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You may have seen an advert online compelling you to take a survey for money, and it’s very likely you ignored the prompt thinking it was a fake offer. However, online surveys can actually be an incredibly easy and hassle-free way for you to earn some extra cash at home.
Making free money at home for simply giving your opinion on a number of topics may seem unreal, however, your opinion to these companies is invaluable. Market research companies need online survey takers that fit their demographic to answer questionnaires honestly. This helps brands in honing their advertisement strategies and creating the perfect products and services for their target demographics.
Some survey websites pay you through third-party services such as PayPal, and some offer free gift cards and coupons. While there are a few sites that are reliable and offer lucrative surveys, some just don’t deliver what they promise and should not be trusted. Scroll below for a list of the best survey websites you can earn cash on today.
Avoid Survey Sites Like These
If you do a search for survey sites that pay, you’ll find a plethora of websites. But how can you make sure to choose those that are legit? You can do so by avoiding the following types of survey sites:
Ask for payment: a legit survey site will not ask you to pay to join, ever.
Ask for private information: no survey site will ask for your private information upfront. If a site asks for your Social Security number or other personal details that don’t seem legit, don’t use that survey site.
Have no history or ratings: companies that have an excellent reputation for being trustworthy are usually safe to use. However, it’s best to avoid any survey sites that don’t disclose their payment history and available opportunities.
Pay too little: legitimate companies tend to have higher-paying opportunities. On the other hand, those that are not legit usually have only low-paying opportunities and may offer only a few of these.
Have outdated or non-working sites: if a company doesn’t take care of its website, you can count on them not treating you very well.
Make it too hard to qualify for surveys: these sites are a complete waste of your time. They may constantly disqualify you for their surveys, and you won’t make much (if any) money.
In addition, if a site seems too good to be true or you get “bad vibes” about the company, it’s best to avoid signing up for their surveys. Trust your gut instinct! And remember, there are plenty of great survey sites that offer a wide variety of opportunities for you to make money.
1. Swagbucks
Average Survey Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.40 – $2
Payment Method: PayPal/ Prepaid visa/ Gift cards
When you talk about lucrative survey sites, Swagbucks is definitely one of the first ones to make the cut. You can sign up for free and even use Swagbucks on the go. Simply download the mobile app and take surveys any time you want.
Swagbucks offers you points for each survey and video you watch, and you can even earn points for playing free games on the website. Once you earn enough points ($3 for gift cards, and $25 for PayPal), you can redeem them in any way you want. With a number of payment options and a roaster of over 20 million registered users worldwide, Swagbucks is one of the most trusted and preferred survey websites across the world.
2. InboxDollars
Average Survey Time: 5 – 25 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $5
Payment Method: PayPal/ ePayment/ Gift cards
Not only is InboxDollars free to join, but it also offers a $5 joining bonus to anyone just for creating a new account. Apart from taking surveys, you can also earn money on this site by playing free games, watching videos, and shopping on their online marketplace.
Operating since 2000, InboxDollars is one of the most reputable online survey websites today. One of the greatest advantages of using InboxDollars comes from always knowing exactly how lucrative the survey you’re taking is going to be. Unlike many other websites that offer a points based system, InboxDollars clearly showcases the monetary value of each survey before you pick one, allowing you to choose the most rewarding options on the site. You can cash out in a number of ways after reaching a minimum threshold of $30. If you want to learn more, you can read our full review of Inbox Dollars here.
3. Branded Surveys
Average Survey Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $3
Payment Method: PayPal/ Prepaid visa/ Gift cards
Like many other survey websites, Branded surveys also employs a point based system, and awards you 100 points just for signing up. The website also offers a loyalty program, and survey takers are sorted into Bronze, Silver, and Gold categories. You can move up levels by earning more credits by completing surveys and other activities on the site. As you progress from one level to another, you can select surveys that pay higher.
One of the top survey websites to exist today, Branded Surveys has already paid rewards worth over $18 million to its users. The website clearly showcases the time taken to complete each survey, as well as how many points it’s worth. Pay-outs are easy, with a minimum $5 cash out, and users can even choose to donate their earnings to charity.
4. Toluna
Average Survey Time: 15 – 30 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $2
Payment Method: PayPal/ Gift cards
Toluna lets users pick the category of surveys they wish to take, and they can choose from a wide variety of topics. The website gives you the power to influence major companies through their surveys and polls. Unlike other survey sites, Toluna has a social media community aspect to it. Users can create their own polls and earn points for the content to offer.
You can even enter daily lotteries through the Toluna app, allowing you to earn a million points on the website. Once you earn enough points for a $10 reward, you can use your earnings to receive cash or gift cards, enter sweepstakes, or even buy yourself or a friend a virtual gift such as a leaf blower or a cheese plate.
5. Survey Junkie
Average Survey Time: 5 – 25 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $1 – $3
Payment Method: PayPal/ eGift cards
Survey Junkie is easily one of the best survey websites out there today. Not only does it offer the highest paid surveys, but it also doesn’t spam your inbox with emails like many other survey sites tend to do. It has over 3 million users and presents an orderly and easy-to-navigate dashboard, offering a pleasant environment for survey takers.
You can cash out after earning 1000 points, amounting to $10, and use your earnings to receive money through PayPal cash or buy gift cards. Users also receive free points for signing up and taking the initial demographic survey. It’s free to join, and you can take surveys on the go using the platform’s mobile app.
6. Life Points
Average Survey Time: 5 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.60 – $1
Payment Method: PayPal/ Gift cards
With users from over 40 countries, Life Points is one of the top survey websites. Their user base is so large, that Life Points paid over $22 million in rewards in the last year alone. You can take surveys, partake in polls, and even participate in activities such as product reviews and behavioral tracking to earn easy money from the comfort of your own home.
You can earn anywhere from 60 to 350 points per survey, and cash out after reaching a minimum threshold of $5, cashing in rewards such as PayPal cash, receiving Amazon or Starbucks gift cards, or even making charitable donations.
7. MyPoints
Average Survey Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.60 – $1.80
Payment Method: PayPal/ Gift cards/ United MileagePlus Miles
With its user-friendly dashboard and high rewards system, MyPoints is another great survey website for users looking to rake in some extra cash. Since its inception in 1996, the website has paid over a staggering $236 million in rewards to its users. One of the greatest advantages offered by MyPlus comes from the website handing out 2 free points even when a user doesn’t qualify for a survey.
You can cash out at lower thresholds for gift cards earning vouchers worth $5 for 700 points, or wait to attain almost 4000 points to earn PayPal cash worth $25. Once you garner 6900 points on your account, you can even cash them for 2,500 travel miles on your United MileagePlus account.
8. Opinion Outpost
Average Survey Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $5
Payment Method: PayPal/ Prepaid Visa/ Gift cards/ MileagePlus Miles
Opinion Outpost is appreciated for its simplicity and straightforward design, which allows users to take multiple surveys hassle-free without being bombarded with a ton of unwanted information. You can earn points by taking surveys and participating in other activities such as watching ads and redeem these points in a number of ways. You can convert your rewards to gift cards from Amazon, iTunes, Home Depot, and more, or cash out via PayPal and Prepaid Visa.
The website commissions over 3 million surveys a month in a variety of topics, and pays out rewards worth $390,000 to its 2 million strong user base each month. Users can also take comfort in knowing that Opinion Outpost donates $10,000 every month to American Red Cross.
9. Pinecone Research
Average Survey Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $3 minimum
Payment Method: Bank Transfer/ Prepaid Visa / Gift Cards/ PayPal
Unlike other survey websites, Pinecone Research offers paid survey opportunities that are invite only. However, with a minimum earning of $3 per survey, the website also offers the highest monetary value for your time. You can help a multitude of companies in developing new products through your opinions, and even get paid to test some of them.
You can cash out as little as $3 at a time, and exchange your rewards for gift cards or money. Operated by Nielsen, one of the largest marketing research companies worldwide, Pinecone Research is one of the best survey websites across the world. If you receive an invitation via email or see a targeted advert online, click and join right away to enjoy lucrative payments and a safe environment.
10. i-Say
Average Survey Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.10 – $1
Payment Method: PayPal/ Gift cards
i-Say by Ipsos is another great survey website that lets users redeem points earned from taking surveys through PayPal or gift cards from iTunes, Amazon, and other companies. i-Say by Ipsos might not be the most lucrative survey site, but offers loyalty points (that can be redeemed for cash) depending on how active you are and how many surveys you take. You can also enter contests and sweepstakes on the website.
The platform showcases the length and monetary value of each survey explicitly, making it easy for users to pick the surveys best suited to themselves. You can cash out rewards after meeting a minimum threshold of $5, and pick from a variety of options. Unlike other survey aggregators, i-Say never redirects users to other websites and is hence considered to be one of the more reputable online survey platforms to exist today.
11. OneOpinion
Average Survey Time: 5 – 25 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $5
Payment Method: PayPal/ Gift Cards/ Visa Gift Cards
OneOpinion presents users with an informative dashboard showcasing features such as their activity on the website, as well as a customer support form. By asking a few eligibility questions before matching you to surveys, OneOpinion ensures a higher qualifying success rate when compared to many other survey websites.
Users need to hit a minimum threshold of $25 (or 250,000 points) to cash out from the website and can use their earnings to receive cash via PayPal or buy gift cards for companies such as Amazon and Target. With its helpful dashboard and high qualifying rate, OneOpinion is one of the best survey websites for users looking to make some side income.
12. Survey Club
Average Survey Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Average Earning per Survey: $0.50 – $5
Payment Method: PayPal/ Travel Miles/ Gift cards
Unlike the other websites on this list, Survey club acts as a marketplace for users to find studies being conducted by various companies. Apart from taking online surveys, you can also participate in local research studies such as taste tests, clinical trials, focus groups, and in-home usage tests depending on your demographics.
The website pays in a number of ways such as Amazon gift cards, PayPal cash, and sweepstake entries. In 2020, Survey Club received an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau, the highest rating any company can receive from BBB. The website holds a good track record and is recognized for paying users in a timely manner.
Wrapping up
If you have some free time at home, or during your commute to work, taking surveys online can be a great side hustle to make passive income. Just make sure to never sign up for a website that requires you to pay a membership fee. It is also recommended to set up a new email address exclusively for survey websites to ensure you don’t receive excessive spam mail in your inbox. That being said, if you follow these simple tips and choose a reputable website, you can surely enjoy a decent sum of money from the comfort of your home.