As digital work extends beyond conventional gig work, users are drawn in by the flexibility of the new earning options. The Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households showed that in 2024, 16% of U.S. adults participated in some form of gig work or informal paid work. This article analyzes the reward apps that are part of that trend, examines the work of survey-based platforms, and discusses the implications of the apps’ popularity for consumers and businesses.
The side hustle economy is growing. Consumers are finding new methods to supplement their primary income. Beyond the well-known options of freelance services, personal businesses, and delivery services, reward apps present a new option.
Reward apps allow users to complete different tasks, such as surveys, and earn gift cards as a form of payment for their participation. This service is rapidly growing and reflects how the value consumers create with their feedback is being re-evaluated.
Why Side Hustles Continue to Grow
Economic factors and the desire to work in a more fulfilling way are driving individuals to pursue more income streams. The Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households cited that 16% of U.S. adults stated that they worked during the previous month in some form of gig, side hustle, or informal paid work in 2024. The report shows that nontraditional work remains crucial to the economy of the U.S.
With technology, opportunities are more accessible than ever. Digital job opportunities are now available through the internet and a smartphone without needing to sign a contract. For these individuals, reward apps are a great way to complete surveys and earn a reward during short breaks.
With a reward app, short survey opportunities to fulfill market research and earn a reward are available. Some of these apps reward users with gift cards delivered through email. These apps offer a way for users’ survey responses to help companies learn more about customers’ shopping preferences and help companies set and adjust customer-based goals.
The Rise of Reward Apps
Reward apps are a result of the increase in virtual options and tend to cater to a large group of users doing small tasks rather than matching a user with an employment project. This may include fulfilling surveys, product feedback, or other consumer tasks.
These reward apps have become extremely popular for a reason: companies are realizing that data has become extremely important for product and investment decisions. Many companies use these consumer research apps to complete market research and analyze the data to learn more about potential consumers before launching new products.
According to the U.S. market research industry association, ESOMAR, technology has enabled researchers to have a more easily structured and controlled method of collecting data through surveys. Companies now have the ability to create virtual surveys and have the responses delivered almost instantaneously.
Convenience is undoubtedly a driving factor for many consumers. Most surveys take a short time to complete, all while fitting into daily schedules. These platforms are beneficial for students, working parents, and people with full-time jobs, as these surveys provide a better work-life balance than traditional part-time jobs.
Despite providing flexibility, these reward apps generate minimal gains. Reward earnings are contingent on survey availability, user eligibility, and the time users take to complete the given tasks.
How Survey-Based Rewards Work
Platforms that use surveys as a form of reward system partner with businesses that are in need of feedback. Survey companies build questionnaires to meet their findings and survey users to get information on their preferences, habits and behaviors, and what they think about a product/perception of the market.
When users are selected, they may be asked to answer a few short and preliminary questions, also referred to as screening questions. Businesses have to design a survey with a target demographic that would most likely give them the most relevant information, which could be based on age, location, and even the behavioral aspect of who would likely purchase the product. The process is mutually beneficial. Companies are able to receive feedback, and users receive a reward for their time. In some cases, users can receive a gift card after a survey or multiple surveys.
Survey systems have to be reliable, as businesses have to trust the answers given in order to make a better-informed decision. The integrity of the survey system is important. Survey assistance companies have to provide an accurate system to help answer their questions.
With the rise of digital research methods, online surveys offer market researchers an efficient method of gathering rapid customer feedback and reaching more respondents as an alternative to traditional methods.
Why Flexibility Matters to Modern Earners
Flexibility has been used to characterize side hustles. Flexibility has been made possible by a more modern definition used by the new workforce. Flexibility can now mean side hustles that do not require the use of fixed hours or long-term commitments.
Reward apps participate in this new flexibility. The level of commitment to an app that offers a short survey that can be completed on a break or during the commute is not the same as a freelance side hustle. The level of flexibility offered by reward apps is what makes them popular. The flexibility offered by reward apps does not require a side hustle that interferes with obligations that take first precedence during the day and encompasses the full-time job, family, or school.
What makes reward apps more popular is the feedback and incentives given directly to the consumer. Companies can improve their business strategies and understand the needs of their customers and consumers. This is especially useful in markets that may be perceived as competitive.
Reward apps of the future will rely on user trust and the quality of rewards, as well as a transparent app. Though reward apps will not be traditional employment, they are an evolving technology that contribute to disruption of the economy, businesses, and consumer relationships.