Field Agent App Review: Scam or Legit Way to Earn an Extra $500/Yr with Your Phone?

Field Agent pays users, or “agents,” to complete one-off tasks for cash or tickets toward monthly monetary prizes.

A variety of jobs are available, including price checks, in-store display checks, and easy consumer surveys.

Most take under two hours to complete.

It’s not a replacement for your 9-5, but if you’re one of 44 million Americans in need of some extra cash, this side hustle might be worth your while. Especially if you’re good at following directions, then FA app may be a good fit for you.

How it works

It really is very simple.

People post small jobs and tasks they want to be done. You apply, complete the job and get paid.

It is as simple as that.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Download the app, available for both Android and iOS. (You can also search for “Field Agent” in the app store to find the app.)

Step 2: Sign up to be an agent. Make sure you complete your agent profile thoroughly and accurately. It will help the app pair you with the right jobs.

Step 3: Browse local jobs. You can view available gigs in either map or list view within the app. Job descriptions include time allowed, detailed instructions for completing the job and payment amount.

Step 4: Accept a job and get it done within the specified time frame, then submit it for approval.

Step 5: Get paid via Direct Deposit or Dwolla.

If you need to, you have five minutes to cancel a job reservation with no penalty. Otherwise, you lose points on your Agent Score.

Make sure to set up payment before you accept or complete any jobs.

Types of Jobs

Some jobs can be done at home.

Others require some travel.

Most jobs take less than two hours to complete.

They might include answering questions or submitting photos or video.

There are several types of jobs to consider:

• Mystery shops: Most Field Agent tasks fall under this category. This is basically doing mystery shopping using your phone. In most cases, the company’s client is trying to find out if their product or display looks the way they want it to. Just don’t get caught. Employees aren’t supposed to know why you’re there or what you’re doing.
• Retail Audits: These jobs involve checking the status of a product or display at a store. You will typically visit the store, then answer questions and submit photos or videos as necessary.
• Price Checks: To complete these tasks, you’ll be asked to find a product, take a photo of it on the shelf, and enter its price.
• Polls/Surveys: Some clients are just looking for the opinions of their customers. Many will require that you meet certain qualifications before taking a poll or survey for payment.
• Scavenger Hunts: These jobs only require travel if you can’t find the products, with exact UPC codes, in your own home. It is not advisable to go out of your way to find a particular product for these jobs.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind…

Jobs may disappear and reappear in your lists, depending on their availability.

If other agents have reserved the job, it may no longer appear on your list.

If a reservation expires or a job submission is rejected for any reason, it may reappear for you to claim.

Some jobs are only available for iPhone users. These typically require high-resolution images, which cannot be guaranteed on all Android phone models.

Not seeing any jobs?

It could just be a dry spell.

Hang in there and more will come along.

If this lasts for an extended time, however, email FA support.

There could be something wrong with your account.

What is an Agent Score?

New agents start at 85 points, accumulating more as jobs are completed. Your Agent Score determines what jobs you’re offered in the future. Agents below 75 points will no longer see jobs.

This “Score” is basically your rating as an agent – how reliable you are, whether or not you finish the job correctly and on time, etc.

Needless to say, the higher your score, the better chances you have of getting bigger and higher paying tasks.

Remember, you only have 2 hours to complete a job after you accept it, so don’t accept one if you don’t think you can get it done by the deadline. It will affect your score negatively.

To increase your score and keep it high, make sure to:

• Follow the directions to the letter.
• Double check your work.
• Submit the job. (But be careful – there are no redos!)

Field Agent payment: How much can you make?

Field Agent jobs typically pay anywhere from 3-$12 a piece.

As of 2016, the average app user made between $150-500 per year. Not bad!

Once submitted, every job has a review period which can last up to a few business days.

While in review, jobs are denoted with a gray question mark.

Rejected jobs are marked with a red X. If this happens, it’s likely something about your submission was incomplete or incorrect. You should receive an email from FA explaining why it was rejected.

Accepted jobs are marked with a green checkmark.

Cash out! Once a job is verified and accepted, you can cash out anytime.

No minimum is required.

Setting up payment

1. Log in at https://my.fieldagent.net/agent/.
2. Under “Manage Cashout Options,” choose from Direct Deposit and Dwolla.

To set up either of the cashout options, follow these simple steps:

Direct Deposit

1. You’ll need your bank’s name, routing number, and account number.
2. Once set up, confirm via phone that you, the account owner, are setting up a new payment method.
3. Verify your bank account. Field Agent will make a tiny deposit into your account within 2-3 days. You will need to log in and submit the amount deposited to become verified.

Dwolla

If you have a Dwolla account, your email and password are all you need.

Types of payment

The app offers two different forms of payments:

• Cash: Money is stored in Field Agent until you withdraw it. There is no minimum required to cash out.
• Tickets: Ticket jobs are typically quick and easy questionnaires that pay in virtual tickets. Tickets earn agents a chance to win a monthly drawing. The more tickets you have, the more money you can win (one ticket= $100 2-3, $200, 4-5 $300, 6+ $500).

Field Agent cheat sheet: Tips for success

Here are a few tips that will help you make even more money with this app:

Understand the requirements: Read the instructions for each job carefully. Follow them to the letter.

Be discreet: Photographing products is not illegal, but may be against store policy. If caught, you may be asked to leave. To avoid this: Keep your phone on mute so people around you can’t hear your camera’s shutter. Try wearing headphones so it looks like you’re only listening to music. And if you are asked to leave, do so calmly and politely.

Transportation is not always required: Not all jobs require transportation, but some do. Choose jobs that aren’t too far out of your way to get the most bang for your buck.

Don’t use zoom when taking pictures: It can negatively affect photo quality and resolution. You may also accidentally crop out an important part of the picture, which can result in a rejection of that job.

Double check: Double check for accuracy before submitting a job. There’s nowhere to edit and no room for error.

Don’t close the app too soon: Make sure your internet connection is strong when you upload your job. Don’t close the app until the upload is complete.

Keep the app light: Clear your cache now and then to keep the app running smoothly.

Glitches: If the app glitches, try turning it off, then on again. If it continues, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

Don’t miss out on payment: Even if you arrive at a store and it’s permanently closed, you can still get paid for your work! Take a picture of the closed store with your hand giving a thumb down sign in front of it. Note the store’s closing in the submission comments.

Be persistent: Don’t give up if your first few jobs are rejected. There is a learning curve.

More jobs: If you want to see more jobs, go to Settings > Job Filter and try increasing your job radius.

Field Agent reviews: What users are saying

The app has been around for several years now. It has received some positive news coverage and mixed online reviews.

The app currently has a 4/5 rating in the Google Play Store and a 2.8/5 in the Apple App Store.

While researching for this post, I came across a lot of user reviews, especially on Reddit.

Here are some more recent pros and cons cited by experienced agents:

PROS

• The app pays quickly.
• You can cash out as soon as a job is accepted.
• Assignments are usually short and easy to do.
• There are more jobs available if you live in an urban area.

One user called Field Agent an “easy, fun and legitimate way to make extra money. The harder you work the more you make.”

CONS

• There aren’t as many jobs available if you live in a rural area.
• Not all, but many jobs require transportation.
• Jobs are based on your personal profile, so you may not see jobs that others do.
• Instructions for jobs are strict. A simple misstep can cause a job to get rejected.
• PayPal is no longer a payment option available to agents.

One user complained that “Field Agent continues to increase the time and effort to complete jobs while reducing payouts.”

In my personal experience, the easiest jobs to complete are ticket surveys. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee for a payout with those types of jobs.

What’s New in 2018?

FA is always working to improve the app.

In 2018, agents can expect more opportunities, clearer instructions, an enhanced app and a more efficient job review process.

Through in-app surveys, developers aim to be responsive to user preferences and feedback.

The app recently launched a new push notification system. If you have notifications on, the app will notify you once a day in digest form instead of every time a new job is available.

The app badge will also show the number of available jobs at the time of the digest email.

Your story

Have you made money with Field Agent or other apps like it?

If so, we want to hear your review of Field Agent and how you rate it.