iSoftStone Review: Earn $12+ Per Hour Doing Crowd Jobs

Written by Jason Michaels Last Updated: Oct 1, 2024

In the work at home community, crowdsourcing jobs are pretty popular. Crowdsourcing jobs consist of small tasks that are often called micro-tasks.

17Some task examples include reviewing search engine results, evaluating ads, and transcribing data. Crowd jobs pay workers per task or on an hourly basis.

One of the popular crowd job companies is iSoftStone.

This company hires home-based workers to complete a large variety of crowdsourcing tasks. The most well-known position is Search Engine Evaluator, but it’s not the only option.

In this iSoftStone review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this real work from home job.

What Is iSoftStone?

iSoftStone Holdings Limited is an IT service management company. The company has been in business since 2001. They offer their services to clients throughout the world.

These clients are typically businesses in different fields. They focus on helping clients keep up with digital trends to improve customer experiences. The U.S. branch of iSoftStone is based in Washington.

The services provided by iSoftStone are powered by crowdsourcing. The company hires workers around the globe to perform crowd jobs.

The work you do for iSoftStone is all about collecting data and insight for businesses. iSoftStone hires people to work from home, and the company aims to offer a good work-life balance.

All iSoftStone jobs are part-time positions. You’ll work anywhere from 10 to 25 hours per week based on the job you do.

iSoftStone notes that their opportunities and job openings change rapidly. That means that new work is frequently available. Most of the positions pay hourly, and I’ll discuss pay rates later in my review.

iSoftStone Pros And Cons

iSoftStone job reviews date back to 2013. This means there’s a lot of feedback from works – positive, neutral, and negative. I used many sources to create the iSoftStone pros and cons list below.

Pros

• The job flexibility provides a great work-life balance.
• You get to choose the hours you work on a weekly basis.
• You get to work from the comfort of your own home.
• Jobs are available in many different countries.
• No phone calls or direct client contact is required.
• You don’t need to buy special work equipment.
• Workers reportedly can take time off whenever they need to.
• The job qualifications are very easy to meet.
• Many workers say the crowdsourcing tasks are unique and fun.
• You are provided free training by iSoftStone.
• Payments are reportedly made through PayPal or direct deposit.
• Some workers say that team leaders are very helpful.
• The work guidelines are reportedly easy to follow.

Cons

• You are paid only once per month according to most reviews.
• You are limited to working 10 to 25 hours per week.
• Workers say that there are slow periods where very little work/hours are available.
• Some reviews say that it can be difficult to get ahold of project managers.
• Some workers report that issues with receiving payment on time.
• Work contracts range from three to six months long, so long-term employment isn’t guaranteed.
• Transcribers report that audio clips are often difficult to understand and transcribe.
• You are not paid for the free training process.

I think that iSoftStone reviews are pretty average for this type of work. Crowd jobs like this are flexible and convenient.

If you want to work from home part-time, this type of gig is ideal. You aren’t required to interact with customers, so the work seems pretty laid back and comfortable.

Independent contractor gigs like iSoftStone have downsides. There’s no guarantee that plenty of work will always be available.

Since you work alone, communicating with management may be hard at times. You’re also limited to 25 hours per week, so it’s not suitable if you’re looking for full-time work.

Overall, I think iSoftStone is worth looking into if you want a basic work-from-home job. Just have realistic expectations based on the pros and cons above.

As long as you’re comfortable with them, this could be a great fit for you.

What Type of iSoftStone Jobs Are There?

iSoftStone offers several different work from home positions. They’re available to people throughout the world, and the requirements are pretty simple.

Here are some crowd job positions that are currently open and a bit about them:

• Search Engine Evaluator – Search engine evaluators rate the search results that are returned by various search engines. You determine if the results are relevant and high-quality. This helps improve the results that people see when they type in different keywords in these search engines. You’ll base your evaluations on criteria given to you.
• Transcriber – iSoftStone hires transcribers to translate audio recordings into text. Some examples of audio recordings may include lectures, business meetings, and radio programs. This position also requires you to follow set guidelines, and you need to work with a high level of accuracy.
• Online Ad Evaluator – Online ad evaluator work is pretty similar to search engine evaluation. You rate the relevancy and quality of different web advertisements. Your ratings are based on criteria given to you by iSoftStone. Your evaluations are used to improve the online ads that people see.

There are additional home-based positions listed by iSoftStone. But the work is much more specific, and the job requirements are usually stricter.

For example, the Language Expert position requires a Master’s Degree. The Information Researcher position is only for iPhone users in certain cities.

The three main job titles above may vary a bit depending on the country you’re in. Two examples are Online Web Evaluator and Search Engine Evaluation Analyst.

These positions are the same as the ones listed above. You can click on job titles to see what the position consists of.

You can find all of the current iSoftStone jobs here. Keep in mind that different positions pop up pretty often. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, check back periodically.

Contract positions like this tend to go through slow and busy seasons that impact hiring.  

What Are The iSoftStone Job Qualifications?

The common iSoftStone crowd jobs have pretty basic qualifications. They’re fairly easy for anyone to meet. Here are the general requirements listed for most positions:

• Native English speaker or native language speaker in the country the job is listed for.
• Strong English reading skills or reading skills for the country the job is listed for.
• Permanent resident of the United States or the country the job is listed for.
• 18 years of age or older.
• Ability to work on a flexible schedule.
• Responsible and results-oriented.
• Access to a PC with Windows OS.
• Access to a stable and high-speed Internet connection.
• Proficiency with computer and Internet applications.

Overall, you just need to be a native speaker with decent computer skills. You’ll also need to be comfortable with a flexible schedule.

Most iSoftStone jobs allow you to work 10 to 25 hours per week. The available number of work hours may vary from time to time.

You work as an independent contractor versus being a traditional employee. This basically means you’re providing your services on a freelance basis.

iSoftStone appears to have independent contractors sign contracts that cover three to six months of employment.

The iSoftStone Application Process

There aren’t a lot of details about the iSoftStone application process on their website. This is the info that’s readily available.

1. Visit the Crowd Job Listings page to see all open positions.
2. You can browse and view every position, or you can narrow your results using the Job Search section at the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the title of the position that you’re interested in.
4. Read the full job description for the position. You’ll see the overview, responsibilities, qualifications, and employment conditions.
5. Click the red Apply Now button to start the application process.
6. Create a user profile and begin the four-step application.

The length of the application may vary depending on the job you apply for. Some workers were approved within a few days, but others say approval took a week or more.

iSoftStone Job Interview

The iSoftStone interview process seems pretty simple. There aren’t a lot of details about it online because workers must sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Most worker reviews say you’re given detailed guidelines for your position. You’ll need to pass a quiz and/or complete trial work to get the job

From what I read, it’s pretty easy to pass as long as you follow the guidelines.

How Much Does iSoftStone Pay?

iSoftstone pay information isn’t publicly listed on their job website. However, workers discuss wages online for iSoftStone jobs.

I’ve made a list of the hourly rates I found, and they are pretty consistent. The sources include job websites, work at home forums, iSoftStone reviews, and more.

• Five search engine evaluators report earning $12 to $14 per hour (Glassdoor.com)
• Four researchers report earnings $14 per hour (Indeed.com)
• 17 data collectors report earning an average of $16.24 per hour (Indeed.com)
• One in-depth review from 2014 says search engine evaluators earn at least $13 per hour
• Another iSoftStone review from 2014 says search engine evaluators earn $12 per hour
• A Reddit user states that, as of one year ago, she earned $12 per hour (Reddit)

Overall, I think it’s safe to say you’ll get paid at least $12 per hour. It also looks like your hourly pay can increase based on your job title.

By working 10 to 25 hours per week, you could earn $120 to $300 per week. That works out to about $480 to $1,200 per month.

How Do You Get Paid By iSoftStone?

There’s not a ton of info about how iSoftStone pays their workers. Most reviews say that workers get paid once per month, but the exact date isn’t disclosed.

A few reviews mention getting paid twice per month. Workers report getting paid through PayPal or direct deposit.

More Crowd Jobs Like iSoftStone

If iSoftStone doesn’t have a job opening that suits you, you’re not out of look. Crowdsourcing jobs from home are very popular right now.

There are several different companies that offer similar work. Some of them pay hourly, and others pay per task. Here are a few more jobs to check out:

• Appen Butler Hill, Inc. – Appen hires independent contractors for social media evaluator, crowdsourcing, and transcriber positions. Social media evaluators commit to 1-4 hours of work per day 5-7 days per week. Crowdsourcing positions are part-time up to 20 hours per week. Transcribers work a minimum of 20 hours per week. Workers report earning an average of $12 to $16 per hour.
• Lionbridge – Lionbridge hires independent contractors for part-time work from home positions. Job titles include search engine evaluator and web content assessor. Some positions pay per task and others pay per hour. Workers are paid via direct deposit. Payment reportedly ranges from $13 to $19 per hour. Different positions are available throughout the world.
• Leapforce At Home – Leapforce At Home hires independent agents to work as search engine evaluators. Leapforce pays at least $13 per hour, and you have to commit to 10 hours of work per week. Payment is made once per month via direct deposit. Part-time and full-time hours are reportedly available. To get hired by Leapforce, you must pass a three-part qualification exam.
• Clickworker – Clickworker is a platform where workers complete small, quick crowdsourcing tasks. Some of the tasks include searching for certain terms, categorizing data, and taking surveys. Workers are paid weekly or monthly via PayPal. Workers don’t have to work any set hours or commit to any contracts.
• Amazon Mechanical Turk – Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) is a micro-task site hires workers to complete short crowdsourcing tasks. Tasks include rating search engine results, tagging photos, describing images, and transcribing data. Tasks are called HITs, which is short for human intelligence tasks. Workers are paid per task. Pay varies greatly depending on the HIT. Like Clickworker, there are no hourly commitments or contracts.
• OneSpace – OneSpace (formerly titled CrowdSource) is another micro-task platform, but it’s a bit different than the others. The work is mostly focused on writing, editing, and transcribing. There are some data entry and research tasks available, too. Payments are made daily through PayPal, and workers are paid per task. Workers don’t have to commit to any type of schedule or contract.

Final Thoughts

iSoftStone is a 100% legitimate work from home opportunity. If you’re looking for flexibility and comfort, I think you’ll like doing crowd jobs. But there are many other small task gigs that are just as legit. Frugal For Less has some very in-depth reviews about these jobs. I recommend reading these posts:

• 35 Work From Home Gigs That Pay Weekly Or Daily – Many people don’t want to complete online work that pays once or twice per month. This post has dozens of gigs that pay frequently. You can mix and match the ones you like to get paid every day.
• 50 Best Short Task Sites That Pay You to Complete Small Task Jobs – A comprehensive list of small task jobs. Each site has unique work, so finding something you’ll enjoy is easy.
• 25+ Best Survey Sites: Get Paid $600/Month Or More From Home (Updated 2018) – Paid survey sites are a legit way to make quick cash. There are some scam sites out there, but we’ve listed the ones that truly pay. By using a handful of these sites, you can make hundreds of dollars per month.
• 25 Apps To Make Money Fast For PayPal – Like most people, you probably own a smartphone. Take advantage of that and download some apps that pay via PayPal. From taking surveys to playing games, you’ll find plenty of interesting options here.

Check out those posts to get started, and don’t forget to browse the Frugal For Less Make Money section. You’ll quickly discover hundreds of real work from home jobs and ways to make money online.