Best Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopping is a fun and easy way to make money on the side! I’ve been mystery shopping for over 6 years and love the convenience of making your own schedule and signing up for shops that interest you! While there are certainly pros and cons to Mystery shopping (read full post here) – I find that the pros outweigh the cons! Read more about the Best Mystery Shopping Companies that I love!

Before I deep dive into my favorite mystery shopping companies, I want to give you a little background on mystery shopping.

What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery Shopping is a method used by companies to measure job performance, quality of sale, and compliance. As a shopper, you will be required to remember specific details about your experience and follow guidelines outlined by the company. After your visit, you’ll fill out a questionnaire and write about your experience. Some can be a quick 5 minute questionnaire while others can take a few hours to complete.

Should You Become a Mystery Shopper?

Mystery Shopping isn’t for everyone. You have to be detail oriented and self-motivated. You’ll need to be able to be discreet (in most situations) and accurately report back on your experience. Failure to remember key details (like someone’s name or proof of receipt) can disqualify you.

One of the best perks of mystery shopping is that you can set your own schedule. If you know you have a vacation coming up, you can schedule around those dates.

One of the biggest downsides to mystery shopping is that there is almost always a requirement to purchase something. This is typically reimbursed, but you’ll have to pay for the item upfront. This means you are responsible to pay out of pocket and might not get the reimbursement back until a month later.

Related Post: Pros and Cons of Mystery Shopping

What is the Pay Rate for Mystery Shopping?

The Pay Rate varies significantly depending on the type of shop you are doing. Some are quick shops that will require only a few checkpoints – those might only pay you for the product you’re purchasing or a small bonus fee ($10). The longer and more detailed a shop is, the more payment you can expect to receive. I’ve received up to $200 from one shop alone plus complimentary dinner at a steakhouse. I’ve also received free amusement park tickets in return for mystery shopping. You’ll always know your pay up front so you can decide if it is worth it or not.

Some people use mystery shopping as a full time job and only source of revenue. That is not something I have ever been interested in and instead use this as a secondary income / fun hobby.

The Best Mystery Shopping Companies

In order to find companies to mystery shop for, you’ll need to sign up for third party databases. Unfortunately, each mystery shop database only shops 5-10 companies/brands which limits you. This is why I’m signed up for over 20 different mystery shopping companies. I’m going to list the BEST MYSTERY SHOPPING COMPANIES below and some examples of brands they partner with to shop.

Note: When signing up, be sure to use the referral email – this will help you get approved quicker!