Thanks for stopping by to check out my Crowdology review. When it comes to making money online, a common question I get is about doing surveys online. Yes... you can make money, and no... they are not all scams (although many are).
The topics I'll cover in this review are how Crowdology works, what you can expect, as well as the reasons some people are asking if it's a scam.
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not affiliated with Crowdology. This review has been researched with information and testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any conclusions drawn by myself are only opinions.
What is Crowdology?
Crowdology is a market research company that pays users for doing paid surveys and expressing their opinions online.
It seems simple enough. Answer some questions and make money…
How hard can it be?
The problem is that some survey sites are not as trustworthy as others.
Crowdology, operated by UK company Viga, shares a London address with several other marketing companies including Next15, Agent5 and Bite Global.
They are relatively new when compared to survey sites like My Points and Bizrate Rewards, and the reviews are mixed, which I’ll get into further below.
One thing you should be aware of though, is that online surveys do not pay very much…
When making money online, the internet is all about leverage. You can create something once and get paid many times for it; passive income that comes in while you sleep.
Unfortunately, online surveys don't provide that leverage. For every survey you do, you only get paid once.
Sites like Crowdology are great for earning a few bucks, but not suited to those who'd like to replace their job with a work-at-home gig.
Is Crowdology A Scam?
No… Crowdology is legit, but making money online is still one of those "mysteries" that people may be aware of, but know nothing about.
Telling your friends you make money online is almost like telling them you've seen a UFO. They’ll probably think it’s a scam…
But… they’ll also be curious.
While Crowdology is not a scam… there are some reasons to be concerned.
There are total scams that hire actors, buy fake testimonials, take your money and just vanish… then there are legitimate companies that stretch the truth and call it clever marketing.
For example… we know the cheeseburger we just ordered won’t look like the one pictured on the menu.
When we buy a new car, we expect the salesperson to play mind games and use every trick in the book.
Crowdology is NOT a total scam. But, when you read the reviews and complaints, some people have concerns and accuse them of being (like the car saleperson) a little shady.
Note: that's not an attack on all car salespeople 🙂 I'm only refering to the stereotype the dishonest ones have created.
You Do Not Qualify
If there's a single common issue with paid survey's it's this; You invest your time answering survey questions, but before you finish, a message pops up and says “you do not qualify”.
Source: Trust Pilot
And of course, if you don’t qualify, you don’t get paid.
This is usually the number one reason people call survey sites a scam.
They don’t pay much to begin with, but to waste your efforts answering questions and get kicked out before getting paid?
Not good…
In their defense, Crowdology is a marketing research company and it's their responsibility to provide accurate and reliable information to their clients (or survey hosts).
Surveys are usually "self-screening", which is to say their purpose is not only to collect your opinion, but to confirm you belong to the demographic they are targeting. And, in many cases (maybe most)… for all the answers you provide, you won’t be paid.
Source: Trust Pilot
This issue is not specific to Crowdology. All survey sites have this problem. The reason people call it a scam though, is because some companies will collect your information and kick you out of the survey (disqualify you) just so they don’t have to pay.
There’s no evidence that Crowdology is guilty of that. It’s just a theory from frustrated members.
But even the best survey sites have this problem and, in my opinion, it does not mean Crowdology is a scam.
How Does It Work?
Crowdology is currently only available to participants from the UK or US.
The process is simple... sign up and answer some profile questions.
The entire purpose of setting up your profile is to match you with surveys targeted ONLY at your demographic, but… with all the “do not qualify” complaints, this vetting process could obviously use some improvement.
Be prepared to receive a lot of surveys you’re not suited for.
Surveys range from 2 – 15 minutes and pay between $0.24 and $2.00.
Occasionally you may get offered a long-term study (a series of questions over several weeks) that pay in the ballpark of $10.00…
How Does Crowdology Pay?
A big plus with Crowdology is that there is no elaborate points system. They use good old-fashioned dollars and cents.
Payments are made via PayPal, or Amazon vouchers, and although there are some complaints to the contrary, Crowdology’s policy is to pay within 48 hours of your request to cash out.
Minimum Payouts
Crowdology doesn’t have an official payout threshold, however… PayPal and Amazon do.
PayPal minimum - $8.00
Amazon minimum - $10.00
More Ways to Make Money With Crowdology?
Unlike reward sites such as Swagbucks that offer a dozen or more ways to make money, Crowdology relies primarily on it’s surveys.
However, you may occasionally get invited to participate in telephone surveys or focus groups.
You can also earn sweepstakes entries when you refer-a-friend… although currently, their prize-winner page only shows one winner dating back to 2017 (for an X-Box ONE Bundle). There may be other winners out there… but for some reason, Crowdology has not listed them on their website.
Crowdology Reviews and Complaints
We can talk about the nuts and bolts, but for a real understanding of Crowdology, the reviews are where it’s at. What are people saying?
To be fair… for every complaint you can find a positive review to contradict it.
The most common issues reported are…
- Not enough survey invites.
- Not getting paid (and having to send multiple emails before getting a response).
- A high percentage of “do not qualify” surveys… which adds up to a lot of wasted time.
On the positive side, people are saying…
- They like not having to deal with a points scheme.
- A low minimum payout ($8 for PayPal and $10 for Amazon).
- And, while there are multiple complaints of not getting paid… some reviewers have claimed that payments are made quickly.
What I Like About Crowdology
- Like others, I also like the low minimum payout and having my money counted in dollars (not points).
- Surveys can be done anywhere (you don’t need a quiet, distraction-free workspace).
What I Don’t Like
- Not enough survey opportunities.
- Multiple complaints of people not getting paid (the one ball a company should NEVER drop).
- No passive income potential.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, making money with online surveys is a poor use of time.
Having said that… it’s low risk (free to join), and if you’ve never made money online before… it can be a great way to get your feet wet.
For those looking to earn a living online though, and make money while you sleep… paid surveys won’t do it.
I hope my Crowdology review was helpful and thank you for reading.
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