Looking for an easy way to make money while you watch your favorite Netflix show or bored?
Survey sites are your answer.
I remember a few years back I’d be scrambling to make extra money to pay for going out with friends – I’m sure you know how expensive that can get! phew..$10 here, $40 there…I’d be scared to look at my bank account by the end of the day!
Ignorance is bliss, right?
Then a buddy randomly told me one day ‘hey you ever took one of those surveys online? I heard you can make decent cash from ‘em’. That was enough to peak my interest. So I started going at them like a maniac…Between classes, between work breaks. Anywhere and everywhere.
By completing a few surveys a day, you can make a good amount of money, like up to $250 a month – which might not be a lot to some, but to many (including me), it is. The monthly payouts from taking surveys adds to a big chunk by the end of the year.
For example, if you make $150 a month from taking surveys for a year, that’s $1,800 extra a year.
That’s like getting a raise at your job!
How do Survey Sites work?
Companies need to conduct market research to better understand their audience and how their product is being perceived in the market. This research helps them improve their product and make the necessary changes that their customers want. It’s much cheaper for them to conduct surveys online than it is via snail mail.
As an incentive to filling out a survey, companies offer rewards to you – cash, discounts on products, gift cards, or airline miles. As more and more companies see the advantage of online surveys, the more chances you have to make money through them.
Best Sites for Making Money via Paid Surveys
I’m going to show you a list of my 5 favorite survey sites so you don’t have to waste any time Googling them. Stick with these for now to start making cash on the side today in less than 10 minutes.
1. Swagbucks
With a 4.3 Turstpilot rating and an A rating from the Better Business Bureau, Swagbucks is one of the biggest players in the game. They’ve paid over $540-million to people so far!
Swagbucks is my favorite out of all the survey sites out there.
Each time you complete a survey, you receive between 1 and 350 Swagbucks (SBs). 100 SBs get you to $1 in either Paypal Cash or gift cards to your favorite places – like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and many more.
As a new member, you’ll receive a $10 SignUp Bonus (10,000 SBs) after you spend $25 on one of Swagbucks featured retailers like Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy. You need a minimum of $ in gift cards or $3 in Paypal Cash to cash out your earnings.
But here’s one of the things I really like about Swagbucks – paid surveys aren’t the only way to make money on Swagbucks. Here’s a list of other things you can do on Swagbucks to make money fast:
- Shop Online: Earn SBs by shopping at your favorite retailers, like Target, Walmart, Amazon.
- Get Paid to Watch Videos: You can earn SBs by watching a video from a Swagbucks playlist they’re put together for you. I don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of this, but it’s definitely worth it!
- Surfing the Web: By using the Swagbucks search engine, you earn SBs by surfing the web.
- Playing Games: If you make an in-game purchase through their partner (GSN), or play one of Swagbucks free games, you can randomly earn SBs.
Swagbucks even offers sign up opportunities to services like DoorDash delivery and Uber Drivers with $100.
It’s quite easy to make $200 – $300 on Swagbucks every month by taking paid surveys or doing any of the other things mentioned above. It’s not going to make you rich, but extra money in your pocket isn’t a bad thing either.
2. Branded Surveys
With over 2 million members, Branded Surveys is another great option to make extra cash completing surveys. It has a 4.4 rating from Trustpilot and has paid over $16-million to people so far.
Registering with Branded Surveys earns you 100 points, or $1 as a signup bonus. You can start taking surveys right away once you set up your profile. Once you reach the minimum requirement of $10 (or 1,000 points), you can cash out your earnings.
You can either cash out your earnings via PayPal, bPay which deposits your earnings to your bank account directly, or gift cards to your favorite brands, like Amazon, L.L.Bean, or even Airbnb. Yes, taking surveys online can help you rent an Airbnb! You can even use your earnings to donate to non-profit organizations, such as the American Cancer Society.
Most surveys pay between $1 and $3, but some go up to $5.
Branded Surveys also has a loyalty program called Branded Elite that helps you earn even more on your surveys. The more surveys you take, the higher up the tier ladder you go. The bonus amounts increase as you advance through the Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. To advance to the next tier, you have to complete a certain number of approved surveys. Read more about Branded Elite here.
3. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is another great option to make money completing paid surveys. They’ve been in the survey business since 2011 and have a B rating from the Better Business Bureau.
One of the best things about Survey Junkie is how easy it is to use. Once you sign up, Survey Junkie matches your profile to relevant surveys.
You’re rewarded points for every survey you take – every 100 points is equal to $1. The minimum amount to cash out your earnings is 500 points (or $5). And as long as you’re an active member, your points NEVER expire.
You can cash out your earnings via:
- PayPal – available in all countries
- Gift cards to your favorite brands – only available in the United States
- Direct deposit transfers – only available in the United States
Another AMAZING thing about Survey Junkie is that you can make even more money with their focus groups. You’ll receive emails about joining focus groups – sometimes you can make up to $100 per hour from their focus group surveys! So definitely keep an eye out for their emails.
4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars has a 4.5 star rating with Trustpilot reviews and has paid over $80-million to people so far – making it one of the best options for paid survey sites. Once you sign up and activate your account, you’ll get a $5 bonus.
Instead of points, InboxDollars members receive rewards in cash – this makes it easy for you to decide if a survey is worth your time before you start it. Surveys usually pay between $0.50 and $5.
You have a lot of options to make money on InboxDollars:
- Paid surveys
- Online shopping at stores like Target, Macy’s, Walmart, and even Groupon!
- Watch video ads
- Play video games
You can get paid via gift cards to your favorite stores, PayPal, prepaid Visa card, or check in the mail.
Sign Up to get a $5 bonus and start earning money today!
5. LifePoints
With over 5 million members, LifePoints is also a top player in the game.
By joining LifePoints, you’ll earn 10 points right away as a bonus.
One advantage of LifePoints is that they will tell you how long the survey will take. Surveys usually pay out anywhere between $0.50 to $1, but some even go up to $6! You need a minimum of $5 to cash out your earnings.
You can make money on LifePoints by taking surveys, completing mini-polls, and testing products. You can cash out your earnings via PayPal, gift cards to your favorite shopping places like Amazon or Target, or donate to a charity! I really like LifePoints for their charity option. If you’re in the mood for giving, try out LifePoints today.
Another great thing about LifePoints is their community. You’ll see a lot of GiveWays to participate in and get rewarded for winning. They can range from $10 to $50!
Sign Up and get 10 points today.
Common Questions
Do Survey Sites really pay?
Yepp! I’ve done plenty of them myself and they do work. Companies need input from consumers to figure out how to improve their products and services.
The answers we provide them helps their business grow and move in the right direction.
Win-win!
Are paid surveys worth my time?
Look, they won’t make you rich. But they can cover some of your small bills or expenses like entertainment or eating out.
I used the money from surveys to go out with friends and have fun! Or you can increase your savings account from the money you make completing surveys.
What kind of information do I need to give when signing up?
The information you give when signing up can be your income, race, age group, and other demographic information. Survey sites use this information to match you with the surveys companies need completed from the right audience.
If you’re uncomfortable giving this kind of information online, then it’s better to try other ways to make extra money.
Some Final Thoughts
Again, while taking surveys online won’t replace your full-time job or make you filthy rich, they’re still a good option for making extra money with very little effort. You can do them while you’re watching a show on the couch or on the go.
If you have the time and really want to get into it, you can sign up for multiple survey sites so you receive more offers and emails – giving you the option to see which ones are worth your time.
Once you do them for a few days or weeks, figure out how many hours you’ve put into them and the amount of money you’ve made. This will show you how much you’re making per hour on average. If it’s a good enough rate, you can decide if they’re worth your time. For me, the money was worthwhile because it helped pay for my Netflix subscription and going out with friends!
That’s it for today, guys. Be sure to read some other posts on how to make more money!
