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October 9, 2020
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Get Paid to Watch Movies (6+ Legit Ways)

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What if you could get paid while relaxing and watching movies? Settle into the couch with a bit of popcorn and come out with a few extra bucks?

Well, while you won’t make a career doing it, it turns out that dream is possible. There are services based online and in-person around the country that pay people to watch movies. Sometimes these opportunities are officially through movie theater companies, other times they are through separate services like movie trailer review sites or loyalty programs, but you have options.

As you would expect in a “get money for doing nothing” style space, there’s a lot of noise and bad faith players. You have to be careful about whom you choose to work with and why. To make this a bit easier for you, we’ve done our research and found a handful of legitimate ways you can get paid to watch movies.

These fall into two major camps: passive and active. Neither option will make you rich, but as you’d expect, you can make more by choosing “active” services. This means you have to exert some sort of effort, whether that’s proactively choosing the videos they serve up to you or by going to physical locations, etc. Passive services are usually data collection panels that simply observe what you already do.

So take a look, see which options look most interesting to you, and get watching!

1. Get Paid to Watch Movies in Theaters by Becoming a Theater Experience Reviewer

This isn’t as big as it used to be, especially in the wake of COVID-19, but you could look into becoming a “Field Associate” via CertifiedFieldAssociate.com or through the movie companies themselves.

These companies pay you to sit in on movies in local theatres to make sure ads are being run, count customers, figure out what movies are most popular and when, etc.

It’s essentially a hands-on data collection position. The main issue with this gig is that you can waste a lot of time and get paid much less than minimum wage. This is because depending on your task, you may have to wait for a movie to finish or run into issues with the local theatre management, etc.

Lots of people who have done these types of gigs for a while only recommend taking gigs with a defined scope.

How Does Being a Movie Theatre Field Associate Work?

By either signing up directly with movie companies or through third-party sites, you can get paid a lump sum for attending movies at movie theaters and answering specific questions related to your experience.

How Much Can I Make?

The pay varies from job to job, but they usually pay a project fee. This means if you’re not careful about time management, you can earn less than minimum wage.

Pros of Being a Field Associate
  1. Can attend blockbuster movies for free.
  2. Good track record for payment.
  3. Can work near where you live.
Cons of Being a Movie Theatre Field Associate
  1. Some jobs make you hop in and out of movies and never sit through an entire experience.
  2. You have to explain what you’re doing to the local theater.
  3. If you’re not careful, you can spend 8 hours doing a $40 job and make less than minimum wage.
Where to Get Started
  1. Certified Field Associates – The website is pretty rough, but MarketForce Information is one of the most widely used field associate job sites.
  2. EntertainmentCareers.net – This is an entertainment-specific job site, so you can search for “Theatre Checker” or “Field Associate” here and see if anyone is hiring.
  3. Cinemark – You can also see if movie companies like Cinemark are hiring anyone directly.

2. Get Paid to Watch Movie Previews via “Online Task” Sites

There’s a whole internet culture around getting paid for surveys, small tasks, playing games, etc. Many of the large communities in this world also offer points and gift card opportunities for watching movie trailers or giving feedback on ads. This is definitely more of an “active” choice, but if you’re interested in making money online in your downtime, then the sites listed below are reliable places to start.

How Do Online Task Sites Work?

Popular “make money online” sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars pay you in points to perform all sorts of online activities from playing games to watching movie trailers. You can then turn those points in for gift cards or cash.

How Much Can I Make?

You won’t make more than a few bucks a month, so it’s best to do this in your downtime or only when high point opportunities come around.

Pros of Watching Movie Previews on Online Task Sites
  1. You can make money on your phone or computer anytime, anywhere.
  2. Top online task sites are reliable and safe.
  3. Opportunities to combine movie trailer watching with games, surveys, and other digital tasks to make more cash.
Cons of Watching Movie Previews on Online Task Sites
  1. You won’t make more than a few bucks a month.
  2. It won’t feel like relaxing because you’re watching what they want you to watch.
  3. It requires consistent effort to see results.
Where to Get Started
  1. Swagbucks – Swagbucks is the top of the hill as far as “get paid online” sites go, so this is the best place to start.
  2. InboxDollars – InboxDollars is very similar to Swagbucks, so you could either split your time between the two or see which of the two has better movie trailer options.

3. Get Paid to Review Movies by Writing Articles or Creating Content

This is more on the active side, but if you have a passion for movies, then you could start reviewing movies you watch and submitting your writing to publications. Some of these will be paid, most won’t be. You could also start a YouTube channel and post your reviews there. There’s no sure path to becoming a paid critic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

Your best bet is to find a different spin on what’s already being done. Look at the market and current popular movie reviewers and see how you can do something a bit different. Once you identify an opportunity, make a content plan, run a few tests, and ask your friends for their opinions before investing too much time.

How Does Reviewing Movies Work?

This is a creative pursuit that has no guarantee of success and requires passion. You will most likely start by writing your own reviews and refining your craft and eventually pursuing publications to work with. You could also create your own platform and publish there.

How Much Can I Make?

Most people don’t make anything, but successful critics can make a decent living doing a job they love. Like any creative pursuit, this will take a lot of time and effort before you reap any sort of monetary reward.

Pros of Reviewing Movies
  1. A chance to pursue your passion.
  2. Opportunity to think critically about movies.
  3. Fun networking and social opportunities.
Cons of Reviewing Movies
  1. No guarantee of payment ever.
  2. Very difficult to “make it”.
  3. Requires a lot of work upfront.
Where to Get Started
  1. Study.com – Take the time to read up on the life and career trajectory of a movie reviewer. It’s best to make career and life decisions with as much information as possible. Take some time to read over people’s experiences before you dive in.
  2. LiveAbout – Study the best movie critics of all time. If you want to be the best, then you need to know what the best did!
  3. Five Stars! – This book is written by film critic Christopher Null and offers advice on how to get your start.

4. Product Test TVs or Other Entertainment Devices

This is getting at it from a different angle, but you could look into product testing for TV companies. They want to make sure their new products work and are user-friendly, so there are ways to get paid for answering questions about new products.

How Does Product Testing TVs Work?

People can apply to studies through third-party sites (a few are listed below). If you qualify for a study, you’ll either be sent a TV or a product related to a TV that you’ll have to report back on.

How Much Can I Make Product Testing?

Payment varies from study to study, but you can usually make between $10-$25 an hour when you’re participating.

Pros of Product Testing
  1. Many established sites to use.
  2. Payment isn’t an issue once you land a gig.
  3. Variety in products and jobs.
  4. Decent pay for your time.
Cons of Product Testing
  1. You’ll have to search to find jobs that specifically involve watching TV.
  2. High competition for good gigs.
Where to Get Started
  1. Toluna – Toluna is a modern product testing site that’s easy to get set up on and is used by many major brands.
  2. Product Testing USA – Product Testing USA feels pretty 90s but is well-established and can offer some interesting opportunities with some searching.

5. Work for a Company Like Netflix to Tag Movies

These opportunities are rare and have a ton of competition, but there are editorial/movie analyst positions that Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. have where people tag shows and improve their service’s metadata (the data that the algorithm uses to know what to display).

How Does Getting Paid to Tag Movies Work?

You have to get officially hired through a particular movie company like Netflix. This means browsing job sites, sending in resumes — the whole nine yards.

How Much Can I Make Tagging Movies?

That depends on what is involved in your position, but these can be full-time positions at large companies, meaning you could make a liveable salary.

Pros of Tagging Movies
  1. Potentially a full-time gig.
  2. Work at an established company.
  3. There is no middle man.
Cons of Tagging Movies
  1. Gigs are extremely rare.
  2. You can’t just find these through a third-party service — you have to find a job at a specific company.
  3. Tagging and watching movies won’t be the only thing you do at your job. There are bound to be other responsibilities.
Where to Get Started
  1. Netflix – Netflix is the biggest streaming service out there, so this is your best bet for a position.
  2. Hulu – Remember there’s no guarantee in how the job will be posted, so keep an eye out for anything that sounds remotely like an editorial analyst.
  3. HBO – HBO has the biggest variety of U.S. offices, so if you have no interest in moving, then start here.

6. Sell Your Data and Keep Watching Movies Like Normal

This is the most passive option to make money while watching movies because you don’t have to change your habits at all. Major data collection and reporting companies like Nielsen will pay you to have access to your phone and computer. You can make an easy $50 a year and be entered into automatic sweepstakes depending on the panel, but the most popular and reputable company by far is Nielsen.

These companies turn this data into massive industry reports that businesses use to educate their strategies. Yes, you are giving up your privacy here, but you are also getting compensated for using your phone and computer like normal.

How Does Panel Data Work?

You download a piece of software, fill out an account, give the software a bunch of permissions, and voila.

How Much Can I Make Selling My Data?

If you’re selling via a single panel, not very much. Nielsen gives you around $50 a year and enters you into sweepstakes that could pay off but aren’t worth banking on.

Pros of Selling Your Data
  1. It’s a set and forget it type deal — you can use your computer like normal after installation.
  2. Companies like Nielsen are reputable.
  3. Opportunity to contribute to useful data analysis.
Cons of Selling Your Data
  1. You are letting someone have access to your device. Privacy cannot be a concern.
  2. Pay isn’t that great.
  3. The installation can be a bit annoying.
  4. The software will use up some of your CPU and potentially slow down your computer.
Where to Get Started
  1. Nielsen – Nielsen is the most reputable panel company by far, so I recommend using them. When you’re giving up this much data, it’s important to know who is getting it.

Bonus: Think Outside the “Get Paid to Watch TV” Box

Consider expanding your definition a bit and look for jobs that let you watch TV while you do them.

Babysitting comes immediately to mind. You could also consider house sitting, dog sitting, working at a parking garage, or finding some other position that is generally  “slow”. Not only will these pay you more, but you’ll probably enjoy them more because you can watch what you choose instead of being forced to watch specific content.

The Bottom Line on Getting Paid to Watch Movies, TV, and Previews

You won’t make much money simply watching TV or videos. Every option here has one thing in common: you have to provide value to the person paying you. It’s obvious, but it’s true. The less work involved, the less value you are typically providing. The more hands-on, the more you get paid. That’s how the game works.

Our advice is to use apps sites like Swagbucks alongside more lucrative product testing opportunities. In other words, mix your passive and active opportunities to keep things fresh and earn the most cash.

Good luck, and remember to make these services work for you and not the other way around. If you feel stretched and pressed for time, it’s almost certainly not worth it. You should approach these with a casual mindset and put your efforts toward other job opportunities if you are particularly strapped for cash.

Permission is working to get people just like you paid for the data you’re already giving away.  We are creating a new kind of internet that pays you for your time and data shared while engaging online as you normally do. The Permission Browser Extension suggests cool ads relevant to your internet browsing, and pays you cryptocurrency in return for watching.

See how we’re working to change the internet forever.

Recent articles

The Algorithm Is Working

Oct 19th, 2026
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At six years old, she started watching YouTube and graduated to Instagram at nine. She spent more than 16 hours on Instagram in a single day.
‍

‍When Instagram chief Adam Mosseri was asked about this usage on the witness stand, he called it "problematic use."
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A jury in Los Angeles decided differently. In March, Meta and YouTube were found negligent, and the girl, a 20-year-old woman at the time of settlement, was awarded $6 million in damages. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial began. Meta and Google representatives disagree with the verdict.
‍

‍Look at what was on trial. Not a video. Not a post. Not a bad actor. It was target-designed algorithms. That's the argument here. Your child isn't failing a willpower test. They're up against one of the most sophisticated persuasion machines ever built, and it is working exactly as intended.

How the hook works

‍What will keep this person here? This is the directive every recommendation algorithm runs on. It learns from every pause, replay, and skip. It never gets tired, and it never cares about your kid’s bedtime.
‍

At YouTube, that machine drives more than 70 percent of everything people watch, according to Neal Mohan, the company’s product chief in 2018. Mohan said YouTube’s algorithm for mobile sessions hooked people in for an hour on average. A YouTube memo shown at the trial stated that to win teens, you bring them in as tweens.

In the same trial, state attorneys pointed out that TikTok internal research found that a user forms a habit after watching 260 videos. With clips as short as eight seconds playing automatically, that's roughly 35 minutes. The same findings say TikTok's researchers tied compulsive use to anxiety and weaker memory and analytical skills.
‍

‍At Instagram, a 2019 study found teens felt "hooked despite how it makes them feel." One employee wrote that people were binging so hard they could no longer feel the reward. Others, in messages revealed in court, called themselves "basically pushers." And a 2017 executive email said Mark Zuckerberg had made teens the company's top priority.
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In gaming, Roblox averaged 132 million daily players in early 2026. Among those, about three in four are under 18. The company reports hours engaged to investors every quarter, right next to its user counts.
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And, in 2025, a Pew Research Center study found that “roughly one in five U.S. teens say they're on TikTok and YouTube almost constantly.” 

Follow the incentive

‍Why build it this way? Because these apps are free, so kids aren't the customer. Their attention is. More screen time means more ads, more captured data, and more reasons for kids to open the app tomorrow. A product that makes a kid feel good and then logs off is a product that loses. And here’s what happens when safety collides with that math.
‍

“Roblox left the front door unlocked, and discord handed predators a private room,” said Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin when he filed suit against the gaming company alleging that Roblox rejected employee proposals to warn kids and parents about grooming. “Children paid the price. That stops now.”
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Tools meant to curb use can’t be taken seriously, either. This summer, a federal judge in Kentucky wrote that Meta’s own documentation said that its own time-limiting tools were a “public relations stunt.” They knew that more time on social media was linked to worse outcomes for teens.
‍

Internal TikTok documents, per the Kentucky complaint, show the company cared more about how its time-management tools looked than whether they worked.
‍

‍Then came August. Meta agreed to pay about $17 billion to settle claims brought by 51 attorneys general who accused the company of designing Instagram to hook kids. They pointed to infinite scroll, algorithmic recommendations, and constant notifications. The attorneys called it the largest state settlement with a single defendant in history. Meta said they’d done nothing wrong, arguing teen mental health is too complex to pin on one app.
‍

Again, the goal, or incentive, is for Roblox, TikTok, and Instagram to continue to evolve algorithms to “hook” kids and then deny their own documentation. 

What parents are really up against

‍For parents, it’s a stopwatch tool vs. a data war. A screen-time total tells you how long. It doesn't tell you what the algorithm fed your kid, which loops they're stuck in, or what's pulling at them at 1 a.m. According to the Pew Research Center, about four in ten parents say they could be doing better at managing screen time.
‍

Parents themselves can’t out-engineer the algorithm. They need to see it: what their kids are watching, playing, and asking AI. They also need better ways to steer than a flat "no." That’s where Permission, Family Friendly AI™ comes in.

Permission gives parents AI-powered insight into how their kids use AI and the internet, then helps guide healthier habits and reward positive ones.

These companies had years to build the brakes. Parents shouldn't have to wait for the next verdict to help protect their kids.

The Impact of Growing Up Online

Oct 6th, 2026
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As a parent, it’s painful to imagine your child struggling with something you can’t see. And yet, this may be happening more than you realize. 

A 2025 study involving 4,285 young people brings that concern into focus. Those who developed increasingly addictive patterns of social media use had more than twice the risk of suicidal behaviors compared with those whose use was lower.

For your family, that means something far more frightening than another argument about putting the phone away. It means the possibility that the child you love could be hurting enough to put their own life in danger, while you’re planning dinner, reminding them about homework, and assuming they’re having an ordinary day.

You want your child to have a bright future full of friendships, discoveries, and possibilities. Protecting that future starts with understanding what they’re experiencing now, including what makes their online world so difficult to step away from.

You might notice they’ve stopped joining family activities or seem distressed when they can’t check their phone. You might ask questions only to hear “I’m fine” and wonder whether to keep asking. None of these moments alone tells you what is happening, but they can certainly leave you feeling helpless.

Your child may need more than a reminder to log off. They may need help naming what feels overwhelming, stepping away from an unhealthy pattern, or finding support they aren’t sure how to ask for.

A phone can be put in a drawer. Whatever your child is carrying emotionally may still be there. Making room for that conversation means giving them somewhere to bring the difficult parts of their digital life.

How does technology affect kids' development?

Technology is a double-edged sword for children’s development. While it can support learning, research links heavy screen use to difficulties with skills children rely on every day. These include paying attention, managing frustration, and communicating with others.

A 2025 study found that Canadian preschoolers aged 3.5-5.5 who averaged 3-6 hours of daily screen use scored significantly lower on inhibitory control and effortful control at age 5.5 than children in the group averaging less than an hour.

Inhibitory and effortful control help children:

  • Resist impulses
  • Direct their attention
  • Regulate their behavior

These skills are essential when a child needs to wait their turn, listen to instructions, or keep working at a task after something goes wrong. If a child carries these struggles into adulthood, it may be much harder to meet deadlines, manage responsibilities, and navigate disagreements at work or in relationships.

A 2024 study of 220 Australian families also linked more screen time to fewer adult words, child vocalizations, and back-and-forth conversations. That leaves fewer opportunities for children to practice asking questions, explaining how they feel, and telling you what they need. 

As a result, children may be missing out on valuable practice in making themselves understood, which can linger into adulthood. 

Technology, attention, and independent thinking

A 2023 study tracking the smartphones of 203 U.S. children ages 11-17 found that participants got 237 notifications a day on average, and nearly 25% of those arrived during school hours. 

While kids didn’t see or answer every notification immediately, this gives you an idea of how many reasons children have to look up from studying or engaging in their lives on a daily basis.

This and the prevalence of short-form, fast-paced content like TikTok and Instagram Reels may be two reasons attention spans appear to be getting shorter. In fact, according to researcher and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity, Gloria Mark, overall attention spans have decreased from 2.5 minutes to 47 seconds over the past couple of decades.

This doesn’t mean children’s brains have lost the ability to focus for longer periods. However, growing up with fast-moving technology conditions them to read hastily and “skim” text as opposed to reading and comprehending it thoroughly. And it means their brains need to work that much harder to maintain focus. 

So it makes sense that, according to the 2023 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), just 14% of 13-year-olds read for fun almost every day. That number dropped from 27% in 2012. NAEP Long-Term Trend Assessment Results: Reading and Mathematics

Alarmingly, the NAEP’s 2024 report also found that 33% of U.S. eighth graders scored below the Basic reading level–the largest share on record. 

Research has linked reading for pleasure in early life with better attention, memory, academic achievement, and fewer mental health problems in adolescence. If children can’t or won’t read, they miss out on these benefits.

Technology, social media, and children’s mental health

Your child’s emotional health may also be at stake. Numerous studies have linked social media use to higher levels of depression and poor self-perception–especially in early adolescence, when a child’s sense of self is still taking shape.

Problematic social media use can also cut into sleep time. Over time, this can make it significantly harder for a child to regulate their emotions, and may even double their risk of depression. 

What’s more, in another WHO report involving Europe, central Asia, and Canada, 15% of adolescents said they had experienced cyberbullying. This may lead to higher levels of anxiety, and potentially even self-harm and suicidal thoughts or behaviors. 

Of course, this doesn’t guarantee that your child will develop depression or low-self-esteem by using technology. But it does give parents a reason to look beyond time spent online and to understand how digital experiences leave their child feeling.

Stay connected to your child’s online life

You don’t need to know every platform or read every private message to protect your child. Understanding their online habits can help you recognize when they need help and start meaningful conversations.

Permission is a Family Friendly AI app that gives parents insights into their children’s use of AI and the internet, helping families guide healthier behavior and encourage positive habits through parent-controlled rewards.

Children deserve room to explore, and someone to turn to when online life feels difficult. With a clearer picture of their digital world, you can help make sure they have both.

Your ASK Wallet, Now Powered by Coinbase

Sep 22nd, 2026
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{time} read time

We've partnered with Coinbase to bring best-in-class wallet technology to our community.

Today we're updating the technology that powers your ASK wallet. Here's what's changing, what it means for you, and what stays exactly the same.

What's changing

We've moved your Permission wallet to Coinbase's platform. What that means in plain language is this: starting today, you are in full control of your ASK. When you click to send, redeem, or manage your balance, the transaction happens from your account, signed by your login. We no longer hold your wallet keys. Coinbase does, on your behalf, under your authority.

We chose Coinbase's embedded wallet specifically because it brings institutional-grade security to our users without requiring you to manage anything yourself. The infrastructure is Coinbase's. The wallet is yours.

Beyond the custody change, our users now have a wallet that can go wherever they go: exportable, cross-chain ready, and backed by a platform that serves millions of people around the world. We're proud to bring that to our community.

What it means to control your own keys

As Permission has grown, we felt strongly that your funds should be held by a platform built specifically for that purpose, with the security standards and regulatory rigor that come with it. Moving to Coinbase's embedded wallet reflects that commitment.

With today's change, Coinbase secures your private key inside their systems, and only your Permission login can authorize transactions. When you click to send or redeem ASK, the transaction is authorized by you, through your login. We are no longer part of that process.

What this means practically: your wallet operates on its own, independent of Permission. Treat your Permission login like you would a bank password. It is now the key to your wallet. If you ever want to take your wallet entirely outside of Permission, Coinbase supports key export and that option is yours.

What Coinbase sees

Because Coinbase is now part of the infrastructure, your email address, account identifier, and wallet information are shared with them for the purpose of operating the wallet. For details on how Coinbase handles this data, you can review their embedded wallet documentation and their privacy information.

For how Permission handles your data, our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy govern that relationship, as they always have.

What stays the same

Everything you experience in the app. Earning ASK, redeeming it, transferring it, viewing your balance, managing your family. None of that changes.

And, what does change, we're excited about: key export, cross-chain support, and institutional-grade security. These are capabilities that would have taken years to build in-house and that Coinbase has spent that time perfecting. We chose to partner with the best-in-class, and our product and users will be better for it.

If you have questions, support is always here.

The Permission Team 🤝

What Is Family Friendly AI™?

Sep 9th, 2026
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{time} read time

Only 15% of people globally say they trust AI systems, and 72% of parents are concerned about AI’s impact on their children.

AI is quickly becoming part of everyday family life, but Big Tech wasn’t built with families in mind. Family Friendly AI is technology intentionally designed for families, giving parents visibility into their children’s digital lives, guidance when they need it, and tools to encourage positive behavior.

5 Things That Make AI Family Friendly

1. Your family owns its data.

‍Your family’s data is never sold. It belongs to your family, and you stay in control of it.

2. Parents know what’s happening online.

‍Family Friendly AI gives parents visibility into their children’s digital lives, helping them fully understand how their children use and interact with technology.

3. It motivates children with rewards and incentives.

‍Parents can set rewards and incentives to encourage positive behaviors and help their children build better habits around technology and beyond.

4. It gives parents coaching and inspiration.

‍Parenting in a digital world comes with challenges that screen-time limits alone can’t help with. Family Friendly AI gives parents personalized AI-insights and guidance to help them navigate what their children are doing online and decide what to do next.

5. It earns families' trust.

‍Technology for families should have a higher bar. The companies building it should stand behind it with an unconditional, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.

It’s time for AI, crypto, and the technology shaping our children’s lives to meet the family-friendly standard.

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