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We all need extra cash from time to time and one great option for doing this is by joining paid focus groups. But with so many sites out there offering these kinds of opportunities, it can help to know what you’re getting when you sign up for one. It’s for that reason that our Apex Focus Group review will really show you if it’s a legit way for you to make money.
That is, Apex Focus Group is one of the more common names you hear about in this field. But with all of us so short on time, it’s best to focus your efforts on those paid focus groups that pay you the best and have the most opportunities.
So how does Apex Focus Group work? And does it pay well? Keep reading to find out.
Top pick for focus groups: Spoiler alert…our top pick for sites offering paid focus groups is easily Survey Junkie.
This is because it pays up to $150 an hour just for you to answer a few questions – which is basically the easiest money you’ll ever get.
Table of Contents
What is Apex Focus Group?
Apex Focus Group provides access to focus groups run by companies undertaking market research. It’s essentially a middleman between those looking to participate in these groups and those firms looking for consumer information. The company also provides people with information on available clinical trials and survey panels in which they can also be paid for participating.
Of course, there are many focus group websites out and about on the internet, but Apex Focus Group dangles a seemingly high-paying carrot that is quite tempting to chase. Like many other websites of its kind, it will put you through the wringer of personal questions in order to test your compatibility with current studies.
Online and in-person options enable participants a wide range of studies to choose from in products like clothing, food and drinks, and pet products. Such irresistible options may have you already throwing yourself into the sign-up box…but wait. Is it a scam or not?
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Is Apex Focus Group legit?
With little information to interpret across the internet, the tentative answer is that Apex Focus Group is a legit, but not necessarily worthwhile means of income. Complaints are plentiful, but meaningful user reviews lead one to believe that money can be made – just perhaps not as much as you may hope.
This is a relatively new site, so it’s not accredited by the Better Business Bureau yet, meaning there isn’t any Apex Focus Group BBB page that could shed some light on any other juicy details.
The reviews on Glassdoor are confusingly opposite, though. While the average satisfaction rating is about 2.9 out of 5, there is an almost even split of euphorically happy, well-paid participants and angry, embittered participants who swear by Apex Focus Group’s lead generation and spam being their source of income. Several reviewers on Glassdoor even attested to issues receiving payments for completed studies.
While the sheer number of websites attesting to complaints about email spam is concerning, there aren’t a lot of other blatant red flags for Apex Focus Group. This includes, surprisingly, that there aren’t any comments about whether Apex Focus Group is legit on Reddit.
In any case, if you’re concerned about them using your data, there are focus group options on its “Focus Groups” page that you don’t have to join Apex to participate in.
Right now, it’s best to be careful. While it may not be a scam, it may not also be worth it. This means that while it may be worth joining them, it’s also a good idea to sign up for other sites that may offer better opportunities where you’re potentially more likely to earn money.
Apex Focus Group alternatives
If you’re feeling unsure about whether Apex Focus Group is actually legit, there are a few other options to consider that offer focus groups as a side hustle.
Survey Junkie
While Survey Junkie gets its name from the surveys they offer, focus groups are also available for product testing in-person and over the phone. And the best part is, you can earn up to $150 an hour for the focus groups offered on this site.
Signup for surveys and focus groups is easy. Simply sign-up for the Survey Junkie website and fill out your profile to get opportunities sent to your email inbox. Focus group opportunities are much more limited, though, so it’s a good idea to keep your eyes on the website so you don’t miss the opportunity.
Respondent
Targeting a different niche of survey takers, Respondent offers research surveys to professionals in different fields.
Basically, if you’re a professional in software development, marketing, business ownership, sales and support, and a few executive options, you can participate in market research studies that fit your profile and get paid through Paypal automatically.
And while it can be slightly harder to qualify for Respondent’s focus groups and surveys, it’s definitely worth trying given that you can earn up to $250 an hour with these focus groups.
Find out more about Respondent here.
User Interviews
User Interviews is the demographic baby of our two previous options. While normal, everyday consumers can participate in studies, there is also a niche for professionals
After creating a profile, you fill out some demographic information and get paired with relevant studies. For one to three-hour focus groups, the promised pay ranges from $40 to more than $200 for a day’s work.
Fieldwork
While more geographically limited, Fieldwork offers comparable pay to User Interviews. After signup, you can either join focus groups in locations near you or join the national database which will give you online access to studies and surveys.
Fieldwork, though more selective, does have a more professional air. Once you’ve been flagged for a study, someone will either call or email you to confirm your compatibility. This more person-focused approach might save some frustration.
Mindswarms
Mindswarms’ platform is unique because it requires a video interview for the studies you’re selected for. Because of this dynamic, a good smartphone or webcam is a must-have to participate.
Though the video aspect may be a hurdle for some, the pay is a bit more guaranteed than with a few other websites on our list. When you’re paired with a study, you can get $10 per question answered with up to seven questions per study, and it’s automatically sent to your Paypal account within 24 hours. This makes it a great way to get free PayPal money instantly (well, as instant as it gets).
How does Apex Focus Group work?
The website for Apex Focus Group lists several different means of income: focus groups, clinical trials, and paid survey panels.
Under their focus group search, they offer a variety of products to test based on your location in the US. Each listing shows a payout and the qualifications for participating. Most focus groups offer online meetings with a few requirements such as internet access, ownership of a smartphone or laptop with a webcam, and a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Signing up for the website requires you to list such things as your brand of smartphone, whether you have children, your employment status, education level, and general biographical information. These personal questions will make it easier for companies to sift through applicants based on their products’ topic areas.
Some topic areas included on the website are:
- Child related
- Cell phones
- Entertainment
- Food
- Sports
- Electronics
- Pets
- Automobiles
These topic groups revolve around products in each of these domains.
Does Apex Focus Group pay well?
Apex Focus Group certainly promotes itself as having some very tempting pay options. While it can be harder to get selected for opportunities here, the money can be lucrative. For instance, the sign-up page boasts payment of up to $750 a week with smaller jobs clocking in at $35-$75 per one-hour session and $350-$750 for multi-session studies.
A review on Glassdoor even testified to a $1200 check for Covid research.
If you elect to join a focus group straight through the company without joining Apex’s website, there is a range of compensation options, most letting you earn well over $100.
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Apex Focus Group reviews
Back on Glassdoor, there are a few useful reviews that may help you get a little more confidence in regards to Apex. Here are a few of them:
- Headline: Great experience overall
- Pros: I have participated in a few well paying market research studies and focus groups through them, including the latest one on cellphone brands. They provide access to quality panel opportunities as well as great service to their clients.
- Cons: I don’t qualify for every study that they recommend for me . Success rate is maybe around 20%-30%.
- Headline: Had a lot of fun sharing my thoughts on interesting topics.
- Pros: I haven’t done a lot of the studies I was given, but I do take the screening quiz when I get the chance. Quite often I’m outside the demographic they are looking for. Participated in a few surveys and phone reviews, and was paid promptly on all those occasions. Good to work with. Anyone I have talked with by phone has been knowledgeable and friendly. Just positive thoughts!
- Cons: Sometimes there’s a group meeting but there isn’t enough lead time to fit it into my calendar. Two days is not enough time!
- Headline: I got picked to join a focus group on tax software
- Pros: I was paid via Paypal once I finished all the required Zoom calls and journaling. $250 wasn’t too bad for the amount of time it took. This is a fun and awesome way to make money! Another friend which I recommended this company to was chosen for a clinical study. Overall, I had a great experience with them.
- Cons: I had to apply to 7 or 8 studies before being selected for this one
While bigger finance websites aren’t covering Apex Focus Group just yet, you can be sure their reviews will grow with their user base. Unfortunately, Apex’s website boasts only around 800 active users.
(Perhaps the early and plentiful email spam rage will set them back for good…)
Apex Focus Group complaints
At the moment, reviews on Apex Focus Group are a bit few and far between – another reason to be wary. However, here are a few of my favorites from Glassdoor and around the internet.
Keep in mind they aren’t necessarily representative of the overall feeling that everyone seems to have for this company…I just thought they were funny.
- Headline: This is a Scam.
- This is a lead generation company who sells your data or attempts to get you to enroll in their education or other backend/affiliate services. They may conduct the odd focus group but I repeat THEY ARE A LEAD GENERATION COMPANY. This means your data will be shared with their partners so they can sell you things, not enroll you in a clinical trial.
- Headline: Scam
- They are scamming people out of money. I have 4 kids and these people scammed me. I want my money back. I wish this site had it where I can post the pictures and email. To back up my story.
- Headline: Scam
- Pros: Very good intro to make you think it’s real.
- Cons: They will spam your inbox.
- Headline: This is a complete joke they do not pay you. You get points for surveys, which ‘bug’ just before completion, so no point
- Pros: There are no pros to this job advertisement because it is not a job.
- Cons: Sounds too good to be true because it is too good to be true.
(I’m honestly not sure if this person is actually talking about Apex Focus Group, although they seem to think that they are, as it doesn’t seem from anywhere else that they do a point-based survey system.)
Complaints are plentiful, but there are a few useful reviews out there that, if legitimate, may be proof enough that you can trust Apex Focus Group and make a few dollars.
So is Apex Focus Group a scam?
There’s good reason to be tentative about Apex Focus Group. Complaints can be found on many middle-of-internet-nowhere scam reporting websites all saying the same things:
- Email spam is out of control
- Pay is hard or impossible to receive
- Opportunities are too few and far between
- Administration and tech support staff are hard to get in touch with
Yet, there are still reviews that give the impression of legitimacy. Some positives include:
- When opportunities are found, the pay is good
- Interesting topics with a lot of good options for studies
- Covid studies were useful and well-paying
- Companies conducting studies were friendly to speak with
Final thoughts based on our Apex Focus Group review
Overall, it’s a little difficult to find the pulse on Apex Focus Group. Are they maligned unfairly by users because of common business practices and fewer opportunities than expected? Or, are the complaints true and representative of an average user’s experience?
I think, to be fair, we can say it’s both.
What we know for sure is that survey and study opportunities on Apex Focus Group are plentiful but selective. You may not get selected for participation in a long time, if ever. However, if you are lucky enough to get selected, the people you interact with will be great, the studies will be interesting, and the pay will be good (perhaps better than its competitors).
Apex Focus Group is not a scam, but whether it’s worth the time and effort is still up for debate. I think most users would say, “Don’t put in the effort for little if no reward,” but if you’re patient, I think you’re safe to give it a shot and wait for opportunities to come to you.
Alternatively, you may want to focus on more legit focus group sites where you know you’ll actually get paid – which some say will happen with Apex Focus Group, while others aren’t quite as positive.
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About the author
Anna is the founder of LogicalDollar and a personal finance expert, having been seen in Forbes, HuffPost, Reader’s Digest, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, CreditCards.com and many more. She’s committed to helping others get on the path to financial freedom using the experience gained from turning $60,000 in debt into a thriving investment portfolio. Find out more.
FAQs
What is it like to work at Apex focus group? ›
Great experience overall
I have participated in a few well paying market research studies and focus groups through them, including the latest one on cellphone brands. They provide access to quality panel opportunities as well as great service to their clients. I don't qualify for every studies that they recommend me .
Focus groups are usually scams, as you will never get paid for what you have given, and you don't know that we already have our data when you “don't complete a survey”. The truth: You completed our survey, and now we're not going to pay you.
What is apex focus? ›Apex Focus Group is a legit website that helps people find paid focus groups, clinical trials, and online surveys. If you need a starting point to find these sorts of income opportunities, it's not a bad place to begin your research. However, Apex Focus Group doesn't actually pay you or run focus groups itself.
Is Apex a real company? ›Delivering Value and Innovation. Apex Systems is a world class technology services business that incorporates industry insights and experience to deliver solutions that fulfill our clients' digital visions.
Is Apex Group a good company? ›Apex Group is rated 3.5 out of 5, based on 222 reviews by employees on AmbitionBox. Apex Group is known for Job Security which is rated at the top and given a rating of 3.7. However, Career growth is rated the lowest at 3.1 and can be improved.