Product Reviews
The short answer: Product reviews on the Amazon Influencer Program pay from $400–$600 a month for one retiree to $1-3K a month for typical earners, by Trevin Peterson's estimate. Product reviews need volume: Nate Jackson says beginner to mid-level reviewers make "about a buck 50 to two and a half dollars per video per month." (The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast; The Side Hustle Show) Product reviews suit full-time workers: The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast says they "can easily set aside 45 minutes." (The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast)
| Reported part-time earnings | $400–$20,000/month 2 reports by 2 creators, Aug 2024–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| Reported startup cost | $0 4 reports by 4 creators, Mar 2024–Sep 2026 |
| One creator's reported time to first dollar | 60 days Reported by The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast, Mar 2024 |
From 16 quotes by 4 creators. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: all the product reviews evidence
How much do Amazon product reviewers make?
Amazon product reviewers start at hundreds a month and consistent ones reach $5-10K, Trevin says on Chris Koerner's show. Nate claims about $20k/month from a volume-based approach. (Chris Koerner; The Side Hustle Show)
Commission moves the number: Trevin puts standard rates at 0.5-3%, while Creator Connections campaigns pay 10-50%. (Chris Koerner)
What do people doing product reviews say?
“she's doing anywhere from $400 to $600 a month with the influencer program”
“The fact that I can make $20,000 a month literally doing that is bonkers to me.”
“starting with the stuff you've already got lying around your house.”
“start this business with zero capital. You do not need to start shopping anything.”
What does it cost to start Amazon product reviews?
Amazon product reviews can start at $0, with Nate using "the stuff you've already got lying around your house." Trevin films on a phone and recommends a cheap lav mic. (Side Hustle Nation; Chris Koerner)
Chris Koerner's show says of running costs: "There's no overhead. You're not buying inventory. You don't have fees." (Chris Koerner)
- Apply with a public social account. (Chris Koerner)
- Get three human-reviewed videos approved.
- Film horizontal phone reviews of products you own.
- Upload them to Amazon listings, leaving out prices.
How long until Amazon product reviews pay out?
Amazon product reviews pay slowly at first: The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast says "you won't get paid for 60 days in the beginning." Pay can outlast filming: the show describes someone "still doing I think like five to eight thousand per month" during "a three month process" without uploads. (The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast)
Who should try Amazon product reviews?
Amazon product reviews can grow past a side income: Chris Koerner's show describes someone who "was able to quit her corporate job making six figures a year." Approval needs a public social account, so people unwilling to post publicly should skip Amazon product reviews. (Chris Koerner)
Are Amazon product reviews worth it?
Pros
- Trevin advises pitching brands for free products or paid video rights. (Chris Koerner)
- Nate films quick reviews around the house and neighborhood. (The Side Hustle Show)
- Nate covers getting approved with few followers. (Side Hustle Nation)
Cons
- Trevin says the outliers at $25-40K a month have hundreds to thousands of videos. (Chris Koerner)
- Running out of products to film is a named pitfall. (Side Hustle Nation)
What can go wrong with Amazon product reviews?
Amazon product reviewers can lose their accounts: Nate warns that filming everything off the shelf at Target or Walmart is "going to get you kicked off really, really fast." The Side Hustle Experiment guests sell a course on the program, and their income figures are personal anecdotes. (Side Hustle Nation; The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast)
What are the alternatives to product reviews?
- Content Creator as a side hustle: Often covered together (3 shared videos).
- Brand Deals & UGC as a side hustle: Also under $100 to start; often covered together (1 shared video).
- Selling digital products as a side hustle: Also under $100 to start.
- Online Marketplaces: Also can go full-time; often covered together (2 shared videos).
- Tutoring as a side hustle: Also can go full-time, under $100 to start.
- Music and Audio side hustle: Also in digital products and content.
Part of: Digital products and content
What else do Amazon product reviewers ask?
How long should an Amazon review video be?
Trevin advises 2+ minutes, while The Side Hustle Experiment guests describe short product reviews. (Chris Koerner)
Which products should Amazon reviewers film?
Trevin advises picking selling products with few videos. (Chris Koerner)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the all the product reviews evidence.
- The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast, podcast, 23 Aug 2024.
- Chris Koerner, YouTube, 31 Jul 2026.
- The Side Hustle Show, podcast, 10 Sep 2026.
- The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast, podcast, 22 Mar 2024.
- Side Hustle Nation, YouTube, 15 Sep 2026.
- Chris Koerner, YouTube, 4 Aug 2026.
Other data behind this page (7)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time or part-time | full time capable | Accepted | Chris Koerner; The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast |
| Ongoing cost | $0/month | Accepted | Chris Koerner |
| Fit by life phase (employed_moonlighter) | 0.70 score 0–1 | Accepted | The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast |
| Fit by life phase (retiree) | 0.70 score 0–1 | Accepted | The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast |
| Scalability | high | Accepted | The Side Hustle Show; The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast |
| Startup cost | $0 | One report | The Side Hustle Experiment Podcast |
| Common pitfalls | analysis paralysis, filming inside stores like Walmart or Target, mentioning the price in a review video, over-editing videos, running out of products to film | 2 reports | Side Hustle Nation; Chris Koerner |