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Are you waiting in line at the school pickup line? Or waiting for your kids after school activities to be complete? Why not take paid surveys and make a little extra money?
Taking paid surveys is one of the easiest ways to make extra money online, but does take a considerable time commitment. Because of this, I recommend them as a way to make extra money from home with the caveat that you won’t get rich taking surveys. They’re a good filler activity that requires little attention that also pays.
Taking paid surveys gives you the ability to make money in your free time, online, and from anywhere (including from home).
Every little bit of money you earn adds up. You can use the extra money for day-to-day living expenses or to get ahead by paying off debt or investing. You can even use the extra cash as seed money for starting your own WordPress blog or starting another low-cost startup like an Etsy or Shopify store.
There are dozens of sites that offer paid online surveys, but not all are created equal.
I’ve compiled a list of my top 7 sites offering paid online surveys. The criteria that separated these four from the rest of the field are:
Table of Contents
Trust
These seven sites have a positive history working with their members and paying out consistently. They are well established and trusted in the paid online survey space.
Opportunities
All sites on this list have plenty of paid surveys that you can take for extra money. Because of the nature of paid online survey sites, your demographics and personal information will determine your eligibility for some surveys.
In addition to paid surveys, most of these offer other ways to make money including games, paid searches, watching videos, cash back for online shopping, etc.
Pay Potential
These seven sites, in my experience, are the highest paying survey sites on the internet that also meet the criteria above.
Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a very clean, straightforward platform that makes it easy to goes to the surveys and quickly start making money. Survey Junkie works on a points system with the points being converted for cash. The threshold for payout is 1,000 points which converts to $10. You can cash out in the form of cash via PayPal or gift cards.
Pros
Clean design, easy to navigate, easy to get start making extra money. Threshold for payout is relatively low (for comparison’s sake Swagbucks threshold is $3 and InboxDollars is $30).
Cons
Depending on your demographics, you might not qualify for many surveys.
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A (for parent company Blue Media Ventures, Inc.)
TrustPilot Score – 8.6
Years in Business – 8 Years
Payment Method
Points that you can exchange for gift cards or cash via PayPal, Dwolla, or direct deposit.
Amount Earned Per Survey
Surveys range from 20 to 200 points ($0.20 to $2.00).
Cash Out Threshold
1,000 points = $10.00
Time to Get Paid
24 hours through PayPal. Bank transfers may take longer.
Register for Survey Junkie here.
Swagbucks (Review)
Swagbucks is very popular due to its multiple ways to make extra money and low payout threshold. In addition, they have a sign-up offer for $5 when you sign up and complete your first 2,500 Swagbucks (SB) within 60 days.
Pros
You will have more options for paid surveys than other survey sites on this list. Cash out amount is 300 SBs ($3). You can make money in other ways like using their search toolbar, watching videos, and even earning cash back shopping online.
Cons
Because they offer more than surveys and because the dashboard is busy, it can be difficult to get started immediately. Also, depending on your demographics, you may not have access to a lot of paid surveys. I haven’t personally had a lot of success finding surveys with Swagbucks, but I’m also located in a small market.
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A-
TrustPilot Score – 8.3
Years in Business – 13 Years
Payment Method
Points (Swagbucks) that you can exchange for gift cards or cash via PayPal.
Amount Earned Per Survey
Surveys range from 40 to 200 SB ($0.40 to $2.00)
Cash Out Threshold
300 points = $3.00
Time to Get Paid
Up to 10 business days.
Register with Swagbucks here and get a $10 sign up bonus.
InboxDollars
InboxDollars is similar to Swagbucks in that they have multiple ways to earn extra money in addition to paid surveys. Also, just like Swagbucks, they have a $5 bonus for signing up. Unlock the two survey sites above, InboxDollars pays in cash.
Pros
Unlike the top two, you earn cash instead of points. Like Swagbucks, you have more ways to win such as games, videos, surfing the web, etc.
Cons
The threshold for payout is $30 and there is a $3 transaction fee to cash out.
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A+ (CotterWeb Enterprises, Inc.)
TrustPilot Score – 8.0
Years in Business – 13 Years
Payment Method
Check via mail.
Amount Earned Per Survey
Surveys range from $0.10 to $5
Cash Out Threshold
$30 with a $3 transaction fee (you’ll make $27)
Time to Get Paid
10 to 16 business days
Register for InboxDollars here and earn a $5.00 sign-up bonus.
MyPoints
MyPoints is another survey site with many ways to win. They are different from the top three in that many of the surveys they offer are through a third party.
Pros
There are many ways to win including games, shopping, searching on Yahoo!, watching videos, and of course, take surveys. You can receive points even when you don’t qualify for a survey (5 points per disqualification; max of 5 times a day or 25 points).
Cons
Because the surveys are redirected to a third party, it often means having to put in your demographic information each time. Also, it is very difficult to qualify for surveys (at least in my demographic).
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A- (Prodege, LLC)
TrustPilot Score – 8.6
Years in Business – 13 Years
Payment Method
Gift Cards
Amount Earned Per Survey
Up to 400 points. If you don’t qualify, up to 25 points (5 points per disqualification; 5 disqualifications per day)
Cash Out Threshold
Depends on the gift card amount. The larger gift card amount you get the more your points count. i.e. 480 points – $3 Amazon gift card, but 790 points – $5 Amazon gift card.
Time to Get Paid
4 to 5 business days
Register for MyPoints here and earn $5 after taking 5 surveys.
Vindale Research
Vindale Research is another survey site that has been around for a while. They pay in cash and have the highest paying surveys out there. Unfortunately, they also have the highest payout threshold at $50.
Pros
There are a few other ways to earn cash like watching videos or checking email in addition to the paid surveys. They pay in cash and tend to have the highest paying surveys out there (this higher paying, the more complicated and time prohibitive it is).
Cons
Payout threshold is $50. It may be difficult to qualify for surveys (at least in my demographic).
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A (iGain, LLC)
TrustPilot Score – 8.0
Years in Business – 13 Years
Payment Method
Cash via PayPal or Check
Amount Earned Per Survey
$0.25 to $50 per survey. It’s more likely you’ll find surveys on the lower end.
Cash Out Threshold
$50
Time to Get Paid
They have payout dates every 2 weeks. Receive payment on the payout date. If receiving payment by check, could be an additional 2 weeks.
Register for Vindale Research here.
OneOpinion
OneOpinion works on a point system like many of the other paid survey sites on this list. Similar to Survey Junkie, they have a simple website design and focus primarily on paid surveys. What this means is you don’t have the same noise as some of the other survey sites have and can easily and efficiently identify paid survey opportunities and take them.
Pros
I had decent luck finding surveys that I met the criteria for (about half worked). They also do product testing and occasionally invite members to participate.
Cons
Payout threshold is 25,000 points (1,000 points = $1). Multiple complaints on TrustPilot, but it appears their customer service has addressed or is addressing negative comments.
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – A+ (Critical Mix, Inc.)
TrustPilot Score – 6.2
Years in Business – 7 Years
Payment Method
Cash via PayPal or gift card
Amount Earned Per Survey
1,000 points to 5,000 points ($1 to $5) per survey on average.
Cash Out Threshold
25,000 points ($25)
Time to Get Paid
Approximately 3 business days.
Earning Station
Earning Station is a no-nonsense paid survey site that has an excellent dashboard. Like other survey sites on this list they offer other ways to make extra cash including games and videos.
Pros
Multiple ways to earn extra money. Dashboard is very user friendly and easy to navigate.
Cons
Depending on your demographics, there’s the possibility you won’t qualify for many paid surveys. No reward for surveys you start, but end up not qualified for.
Trust Credentials
BBB Rating – C+ (iGain, Inc.)
TrustPilot Score – 8.4
Years in Business – 7 Years
Payment Method
Cash via PayPal or gift card
Amount Earned Per Survey
$0.10 to $5.00 per survey on average (I’ve seen some $7+)
Cash Out Threshold
$10
Time to Get Paid
1 to 5 business days on PayPal cash and electronic gift cards. Physical gift cards take about 4-6 weeks.
Register for Earning Station here.
Can You Really Make Money Doing Surveys Online?
Absolutely. Again, you won’t make a fortune, but you can certainly make extra money or side income doing paid surveys online.
Paid survey sites are willing to pay for your opinion because their business is market research. Their clients are companies looking for insight into their customer’s thoughts and opinions in order to improve their marketing, products, services, customer service, etc.
Why do Survey Sites Pay for Survey Data?
Your honest input (and those of a larger group) provides valuable data that companies use to make crucial decisions regarding their brand and the overall direction of the company. Because this data is so important, it makes perfect sense that a company would pay you for your opinion.
Usually these survey companies are actually market research companies or sell their data to market research companies who in turn either sells it to a client or uses the data to produce products, reports, recommendations, etc. for a client.
What Types of Questions do Paid Surveys Ask?
Paid surveys ask all types of questions. They usually relate to a particular topic.
I recently completed a quick survey that was related to my gym habits. As you may have ascertained, they asked questions like: How often do you go to the gym?; How much do you spend on gym membership each month?; Where do you go?; etc.
When it comes to picking surveys, you are completely in control. If you don’t want to take a paid survey on a particular topic, don’t. You should always feel comfortable with the information you’re giving out.
Paid Survey Tips to Make the Most Extra Money
NEVER Pay to Join a Survey Site
You will NEVER need to pay to join a legitimate paid survey website. Their model is making money as a middle man between you and the company requesting the market research. If they are requesting payment of any kind, the website is most likely a scam.
NEVER Provide Your Social Security Number or Credit Card Numbers
This goes hand in hand with the point above. For the same reasons, above NEVER give out your social security number or credit card number to any survey site. A legitimate paid survey site will not need this information up front. They may request your social security number if you make more than $600 per year as they have to report your earnings to the IRS, but I wouldn’t cross that bridge until you had to.
Sign Up for Multiple Sites to Ensure Steady Work
Depending on your demographics, you may need to sign up for more than one survey site. This will ensure you have the highest number of paid online survey opportunities and potential for earnings.
Set Up a Separate Email Address for Surveys
You may want to set up a separate email address for all of your survey site email as you’ll most likely receive multiple emails per survey site per day. This will make it easier to locate those paid survey opportunities quickly and allow you to complete the surveys as efficiently as possible.
Answer Honestly
Honesty is always the best policy in everything you do. Don’t lie just to get more opportunities for paid surveys.
Remember that you are performing paid work for a company. If you’re caught lying it will damage your relationship with that company and your reputation as a whole. Even ignoring the moral implications, the benefit of lying is not worth the risk.
Keep Your Information Up to Date
I mentioned this earlier, but your paid survey opportunities are dependent on your demographics (age, sex, location, etc.). When you have a life change such as moving, getting married, buying a house, buying a car, etc. be sure to update your profile. This could open the door to more paid surveys and more opportunities for cash in your pocket.
Use a Free Auto-Fill Platform for Your Survey Responses
A lot of paid survey sites will ask for similar information during sign up. Many of the paid surveys you take will have similar questions as well.
A free auto-fill platform like RoboForm will allow you to save your responses to those questions and use them again with one click. This saves a ton of time and hassle, especially if you aren’t the fastest typist in the world.
You can also use a free auto-fill platform to save your username and password as well. This is convenient when you’re trying to remember 10 different login credentials.
Conclusion
Paid surveys won’t make you rich and shouldn’t be thought of a major source of income.
I think of paid surveys as more of a way (among many) that you can make a few extra dollars here and there to help pay for those small luxuries in your life (eating out, beer money, etc.) or as seed money for a scalable small business (website, blog, shopify, etsy, etc.).
Taking paid surveys gives you the flexibility to make extra money on your time from anywhere. If you’re interested in making extra money online from home or elsewhere, you should definitely consider taking paid surveys.
Looking for other ways to make extra cash? Check out 50+ Legitimate Ways to Make Extra Money.
Do you take paid surveys for extra cash? What other ways do make extra money?