Paid Surveys for Students and Teens

We’ve looked at some of the top sites offering paid surveys for students and teens. Brands are more interested than ever in the opinion of young consumers, and young survey takers will find a wide range of opportunities to participate in market research.

In this article we’ll go through a few examples of the most common types of paid surveys for students and teens, from fashion to social media.

Are teen surveys legit?

Depending on the minimum age in each country, sending online surveys to teenagers is fully legitimate. Reliable market research companies are conducting surveys among teenagers on a regular basis, and later in the article we’ve highlighted 16 recommended survey sites.

To illustrate why companies are so interested in the opinion of teenagers, we’ve looked at three different market research studies which are typical for the survey topics you can expect as a teenager.

Clothing and footwear surveys for teens

Shoes and clothing brands are super keen on targeting teenagers from an early age. Here is an example of a survey on the favourite sneakers of American teens:

As you can see from the chart above, as many as 8,000 teens with an average age of 16.3 years in the US answered this single survey. Each of the teens who completed the survey got a small reward as a token of appreciation. Just for the sake of answering a survey about their favourite sneakers! Market research companies are conducting thousands of surveys like the one above every year.

Social media surveys for teens

Here is a survey run by Pew Research Centre on teenagers’ social media habits:

Teenagers are huge consumers of social media, and companies are constantly monitoring how they interact with different sites and apps. This survey was conducted among teens aged 13 to 17.

Video viewing survey for teenagers

Netflix and YouTube are fighting for pole position when it comes to the viewing habits of teenagers. This example published by marketingcharts.com shows how viewing trends among teens have changed over time:

Again, this is a typical example of a topic that is hugely important for advertisers and media publishers when it comes to understanding young consumers. And what’s the best way to know how teenagers feel about these topics? Ask them directly of course.

Are surveys not boring to fill out?

Survey topics range from favourite clothing brands to your favourite streaming channel. Some surveys can be tedious, while other surveys are really engaging, showing you exclusive pre-releases of new Netflix series. Or a prototype of a new iPhone. You might also be asked to do virtual shopping experiences such as testing out a new online store selling t-shirts.

You’ll even be given money to do the shopping, so the researchers can monitor how you interact with the website. Some market research companies will also send you products to test at home, such as gym equipment. In return, you’ll need to provide your feedback after testing the product.

What’s the age limit for surveys?

Market research companies are usually very diligent when it comes to following the official laws and regulations when it comes to age limits for surveys. The rules are different from country to country, and some panel sites are stricter than others when it comes to the minimum age.

The minimum age for taking surveys in the US is 13, in line with Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Children under 13 years of age can only take surveys with their parent’s supervision and explicit consent.

In Europe, the minimum age varies per country. Here are a few examples:

• United Kingdom: 13
• Germany: 16
• France: 15
• Italy 14
• Spain: 14

You don’t really need to worry about this as it’s up to the survey site to provide the correct guidance following local regulations. If you’re below the minimum age and try to sign up for a survey site, the site will simply not let you register. Also, keep in mind that it’s not a good idea to lie about your age. Survey sites conduct lots of checks and will kick you out if they find out that you’ve faked your account.

What if I’m below the minimum age?

Often, survey sites will ask parents for their permission to ask children in their household market research questions (under supervision). So if you’re below the minimum age you can still participate in surveys, but you’ll need to do it together with your parents, through their account. Just make sure they split the reward with you!

How much can I earn?

To be realistic, most surveys do not pay very much, so you’ll have to be patient and persistent to accumulate enough to redeem a gift card. The rewards vary a lot by site, usually in the range from $0.20 to $3.00 per survey. Check the reviews on HuginX, which will give you an indication of the rewards level for each survey site. Remember there’s a catch with most survey sites: In order to access your rewards, you need to earn a minimum amount. For example, if the minimum payout limit is $10 and you earn $0.5 per survey, you’ll need to take a minimum of 20 surveys before you can access your hard-earned reward.

Top 16 survey sites for teens

Once you’ve decided to sign up for a paid survey website, you need to know where to find the best opportunities. We’ve rounded up 16 survey sites for teenagers offering a huge range of rewards and different survey topics. Note that many sites have stricter rules than the US minimum age of 13. This is often done in order to protect children from potentially sensitive survey topics.

The age limits specified above could come with additional requirements such as seeking parental consent before registering or receiving the reward. Also, note that these age limits can have changed after this blog post was written. Always pay attention to the terms of each website before registering.

What type of survey rewards can teens earn?

Survey sites offer a wide array of rewards, but not all types of rewards are available for teenagers under 18 years old. Cash payments through PayPal and prepaid debit cards are quite common, but the minimum age is usually 18. Sites allowing 13-17-year-olds to register usually offer gift cards to online stores such as Amazon, Play Store and GameStop, and may require parental approval as part of the redemption process.