Mystery shopper side hustle: how to make extra money

Looking for a new and interesting side hustle? Becoming a mystery shopper is a great way to make extra money while you’re out running errands.

If you want a way to earn money that doesn’t involve online tasks, mystery shopping could be ideal for you.

As a mystery shopper, you’ll be tasked with heading into local shops and supermarkets and conducting anonymous research. This could be anything from the product knowledge of the staff to the cleanliness of the store, or price and quality of stock.

In a nutshell, a mystery shopper monitors how well shops stick to their policies.

Let’s dig into the details of what kinds of tasks there are, how and where to sign up, and how much you can make.

What is a mystery shopper?

A mystery shopper (also known as a secret shopper) is someone who acts as a normal customer, but is secretly conducting market research and providing feedback. 

Mystery shoppers might buy alcohol to test age verification policies, scan products to ensure they’re priced correctly, or ask staff members a question to check how much they know. Sometimes, you’re required to take photos, like of product displays, window fronts, or the condition of customer bathrooms.

These tasks can take place in convenience stores, supermarkets, retail shops, pubs, restaurants, betting shops, or even hotels, depending on the company and what’s in your area.

So why do mystery shoppers exist? Their feedback as customers can be helpful for shops to assess what they’re doing well and what they need to improve upon. Staff can often be rewarded if they serve a mystery shopper in the appropriate way.

How much money can you make?

Mystery shopping will never replace a full-time job, but it can be a great side hustle for extra money. The smaller the task, the smaller the payment, so if you prefer larger payouts, you should look for more time-consuming or complicated jobs.

Some of the smaller or micro jobs pay as little as £2.50, although you can expect most simple jobs like taking in-store photos to be around £5.

The highest fee we saw for a mystery shopper task was £40, although these can be more complex and take one to two hours to complete.

If your task involves buying a product, you should be reimbursed (as long as you keep the receipt). Some companies will also pay travel costs if you need to travel for your job. You may also receive bonus payments for certain tasks.

Once you’ve got into a rhythm and have plenty of local places you can book for jobs, some mystery shoppers report earning an extra £100–£200 a month.

Mystery shopping companies

So, where do you sign up? We’ve rounded up the top eight mystery shopping companies that are free to join and start earning. Using Trustpilot scores, we’ve put them in order of best to worst reviews.

1. Shepper

Trustpilot score: 4.6 (321 reviews)

Complete tasks at shops in your local area, which usually involve taking photos of products. Retail is the most common category, although some tasks may involve car parks and media displays.

Pay ranges from £2.50 for a five-minute task to £20 for a one-hour task, although shorter ones are much more common. 

Shepper is available only as an app and you’ll need both internet and a camera to complete tasks. Reviewers report an easy process of completing a task within the app, submitting a report, getting it confirmed, and getting paid.

Mystery shoppers at Shepper can make around £168 a month based on six jobs a week at £7 per job.

2. Proinsight

Trustpilot score: 4.3 (101 reviews)

Proinsight mystery shopping is a bit more involved and perhaps not as suitable for beginners. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to view open assignments and match based on your information and location.

Locations can include a variety of places like shops, cafes, gyms, student accommodation, and care homes. 

You’ll need to be comfortable covertly filming for some tasks, and each assignment requires a report, which (once accepted) is paid on the 15th of the following month.

Reviewers mention their dedicated and friendly support team and interesting or varied types of assignments.

3. Field Agent

Trustpilot score: 4.2 (124 reviews)

Field Agent is similar to Shepper in that it works via an app, so you’ll need a smartphone with data and a camera. Reviews mention plenty of job availability, easy tasks, and quick payment.

Tasks mostly include taking photos and providing reports from retail stores, although there is a strict time limit of two hours once you book a task. Field Agent features other non-mystery shopping tasks like surveys, audits, and buy & try assignments.

4. Serve Legal

Trustpilot score: 4.1 (52 reviews)

Mystery shoppers at Serve Legal are called ‘auditors’, but it’s not as scary as it sounds. You’ll be checking age verification policies for things like alcohol, cigarettes, and betting.

Due to the nature of the work, those aged 18-25 will be best positioned for this role, so it’s ideal for students looking to make extra money. There are even roles for those aged 16-17, and the site touts career progression opportunities for many auditors after their studies have finished.

5. Tern

Trustpilot score: 4.0 (82 reviews)

You’ll find a combination of mystery shopping and mystery dining tasks at Tern. Reviewers frequently mention the quick payment, easy projects, and variety of tasks.

Some of these tasks involve buying age-restricted products to test their policy, as well as retail audits like taking photos of product displays, asking staff about products, and checking prices and availability.

There are also product testing tasks (for which you’re reimbursed), and video mystery shopping tasks to record your experience in store. 

6. Clickworker

Trustpilot score: 3.9 (3K reviews)

Clickworker has been around for a while as a provider of all sorts of ‘micro jobs’, from mystery shopping to copywriting, taking surveys, and app testing.

As such, some of the smaller mystery shopping tasks don’t pay very highly. Most mystery shopping jobs involve taking photos in store, or simply verifying a location and what it sells. 

It may land at number six on our list, but bear in mind that Clickworker has many more reviews than others on the list, which may speak to its legitimacy. 

It remains a popular mystery shopping company, although reviewers complained about filling in lengthy questionnaires only to find they didn’t qualify for the task, as well as too much personal data required for certain jobs.

7. iShopFor Ipsos

Trustpilot score: 2.8 (72 reviews)

Although iShopFor Ipsos is one of the better-known mystery shopping companies, its score lands it at number seven on our list.

Their mystery shopping jobs involve reporting on the in-store staff presence, what they know, how friendly they are, and the cleanliness and layout of the shop.

Some reviewers mentioned easy tasks and fast payment for a good side hustle, while others mentioned that tasks can be denied after you’ve completed them.

8. Market Force Information

Trustpilot score: 2.1 (151 reviews)

Another popular mystery shopping company with a low Trustpilot score, Market Force features general tasks in shops, restaurants, pubs, and hotels.

You’ll find all the usual jobs like taking photos, asking staff questions, and checking on merchandise. Any product purchases will be reimbursed, and you may also get travel costs expensed.

Some reviewers mention slow or no payment for tasks and instructions that aren’t as clear as they should be.

What do you need to get started?

So, if you’re still interested in a new side hustle, here are the basic requirements most companies will ask for from you. You’ll most likely need all of the following; some are legally required, while some are qualities that will make it easier for you to succeed.

At least 18 years old

UK bank or PayPal

Internet access

Smartphone with camera and data (sometimes app download)

 Good English and reporting skills

Punctuality

Good memory

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Transport (handy but not compulsory)

Honesty

Professionalism

 Discretion

Top tips for succeeding as a mystery shopper

Still interested? Make your side hustle successful with these tips on getting started and staying organised.

Sign up to multiple agencies

As long as there’s nothing in the T&Cs preventing you from doing so, increase your chances and play the field. You’ll likely find one or two agencies have the types of jobs, payments, and schedules you prefer over the others.

Check regularly for tasks

With most companies, it’s a first-come-first-served policy, so you’ll need to check regularly to nab the best jobs. 

Download the app if they have one

Checking regularly is a lot easier if you have an app, especially if you can enable push notifications. You’ll also be able to take and upload photos more smoothly, as well as check any instructions you need while you’re on the job.

Be flexible with your availability

Mystery shopping is the kind of side hustle you do as and when you have the time, meaning it’s ideal for students. Having flexibility is perfect, so don’t pencil in a specific time for tasks and expect it to work out.

Transport can increase your chances and pay

A car isn’t essential, but it can help a lot, especially for taking tasks a little further away from where you live. Projects in more rural areas can have higher pay, and some companies offer travel expenses, too.

Be punctual

Mystery shopping isn’t a casual do-it-when-you-want job, but actually has quite strict deadlines. You’ll usually have around two hours between booking a task and completing it, so punctuality is essential.

Do your research on agencies

We’ve included Trustpilot scores and an overview of agency reviews, but you should also do your own due diligence. Browse Google reviews, Reddit threads, and ask around for word-of-mouth recommendations or feedback.

Assess if it’s worth the time/payment

Micro tasks are appealing as they’re quick and easy to complete, although the pay is low. If you’re able to stack these and make a decent hourly wage, it can be worth the small payments, but that’s something you’ll have to judge. Equally, if something involves travelling and spending more time, is the payment worth that time?

Be discreet

Acting like a real customer is a huge part of the job, and being discreet makes it much easier to complete your assignment. You may be spotted and questioned about being a mystery shopper, which you shouldn’t admit to, so having a response ready is a good idea.

Pick tasks you’ll enjoy

The best side hustles are the ones you enjoy, so pick your tasks accordingly. Mystery shopping tasks are often quite varied, so if you get bored of the same task over and over, you can mix it up with a completely different one.

Combine tasks in the same area for a higher hourly rate

This tip will come with experience as you get in the groove with booking and completing jobs. Ticking off multiple tasks, even micro tasks, within one or two hours can add up to a decent hourly wage.

Choose your freebies carefully

When mystery shoppers are asked to purchase items as part of their job, they’ll be given a budget to work with, and are often able to keep the product. If you know you’re getting free products with your task, make sure it’s something you want or need.

The run-up to Christmas can be particularly lucrative

Who doesn’t love some extra cash at Christmas time? Keep an eye regularly around the festive period and take advantage of higher availability. You might even get bonus payments on select assignments.

Keep your receipts

Some jobs pay expenses for products and meals you’ve bought, and sometimes even travel costs. Keep any receipts or tickets to submit alongside your report to make sure you get paid promptly and accurately. 

Signed, sealed, secretly-shopped

Mystery shopping can be a lucrative, fun, and easy side hustle for a regular income boost, although it can’t replace a full-time job.

With the right research, regular checking, and adherence to instructions, a successful mystery shopper can bring in £100+ a month. And hopefully, have a little fun doing it!

As with any side hustle, it might take a while to get started, but once you’re in the groove, you can increase your hourly rate to a worthwhile amount.