Welcome to my review of Forthright Surveys. A lot of people have fun completing paid surveys, and you can earn a few extra dollars doing them… but it pays to do your research since a lot of these sites are scams.
In this review I'll discuss that topic (is it a scam), as well as explain who they are, the ins and outs of what they do, and what you can expect if you sign-up.
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Forthright Surveys. 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 Forthright?
Forthright Surveys is an online market research company that rewards members for doing online surveys and expressing their thoughts.
It seems easy enough, right? Just answer a few questions and make money?
But, some survey sites are less reliable than others, and Forthright unfortunately suffers from many of the same issues that other paid survey sites have… which I’ll get into in a moment.
If you’re familiar with online surveys and have been doing them for awhile, you may remember a company called innoPoll. They weren't the most popular survey company generally received good reviews. In July of 2017 they rebranded themselves as Forthright.
Now having read many Forthright reviews, some claim they were a better company before the rebrand…
Forthright is based in New York and is operated by Bovitz Inc.
How Does It Work?
Like most online survey companies, Forthright works with clients who want your opinions and feedback. Surveys are put together, emailed to you, and are made available on a first come – first serve basis.
Signing up with Forthright is free, and it's easier than most. Just enter your email to join and keep an eye on your inbox for survey invitations.
Who is Forthright For?
Paid surveys rarely pay more than a few bucks, so Forthright is for the person who has some spare time and is just looking for enough money to cover a utility bill, buy a few coffees, or pay for fuel.
Who It’s Not For?
There are a few “professional” survey takers out there who sign up for dozens of sites and spend their days answering questions. But their earning potential is still limited.
If you hate your job or if you're worried about the future economy and looking for something serious… something that provides a full-time income, Forthright won’t be for you.
The advantage to making money online is that the web gives you leverage. It enables you to produce something once and get paid over and over for it. To earn passive income.
Generating income with paid surveys gives you zero leverage. You only get paid once.
I can’t speak for everyone, but most people (myself included) would rather earn passive income.
Is Forthright a Scam?
No… Forthright is not a scam.
Having said that… there are two frustrating issues with paid survey companies that some survey-takers accept as normal, but others believe to be a flat-out scam… a deliberate attempt to steal your time and opinions.
1. You Don’t Qualify
The biggest issue people have with Forthright (and most paid survey companies) is regarding eligibility.
For example, if you fill out a survey on a specific topic or brand, but your answers suggest that you don’t know about that topic or brand… you will get a message stating that you “don’t qualify” (but this is AFTER you've answered the survey questions).
And those who don't qualify, don't get paid… whether you've completed the survey or not.
If people are calling Forthright a scam, it's usually because of this.
But there are two ways to look at it…
From Forthright's perspective, a dependable research company is tasked to provide accurate (and relevant) information to their clients.
Therefore… survey questions are usually written to be “self-screening”, meaning their purpose is not only to collect the required information, but to also identify the right people for their research.
But not everyone fits the right demographic. For example… anyone can “say” they are a parent and fill out a survey targeted at parents… but if they’re lying just to earn a few bucks… it messes with the data.
So, the beginning of a survey is usually designed to weed out anyone being dishonest… or those who don't match the client's objective.
Quite often this can be 30 minutes or more of your time, and there is a good chance you won’t qualify or get paid.
As mentioned above… many survey-takers realize this and consider it to be a part of the process.
Others think it’s a deliberate strategy to scam you and get out of paying.
2. Quota Is Full
Another similar issue is that surveys are first come – first serve. A client may order 100 surveys, but when the invite goes out… 200 people might start filling it out.
The first 100 get paid… and a message goes out to the rest that the quota is full. Once this happens a few times to someone… it’s easy to see why they feel cheated and call it a scam.
These are legitimate complaints, and again… common with most survey sites.
For those who spend a lot of time doing surveys, they may not like it… but they accept it as a reality of earning money this way.
How Much Does Forthright Pay?
So… to lighten the mood, I'll change to a more positive tone…
Rather than talk about the unfortunate similarities Forthright has with most survey companies… I’ll talk about some of the good differences.
Forthright does away with the typical “points accumulation scheme” and the minimum payouts.
If a survey pays $3.00… then $3.00 will be transferred to your PayPal account once the survey is completed. Simple as that. You don’t have to wait for weeks or even months to reach a minimum threshold.
Payouts range between $1.00 and $5.00 per survey depending on length and urgency.
Forthright also pays a loyalty bonus. For every 3 surveys you complete, they pay you $2.00… and here’s the good part…
Even when you get disqualified from a survey (or get the dreaded “quota full” message)… those unpaid surveys still count towards your loyalty bonus.
Having said that, there are some complaints that this is not always happening, and it seems to be related to 3rd party surveys that Forthright provides… or what they call ‘partner’ surveys. More on that below.
Also, in addition to PayPal, rewards can be received as Bitcoin (into your Bitcoin wallet), Amazon and Tango gift cards, or donations to charity.
Finally… if you follow Forthright’s Facebook page, they occasionally offer prizes.
Other Ways to Make Money with Forthright
Apparently, Forthright also offers the occasional product test and video survey, but the only comments and reviews I could find were from people doing their surveys.
So, it's probably not often that those opportunities arise and I wouldn’t count on receiving an invite…
Most companies promote additional ways to make money just as an incentive to get people to join, but rarely do they actually offer those services.
I can’t say for certain the same is true with Forthright, but I also couldn’t find anyone who has done anything other than online surveys for them.
Forthright Reviews and Complaints
Not surprisingly, the reviews are a mix of positive and negative. Many of the comments contradict one another… but each person’s experience, and perception is different.
I’ll go over what people are saying, but at the end of the day… you’ll have to judge Forthright yourself based on your own experience (if you join).
The positive comments are…
- Their surveys are quick and easy relative to other survey companies.
- People like that there is no points system, no minimum payout… and that payments are made right away.
- The $2.00 loyalty program is also popular.
With the complaints, people are talking about…
- The issues already discussed about being disqualified without pay (or spending a lot of time answering questions and getting the “quota full” message).
- Some people feel as though they’re being “baited” with the occasional payout so that they keep coming back for more surveys (which they don’t get paid for), and they’re suspicious that Forthright is still getting paid but keeping all of the money.
- Poor customer support, or in some cases… no support at all.
What I Like About Forthright
- The loyalty bonus is unique among survey sites, and if it works as it’s supposed to, it can soften the disappointment of being disqualified.
- Like other members, I like that there is no points system or minimum payout.
- Payouts are made after each survey.
What I Don’t Like
- Too many 3rd party surveys and not enough original ones from Forthright. It seems a lot of the issues began when they started sending out more of the 3rd party (partner) surveys…
- No referral program and no way to make money for recommending others.
- Payouts are small (a few bucks at most) with no passive income potential.
Final Thoughts
If you can skip over the “partner” surveys (and only do the Forthright surveys), you might be able to avoid the problems that members are complaining about.
Again… Forthright (or any paid survey site) is for a specific person. You won’t make a lot of money, and if you'd like replace your job income, it's not an efficient use of your time.
But, if you've struggled to make money online, surveys can be a fun way to get started. The pay is far too low for my taste, but there are worse ways to spend your time.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope my Forthright review was helpful.
I did a 30 dollar product test through Forthright panel months ago. I was told 7 weeks ago, I’d have my incentive in my account within the 2 to 3 week turn around time. Well, nothing. Now customer support wont reply to my emails and haven’t in weeks as well. Last email weeks ago was I was guaranteed to be paid. Well where is it then? Why can’t you respond to my emails? Why won’t you respond to my BBB complaint? I even have the email from the market research company that this test went through that states, my participation has been recorded and thanking me. I want my money! I will say this, they do pay out instantly, never had a problem in that regards, but just be warned if you do a product test through their panel. If there is a delay or some sort of glitch, inform your participants, not ignore when they inquire about something! Multiple times! Im sure they definitely got their cut from it. Theirs and mine it looks like! Real nice to do to a once loyal participant!!