It doesn’t matter if you’re searching for a new place to eat at, a hotel room to book, or a new product to buy, there is often one thing that can dramatically influence a purchasing decisions: reviews. Show
In fact, studies have found that 86% of consumers read local reviews when searching for products/services in their area, and reviews can be almost as powerful as personal recommendations. After all, 5 star reviews and positive feedback can lead to favorable rankings on search engines or shop feeds, while low star reviews or negative feedback can literally wipe out businesses. So, when researching ideas for my recent post on weird money makers people use, I obviously had to mention the fact that there are plenty of people out there who write reviews for money. Ethics aside (I don’t write reviews for money/unless I have personally used a product, but hey, some people need to eat and I get that), it’s actually incredibly easy to get paid to write reviews and I’m going to break down some of the best options to get started in the world of reviewing. Looking for other easy ways to share your opinion for cash? Checkout:
The Best Ways To Write Reviews For MoneyA good review can make or break someone’s decision to purchase. So, unsurprisingly, companies are willing to pay people to write high quality, favorable reviews. Time to dive into all of the different ways to get paid to write reviews that you can explore! 1. FiverrNow here’s the funny thing about Fiverr and Amazon when it comes to writing reviews for cash: Amazon actually sued over 1,000 fake Fiverr review writers in the past for this sort of stunt. Fiverr used to be inundated with fake review offers, and while Fiverr fully complied with Amazon and banned sellers/restricted those sorts of gigs, there are plenty of people still trying to make a quick buck:  Some of these gigs even have the word ‘Amazon’ in them, which I think is pretty damn funny considering the past lawsuit. Anyway, Fiverr has a healthy mix of product, book, and Amazon review offerings, and while a lot of sellers are vying for free merchandise in exchange for their work, some clearly expect cash for a quick Amazon review or 5 star rating. 2. Private Facebook GroupsWhile Fiverr used to be the place to go if you wanted to write reviews for money, private Facebook groups are much more popular these days, especially for Amazon reviews. A quick search of ‘Amazon Review Groups’ in my search bar brought up plenty of budding communities of reviewers, and hundreds of posts are made in these groups on a daily basis: As you can see, reviewers either get free products, massive discounts, or monetary compensation for providing positive feedback. Some groups require their members to be Amazon Sellers, but most don’t. This whole method definitely feels like an underground way to earn with review writing, and it honestly is, but this is the name of the game these days it would seem! 3. Local ClassifiedsWhile this option isn’t as common, a search of ‘Amazon review’ or ‘product review’ on your local classifieds like Kijiji or Craigslist sometime turn up postings that offer free or discounted products in return for a favorable review. Just check out the offer I found in my city on Kijiji: I have no idea if this is a scam or not, but these sorts of listings pop up pretty regularly. They do violate the terms and service from my understanding so they get taken down just as frequently, but hey, maybe there is some cash or freebies to be found here. Extra Reading – The Best Things To Sell On Facebook Marketplace. 4. Work For Amazon VineIf you shop and review items on Amazon frequently, you may end up being invited to join Amazon Vine. Amazon invites trusted reviewers to write reviews for new or pre-released items on the Amazon marketplace. The goal of Amazon Vine is to ultimately help other consumers make better purchasing decisions. Vine members receive free products in return for their reviews. To become an Amazon Vine member, you must have a high reviewer rank and be invited. Reviewer rank reflects the quality and helpfulness of your product reviews, so keep this opportunity in mind the next time you write a product review! Extra Reading – 18 Ways To Make Money On Amazon. 5. CapterraWhen it comes to the world of software reviews, Capterra is one of the largest players out there. From cloud computing to accounting software, Capterra is a one-stop-shop for everything you need to know when making a purchase decision on software. Like all review-based websites, it’s the user submitted content that actually creates value. Since Capterra is interested in compiling as many great reviews as possible from real customers to make more money (through affiliate/lead generation deals), they are wiling to pay for reviews. Now here’s the thing: Capterra makes it very clear in their guidelines that they vet reviews and only pay for reviews that pass approval. When reviewing on Capterra, you verify your identity through LinkedIn, and as this Reddit thread describes, you might have to send screenshots of the software you are using/further proof you have real experience. Regardless, if you frequently use software for work/school or are decent with language and can paraphrase other reviews, writing reviews on Capterra for money seems like an easy flow of $10 gift cards. 6. Gartner Peer Insights
Gartner is another popular software/technology review website, and like Capterra, the only way Gartner can provide value is through continuing to grow their list of user reviews and resources. Like Capterra, Gartner is also willing to pay users to review software and offers a rate of $25 per verified review and a total of 10 reviews per year. So, if you actually use a lot of software, this could be a decent way to make an additional $250 a year without much problem. Similarly, if you are looking for a new side hustle idea and don’t have any ethical qualms about paraphrasing, you could probably make a quick buck anyway. This Reddit thread breaks down some payment proof and tips for writing reviews on Gartner, and you should note that you need a business email address to work for this program…No Gmail or Outlook. Extra Reading – How To Make $100 A Day On PayPal. 7. G2 Crowd
G2 Crowd is yet another crowd sourced review website that focuses on covering business software and service solutions. With 700,000+ verified reviews G2 Crowd is definitely a major player in the space, but they have the same never-ending need to keep the positive (and paid for) reviews coming in. If you want to get paid to write reviews, I figure the combination of G2 Crowd, Gartner, and Capterra can net almost $500/year if you actually use software or are a very talented writer and researcher, so this is actually turning into a pretty decent hustle! G2 Crowd pays $5-$15 per verified review, and you have to verify your identity through LinkedIn as with Capterra. New LinkedIn accounts will also not work, so you need to have a real account or aged fake account that looks convincing. Note, you are also capped at 7 reviews per person with G2 Crowd! 8. ApperWallI’m using Apperwall for an example of how you can make money by reviewing apps or games but this website is really one amidst a sea of other sketchy platforms that sort of work. The premise behind Apperwall is simple: create and verify your account/phone, and then earn money for downloading and reviewing specific apps. Apperwall and similar websites generally pay out between $0.25-$1.50 for accepted reviews, but the main issue with these platforms is that they tend to come and go. Writing fake reviews is against the Google PlayStore or App Store terms of service, so these companies rarely have a smooth ride. However, if you do a bit of research or even try out Apperwall for yourself, you might be able to make some decent side income in your spare time. I’ve actually written a post that covers ways to make money by testing websites and games, and I would argue that user testing work is higher paying and more reliable than app review writing, so this is another option to consider as well! Extra Reading – How To Make Money Playing Video Games. 9. Kirkus ReviewsKirkus was actually founded in 1933, and the Kirkus Reviews magazine is a successful magazine that brings the latest and greatest book reviews to readers around the world. Kirkus is also currently looking for experienced book reviewers of English or Spanish works, and you can apply for the job on their website. Just note, reviews are generally around 350 words and are expected to be completed 2 weeks following a book assignment, so slow readers should shy away from this one! 10. Online Book ClubOnline Book Club is exactly what it sounds like…An online book club. On OBC, the process is simple. Each day a free or heavily discounted e-book will be announced, and users have the opportunity to read and review (if they wish) the book. While most readers will probably not make money for their reviews, the most popular reviews can earn up to $50, and at the very worst this is just a straightforward way to get a bunch of free e-books every year. If you are a serious fan of reading and like to voice your opinion for a chance to make money I’d recommend checking out Online Book Club! 11-15. Other Book Reviewing WebsitesIf you want to get paid to write book reviews, there are plenty of other options publications or websites out there currently hiring reviewers, including:
Just keep in mind, a lot of these publications are very competitive, so don’t expect easy money from the world of online book reviews! 16. Start A Review-Based BlogI want to include blogging as a way to earn money writing reviews because, in my opinion, this is the most sustainable method out of everything I have listed. Starting your own blog and growing an audience, while difficult and time consuming, can present a lot of money making opportunities. It didn’t take me too long to create a $100/month blog, and these days, This Online World actually makes a few thousand dollars per month between Mediavine display ads and affiliate marketing. The reality is that, the second you have a following of any kind, you can generate income. If you enjoy writing content in a niche that is popular for influencer marketing, you can definitely start making money with product or service reviews. It might take many months or years to grow a sufficient following, but this is a route you can embark on. Besides, affiliate sales + advertisement revenue are also factors to consider. Thinking of starting your own blog? Checkout: How to Pick A Blog Niche + 45 Niche Ideas to Get Started! 17. Start A YouTube ChannelAlright, I know this isn’t exactly a way to write reviews for cash, but the premise is the exact same. If you’re an expert on something, you might be able to share your opinion for it on the internet and to basically get paid to give advice. If you’ve ever searched for a product/service review on YouTube, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Hell, you don’t even have to be an expert. After all, channels like Ryan ToyReview grossed more than 20 million in revenue in 2018, and the channel is run by a kid. Granted, you probably won’t become the next Ryan, but if you have a passion for a niche you can probably take a crack at YouTube or blogging just to see how things turn out. You might be surprised at the results after a few months of hard work! Extra Reading – How To Make Money On YouTube. 18. Try Slice The PieWhile Slice The Pie isn’t my cup of tea, it’s another way you can make money writing music and product reviews if you’re completely out of options. In a nutshell, Slice The Pie lets you review:
Music is the most popular, and you have to listen to new tracks for at least 90 seconds and write a decent review. You don’t earn much per review, maybe a few pennies to $0.05 to $0.10 at most, and it takes $10 to cash out with PayPal. But, if you’re out of options, you could check it out. However, I’d probably try websites where you get paid to test websites and apps before trying Slice The Pie! You can check out out Slice The Pie review for more information. Extra Reading – How To Get Paid To Review Movies. Frequently Asked Questions1. Can You Get Paid To Write Fake Reviews?A lot of people make money writing fake reviews since companies are willing to pay people for favorable reviews. This is especially true for ecommerce websites or brands selling on websites like Amazon. However, you can get banned for this, and it’s not the sort of job that usually pays a lot of money. Additionally, search engines and marketplaces like Amazon are getting better at detecting fraud, and they are also making an effort to remove and ban fake reviewers from their platforms because it detracts from their reliability. If you are actually serious about making money through review writing, you will probably have to spend many hours of unpaid work building up history on your Amazon, Google, Yelp, or whatever other account you will be using. I suggest remaining honest and only writing reviews for products or services you use, but hey, do whatever you have to do. Additionally, you might want to have backup accounts at the ready in case you get banned or your reviews just automatically get flagged as spam. In my opinion, the best way to gain from writing reviews is to ask for free products in exchange for reviews, or to create your own blog that is in a very narrow niche and to pitch sponsored posts to companies. At the end of the day, I think fraudulent reviews are never going to disappear , and you can definitely use review writing to make extra money on the side, but I wouldn’t bank on this one for a long term, life-sustaining hustle. 2. Can You Get Paid To Write Fake Amazon Reviews?One tactic many shady Amazon sellers use is offering to pay you for writing fake reviews about their products. Sometimes, this payment is cash, but other times, it’s for free products. Note that doing so violates Amazon’s anti-manipulation policy, which states: “Any attempt to manipulate reviews, including by directly or indirectly contributing false, misleading or inauthentic content, is strictly prohibited.” Amazon also goes on to state: “If we determine that you have attempted to manipulate reviews or violated our guidelines in any other manner, we may immediately suspend or terminate your Amazon privileges, remove reviews, and delist related products. In addition, if we determine that an Amazon account has been used to engage in review manipulation, remittances and payments may be withheld or forfeited. Misconduct may also violate state and federal laws, including the Federal Trade Commission Act, and can lead to legal action and civil and criminal penalties.” That’s right: if you have enough fake Amazon reviews, you can get your account deleted or even get into legal trouble, so this isn’t worth it in my opinion to make some extra cash! 3. What’s The Best Way To Make Money Writing Reviews?In my opinion, starting a review-based blog is the best way to get paid to write reviews.This is because blogging is a long-term strategy where you can build a brand people trust and turn to in order to find info about various products and services. My blog is an example of this. I made $22,000 blogging in 2020, and in 2021, This Online World earned $92,000. App reviews and side hustle reviews have always been a massive part of my content strategy. So, this is a real-life example of how you can start writing reviews for money and turn it into a full-time job. There are also so many ways to monetize your review blog. Affiliate links are the obvious example, but you can also run ads with companies like Monumetric or Mediavine. Additionally, starting a blog opens the door for sponsored posts, selling your own products, and coaching. This is just my opinion, but if you want a long-term strategy, I definitely recommend starting your own blog! Start a blog with SiteGround today and start making money! Final ThoughtsI hope this guide on how to earn money by writing reviews clarifies the best methods to start out this side hustle. As mentioned, I think it’s important to be honest and never write fake reviews since doing so can get you into serious legal trouble. Plus, it isn’t ethical! But, there are still loads of legitimate methods out there you can use to make extra cash every month! Best of luck, and thanks for reading! Extra Reading:
Tom is a full-time blogger and freelance writer with a passion for side hustling, passive income, and the gig economy. His work has appeared on dozens of personal finance websites like Money Crashers, The College Investor, Investor Junkie, and more. This Online World is all about providing people with honest ways to make and save more money by using technology. To learn more about Tom, read his About Page! If you’re interested in freelance writing services or want to partner with This Online World, please use our contact page to get in touch! |
