Incentives FAQ
Incentives FAQ
Learn how to set, update, and track incentives in your studies, plus what participants experience when redeeming rewards.
Setting Incentive Amounts
How much should I offer as an incentive?
A good rule of thumb:
- Moderated sessions – Offer more, since they require active participation.
- Unmoderated tests – Offer less, since they require less of the participant’s time.
Here are some general benchmarks:
Study Type | Recommended Amount | Description |
Unmoderated prototype tests | $40/hour | Ideal for usability or task-based sessions |
Remote moderated interviews (consumers) | $80/hour | Standard for general participants |
Remote moderated interviews (professionals) | $100/hour | Recommended for specialized or B2B audiences |
Even for short sessions, a $20 minimum is recommended to make participation worthwhile.
Updating Incentive Amounts or Type
When you can update an incentive
You can change incentive details when:
- The study is still in draft status
- The “Thanks” email has not yet been sent
- The study is paused
- The participant is not externally recruited
Update the overall incentive amount
- Pause the study
Click the ⋯ (three dots) in the top-right corner → select Pause. - Go to Incentives
Click Edit under the Incentives section. - Update the amount
Enter the new value → Save and confirm. - Unpause the study
Resume normal activity once updates are complete.
Update incentive for a specific participant
- Open your study → go to the Participants tab.
- Click the ➕ icon in the participant table header to show the “Incentive” column.
- Locate the participant and click the incentive amount in their row to edit.
- Adjust as needed:
- Increase: You’ll be prompted to add additional funds.
- Decrease: Remaining funds will return to your wallet or card on file once the study closes.
Update the incentive type
To switch between Money or gift card, coupon, or gift:
- Pause the study (⋯ → Pause).
- Go to Incentives → click Edit.
- Select the new incentive type → Save and confirm.
- Unpause to resume activity.
Tracking Incentive Delivery
How can I verify a candidate received or redeemed their incentive?
There are a few ways to confirm:
- In the Participants tab, check the Status column.
- “Sent” → The incentive email has been delivered.
- “Redeemed” → The participant opened the link and claimed their reward.
- Click into a participant’s profile to open the Messages section → confirm that the Thanks message was sent.
- Hover over “Sent Thanks” to see if it’s been redeemed.
- Review redemption details in the Activity section or under Stats.
Withholding the “Thanks” Message
If you need to delay incentive delivery:
- When marking a participant as Completed, toggle off Send Thanks.
- When ready to send, check their name → click Compose → Thanks → review and send the message.
This gives you time to review responses before sending the incentive.
Participant Experience
What does the redemption process look like for participants?
Once participants receive their Thanks email:
- They click the CTA button (or link) in the message.
- A landing page opens where their Tremendous reward link is generated.
- They can instantly choose from available payout options (e.g., PayPal, gift card, bank transfer).
Watch this short video for a full walkthrough of the participant redemption experience.
- Always verify that your funding source is active before sending incentives.
- Use automatic delivery for moderated studies to save time.
- Review participant status before sending incentives manually.
- For external participants (via Respondent), they must redeem directly through Respondent.
Have Questions?
Please reach out to us in the chat or at [email protected]!
