How to apply to dscout

Who can join

• Be at least 13 in the United States, or 16 in the European Union. A minor needs a parent or guardian to read the Scout Terms and allow the account, and must get their permission again each time they apply to or take part in a study.
• A phone running iOS 16 or later, or Android 9 (Pie) or later, with a working camera and microphone. Without them you cannot download the Dscout app.
• A PayPal account. dscout sends every reward through PayPal and says there is no alternative way to receive one.
• For single-session studies (the ones you can take without being selected), living in the United States or the United Kingdom. dscout says changing the location in your profile will not help you qualify elsewhere.
• A government-issued photo ID and a live selfie or short video for a one-time check by Veriff, asked when you first qualify for a screener, usability test, media survey or AI moderated study. The name on the ID must match your Dscout account.
• One profile per person, with true and current details. The Scout Terms bar a second profile without permission and let dscout suspend or close an account it suspects of false or misleading information.
• For AI moderated studies, intercept studies, desktop interviews and desktop diary activities, a desktop or laptop with a camera and microphone and Chrome or Edge. Intercept studies also need the Dscout browser extension; tablets do not work for interviews.

Step by step

1. 1

   Download the Dscout app

   Search for Dscout in the App Store on an iPhone or the Google Play Store on Android and install it, then open it to create your account.

2. 2

   Create your account

   Tap Sign up and enter your first and last name, date of birth, country and location, and email. On iPhone you choose whether that email also receives PayPal payments or enter a different PayPal email. Set a password of 12 to 32 characters with one capital letter and one special character, then agree to the Scout Terms and Privacy Policy. You land on the Explore tab.

3. 3

   Fill in your profile

   When you first apply to a study you are asked to complete your profile. Required fields: profile picture, first and last name, birthday, email, phone number, location and, for US scouts, ethnicity. You can edit them later in the app or on the web.

4. 4

   Make sure PayPal can receive your rewards

   A payout fails if the email it is sent to is not registered with PayPal, is not confirmed with PayPal, or the PayPal account is locked. Add your Dscout email to PayPal as an alias, or put your PayPal email in your Dscout profile, and confirm it with PayPal before your first reward.

5. 5

   Apply to studies on the Explore tab

   Open a study card to read its details and reward, tap Start Application and answer each question. You cannot go back once you tap Next Question. Photo and video questions can use Dscout's camera or a file from your phone. dscout says to apply only to studies that really fit you rather than to every one.

6. 6

   Take single-session studies when they appear (US and UK)

   These quick studies (usability tests, media surveys, intercept and AI moderated studies) pay $2 to $25 with no invitation needed. They show at the top of Explore once you have a history of high-quality responses. After you qualify for one you have 2 hours to finish it, and it pays only if it passes dscout's quality evaluation.

7. 7

   Verify your identity when the app asks

   When you first qualify for a screener, usability test, media survey or AI moderated study, the app starts a one-time Veriff check: a photo of your government ID and a live selfie or short video. dscout says it takes a couple of minutes and that you should never send ID to its support team.

8. 8

   Accept an invitation and follow the study overview

   If you are selected, the invitation appears under Invites in the Studies tab. Accept it, then follow the Study Overview and each activity's instructions and deadlines: your study leader approves payment only if you completed every required activity and entry on time with quality responses.

9. 9

   For an interview, do the pre-test early

   Finish the interview pre-test and book a time slot more than 24 hours before your session, since slots run out. If you are more than 10 minutes late you can be marked a no-show and may not get another chance. Sessions are recorded, and an automated notetaker named Dscout may join.

10. 10

    Decide whether to join Dscout XT (optional)

    Dscout XT runs through the Dscout browser extension and unlocks intercept studies and pre-matched single-session studies. In return it collects the URLs you visit (with dates and times), the search terms you enter in Chrome and some page interactions. You can opt out at any time from the extension's Settings tab.

Tips to get accepted

• Open the app a few times a week: dscout says that is how scouts usually find new studies to apply to.
• Finish the account checklist in your first 30 days: dscout says its steps directly affect how many opportunities you are shown, and the checklist hides itself after 30 days.
• Check the reward on the study card before you start. dscout says most payouts are $25 to $150, some more and some less; a study with no reward total may be paid outside Dscout.
• If you enter a separate PayPal email in your profile, it must differ from your Dscout login email, or the app will not save it. Double-check the spelling before saving.
• Raise any payment problem within 90 days of the study's close or of the payment notice: the Scout Terms say dscout will not review payment disputes after that.
• Keep what you record for a study to yourself: the Scout Terms give dscout all rights to your entries, bind you to keep them and the study's subject confidential for three years, and say not to keep copies, even on your phone.
• If you join Dscout XT, finish any study that needs it before you opt out: opting out mid-study can forfeit that study's payment.