Survey panels rarely promise riches. The legitimate ones promise nothing at all – they just pay small amounts on time. That's exactly how you recognise them.
The short answer
A legitimate survey panel names its operator with a postal address, explains payouts with a threshold and a method, lets you take part for free and doesn't screen you out after 20 minutes without saying so. Expect cents to a few euros per survey and some waiting. Anyone promising more usually wants something else from you: your data or your money.
How to check a panel
- Operator and legal notice. Is there a company with an address and a register entry behind it? Many German panels are run by market research institutes, for example [Meinungsplatz](/en/providers/meinungsplatz) or [mingle](/en/providers/mingle-respondi). No legal notice, or only a PO box? Walk away.
- Free or not? Joining, taking part and cashing out must cost nothing. A site asking for an "activation fee" or a "premium account" is not a market research panel.
- Payout, in concrete terms. What is the threshold, which methods exist (bank transfer, PayPal, vouchers), how long does it take? Those three facts belong in the FAQ or terms. [MOBROG](/en/providers/mobrog) and [YouGov](/en/providers/yougov-deutschland) state them; where they're missing, the money usually is too.
- Screen-outs. Being dropped after a few questions because you don't fit the target group is normal. What's not normal: no compensation or notice for it, and it happening on almost every survey.
- Expiry and account closures. Search the terms for "inactivity" and "expiry". Some panels delete balances after months without activity. Examples and deadlines are in our provider profiles, for instance [LifePoints](/en/providers/lifepoints).
- Data minimisation. A panel needs your age, region, household and interests. It does not need a copy of your ID to register, nor your bank details before you request a payout.
- Independent experiences. On review platforms, look at patterns rather than averages: if reports of accounts being locked at cash-out pile up, that's a warning sign even at four stars. How we weight this is explained in our [methodology](/en/methodology).
In practice
Sign up with two or three panels, not ten. Use a dedicated email address, fill in your profile honestly (otherwise more screen-outs) and answer invitations quickly, because quotas fill up. Track your time: if a 15-minute survey pays €1, that's €4 per hour. Our [time-value calculator](/en/calculator) tells you more honestly than any promise whether that's worth it.
Checklist
- Legal notice with company name and address found.
- No fees, no deposits, no "activation".
- Payout threshold, method and timing stated in FAQ or terms.
- Expiry and inactivity rules read.
- No ID or bank details requested before the first payout.
- Reviews checked for patterns, not stars.
- Time per survey measured once and converted to an hourly figure.
All providers mentioned are rated with evidence in the [comparison](/en/comparison). Scam patterns beyond surveys are covered in [Stay safe](/en/safe-start).