person is.

Is Prolific Surveys Worth It?

Prolific surveys are worth it if you’re looking for extra income. The minimum rate is $8.00/hr – which isn’t terrible. But is Prolific a dependable full-time job? Not really. There aren’t always surveys available to take, and some people have reported being suddenly banned from the site. 

Prolific Waitlist?

So how long is the Prolific waitlist? Unfortunately, there’s no way to know how long you’ll be on the Prolific waitlist once you sign up. It could be anywhere from a few hours to several months. That’s because Prolific applicants are taken off the waitlist based on how well their demographics match up with the available surveys rather than in the order they applied in.