Prolific

Prolific is a leading online research platform that connects researchers with a diverse, verified participant pool for surveys, experiments, and studies. Used extensively by academic institutions and commercial organizations, Prolific emphasizes ethical pay and high-quality data. Participants complete studies hosted on external platforms (such as Qualtrics or Gorilla), with Prolific handling recruitment and payment. The platform guarantees a minimum payment of £6.00/$8.00 per hour, with a recommended rate of £9.00/$12.00 per hour. In 2025, participants completed over 380,000 studies and contributed more than 8 million hours of human judgment. Prolific uses over 300 audience filters and natural language search for precise participant targeting.

Participants must be at least 18 years old and reside in a supported country. After signing up, users complete an extensive "About You" section with demographic and personal information, which Prolific uses to match them with relevant studies. No specialized professional experience is required, but honesty and accuracy in responses are essential. Prolific uses skill assessments, credential checks, and task performance history to maintain data quality. The platform also employs AI detection and liveness checks for new participants.