A paid research panel for U.S. households
Get paid for the political mail you already get.
Political candidates and groups send billions of dollars of mail to voters every year. Snap a photo of the political mail you receive, help researchers understand what voters are really seeing, and earn cash for every piece.
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Political mail only. Mail from campaigns, political parties, issue advocacy groups, or even your local board of elections pays. Catalogs, coupons, and bills don’t — please leave them out.
How it works
Share your name and address
Tell us your name, address, and a little about yourself. We use this information to check that the mail you submit is addressed to you.
Verify with your first mailer
Snap a photo of the first piece of mail addressed to you. When the name and address match your signup, you're in — and you earn a $3 bonus. Any addressed mail works for this step.
Earn from your mailbox
After that, every political mailer you photograph earns $0.50. Answer short surveys and cash out from $15 by gift card, PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer.
What pays what
- Your first verified mailer (one-time bonus)
- $3
- Each political mail piece you photograph (starting rate)
- $0.50
- “No political mail today” check-in
- $0.05
Honest numbers: political mail comes in waves. During election season a busy mailbox can see several pieces a week; in quiet months there may be none — that’s what the check-in is for. Every panelist starts at $0.50 per approved piece, and rates can increase over time. Rewards are credited once a submission is approved, and cash out from $15 as gift cards from hundreds of brands — or by PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer, which carry a small transfer fee.
Your mailbox, your privacy
Cover personal details before submitting
The app lets you cover names, addresses, and other personal details in your photos. Photos flagged for a privacy check go to our team for review before they can be shared with researchers.
Researchers study the mail
Researchers use mail photos to understand what campaigns send, where they send it, and how often. Personal details are covered in the research library.
You stay in control
You can delete your account in the app's Settings. To request removal of your photos, email support@verifiedopinionstudies.com.
The full details are in our privacy policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this legitimate?
Yes. Verified Opinion Studies is a research panel that measures political advertising in the mail. Members photograph their political mail, we pay them for it, and campaigns' mail activity gets measured honestly. We never sell your contact information, and rewards are real — cash out from $15 by gift card, PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer.
Do I need to be registered to vote?
No. You need to be 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address. Whether and how you vote is your business.
What counts as political mail?
Mail from candidates, campaigns, political parties, issue advocacy groups, or even your local board of elections. If it's informing you about an upcoming election or trying to influence your vote or opinion on a candidate or issue, it counts. Catalogs, credit-card offers, and bills don't.
What happens to my photos?
You can cover personal details with the app's cover-up tool before submitting. Photos flagged for a privacy check go to our team for review. Photos with personal details covered join a research library that helps researchers understand what campaigns send.
Why do you need my address?
We use your address to confirm that the mail you submit was sent to you. Before sharing a photo for research, use the app's cover-up tool to hide your name, address, and other personal details.
Do all panelists earn the same rates?
Everyone starts at $0.50 per approved mail piece, and rates can increase over time — longstanding members and panelists in areas our research especially needs can earn more. Bonuses, like the $3 for your first verified mailer, are the same for everyone.
How much will I actually earn?
It depends on how much political mail your area gets. In the heat of an election you might earn a few dollars a week from mail, check-ins, and surveys; in quiet months, less. This is honest pocket money for something you already walk past every day — not a paycheck.