> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dscout.com/ai-moderated-studies/what-are-ai-moderated-studies/how-much-should-an-ai-moderated-study-pay.md).

# How much should an AI moderated study pay?

{% hint style="info" %}
**A note on niche recruits:** The following guidance does not apply when recruiting from our Partner Panels. Partner Panels offer access to niche, B2B recruits whose expertise is hard to source, and the compensation you offer should reflect that. Expect to pay significantly more for a short session with a C-suite exec, clinician, or other specialist.
{% endhint %}

When choosing an incentive for an AI moderated study, the overall length of the study is important, but so is the number of open-ended questions participants will have to answer, as well as how many follow-ups they may be asked. Use these specific guidelines to determine the right incentive for your study:

| Question type                | No follow-ups | 1 follow-up | 2–3 follow-ups |
| ---------------------------- | ------------- | ----------- | -------------- |
| Every Task question          | $8            | $9          | $10            |
| Every Talk out loud question | $2            | $3          | $4             |
| Every closed-ended questions | $1            | $2          | $3             |

### Incentive ranges by recruitment approach

How you recruit for your study determines how much you’re able to offer as an incentive. This is for a few reasons, including the risk associated with each approach.

Use the table below to understand your options for each recruitment method:

| Recruitment approach                         | Available incentive range                              |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Auto-recruit from the Dscout Scout Panel** | $2–200                                                 |
| **Auto-recruit from the Partner Panels**     | $2–200                                                 |
| **Add from screeners**                       | $1–200                                                 |
| **Invite via share link**                    | $2–200 if paid via Dscout; otherwise no enforced range |
| **Invite from Private Panels**               | No enforced range as payment happens outside of Dscout |


---

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