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The Smart Crowd Review (2024 Update): Will Data Entry Work Set You Free?

By: JosiahDec 08, 2023Gigs and Freelancing
The Smart Crowd Review ([year] Update): Will Data Entry Work Set You Free?

Lionbridge's Smart Crowd website provides freelancers an opportunity to earn money online with flexible hours. Smart Crowd, formerly Virtual Bee, promises freedom to perform easy tasks for some extra money on the side.

But what's really inside this program? And how much does it all cost, anyway?

Let's dive in and find out.

UPDATE: Lionbridge appears to have disbanded their Lionbridge Smart Crowd data services program, meaning this review seems to have been correct in its suspicions. We have decided to let the review stand as evidence of our track record.

DISCLAIMER:

This The Smart Crowd review has been thoroughly researched with information and testimonials that are available to anyone in the public. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.

PROS
  • Remote work
  • Flexible hours
CONS
  • Types of jobs are limited
  • The Smart Crowd has been shut down
  • Very limited earnings potential

Why Listen To Us

My name is Josiah, and this is my Dad, Joel.why listen us

Together, we make up the team here at Scamrisk.

If you’ll let me bother you for two minutes, I’d like to quickly explain why I’m even here writing this review.

In early 2020, I had just graduated from college & had no real career prospects.

I knew I was destined for something more, but I had no clue how I was going to make it happen.

I had this sinking feeling in my gut all the time… like the “big man upstairs” had accidentally given me the version of life where I’d be mediocre forever, instead of the one where I was, ya know – happy & fulfilled.

Anyway…

I had fiddled around with some different online businesses in college:

Some random MLMs, a bit of affiliate marketing, a (failed) dropshipping store or two, all the usual suspects.

Even my dad had been involved in MLMs back in the day… selling knives & other random nonsense people (probably) didn’t need.

All I really wanted was to find something that was going to actually work for me.

Maybe those things had worked for others, but for me it all turned up a fat “0” in the bank account department.

So I searched! And searched… and searched… and searched…

And eventually, I somehow stumbled upon a program that promised to help me build an income online (read about it here if you’re curious).

I didn’t really want to be “rich”.

The thought of making a reliable $5K per month & not having to worry about clocking in to a 9-to-5 ever again was all I needed.

Sure, there were people in the program doing high-6 and low-7 figures per year… but that wasn’t what I was out for.

I just wanted to provide freedom for myself, and if I was lucky, take my family along for the ride.

Fast forward a few days and a few phone calls & I was enrolled!

Here’s the first “money making website” I put up:

why listen us gif

I built that site in 2020, and it still makes me $1,500 per month. It’s a basic 5 page website I built based on a template the program provides.

The best part to me? My dad and I get to do it all together!

So between the:

  1. Ease of reaching $5-$10K per month in income online

  2. Straightforward-ness of the system to do it

  3. Fact that I get to do it w/ my family

Is why I recommend local lead generation as my #1 business model for making money online.

Sure, it takes some work and dedication – but anyone that tells you that there’s a business out there that requires no work is selling you a lemon.

I’m not saying you need to sign up for the same program I did, but I would definitely recommend giving the business model a peek!

Are you happy with the number you see in your bank account?

Are you even making a profit?

After all, most businesses take at least a year to get out of the red and into the black, and plenty of companies never even take off altogether.

Every entrepreneur aspires to build a successful business – you know, one of those things where product sales continually flow out, revenue grows, and profits climb sky-high.

However, according to Forbes, 80% of businesses fail.

The Smart Crowd, a business owned by Lionbridge, is offering to help people to be in the forefront of making passive income via data entry jobs and similar job opportunities.

…at least that’s what John Fennelly and his own online business claim.

This economy already has people worried for their wallet – whether it’s the price of groceries, used cars skyrocketing in value, or being priced out of homes (with a potential impending collapse), financial uncertainty is aplenty.

This goes double for entrepreneurs.

So what’s the answer?

Everyone knows you can’t force an entrepreneur into a cubicle.…but we also have to build a life for ourselves. Luckily, I did stumble onto something the other day that I’m going to let you in on when we’re done talking about how to join Smart Crowd.

TESTIMONIAL - Still Getting Paid

At the end of this review, you’ll see the exact system many others have used to build their own internet marketing business to over $40,000 a month in passive income.

Sounds pretty cool, huh?

But first, let’s dig into these guys and see what their data entry job is all about.

What Is The Smart Crowd?

smartcrowd review lionbridge

The Smart Crowd is a job-sourcing platform owned by Lionbridge that provides various online jobs to freelancers or contractors - hopefully, for full-time income.

Smart Crowd is effectively a middleman that connects businesses that need different, mostly minor tasks to be completed with freelancers who are willing to do some odd online jobs to make money.

They claim that you can make money online via their Smart Crowd platform.

They have some big names in their client list, and you're completely free to work for any of them.

By big names, I mean the following:

  • HP
  • LRN
  • Microsoft
  • Motorola
  • Nokia
  • Pearson
  • Pfizer
  • Philips
  • Porsche
  • PTC
  • RIM
  • Rolls Royce
  • Samsung
  • Skillsoft
  • The US Department of Justice

Who Is John Fennelly?

who is john fennelly

John Fennelly is the CEO of Lionbridge, the parent company of The Smart Crowd.

Apparently, the company was struggling for a while before John came back on board and returned the company to growth.

Before this stint, he was CEO of HireRight, another tech company. It seems he has held several executive positions across the industry.

What's Inside The Smart Crowd?

crowd

Let's delve into what it takes to join The Smart Crowd.

#1 Request An Application.

You need to be at least 18 years old to qualify. To sign up, just request an application via their website.

#2 Filling Out An Application.

I’d like to mention also that on their website, you will see a section labeled “Important Info” where they say that no marketing emails would be sent to you.

This is a relief because you won’t have to worry about such emails flooding your inbox, supposedly.

As in any job application, you will want to provide an extensive account of your job experience and expertise to increase your likelihood of getting hired.

But doing well on the placement tests is what would make you stand out.

#3 Placement Evaluations

The placement evaluations are an important component of the application process.

  • Completing the evaluations to demonstrate your ability is a required step in this process. You must attend at least one of these sessions.
  • Because of the large number of individuals participating, high scores on these tests are needed.
  • The higher your ranking (up to 100), the better.
  • You may take as much as you want, but you may only do so once for each.

Concerns

The Smart Crowd raises some red flags, in my opinion.

That said, it’s worth mentioning that Lionbridge has already demonstrated some legitimacy as a company.

However, the first reason I do not recommend this system is, of course, lack of potential. It's not easy to make reliable, consistent income through these Smart Crowd methods.

Finally, most of the tools recommended by this system are also overpriced. To be honest, there are even cheaper alternatives available on the internet. All you have to do is look for them in the right places.

It is entirely possible to build a profitable, successful business via independent contractors…but there are simply better ways to build a business other than with Smart Crowd work.

Our #1 pick proves this.

What Does The Internet Have To Say?

What Does The Internet Have To Say

**Let's hear the voice of the people:
**

"I am a librarian who is very familiar with cataloging and indexing.  I took Lionbridge's test to work as an internet indexer for extra income.  This job involves matching user search terms with relevant results.  The first page Google results you see, for example, are somewhat manually determined and don't always rely on algorithms.  Lionbridge works with companies like Google in performing this work. 

I took their qualifying test, an extensive project that took four hours.  It was relatively simple.  My background as a librarian made many of the results straightforward, so I was surprised that Lionbridge declined my application for work.  My answers, in other words, were correct in an objective way, but Lionbridge strangely declined my effort.  I strongly suspect that they still used my work. 

It is slightly possible that I might be wrong, but I am guessing that a good bulk of Lionbridge's contract work with companies like Google relies on people taking these these tests and providing them with four hours of free work.  If many people take these tests, then Lionbridge has received a substantial amount of free labor.  I have contacted other people similar to me who have had the same experience."

Not good. Let's try one more.

"Lionbridge is a company that hires independent contractors to rate websites. After working for them for over 6 months they choose the month of December at Christmas time to not issue me a paycheck. They also choose to not respond to any of my queries about the paycheck. I have been given the runaround several times through email with no one refusing to answer me. In addition to this, they do not honor their time standards.

Even after submitting a timesheet with me not claiming a large amount of time I used to work for them because I was afraid they would not approve my timesheet they still will not answer any questions in regard to my timesheet. They are dishonest, deceptive and unfair to their contractors. Do not fall for this work at home scam. Ironically after starting to complain about the way I have been treated I get an email stating my account has been suspended even though I have more than met the quality standards. Complete RIPOFF!"

Is The Smart Crowd A Scam?

Scam or Legit

So, is The Smart Crowd legit?

Yes, technically – even if people online are saying otherwise.

You can make money with this program, but building a successful business is definitely not as easy as they make it sound.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with front-loading the work and making the money later.

But if you’re grinding it out for 3 months, and then your reward is being forced to grind it out for another 9 months before seeing any “real money,” well…that’s not a great deal, is it?

Reminds me of those God-forsaken MLMs many of us have experienced…all hype and no substance.

What if, instead, you could do that same 3 months of work (in your spare time), and your reward was a $500 to $2,000 payment that came in every single month?

And what if you actually didn’t need to wait 3 months? What if you could get started today and have your first payment in a week?

And what if you could double it next week?

Well, that’s the power of Digital Leasing. 

And you can legitimately do this from anywhere. It’s a true lifestyle business.

Your laptop and an internet connection are all you need.

Some of the most successful students in this program run their entire 6-figure businesses from:

  • A camper in the middle of the woods
  • A beach chair laid out on gorgeous white sands
  • A small villa in the Mediterranean

TESTIMONIAL - Saying Goodbye To Our Jobs

These people are able to travel around, living their lives first, and focusing on their income second.

Because even if they stop working for an extended period of time, the money keeps coming in - so adventure, memories, and experience are the top priority.

And they never have to worry about how to pay for the next trip, or consider asking for time off.

If this sounds more like the type of life you want to leadjust click here to find out more about Digital Leasing.

How Much Does The Smart Crowd Cost?

the smart crowd refund policy

Nothing! There is simply a test you take to see if you qualify...however, apparently they may harvest this "test" for hours of your time.

So, the cost is your time.

The Smart Crowd Refund Policy

the smart crowd refund policy

There isn't a clear and concise refund policy on the Lionbridge website for the services they provide, and the Smart Crowd program has no financial cost.

In other words, there is no applicable refund policy.

Are There Alternatives To The Smart Crowd?

alternatives

Yes, there are plenty of other business models to choose from if you want to pursue a path that frees your time and expands your wallet.  Here are just a few:

Suppose you’re an entrepreneur looking to make some passive income. In that case, there are already a plethora of online courses available that will teach you a new business model for working from home.

Furthermore, this program’s offerings are widely available elsewhere. And the best part is that some of them are either completely free or significantly less expensive than this system.

For what The Smart Crowd offers, it is far better to invest in something that will allow you to actually make money. Something that teaches you a valuable skill.

What Is Our Top Recommendation For Making Money From Home In 2024?

Digital Leasing

Our review team has spent months researching, reviewing, and vetting dozens of business models and thousands of programs.

While there may be no “perfect business”, the research IS conclusive:

Digital Leasing is the #1 online business model for entrepreneurs.

Whether you’ve never made a dollar online, or you’ve been in this space for a while but never really “made it,” Digital Leasing is probably your best bet.

Why?

Frankly, I don’t think you can afford to make the wrong choice when it comes to your career in this day and age.

Have you seen inflation lately? You know, that thing where your money is worth less but your costs of living keep rising? You must find a way to overcome this strain on your financial life, and you can’t rely on others to do it for you.

Whether you’re a man sick of living an average life, or a single mom seeking a new stream of income in order to stop the cycle of barely getting by…it seems clear to me that Digital Leasing is a great option to take control in today’s economy.

Let’s dig into the details:

1) It’s Flexible:

Got an hour a day? You can do this. Ready to drop everything else and dive in full time? You can do this.

Yes, the more time you put in, the faster you see results. But even with a little time each day, you can move the needle in a Digital Leasing business.

And because this system is so flexible, you don’t have to constantly be working to make more money. It’s called PASSIVE INCOME because if you stop working, the money doesn’t.

Imagine taking 3 months off to just tour around Europe, rent a cabin in the woods to write a book, hike the Appalachian Trail, or live on the beach and surf all day.

This is only possible if you have an income stream that’s not tied to your time.

TESTIMONIAL - JUMP ALL IN

2) You Own & Control EVERYTHING:

With Lionbridge Technologies, you don’t own anything. With The Smart Crowd you REALLY don’t own anything.

You don’t own the sales platform, you don’t own a brand, and you don’t own the customers.

So…are you comfortable trusting them with your livelihood?

With Digital Leasing, you own the assets, which means you have all the power and all the control.

TESTIMONIAL - Feeling Blessed

3) Little To No Startup Costs:

It’s possible to get into Digital Leasing with zero dollars upfront. Because, using the strategies outlined in this program, you can get a client to pay you BEFORE spending a penny out of your own pocket…even before you do any work.

That said, I’m not going to lie to you and say you’ll never have to put any work in. That’s a red flag. You don’t get anything for free in this life…however, you can absolutely put work in up front that frees up your time and lifestyle as you stack success.

That’s the life-hack to sitting back and watching money roll in.

Even without getting paid in advance, you can have your first Digital Rental Property up, running, and generating profits for a much more efficient investment than Smart Crowd – or even worse, taking out student loans.

TESTIMONIAL - Scott Lead Gen

4) No Wasted Time:

As mentioned above, spending tons of hours every day looking for a contact transaction ID number is a huge time commitment.

Plus, you constantly need to be grinding if you want to maintain your business.

You need to spend even more money if you want to scale up. With Lionbridge, you’ll always have limits on your time and freedom.

With Digital Leasing, a 100% online business, you never have to worry about that.

TESTIMONIAL - Lance Lead Gen

5) Easy To Duplicate:

Ok, here’s the best part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up and running, you can literally DOUBLE your income with a few clicks, a couple keystrokes, and a single phone call.

Remember: each Digital Rental Property is worth $500 to $2,000 a month in semi-passive income (over 95% profit). Every time you decide to create another one and increase your income, it gets easier.

How does it get easier?

Because you have more knowledge, more experience, more results, and more momentum.

If you wanted to double your income with The Smart Crowd, you’d have to double your time investment OR your profit margins. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that’s a lot harder than a few clicks and a few minutes of your life.

TESTIMONIAL - Done Deal

6) Make Money Helping Real People:

This part is what makes it all worth it. The Smart Crowd is a decent way to make yourself money, but it doesn’t improve anyone else’s lives.

After all, there’s always someone else selling oversaturated work. That might be fine in the short term, but in the long run you may feel like you’re missing a purpose.

Don’t even get me started on MLMs, where your friends and family become the product…I’m sure many of you reading have been through that sort of “bait and switch” nonsense before.

You know the type – they promise a living wage, then you’re only on commission for a sketchy product.

With Digital Leasing though, you’re actually helping people by solving your clients’ biggest problem:

Small, local businesses need more customers, and with Digital Leasing, you are unleashing a flood of happy, paying customers for these businesses.

You make money by helping them make money.

Not some big, faceless corporation either…a small business owner who’s using that money to put food on the table for their family, start a college fund for their kids, or take care of a sick parent.

Once you see how Digital Leasing makes a real impact in the lives of real people, you’ll see what I mean.

BOSS OF MY FUTURE

Now, the choice is yours. You could continue browsing, looking at opportunities like The Smart Crowd which could one day make you money…

…you could continue researching, never making a decision

OR, you could take a look inside, consider what you really want, and join a program that makes your dreams a reality.

At the same time, you’re joining a community of over 2,000 successful students that are living life on their own terms thanks to Digital Leasing.

consistent, reliable, semi-passive stream of income that doesn’t depend on you or your time to keep producing profits? It’s as good as it sounds.

All while genuinely helping real people who are grateful and happy to pay for it.

If this sounds more like what you want out of life (or if you just want some nice side income), click here to learn more about Digital Leasing.

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