Respondent Reviews 1,205

I’ve completed several studies through Respondent without issues, so the platform can work well. However, I recently had a case that raises serious concerns.

I was accepted into a study, completed it in full, and received a completion confirmation on the researcher’s site. Despite this, the project status on Respondent never updated (it remained “Invited”), and I even received reminder emails after already finishing the study.

I contacted both support and the researcher multiple times. The researcher initially acknowledged my participation but then stopped responding entirely. Support has only provided generic responses about “researcher discretion” without addressing the actual issue or reviewing the evidence.

This creates a problematic situation where a participant can complete a study but still not get compensated, with no clear explanation or accountability.

Overall, the platform works in many cases, but when something goes wrong, support does not seem equipped to properly investigate or resolve it.

My score would have been much higher. Respondent could do much better, but will remain behind if:

1. Payouts take days to weeks to arrive. In a world where payment systems can issue compensation in minutes, even with a platform like Tremendous. The current compensation process is far from ideal and below the industry average.

2. The studies' procedural processes are far too cumbersome; the margin for acceptance into a study is too low and needs to be ironed out in an industry where high-level screening systems are commonplace. It hinders memorable repeat usage.

3. When a platform cannot guarantee that the respondent will get paid for the time, effort and information they have provided, that is fraudulent, and there is no need for the respondent to continue to engage.

4. There are too many loopholes and methods that those with fraudulent intent could use to prevent them from compensating respondents. They should seek them out and eliminate them immediately. Install safeguards to improve user experience overall.

I thought my experience with Respondent would be memorable for all the right reasons; however, all is not lost, and it can still get better. The recipe is there; it simply needs to be executed well.

Good and geniue

Researchers are allowed to reject your answers without any oversight of the platform or informing the participants. So you're now at risk of being scammed. I will be deleting my account after not being paid for a completed study.

From customer support: "After careful review, though, no specifics were stated; the project researcher shared concerns about the alignment between your responses and the criteria set for this study. As a result, unfortunately, and with regret, they've decided not to proceed with your application. For context, researchers employ multiple reasons and various parameters, which may disqualify or select some participants but not others. Researchers are under no obligation to explain these reasons (based on our Terms of Service and Researcher Code of Conduct)."

and "While we don't have detailed visibility into their specific methods, it's ultimately the researcher who decides on participant invitations, meeting proceedings, and payments based on provided information."

I would rate zero stars if I could. Over the past month or so I've completed a number of studies and have not received my compensation, despite the researcher marking me as "attended" and the studies listed as pending payments. I have also completed a number of studies, received confirmation that I've completed them and yet they never move from invited study to pending payment. Zero response from any of the researchers on the platform, I don't believe the messaging feature is a real live feature. The respondent support team are useless, they either completely ignore you or they reply with an AI generated generic response which doesn't address any of the points you have raised. They are scammers - useless! Avoid this site.

I was scheduled for a paid research session on January 22nd. The researcher provided a broken Zoom link, never showed up, and completely ghosted me. I immediately provided all the timestamped screenshots to Respondent Support.

Support confirmed multiple times that I was right and entitled to my incentive according to their own No-Show policy. However, after months of waiting, they downgraded my compensation to 50% without a valid reason. To make things worse, it has been another month since that promise, and they STILL haven't paid anything, continuously copy-pasting the same promise: "please wait another 10-14 business days."

It is now late April. Respondent.io protects unprofessional researchers but completely disrespects the participants who actually make their platform run.

I will gladly update or remove this review ONLY when a proper clarification is made by the platform. Until then, avoid them.

I’ve been using Respondent for a few years and, until recently, would have rated it 5 stars.

Over the past month or so, however, I’ve completed 4 studies without receiving any payment. 3 of these were through a company called Bolt (something to be cautious of). I made multiple attempts to follow up directly with the researchers, but received no response.

I have also made a couple of attempts to contact Respondent’s support team, but unfortunately, they haven’t replied either.

I took part in these studies in good faith, and my time is valuable. This experience has made me hesitant to continue using the platform. It’s disappointing that a platform I’ve supported for so long isn’t providing adequate support to its participants.

Went downhill fast. I am missing over a hundred euros in payments, their support chat is gone, and of course they are not answering any of my emails. Avoid like the plague.

No active support for participants, you are entirely on your own to fight with researchers who refuse to pay out or acknowledge you've completed a task because they use ai interviewers that dont work properly. Avoid at all costs

I did a study and have not been paid! There is no way to contact support, no phone number or email. It says to use the live chat box but it does not give me the option to speak, send message to chat with agent! Only FAQs with no way to reach support team!

Scam project
Becarefull this platform running too much money brand Who collaborate with this scam platforn

Been using Respondent for about a year - Would I recommend it?

Based on my 3 years of experience participating in 100’s of studies online & in-person research projects. 1000’s of surveys and tried most; User Interviews, UserTesting, Branded Surveys, SAGO, YouGov, etc.

SCREENERS QUOTA
Only 5 screeners per 24 hours.
You can only apply for 5 projects per day though most days that's not a problem.
- Top Tip. If you feel during the application process this won’t work for you, quit the screener and go back to the main page. That way you don’t loose a screener.

YOU DON’T ALWAYS GET PAID!
Yes - that happens. This past month I had three (conducted with an AI interviewer) that ever got paid.

*insert: since org review I had another not paid.

Funny enough this has never happens for a live video or in-person interview…
I have close to an A star rating on all other platforms, always give honest & clear feedback. Some researchers don’t like too much honesty or if you are too negative - or as they call it: ‘The quality of your answers didn’t align with our questions’ they can choose not to pay you.
There will be times you spend 30-45min on a project, never get confirmed attendance, project closes and is never paid.

TRACKING OF PROJECTS
I find it very hard to track confirmed attended projects which is important when payment doesn’t happen. On the day of payment you get an email: ‘Respondent sent you x-amount of $’. That’s it - no idea which project it’s for?!

PAYMENT CASH & GIFT CARDS
Payday is usually 7-12 days after finishing the project. Once the Researcher release the funds, Respondent sits on that money for another 5 days before it’s passed on to you.
Anything under £20 can be paid via PayPal.
Any amount beyond that is gift card or virtual credit card only.

COSTUMER SERVICE
Costumer service is HUMAN not AI which is great. However, with a problem like the one above they just refer to their C&T: The Researcher have the right to not accept your effort and therefore not pay you. Respondent are useless it that regard.

If you are ok with not always get paid - it’s one of the better ones out there. If you are NOT ok with that - Avoid it.

Good Luck to you.

THEY ARE SCAMMERS!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THESE THIEVES!!!!

I spent over 50 minutes on a 15USD study and did not get paid!!!! I have sent several emails to support, and this is what they responded:
"Hi Maria,
I appreciate your insights and response.
Please know that we truly understand your concern. While I know this is disheartening, we want to clarify that each project is managed by various researchers and organizations, each with its own participant selection criteria.
While we don't have detailed visibility into their specific methods, it's ultimately the researcher who decides on participant invitations, meeting proceedings, disqualifications, and payments based on provided information. It's important to note that Respondent, as a platform, doesn't make the selection, screening, or disqualification decisions.
We appreciate your kind understanding of this process, and we hope that you continue to participate in the studies most suitable for you.
I hope this clarifies, and let us know if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Neil
Participant Support | Respondent
Arneil
Respondent"

In other words, they claim they are not responsible! And they won't do anything!

¡DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS APP!

Respondent failed to issue payment for some completed studies and issued unusable payment via Tremendous for other studies. Unusable payment meaning the card number never worked and/or the funds expired 30 days after being issued (a legal gray area when cards are issued to California residents).

The result is that the income Respondent reported to the IRS via form 1099 is about double the amount I was actually paid. Respondent support has been completely unresponsive over the course of several weeks and many emails, including emails to specific individuals in leadership positions. To provide zero acknowledgement, particularly when the outreach is around tax concerns, is frankly baffling and not something I’ve ever encountered. Tremendous won’t help with the unusable funds issue, and I’m now at risk of an IRS audit as I’ll have to report a lower amount than Respondent did.

My accountant recommended reporting Respondent’s negligence and refusal to correct tax forms to the IRS via an information referral, which I fully intend to do, alongside a BBB report.

Waste of time. Inadated with leads. Looking for side hustle for a teenager. More BS and no wonder why no one works or has any motivation thanks to platforms like these/this.

You can only apply for five surveys a day for some reason. I’ve submitted five a day for two weeks and so far, nothing! What a waste of time.

1/5 stars
I have been a research participant on Respondent.io for years and what I have experienced over the past several months is frankly unacceptable for any legitimate business.

Respondent collected my W-9 for tax year 2025 -- a direct acknowledgment that they owed me a 1099-NEC. The legal deadline to furnish that form was January 31, 2026. It is now late March and I still do not have it. I am actively trying to file my taxes and this company has made that impossible.

To make matters worse, I have sent approximately a dozen emails to their support team over the course of several months. I have received zero responses. Not one. No acknowledgment, no auto-reply, nothing. I have never experienced anything like it from a company that holds itself out as a professional platform.

I took it upon myself to track down Zenwork (Tax1099), the third-party service Respondent uses to manage their 1099s, and contacted them directly. They responded promptly -- which is more than I can say for Respondent -- but told me they could not help and sent me right back to the company that has been ignoring me for months.

I have now filed a formal BBB complaint and am preparing to report the missing 1099 to the IRS. This review exists so that other participants know what they may be walking into. If you are considering using Respondent.io, understand that if anything goes wrong, do not expect anyone to pick up the phone -- or respond to an email.

Unfortunately, I can no longer recommend Respondent because they haven't paid for several completed studies. Everything was fine until the end of 2025, but since 2026 they've failed to pay, and the support is artificially generated; nothing is being done.

I participated in a study and it’s been over 2 months and still haven’t gotten paid and when I go to my studies it shows up as invited not completed. No one answered the messages I’ve sent will not use them again user interviews is way better and pays so fast. Other studies you get approved for will not be available when u accept.