Is Pinecone Research Legit Or A Scam? (Honest Review!)

If you want to make money online quickly, paid survey websites are one of the most common suggestions out there.

Survey sites are popular for several reasons. For one, they're flexible, so you can hustle whenever you want to. And they also take no experience to get started with.

Pinecone Research, one of the leading U.S. research panels, is a perfect example. It lets you earn free gift cards and cash in your spare time, and it's completely free to sign up for.

But is Pinecone Research legit? And how much money can you actually make with this paid survey panel? 

In this Pinecone Research review, I’m going to share how this platform works, its earning potential, and how to decide if it's worth using.

What Is Pinecone Research?

Pinecone Research is a paid survey platform that's owned by Nielsen Holdings, one of the world’s largest marketing research companies that's known for measuring consumer engagement and preferences.

Like other paid survey websites, Pinecone Research lets you share your opinion to earn PayPal money and gift cards. All you have to do is sign up and then complete short surveys to get paid for your opinion.

But what makes Pinecone Research different from many other gpt sites is that it lets you cash out instantly. And it pays $3 per survey, which is a higher payout rate than pretty much any other survey panel.

Overall, if you want to make quick money right from the comfort of your own home, Pinecone Research is definitely a survey site that should be on your radar.

Is Pinecone Research Legit?

Yes, Pinecone Research is legit and lets you earn cash and gift cards for sharing your opinions. It's owned by the larger NielsenIQ research group which is a reputable market research company that has been in business for decades. And there's plenty of payment proof online and positive Pinecone Research reviews as well.

Most negative Pinecone Research reviews come from people who want to earn a full-time income or get more surveys from the panel.

However, Pinecone Research isn't a full-time online job. It's just a flexible side hustle that you can use to make a bit of pocket money in your spare time.

But this site is legit and pays out on time. And it has one of the best payout rates per survey in the industry.

How Does Pinecone Research Work?

Pinecone Research is pretty straightforward. While you do need an invitation to successfully sign up, once you're a member, you start getting notifications about surveys that are available.

Once you qualify for an opportunity, all you have to do is complete it. You then earn points which you can redeem for gift cards.

There are a few other ways to earn rewards with Pinecone Research, so let's dive into how this survey website works!

1. Sign Up

Signing up for Pinecone Research is different from most survey companies. This is because this survey provider is invitation-only, so you have to apply to get in.

Applying is simple, and you can submit an application for Pinecone Research online. This involves answering a short demographic questionnaire about your age, gender, ethnicity, household composition, and other information.

If Pinecone Research wants to hear from members like you, you usually get in right away. Otherwise, you get put on Pinecone Research's waiting list and see this message:

“Thank you for your interest in Pinecone Research. Unfortunately, there are no available openings for members with a household make-up that aligns with yours at this time.”

If you see this message, there's nothing you can do unfortunately. But you can always test out other survey sites like Branded Surveys and Ipsos iSay in the meantime while waiting to get into Pinecone Research.

2. Answer Surveys

The main way to make money with Pinecone Research is by answering surveys. This website pays a minimum of $3 per survey, which makes it one of the highest paying survey websites out there.

Survey topics are pretty standard and include entertainment, health, technology, sports, politics, and other similar areas you can share your opinion about.

The best part about Pinecone Research is that you know exactly how much you earn per survey is a massive advantage.

In contrast, a lot of beermoney sites pay much less than $3. And you get disqualified much more often than Pinecone Research.

However, the main downside is that surveys aren't available daily, or even regularly. Instead, Pinecone Research emails you when a survey is available.

This means that while you earn more per survey with Pinecone Research, you can likely earn more with platforms like Branded Surveys and Swagbucks since they have more consistent earning opportunities.

This is why I always recommend signing up for multiple survey companies to make as much as possible.

3. Try New Products

Another way to make money with Pinecone Research is through product testing. During these opportunities, users receive a product or products from brands Pinecone Research works with to provide honest feedback on.

While these free product testing opportunities are infrequent, they can be fun and exciting. Users participating in testing also usually get to keep the products that they are trying out.

Just note that this type of opportunity is very rare on Pinecone Research. Other product review gigs like Product Review Jobs and NCP Mobile are much more consistent if this is an online side hustle you'd like to explore.

4. Win Sweepstakes

One newer trend in the survey industry is having sweepstakes available for users. Pinecone Research does this frequently, and you can complete surveys for the chance to win a variety of prizes.

With both bi-weekly and quarterly sweepstakes, Pinecone Research offers large cash prizes that can be won by participants.

Just note that the sweepstakes terms and conditions do vary from sweepstakes to sweepstakes. Because of this, be sure to read the terms and conditions before entering so you know the odds and how to enter.

5. Get Paid

Pinecone Research lets you cash out at 300 points, which only takes on survey completion to reach. This makes it an excellent site that pays you instantly, and many other survey sites require $5 to $15 to cash out in comparison.

Your reward options include:

• Various products (like speakers, tech, smart home devices, etc.)
• Prepaid Visa card
• Gift cards to companies like Amazon, BestBuy, Macy's, Target, and more

Free PayPal cash used to be an option, but Pinecone Research now offers bank deposit instead. This is pretty rare for survey sites to offer, and the fact you can get real money or gift cards is a plus.

Just note that points you earn are valid until the user has no earning activities for 12 consecutive months and then expire.

How Much Does Pinecone Research Pay?

Pinecone Research has a straightforward rewards system, and 100 points equals $1. Survey offers start at a minimum of 300 points, which is equal to $3. This system is easy to figure out and far less confusing than some of the other survey groups out there.

Longer surveys may offer payments larger than 300 points, but this isn't too common. But earning $3 per survey is better than many other platforms.

You won't make $100 a day with Pinecone Research or anything close to that. But it's a nice, flexible side hustle and easy way to make money with your laptop in your spare time.

Is Pinecone Research A Scam?

Pinecone Research isn't a scam, and it's a legit platform that pays its members on time. And Nielsen, the company that owns Pinecone Research, has been in business for decades and is a reputable market research panel that has a variety of other money-making opportunities and passive income apps.

That said, there have been some fraudulent players imitating Pinecone Research online. Pinecone acknowledges these issues on its home page and states what users should be aware of:

• Pinecone Research Facebook Fraud: There have been instances where Facebook pages pretending to be Pinecone Research have asked users for their login information. Pinecone Research is not on Facebook and would not ask for private credentials.
• Pinecone Research Mystery Shopping & Check Scams: Third party scammers have used the Pinecone Research name and logo including a mystery shopping scam that involves cashing a fake check.

If you're contacted about a Pinecone Research opportunity that seems suspicious, you can contact the company to confirm and to report the incident.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• The Pinecone Research app is user friendly and is available on iOS and Google Play
• Earn $3 per survey
• Multiple payout methods
• Lets you cash out instantly
• Low survey disqualification rate

Cons:

• Pinecone Research is invitation only so you might not get accepted immediately
• Users report slow response by customer support
• Surveys aren't guaranteed so you might not earn very much per month

Other Pinecone Research Reviews

We think Pinecone Research is legit, and the fact it pays $3 per survey and lets you cash out immediately are two massive selling points.

But one of the best ways to tell if a platform is worth using or not is to see what other real people have to say about it.

Currently, Pinecone Research has a 2.0 star rating on Trustpilot with over 100 reviews. Many older reviews are positive, but some of the most common and current complaints are a lack of available surveys, glitches in the app and having trouble loading and submitting surveys. Users are also displeased that PayPal is no longer a method of payment and that some of the payout methods are difficult to use.

Here are what some of the current Pinecone Research users say about this company:

• “You get $3 per survey and sometimes you will get samples to test and then a survey for the product. I like that I can make extra money when I need it. However, my only issue is that lately, a lot of the surveys will not load. And after so many tries loading the survey, the app will say that I don’t qualify for that particular survey and then it disappears. It was working good for a while but it could really use an update on the loading issues.”
• “Their payment methods have become really crappy. You used to be able to just get a check or the amount deposited into your PayPal account. Now they want you to get their MasterCard gift card which I have never found a place that accepts those unless you have a great amount of money on them. They never seem to work right either. Or you can have it transferred into your bank account. Why does everyone want access to my bank account?? I’m really tired of that and really don’t want yet another company having access to my bank account.”

As you can see, these members like that Pinecone Research pays $3 per survey and lets you cash out quickly. But members don't like that free PayPal cash isn't available anymore.

This Pinecone Research review from YouTuber Make Save Spend Give also shares how this site works, how to cash out, and if it's legit:

This review highlights the main downside of Pinecone Research in that surveys aren't guaranteed, so you might not earn much some months.

However, a $3 payout minimum is one of the best in the paid survey space. And I like that you can cash out immediately.

The Best Sites Like Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research is worth using if you want to occasionally earn a quick $3 for sharing your opinion. But it's not an ideal primary earning website since survey opportunities can be rare.

Thankfully, there are numerous websites like Pinecone Research that you can use to earn even more, including:

• Branded Surveys: One of the leading survey sites with a low $5 cash out requirement.
• Swagbucks: This site pays you to answer surveys, watch ads, shop online, play games, and more!
• QuickRewards: Another survey website with an instant cash out ability.
• Ipsos iSay: A globally-friendly survey platform with a $5 cash out minimum.
• InboxDollars: Get a $5 sign up bonus and share your opinion for cash and gift cards!
• YouGov: Another fun way to share your opinion for free gift cards.

Tom also has a YouTube video that covers some of the top paid survey websites that you can use alongside Pinecone Research.

These sites won't make you rich. But if you want a fun side hustle that's easy to start, these high paying apps and websites can get the job done.

Extra Reading – The Best Jobs You Can Do With Your Phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Use Pinecone Research?

Pinecone Research is an invitation-only survey website that's available to anyone 18 or older in the United States. You have to apply to join the panel, and it can take weeks or months to get in if the company doesn't need more members.

Is Pinecone Research Safe?

Yes, Pinecone Research is safe. Nielsen, the company behind this survey site, has been in business for decades and is reputable. And you don't have to enter your credit card information to use the site. You don't have to answer surveys if you don't feel comfortable doing so either.

Final Thoughts

I hope my Pinecone Research review helps you decide if this survey site is worth it and understand how much it pays.

Overall, Pinecone Research is a nice way to earn money online as a beginner.

I love the fact that it pays $3 per survey and lets you cash out instantly. However, the waiting list and lack of consistent surveys are two downsides worth noting, as well as recent negative reviews.

Ultimately, I think mixing in other survey platforms like Branded Surveys and Survey Junkie makes the most sense. And you can always try other gig apps or online money-making ideas to earn even more.

Thanks for reading!

Try out Pinecone Research today!

Want even more ways to make money? Checkout:

• How To Make Money In One Hour.
• The Best Game Apps That Pay PayPal Cash.