At-a-Glance Comparison

Get a look at the differences between Pogo and Nielsen Pulse with this overview of their features and benefits.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo
  • Pogo links directly with existing debit and credit cards as well as retailer accounts and automatically rewards you every time you shop.
  • All you have to do is log in to Pogo, hit "Claim" on your purchases, and you'll get rewards. Cash out to Venmo or PayPal.
  • Earn rewards on every purchase you make, without taking photos of receipts.
  • Start claiming points in minutes (download the app, securely link your bank account(s), and start claiming points for purchases from the last two weeks).
  • Sync your other accounts like Target, Walmart & Amazon for extra points.
  • Get paid for taking surveys and providing feedback to businesses and brands.
Nielsen Pulse
  • Run by Nielsen, a global market research company with over 100 years in the business
  • Earning is passive — once set up, points accumulate automatically every day
  • One-time setup bonuses available for connecting devices and streaming platforms
  • Available on Android and iOS; connected TV devices can also be registered
  • Rewards come in the form of brand vouchers and gift cards
  • No joining fee, and you'll never be asked for credit card information
  • Participation helps inform how media companies and brands understand consumer behavior
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse Yes
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse Yes
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
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Rating Comparison

Which is better, Pogo or Nielsen Pulse? See how their expert and user ratings compare.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo
[4.7/5]
Nielsen Pulse
[4/5]
Pogo
[5/5]
Nielsen Pulse
[3/5]
Pogo
[4/5]
Nielsen Pulse
[4/5]
Pogo
[3/5]

Read 2 Reviews

Nielsen Pulse
[/5]

Read 0 Reviews

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Rewards Comparison

Compare Pogo rewards and Nielsen Pulse rewards to see how their redemption options stack up.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse Yes
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse Yes
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
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Opportunities Comparison

Compare how you can earn money with Pogo and Nielsen Pulse and find your next side hustle.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse Yes
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo Yes Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
Pogo No Nielsen Pulse No
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Service & Snafus

Learn about customer service and potential issues with Pogo and Nielsen Pulse before you sign up.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo Nielsen Pulse

Nielsen Pulse offers email-based support for US panelists at uspulsesupport@nielsen.com. The website also includes a Contact Us page with the same email address. There's no live chat or phone support listed.

The terms also allow panel members to contact Nielsen directly to request account deletion if they choose to leave.

Given that Nielsen is a large, established company, their support infrastructure should be reasonably reliable — though response times are not published, and the absence of live chat may be frustrating for users with urgent account issues.

Pogo Nielsen Pulse

The biggest sticking point for many users will be the privacy trade-off. The app requires you to grant location permissions, notifications, and install a research VPN on your device. Nielsen uses this access to track your device usage, web activity, streaming behaviour, and purchases. The terms explicitly state that this can include sensitive personal information such as race and ethnicity.

You also won't know if you qualify until after you complete the eligibility survey. Those who don't qualify are put on a waitlist, with no guarantee of ever being admitted to the panel.

Membership is household-wide by agreement. When you sign up, you're agreeing on behalf of all household members whose devices the app is installed on — and you're required to inform them and get their consent before doing so.

People employed by TV networks, cable or satellite providers, digital media platforms, or other media companies are not eligible to join. You also must keep your panel membership confidential and are not permitted to publicly identify yourself as a participant — including in app store reviews.

Points expire after 12 months and have no cash value. If you leave the panel for any reason, any unredeemed points are forfeited. Nielsen can also modify or discontinue the rewards program at any time.

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Final Verdict

See our closing thoughts to help you decide if Pogo or Nielsen Pulse is better for you.

PogoNielsen Pulse
Pogo Nielsen Pulse

Nielsen Pulse is one of the more straightforward passive earnings programs out there. You install the app, go through a brief setup, and points accumulate on their own. There's no survey grind, no daily check-ins, and no tasks to complete. For the right person, it genuinely is close to set-it-and-forget-it income.

The catch, of course, is that what you're trading for those rewards is fairly deep access to your device activity. The research VPN in particular is something that gives users pause, and rightfully so. Nielsen has a long track record and a legitimate reason for collecting this data, but you should go in with clear expectations about what you're sharing.

If you're comfortable with the data sharing arrangement and you pass the eligibility survey, Nielsen Pulse is worth a spot on your phone. It's a credible program from a credible company, and passive rewards without any active effort are hard to beat.

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