I joined the Zendesk Experience Research Panel to see what you can earn from it. It is legit, but invites are rare, not every study pays, and the rewards are not cash. Below is what I found, and which sites I recommend if you want to earn.
Tested by Mikael (EarnWithMike)Founder and lead testerMikael founded PaidFromSurveys in 2016 and has personally tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites since then. He shows his tests and payment proof to 555K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel, EarnWithMike. He joined the Zendesk Experience Research Panel himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Legit, but few invites and unclear, non-cash rewards
You help test Zendesk’s own products. Not every study pays, and rewards are gift cards or a swag bag.
On this page
The short answer
The Zendesk Experience Research Panel is legit. It is run by Zendesk, one of the largest software companies for customer service. You register, and you may be invited to research studies that test Zendesk’s own products.
But Zendesk only contacts you about once every two months at most, and not all studies offer rewards. The paid ones reward you with digital gift cards or a Zendesk swag bag, not cash. If your goal is to earn extra cash, this is not the best option.
- Offers an interesting way to earn rewards
- You can help improve Zendesk products
- Quick registration, open worldwide
- Remote studies, and some in person
- Limited earning opportunities
- Not transparent with its reward system
- Not all studies offer rewards
- No cash rewards
My experience with the Zendesk Experience Research Panel
I registered for the panel and answered the extra matching survey. This is what I looked at, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- November 2025Review first published Nov 7, 2025
- Latest retest
- Checked: registration, studies, rewards, support
- Invites I received
- NoneEven after a couple of weeks
- Rewards
- Gift cards or a swag bagNot cash, and not for every study
- The registration survey and the extra matching survey
- The types of studies on the website
- The FAQ and the Help Center
- A research study. I did not get an invite while I tested.
- A reward. My review does not show a gift card or a swag bag from Zendesk.
Zendesk studies are rare and do not pay cash. The top sites in your country let you earn regularly.
See the best sites in your countryZendesk Experience Research Panel at a glance
| What it is | A research panel run by Zendesk. You test Zendesk’s own products in user experience studies. |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free |
| Ways to earn | Research studies only: usability tests, diary studies, interviews and online surveys |
| How often | Zendesk says it contacts you no more than once every two months |
| Study length | Usability tests and interviews take around 30 to 60 minutes |
| Rewards | Digital gift cards or a Zendesk swag bag. No cash. Not all studies offer rewards. |
| Who it looks for | Support agents or admins from companies with over 100 employees, and developers who work with Zendesk tools |
| Where you can join | Worldwide. Zendesk encourages all customers to join. |
| Devices | No member dashboard. Invites come by email. Most studies need a computer. |
| Support | FAQ, Help Center and an AI agent through the Message icon |
Is the Zendesk Experience Research Panel legit and safe?
Yes, it is legit. It comes from Zendesk, a well-known software company. But that does not make it a good way to earn. Here is what you should know.
- Very few invites
Zendesk says it contacts you no more than once every two months. When I tested the panel, I did not get any invite even after a couple of weeks, so you have to be very patient.
- Not every study pays
Some research studies do not offer any rewards. The email invite tells you whether a study offers compensation, so read it before you accept.
- The rewards are unclear
Paid studies reward you with digital gift cards or a Zendesk swag bag. Zendesk does not say what is in the swag bag or how the reward system works. It does not offer cash rewards.
- Only Zendesk products
Every study tests Zendesk’s own software. If you want to test many types of software, this is not your best option.
- Studies take real time
Usability tests and interviews take around 30 to 60 minutes. Some are remote, others need you at a certain location, or a Zendesk representative comes to you.
My takeIn my opinion, the Zendesk Experience Research Panel is not for everyone. If your goal is to earn extra cash, this is not the best option because of the limited earning opportunities. It also does not help that it is not transparent with its reward system. But if the quality of Zendesk products matters to you, joining is a great way to help, and that is the true purpose of this platform.
How you earn on the Zendesk Experience Research Panel
There is only one way to potentially earn: research studies.
Research studiesGift card or swag bag
Once you join, you receive invites by email from a zendesk.com address. The invite has the full details of the study, including whether it offers any compensation. To accept, reply to the email, then follow the instructions.
The studies are varied: usability testing, diary studies, interviews and online surveys. Some are done remotely, others at a certain location, and for some a Zendesk representative comes to you. If it is not an online survey, it takes quite some time: usability tests and interviews take around 30 to 60 minutes.
All studies test Zendesk’s own software. Zendesk says it contacts you no more than once every two months, and not all studies offer rewards, so the opportunities to earn are quite limited.
How much can you make?
The Zendesk Experience Research Panel is not a great platform if you want to earn extra cash. You should only expect a study invite about once every two months, which is a very low rate, in my opinion. And not every study offers a reward.
When a study does pay, you get a digital gift card or a Zendesk swag bag. Zendesk does not say what is in the swag bag.
The main value is that you help shape Zendesk’s future products. If that does not sound appealing to you, do not join this platform.
How you get rewarded
| Reward | Notes |
|---|---|
| Digital gift cards | Zendesk does not say which gift cards or how much |
| Zendesk swag bag | Zendesk does not say what is in it |
| Cash | Not offered |
Zendesk is not quite clear about its rewards. It would have been better if it explained how the reward system works, so you know exactly what you are getting into.
If you want to earn cash, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
Who can join, and how
Zendesk mainly looks for people who already use its products at work: support agents or admins from companies with over 100 employees, and in-house or commercial developers who actively work with Zendesk tools.
If you do not fit that profile, you can still sign up, because the panel is available worldwide and Zendesk encourages all customers to join. You may still get invited if your background matches a particular study.
To register, you answer the registration survey, which takes a couple of minutes. Zendesk then asks if you want to answer an extra survey that helps match you with studies. I suggest you do, to increase your chances. After that, you wait for an invite by email.
There is no member dashboard, so you can check for invites on your phone. For the work itself, you need a computer, unless the study asks you to use a phone.
Zendesk Experience Research Panel alternatives I have reviewed
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google UX Research | Google’s own research program | None | 3.7 / 5 |
| Userlytics | Usability tests that pay rather well | No threshold; PayPal | 3.6 / 5 |
| UserTesting | Video feedback on sites and apps | Paid per test via PayPal | 3.4 / 5 |
| User Interviews | Paid research studies, mostly for US residents | No threshold; paid per study | 3.4 / 5 |
See also the best user testing sites that pay. If you want to earn extra cash regularly, see the top survey and GPT sites in your country.
How I scored the Zendesk Experience Research Panel
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
The Zendesk Experience Research Panel scores 44 out of 100. If you want to earn cash, see these sites first.
See the best sites in your countryZendesk Experience Research Panel FAQ
Is the Zendesk Experience Research Panel legit?
Yes. It is run by Zendesk, a well-known software company. But it is not a good way to earn extra cash.
Does the Zendesk Experience Research Panel pay cash?
No. Paid studies reward you with digital gift cards or a Zendesk swag bag. Not all studies offer rewards.
How often will I get invited?
Zendesk says it contacts you no more than once every two months. I did not get an invite in the couple of weeks I tested it.
What kind of studies are there?
Usability testing, diary studies, interviews and online surveys about Zendesk’s own products. Some are remote, some in person.
Who can join?
Anyone, worldwide. Zendesk mainly looks for support agents and admins from companies with over 100 employees, and developers who work with Zendesk tools.
Can I take part on my phone?
You can read the email invites on your phone. For most studies, you need a computer.
How do I contact support?
Check the FAQ first. Otherwise, click the Message icon at the lower right of the Help Center page to talk to its AI agent.
Who tested the Zendesk Experience Research Panel for this review
Founder of PaidFromSurveys.com since 2016. Mikael has tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites and shares his tests with 555K+ subscribers on YouTube (October 2026).
If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with Zendesk Experience Research Panel, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.