Thanks for stopping by to check out my Arise Work from Home review. There is a big trend towards working at home and it’s becoming the new normal. Arise claims to be a “business-in-a-box” type solution.
In this review, I'll discuss what they do, how it works, and if you can actually earn a full-time income at home. I'll also explain why some have called Arise a scam.
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Arise. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not to apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What Is Arise Work from Home?
Arise Virtual Solutions provides clients such as AT&T, Disney, and Intuit the ability to outsource their customer service and support needs to a virtual call center.
Founded in 1994 and based out of Florida, their virtual call center employs you… an Arise agent who works from the comfort of your own home.
They provide a wide range of job opportunities, from remote roadside assistance to virtual support for Turbo Tax and customer service for Carnival Cruise Line, among others (see below)…
They provide you with the training, the call center infrastructure (software and support), and a network of reputable clients you can work with.
Arise work-from-home Agents spend their days (and/or nights) answering phones, dealing with customer service issues, and on occasion, responding to clients via email and chat.
Is It A Scam?
There are certainly some who claim that Arise is a scam. However… their use of the word scam is a little loose.
We’re not talking about an absolute scam here… the kind that takes your money and disappears into the night.
The issue with Arise is that there are costs to start, and there are no guarantees of enough work to make it worthwhile. For those not familiar with independent contract or freelance work, this is understandably frustrating.
There is also a considerable amount of unpaid time in the beginning.
[UPDATE]: As of July 18, 2022, certification courses are free. A $20 no-show fee is charged if you miss the first day.
For clarity, the training is free but it's not paid. Courses range in length from 10 days to 8 weeks depending on the certification.
Please refer to the comments section of this review for further updates and insight.
For those who go in with the idea that Arise is a work-from-home “job”, it’s understandable they would call it a scam since you don't risk your money with a traditional “job”.
But… you are NOT an Arise employee. You are an independent contractor (referred to by Arise as a Service Partner)
As a contractor, YOU are responsible for your own costs (including equipment and training).
In a way, working for Arise I like buying a mini-franchise. They provide you with the courses, the software and central support, and the marketing (a network of clients)… but you must pay for it.
And, like most franchises… you may own the business, but you’re not really the boss. The franchisor maintains strict control over what you can and can’t do and how you do it.
So, Arise is legit… but it’s definitely not for everyone.
If you're looking for a regular job with a guaranteed salary and benefits… this is probably not for you.
How Does It Work?
Getting started with Arise can be a long process. From the moment you apply to the time you’re making money, it can take several weeks.
The Registration Process
You must first apply and then pass a voice assessment which will test your basic abilities.
If they give you the thumbs up, you’ll have to order a background check (which you pay for) and sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Next… Arise requires that you set yourself up as an LLC (also at your expense), and provide a separate bank account for business purposes. Yes… this is a pain in the ***, but these are things you’ll have to do anyway if you want to eventually earn your income from home.
The big difference with Arise (compared to other work-from-home opportunities) is that they require it up-front.
Once you’ve completed that process, you’ll have to purchase computer equipment (if yours does not meet minimum specs), set up a dedicated phone line, and take their training programs.
Requirements
Aside from being 18 and living in Canada, the U.S., or the UK… Arise doesn’t have any specific experience or educational requirements.
There are, however equipment and financial requirements.
To set up your virtual call center, your computer must meet minimum specifications, which include Windows 10 or 11, at least 4 GB of ram, and 20 GB of available space on your hard drive.
Arise also requires your computer to meet the following CPU speeds:
- INTEL Core processors: 13-9000,15-7000, 17-5000,19 series or better
- PENTIUM G5400/N6400 series or better
- XEON E CLASS series or better
- CELERON J4000/N5000 series or better
- AMD RYZEN 3 series or better
- ATHLON 3000 series or better
You will also need some specialized equipment such as…
- Hard-wired phone and headset and mic, or…
- Hard-wired USB headset and mic with phone-quality audio.
- Hard-wired keyboard and mouse.
- Smartphone or other mobile device for multifactor authentication.
A high-speed internet connection is also needed, but chances are you already have one.
Since you're taking customer service calls, background noise can also be an issue, and you will need a quiet, distraction-free workspace.
How Much Does It Cost?
This is the sticking point for most people. There are hundreds of work-at-home opportunities that don’t cost you anything to start. That makes Arise tough to justify, especially if you’re just starting out as an online freelancer.
The costs for using the Arise platform include…
- Setting up an LLC – $100 to $350 (depending on where you live).
- Basic Certification – $99
- Background Check – $15 to $30
- Equipment and hard-wire installation – $100 to several hundred, depending on your situation. For example, installation assistance and upgraded equipment may be required.
- Training Courses – (Free except for a $20 no-show fee)
In addition to start-up costs, which can potentially exceed $1000, you must also pay monthly fees. In contrast, virtual receptionists who work for Smith.ai start for free, get paid training, and, in some cases, get full benefits.
Arise charges $19.75 twice per month after the registration process is complete, and you accept your first client. This pays for your access to clients, as well as software and support.
To be fair, this is a relatively small expense for benefits that would cost significantly more if you were to acquire them on your own.
Recurring Fees,
- Arise – $19.75 twice per month.
- Dedicated Landline – $15 – $35 per month (Optional).
- High-Speed Internet – $40 – $60 per month.
- Additional non-Arise courses to upgrade skills when working with new clients (Optional).
- Debt repayment costs if you used credit to purchase the required equipment.
It should also be noted that you could have several weeks of unpaid time. That’s not a direct expense, but it can be an opportunity lost if you’re taking time away from other sources of income.
How Much Does Arise Pay?
At the end of the day, this is what matters.
Arise pays for your time spent talking with customers. There are several reports of multiple wages… some as high as $19/hour. However, it seems most claim to be in the $10/hour range, and that would be the safe assumption.
Directly from Arise, they state that “Service revenue rates vary based on client program complexity and currently range from about $10 – $16+”
In other words, don’t do your budget and base your investment decisions on $19/hour.
Pay is directly deposited twice per month.
Arise Work Schedule
Although the claim is that you have a flexible schedule, you can only work the hours they provide you.
Within those hours, you have flexibility… which is fine if your income requirements are minimal or you have another source of income.
Another issue with Arise is that they don’t put limits on hiring, so the environment for work hours becomes competitive.
That means it will rarely, if ever, become less competitive.
There are also complaints that jobs are limited to inconvenient hours and short time intervals.
If Arise was a free opportunity, this wouldn’t be an issue. You could simply make a few extra bucks when possible.
But a few extra bucks isn’t going to cut it when you’re investing a significant amount of money upfront, and every month.
Arise Reviews and Complaints
The positive to negative reviews seem to be evenly split (although I haven’t counted each one)…
Typically, if it was free to sign up and get started, I’d say give it a try. At the very least, you would gain some experience.
This is different though. Arise has pushed some of the financial risks onto you… therefore, you must give a little more weight to the complaints and negative reviews.
That’s not to discourage you from trying Arise because there are also people writing positive reviews. To be very clear… Arise is legit and a great opportunity for the right person.
But I also can’t give Arise a blind recommendation because there is a real possibility you will lose money here. But that's NOT because of Arise. It's a risk we all take when we become independent contractors, or buy a course, for example.
What I Like About Arise
- It’s beginner-friendly.
- Arise provides you with clients (and as a freelancer, it’s always better to start with a source of clients than it is to start from scratch).
- You can choose which clients to work with.
What I Don’t Like
- High start-up costs (relative to some work-at-home opportunities), monthly fees, and relatively low earning potential.
- Unlimited hiring. To use the franchise metaphor again… it’s like McDonald’s selling unlimited franchises with no concern that 10 locations on the same block will all be competing for the same customers.
- Up to several weeks of unpaid time.
Final Thoughts
I can’t in good conscience recommend Arise unless you can comfortably afford it. Especially when there are many free work at home opportunities.
But, it's also not fair to call them a scam or a bad company. Arise will be a great opportunity for some people.
If you decide to go with Arise, you may benefit from a full-time freelance strategy. Don't limit yourself only to Arise. If you're setting up an LLC and purchasing equipment anyway, you can also work similar gigs like Teletech and Liveops to fill in your schedule when you have downtime.
Since you'll be sitting at a computer, investing some time into a passive income business is another productive way to maximize efficiency and justify working from home.
I hope you found my Arise review helpful, and if you have any questions or comments (especially if you’ve worked for them before), please share in the comments section below.
I’m not sure if this is a scam or not, but it’s an interesting idea. I would definitely consider trying it out if it’s legit.
thank you so much… This is not for me and you saved me alot of money and time
As a IBO would the $19.95 come out before Arise send agents pay or would I deduct from their pay and send to Arise.
Being doing training for 2 weeks. Very stressful as they dont really train you, there is no teaching. You are left with your own device
They push you on live calls and need to swim on an ocean
If you dont sink you may survive and even get paid.
So I’m bout to get a check from them to get all the materials I need . Is this legit or not
Thanks
You left out a another HUGE problem with arise is that your an independent contractor. Which means 3, 2 or 1 terrible times a year you have to pay back 100% of what they didn’t take out of your check I made 86000 amd owe the government close to 15000 back so if u make 10$ and hours it’s far less than minimum wage. I literally have NO clue why anyone would subject themselves to from what you have said seem like one of the worst ideas I’ve heard since clear pepsi. Thank u for making it clear that I’m smart enough not to consider this as anything more than a waste of 5 minutes. But I’m glad you put out this article I hope no one else gets roped into this because this sounds precisely what the definition of a scam is lol
Such a scam! If you go through alphafemworks or home depot and have the instructor jewels Martinez just stop immediately! You’re going to waste a month of not getting paid and giving wrong information.
This is the Owner of AlphaFemWorks Sarafina Altman. Agents who normally post comments like these are upset because they weren’t able to work only 5 hours a week and get paid a full 40 hour a week salary. During my orientation I am very upfront with my agents and I explain to them that they must understand work-life balance and be aware that you get paid for what you work. This is a 1099- independent contractor job. You must be on the phones working a full pay period to receive a full earnings. I have several agents who have been with me 5+ years who can confirm. Please do not slander my company without giving the full details. Also please keep in mind that you did sign legal documents that can have you cannot post any of my business information without my permission INCLUDING my business name. Thank you!
This sounds like a Scam. Independant contactor jobs are great for Engineers or Traveling nurses. They rob entry level employees, though. This is essentially a business who doesn’t want to pay upfront costs and has their employees foot the bill instead. Yikes.
People that write in here is because they had a bad experience FULL STOP!
They claim to pay $6.00 per interval, which is 30 minutes. but in fact, they only pay for actual talk time…that is why they want your phone time fast and limited. they claim you can do the rest of the paperwork in ACW (after call work) but as my pay went…I saw that money. I worked 10.5 hours or 21 service intervals and I was paid for 2.581 intervals for a total of $15.49, yep i would call a scam….because they make sure you can never talk to anyone there at the company!!
Not to mention your an contractor right? So you have to pay back 100% off what they didn’t take out of your check at the end of the year. Yikes 3$ an hour j/k non the less a waste of time
A lot of this isn’t accurate. I’m not sure when this was written. Training with Arise is now free. They only make you pay for training if you miss the first day. It’s $20 for missing. You don’t need a dedicated phone line, you just have to be hard wired into your internet. I’ve worked for Arise for the past year and it’s been a great choice. I’m under an IBO now but will eventually go out on my own.
Hi Emily, thank you for reaching out and for your current insight. I appreciate it and will schedule those items to get updated.
Jay
Hey Everyone – I just signed up for Arise; I have a home office and a LLC – but I had to purchase a telephone and headset (no problem). What I didn’t realize was the 1st 2 weeks will be WITHOUT pay and I will pay $40 a month to work with them?? Anyway, I will try it out and keep you posted
Hi! How do you like it? Is the llc necessary? I’m in training with a client now and have not heard about that. Just want to be prepare. Thanks.
Many companies on arise give you free training also.
Arise is a business opportunity. And, if you don’t want to dish out the money for an LLC liscence, you can find a premier IBO that pays well and offers vouchers on training essentially making it free, and they also have varied service fees. For example when I first started with them I had a bad IBO they paid me $8/hr and I did research on other IBOs. I stayed with the same program but switched IBOs, now I make $17/hr and they take $10 OFF the service fee if I keep a good commitment percentage! The longer you stay with some programs the more you make! I’ve been with Arise for 2 years and will continue to be with them much longer. So my advice Get a good IBO before choosing so your research! Look for premier ones that have good standing with the platform.
Thanks for this – this will be my side job and I’m pretty excited. I took an assignment with Dicks and Home Depot in January….. Is there somewhere where the IBO’s are rated?
How do you find another IBO? I would love to look into that
Thank you, your information was helpful🙏
What if I already have a business name and a llc company name
I’m grateful that I had the presence of mind to not fully form judgements of Arise based solely on some unfavorable reviews. I’ve been a contractor with the company for almost 2 years. Most of the unfavorable reviews have SOME legitimacy – but they are not explaining in detail (maybe they don’t know?) how the opportunities work.
Start-up costs:
I have seen training classes with ALL clients offered for FREE on the Arise Platform. Some training classes are as little as $4.99, $9.99 and $19.95. Right now there is a training class on the platform that is $59. When you consider that there are about 15 different clients on the Platform to choose from, if you are trying to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses, why would you choose the $59 course? Why not go with the course for $4.99 or $9.99?
As an Independent Contractor (I have been working for myself on and off for many years), MOST companies hiring you expect you to have basic equipment that “supports” the kind of work YOU say you do as an Independent Contractor. As a Contractor you will be expected to have your own desktop or laptop, a USB noise cancelling headset (can be purchased from Walmart for $5) and an ethernet cable to hardwire into your internet (can be purchased from Amazon for $6.99 – $12.99).
Available Work Hours:
Arise provides work hours in abundance to Agents who do their job & do their job well. If you are showing up to work late everyday, leaving work early, taking numerous breaks during the hours/time you scheduled to work, there is a lot of noise (kids, dogs barking etc) in the background or you are not meeting your BASIC performance Metrics – then YES, 100% you will find your hours increasingly diminished. Why? If you were a business owner, would you RELY on an employee like I described above? No, you wouldn’t. The Arise contractors that are easily able to schedule hours, are Contractors that:
1. Actually schedule hours (if you are ONLY scheduling 2 hrs per week, how valuable are you to the system as a whole?)
2. Maintain “Commitment Adherence” – this is basically are you showing up to work on the days/times YOU chose/scheduled to work. Basically, are you reliable & dependable.
3.Are you meeting your basic Metrics? (are you gracious, polite & helpful with customers, do you do active listening and because you are doing GREAT listening you can quickly & effortlessly resolve the customer’s issues, are you using the tools you were provided and the knowledge you learned during your training classes?)
Arise routinely gives a FULL schedule to contractors that are finishing their training classes. This gives the new contractor an opportunity to choose the schedule that best suits them and actually keep that schedule by doing their job to the best of their ability.
Final Thoughts:
Working for a great Partner on the Platform will give you the benefit of their knowledge, training skills, experience AND metrics. If you would like to learn more about this Virtual/Work from home opportunity or Partner with a great company – you can send an email to:AriseInfo105@gmail.com
Hi Alana, thank you for sharing your insight and experience. It’s greatly appreciate and helpful for others 🙂
Regards
Jay, it was my pleasure to share what I know to be my truth working for Arise – thank you for publishing my comments. In my first year with the company, I worked for a client that offers seasonal/temporary work. They also had multiple and ongoing incentives to contractors that wanted to work and were really working hard to meet/exceed the client’s required metrics. My base hourly pay was $16 and there were many days that I was making $27 per hour (with the incentives). There were a few days for that particular client where we (the contractors/agents) were making ALMOST $50 per hour. Jay, if you would like me to show you my “receipts” to validate & support what I’ve shared here today I would be happy to. In my first year working for Arise, there was one month where I made over $5,500. I WAS working like crazy, and the hours WERE available for me to work. So my experience has been very positive and I just wanted to give the viewpoint of someone who has found great success with Arise. Jay, thanks for giving other viewpoints a voice as well 🙂
Happy to share your comments and get your input Alana 🙂 You can definitely send some supporting information if you’d like and I can add it to the review for others to learn more about Arise as well. My contact page is here https://gighustlers.com/contact/
Love it!!! I’m going to dig right in!!!
I just started, completed 60 hours of unpaid training and invested $400 in equipment. I passed all assessments and had my affidavit of ID verified. I passed the background checks. Then, I was dropped for no reason. They definitely took my money and ran. Beware of Arise!
Thanks this helped a lot. Especially a 17 year old looking for multiple ways of income.
Is this a telemarketing company? That’s really my only question.
Hi Allen, great question. Arise isn’t a telemarketing company but some of their clients might be. In most cases, their clients are looking for agents to take incoming calls for customer service issues, which may or may not require upselling. But it’s possible they have some jobs that require outgoing calls to be made, but I’m not aware of any specific clients requesting that.
I almost just joined Arise through Andvaris. They take 60 dollars per pay period which is 120 per month or simply if you make 10 dollars an hour your first 6 hours are paid to Andvaris each pay period. I've never worked for a company that charges me to be an employee by claiming I'm a contractor. I believe California just went through similar issues with ride share services. Are you an employee? or are you a contractor?
Looks like your a contractor until it comes to money which they seem to be making on both ends from you and the client.
I've been with Arise for a few months..I registered as a sole proprietor as I did not want to work under someone else. Yes this is part time for me as I do work fulltime. For me the only thing I added was a 2nd monitor for $35 and my phone line which I have since disconnected. I would say for me no real major issues…I was able to connect with support and my issue was resolved satisfactorily in a timely manner. The revenue I earn has benefited me so I would recommend this platform to anyone looking to earn working from home.
Your analysis is only partly right., you do not have to register an LLC unless you want to if you do the monthly fee is $39, you can also go under another business for Arise fee: $19 every pay cycle that’s a platform fee. Courses are as low as $19, the client charges for the training so there are different prices. It’s worth it you have little to no experience in customer service. It is long I agree but lately I’ve seen clients shorter the course times & you do get paid in most phase 2 courses, phase 1 is usually 2-3 weeks then phase 2 you start to take calls & make money. The pay isn’t the greatest but it’s from the comfort of your home or wherever you can hardwire your system to work. If you end up signing up under a really good Independent business & choose not to start your own then that’s even better. It’s not a scam, you really get paid for the work you do, you will be responsible for doing your taxes as they will not be taken out as an independent contractor, but it is not for everyone to do.
Awesome information, thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to share 🙂
Thank you so much for your honesty regarding Arise. I was an independent contractor two years and everything you mentioned was spot on. I wish your review was around before I begin with Arise. I wasted a lot of time and money.
Hello dear,
Thank you so much for this honest review. I appreciate the time you have taken to research and put all this info together.
Donna
Hello my name is Tiffany, and I have been with arise for years. I am an IBO and I enjoy it. You not actually have to pay for everything out of pocket either if you sign up under an IBO. I am currently accepting new people if you guys are interested but can’t do all that’s required up front . Unique_customerservice@yahoo.com
I am interested. If you would please email me at […]
Hi Tiffany
I am interested. If you could please contact me that would be great!
I was fortunate enough to already have an LLC and equipment. I chose the ****** client and the class was only $10. I did have to invest 4 hours a day for 3 weeks with no pay. I am on my last few days of training and will update you all on the availability of hours once I get started.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for the information and sharing your experience thus far… it’s extremely valuable insight for others considering Arise. Much appreciated 🙂
Jay
Can you let me know besides your 3 week investment with no pay, what’s your numbers looking at? Is is worth the money to get started and dedicate yourself to do this? I will never expect anything to be get rich quick, I have patience and don’t give up on something once I’ve started but I want to know how lucuritive it is, how hard do you have to work to even make it pay the bills?
You are NOT to mention any of Arise’s clients anywhere. It is a violation of your contract. All of Arise’s clients are to be kept confidential. I am surprised that you would do that.
I have been with arise for 5 years and I have done well. During the busy season for the client I service, I have have glowing metrics and have earned between $3800 to $4500 a month. One month I earned more. During the offseason, it is significantly less because you have a lower rate and fewer hours.
If you are like me, who came from a business background where I have earned from the mid $50k to $75K a year, the work from home industry is an embarrassment. It is more part-time money.
What I like about Arise is, it enables me to walk from my bedroom to my office. What I don’t like about Aris is, there isn’t anyone to speak with if you have a dispute about anything, including your pay.
I guess Jennifer didn’t last long because she didn’t return to update.
You make me want to join this company!
I’ve been in business all my life, now my husband has retired it’s real difficult.
I’ve got to work but I’m disabled & have difficulty so need to work from home!
But can’t afford to get ripped off!
I owned an insurance agency and after two years I was number one in the state of Missouri for farmers insurance so I have done quite well for myself in the past it would be very nice to do quite well again, haha!
Thanks for the feedback!
So much is negative…
Plesss anyone has current feedback on arise ?
How much is it hourly?