This App Pays You to Act Like a Secret Agent

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I definitely had fantasies of growing up to be a private eye.

In my dad’s favorite action movies, the PI was always romantically featured, hunched in a darkroom, working late into the night to develop the photos she’d surreptitiously snapped.

When the images floated up at her out of the chemicals, it was clear her hard work paid off: She knew the bad guy’s secrets, and everybody would be safe soon.

…OK, maybe it’s just that I was decent with a camera and really had a thing for Easter egg hunts.

Either way, as a 26-year-old, I don’t often find myself creeping around trying to find and report clues. My career took a slightly different path — one featuring a lot more computer screens than film negatives.

That’s why I was so thrilled when I found out: Sneaking around? There’s an app for that.

And you’ll even get paid to use it.

Want to Earn Money Online with QuickThoughts?

If you’re ready to make your childhood spy dream a reality — or at least to make a couple bucks just playing with your phone — here’s how:

Download QuickThoughts. Fill in your name, email address and demographic info. Signing up is super quick and painless.

Then, the app will prompt you to search for surveys and missions (the fun part!) to earn money toward your first $10 Amazon gift card.  

For surveys, you’ll answer a few more demographic questions when the app finds one for you, just to double-check your eligibility  — but even if you don’t qualify, you’ll earn 10 cents just for trying.

If you already think that sounds pretty awesome, get ready to have your mind blown.

QuickThoughts also uses your phone’s GPS to send you on local events or “missions,” where you’ll complete location-based surveys and activities to provide customer feedback.

The app will prompt you for either a live-action challenge close to your location, or one to do at your own pace next time you’re out and about.

You might report on the agonizing line you’re sick of standing in at the pharmacy, or snap a pic of your local grocery store’s cute seasonal display.

Got beef about a dirty public restroom? Here’s your chance to let your voice be heard.

As soon as you complete these location-based missions, you’ll see your rewards populate in the app.

Whether you’re playing PI or just filling in surveys, once you reach $10, you can cash out for an Amazon gift card in the same amount. Easy — and fun!

Why This Paid Survey App is Way More Awesome Than We Expected

At first glance, this might seem a lot like your average paid survey app.

But it’s way, way better.

First of all, QuickThoughts even does the plain old survey part better than most apps we’ve seen.

Your earnings aren’t a negligible few cents, either. You’ll get $1-$3 for every survey you complete, and 10 cents every time you even try to qualify.

The app scans paid surveys from over 1,000 sources, and you find out if you’re eligible pretty early — without answering the same question a thousand times, so it doesn’t feel like a waste of time.

Plus, when the app finds a survey that fits, it tells you exactly how long it’ll take and how much of a reward you’ll earn.

My very first attempt garnered me $1, and even though the app told me it’d take eight minutes, it really took closer to five.

The rewards you earn show up instantly in your account. As soon as you’ve accrued $10 — not hard when each survey’s so well-paid — you can cash out for an Amazon gift card (read: money you will actually use).

It doesn’t hurt that the app is beautiful, either.

Plus, the “missions” are a unique addition, and super fun — even if people look at you a little funny for taking random pictures at Walmart.

Either way, you’ll have your voice heard and you may even help improve stores’ customer service and cleanliness. If you’re like me, you’ll feel like a super-cool secret agent.

Oh, and you’ll get paid.

Just don’t wear a trenchcoat when you head out on your mission. I know you want to… but you might just give yourself away. 🙂

Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder, but she’d probably quit to be a PI. Her writing has also been featured at DMQ Review, Hinchas de Poesia and elsewhere. Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter: @jamiecattanach