While most paid online surveys are simply scams, there actually are legitimate companies that are working to provide consumer data to their clients. One of the few that have been coming up recently in forums, blogs, and social media is Pinecone Research. To evaluate this survey website, we’ve written this thorough Pinecone Research review.
The website allows members to earn points by completing their surveys. Members can redeem these points into cash or various prizes. Prizes include electronics, merchandise, as well as gift cards to popular retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and JC Penney. Users are generally satisfied with it, and it is definitely a legit survey website.
Pinecone Research Instructions
To take part in Pinecone Research’s program, you’ll need to get an invitation link. It’s important to note that not all registrants will be accepted. However, the company has several guidelines that you need to meet.
To join, you will need to be at least 18 years old. You’ll also need to reside in specific countries like the United States, Canada, the UK, or Germany. To protect their program, they only allow one member per household, so trying to register multiple family members in their program will not work.,If your registration is accepted, you can log in on their website and start looking for surveys to fill out.
Here are some things to expect once you become a member:
- Pinecone Research will send anywhere from two to five surveys every month that are related to your demographic information. You will get the surveys by email.
- Sometimes, there are special surveys that pay out anywhere from $5 to $15 for completion.
- There are many different categories of surveys including Automotive, Baby, Books, DVD, Fashion, Electronics, Home, etc.
Pinecone Research Rewards & Bonuses
As mentioned earlier, Pinecone Research gives you a choice of either redeeming points for cash or for various prizes. The average survey will pay out 300 points, which equates to a value of $3 in USD. Again, there are instances where special surveys that pay out anywhere from $5 to $15 are available. You’ll want to complete these as soon as possible when you see them.
As for the prizes, there are many redemption options available. You can opt for gift cards (physical or digital) for popular retailers, which is one of the simplest ways to redeem your rewards. But there are many other options like products in the health category, magazines, music, office products, toys, video games, and more.
If you decide to redeem your points for cash, you have the choice of receiving it by either check or PayPal. Requesting payment by check can take up to a week, but PayPal requests are very quick and are usually sent within a few days. The surveys themselves takes anywhere from five to thirty minutes to complete, and you can expect to be able to complete anywhere from two to five surveys a month.
Pinecone Research PROS
This Pinecone Research review wouldn’t be complete without a balanced outline of the pros and cons. Pinecone Research has many advantages over other similar programs, but that’s not to say it’s not without flaws. Here’s a quick rundown of the pros.
- The company offers a high rate of $3 per survey, and there are opportunities to earn more money through featured surveys. They also offer product testing surveys which pay out $6.
- Some of the surveys are very straightforward and can be completed fairly quickly. Other survey sites may run you through multiple surveys so that they can double dip on their members.
- There is no minimum threshold for redemption. Other survey sites may require you to accumulate a minimum balance before requesting payment. With Pinecone Research, you simply cash out whenever you want.
- They are very reliable with payouts. With other survey sites, you may notice some members that have not been paid for a very long time. Pinecone Research is a company that is on top of paying their members.
- Payments are sent out relatively quickly. It usually takes only a few days to get your payment sent by PayPal, which also happens to be the best way to redeem your earnings.
Pinecone Research CONS
There aren’t many downsides to be mentioned in a Pinecone Research review. However, there are some things that you definitely need to watch out for.
- If you forget your login credentials and you have been inactive for some time, it will be difficult to get back in. Members report that customer support was unresponsive about providing their login information or reactivating their membership status.
- Not all registrants are accepted, even if they qualify. The company will sometimes close membership for undetermined periods of time without any announcement. However, it’s more likely to be accepted through an invitation link.
- It would have been nice to see a wider range of electronics that can be purchased with your points. With that said, you can always opt for a gift card and buy whatever you need through your favorite retailer.
Alternatives to Pinecone Research
There are a good number of alternatives to Pinecone Research. Here are a couple you should consider.
- SwagBucks – This is a membership site that helps you earn money by reading articles, watching videos, completing surveys, and shopping online. While there are many ways to earn money, the payouts are usually very low. Our SwagBucks review can teach you more about it.
- MySurvey – This is a survey site that is similar to Pinecone Research. However, the average payout is $0.50 – $1.25. They also require a minimum balance of $10 for redemption.
- MintVine aka Branded Surveys – This is another similar program. However, it also provides other opportunities like focus study groups, rewards for shopping, and earnings from referring others. To learn more about it, you can go to our MintVine review.
The best way to earn the most money with surveys is to take part in multiple programs, so it’s worthwhile to take part in every opportunity you can get.
Pinecone Research Review Wrap Up
That concludes our Pinecone Research review. Overall, Pinecone Research is a legit company that pays you for completing surveys. The company offers very high payouts, and are very reliable when it comes to payments. If you’ve tried Pinecone Research before, make sure to share your experience down below, to help other people who might be interested in doing the same.