Discover apps and websites that pay you go mystery shopping. From checking whats on the shelves at supermarkets, to trying out pints in the pub, you can make a bit of extra money when you are out and about with mystery shopping services.
Discover apps and websites that pay you go mystery shopping. From checking whats on the shelves at supermarkets, to trying out pints in the pub, you can make a bit of extra money when you are out and about with mystery shopping services.
By Scrimpr
Updated 29 Mar 2026 Want to get paid to shop and dine out? Mystery shopping apps let you earn money by visiting stores, restaurants, and other businesses to evaluate the customer experience. Many gigs cover the full cost of your purchase – meaning free meals, products, and experiences – plus you get paid on top. It’s a fun, flexible way to earn extra cash while helping businesses improve their service.
Marketforce almost always have assignments all over the UK for Five Guys and Wetherspoons. They some times have Aldi too.
Tern is one of the best mystery shopping sites. They often pay for visits to 3 Mobile shops, and are usually looking to pay people who wear contacts or glasses to get an eye test!
HGEM focuses exclusively on dining out and offers assignments at restaurants such as Wagamama, Giraffe, and Leon.
iShopForIPSOS have a lot of mystery shopping tasks available and they pay to PayPal in 7-14 days. Taskas include Post Office visits, assessing Vodafone shops, and many a Greene King pub visit.
Mystery Day out gives mystery shoppers the chance to assess large chains like Primark, Boots, IKEA, John Lewis, H&M and Tesco.
Roamler is famous for its "Rate and Review" tasks where they will reimburse the cost of a product and pay you £1 to review it. If you want an invitation to join, click the Sign Up link to send me an email to ask!
SmartSpotter has various types of tasks. My favourite is one that pays £4 to go and buy "damaged" tubs of peanut butter from ASDA!
Depending where you are, Shepper has lots of tasks for M&S and Boots. But they're "audits" and are quite involved. They never have any tasks where I live.
I hear Service Scan is good, but I haven't managed to get accepted onto the panel.
BeMyEye has lots of tasks at shops like Boots, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Tesco and Morrisons. Lots of the tasks just involve taking pictures of the supermarket shelves. Very tedious, and not exactly mystery shopping. Get a £1 bonus with our link: https://scrimpr.co.uk/raf/bemyeye.
MSL always has a tasks to assess charity fundraisers, as well as home based tasks making enquiries by telephone.
Premise requires you to find very specific items in shops like Lidl, ASDA and Co-op. I've never managed to complete a task.
Streetspotr appears on lists from the likes of SaveTheStudent, but for the life of me I can't get it to show me any tasks, and the website appears to have switched to German these days.
The 4Shoppers app never has any tasks on it. I think it is now dead.
Secret Shopper never has any tasks available in the UK.
I haven't found the time to try out Customer Perceptions yet
Pro Insight is on my list to try out.
GrasRoots is another site that's on my list to try out, but I have not gotten round to it yet.
What it is: Getting paid to visit shops, restaurants, pubs, and other businesses as a regular customer, then reporting back on your experience. You’re essentially a secret quality inspector – the staff don’t know you’re evaluating them.
How it works: Sign up to mystery shopping apps, browse available gigs in your area, accept one, complete the visit following specific instructions, then submit your report and receipts. Payment usually arrives within a few weeks.
What pays best: Restaurant and pub visits often reimburse your full bill (typically £30-60 for two people) plus pay £10-20 on top. Retail visits pay £5-15 for quick store checks. Phone and online mystery shops pay £5-10 and can be done from home.
Smart strategy: Sign up to multiple apps – gigs vary by platform and the best ones get snapped up quickly. Check regularly (new gigs often drop on specific days), and start with simpler retail visits before tackling restaurant shops with longer report requirements.
Mystery shopping lets you get paid to visit businesses and report on your experience – and often you’ll get a free meal or product thrown in too. It’s not a career, but it’s a brilliant way to enjoy nights out, try new places, and pocket some extra cash while you’re at it.
Types of mystery shopping gigs:
I focus mostly on restaurant and pub shops because the value is unbeatable – a free meal for two plus payment on top. Retail visits are quicker but pay less. Phone shops are handy when you can’t get out.
Examples I’ve completed:
Why trust my ratings? Most mystery shopping lists just regurgitate the same old names. My ratings reflect which apps actually have regular gigs in your area, pay reliably, and don’t make you jump through hoops. Some platforms look great on paper but rarely have anything available – I’ll tell you which ones are actually worth your time.
Your earnings depend on how many apps you use, where you live, and how often you check for gigs. Here’s what different approaches typically yield:
Using 1-2 apps, grabbing gigs when you spot them
1 restaurant shop monthly (meal for 2 + £15 fee) = £60-80 value/month
1 retail visit monthly × £10 = £10/month
Annual total: ≈ £850-1,000 in value + cash
Using 3-5 apps, checking weekly, mix of restaurant and retail
2 restaurant shops monthly (meals + fees) = £120-150 value/month
2-3 retail or phone shops monthly = £25/month
Annual total: ≈ £1,700-2,100 in value + cash
Using all major apps, checking daily, prioritising high-value gigs
4+ restaurant/pub shops monthly = £250-300 value/month
Regular retail, phone, and online shops = £50/month
Occasional hotel or leisure experiences = variable bonus
Annual total: ≈ £3,600-4,200 in value + cash
Mystery shopping is straightforward, but a few smart habits will help you land better gigs and avoid rejected reports:
Different apps work with different clients, so the gigs don’t overlap much. Having 4-5 apps installed means you’ll see far more opportunities. The best restaurant shops get snapped up within hours, so more apps = more chances.
New gigs often drop on specific days (many appear Monday-Wednesday for weekend visits). Set a reminder to check your apps a few times a week. The highest-paying and most desirable gigs go fast – if you only check monthly, you’ll miss the good stuff.
Every shop has specific requirements – what to order, what questions to ask, what to observe. Missing a requirement can mean a rejected report and no payment. Read the full brief before accepting, and again before your visit.
You’ll need to remember staff names, timestamps, specific details about service, and more. Jot notes on your phone discreetly (pretend you’re texting) or excuse yourself to the bathroom to write things down. Don’t rely on memory – reports ask for specifics.
You’ll need to photograph and upload your receipt to get reimbursed. No receipt = no reimbursement, even if you completed everything else perfectly. Ask for the receipt, check it’s legible, and snap a photo before you leave the venue.
Most apps require reports within 12-24 hours of your visit. The longer you wait, the hazier your memory gets and the more likely you’ll miss details. Complete your report the same day while everything’s fresh.
Restaurant shops have longer, more detailed reports and stricter requirements. Start with retail visits or phone shops to learn the ropes and build your shopper rating. Higher-rated shoppers get access to better gigs and are more likely to be approved for competitive assignments.
As many as possible – at least 4-5 to start. Each app works with different clients, so gigs rarely overlap. More apps means more opportunities, and the best gigs get snapped up quickly.
No. Anyone can sign up. Start with simpler retail or phone shops to learn the process and build your shopper rating. Once you’ve completed a few successfully, you’ll get access to better gigs.
You’ll book a table, order specific items (e.g. a starter, main, and drinks each), evaluate the service, then submit a detailed report with your receipt. The app reimburses your meal cost up to a set limit and pays a fee on top.
Yes – most restaurant shops require it. You’ll typically need to dine as a pair to look like normal customers. Your companion’s meal is usually covered too, but they can’t know you’re mystery shopping (it needs to look natural).
Retail reports take 5-10 minutes. Restaurant reports take 20-40 minutes and ask for detailed observations about service, timing, food quality, and staff interactions. Budget time the same day to complete them while details are fresh.
Your report may be rejected and you won’t get paid or reimbursed. Always read the brief carefully before accepting a gig and again before your visit. If something goes wrong during the visit (e.g. an item isn’t available), contact the app before submitting.
UK tax law: earnings under £1,000/year from all “trading income” are covered by the trading allowance. Reimbursements for purchases aren’t taxable – only the fee you’re paid on top. Consult HMRC guidance or a tax professional for your situation.
Check the ratings table above and sign up to all the 4-5 star apps. Availability varies hugely by location, so having multiple apps gives you the best chance of finding gigs near you.
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