Best Site To Take Online Surveys for Money – Ultimate Guide
Discover legitimate platforms, maximize your earnings, and learn how to safely generate extra income from paid online surveys and market research studies
Introduction: Understanding Paid Online Surveys
⚠️ Critical Safety Warning
There are frauds out there that are only after your personal information or never pay out! As a result, you must ensure that the websites you utilise are authentic in order to avoid wasting your time or worse.
Sites that Conduct Legitimate Online Surveys
The sites listed below provide paid survey opportunities with real cash incentives. Because policies and processes might change over time, it’s usually a good idea to do some research before signing up for a survey site. The sites listed below, on the other hand, provide real money and chances for people wishing to earn points and be paid online.
| # | Survey Platform | Average Payout Per Survey | Payment Methods | Requirements | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swagbucks | $0.40 to $2 | Gift cards or PayPal | 13+ years old; US, Canada, UK, Australia, or other authorized country | Bonus for joining up, points for various activities, cash out at various merchants |
| 2 | Survey Junkie | $1 to $3 | PayPal or e-gift cards | 16+ years old with working email account | Profile matching, points system, $10 minimum cash out |
| 3 | InboxDollars | $0.10 to $0.25 | PayPal money, check, or gift cards | 18+ years old living in the U.S. | $5 signup bonus, multiple earning methods (games, shopping, videos) |
| 4 | MyPoints | $0.35 to $1 | Gift cards to accredited retailers or Visa gift card | 13+ years old; additional eligibility for some surveys | $10 signup bonus, points even for disqualified surveys, shopping rewards |
| 5 | LifePoints | $0.20 to $1 | PayPal cash, gift cards, and other rewards | 14+ years old in eligible countries (including U.S.) | Survey invites via email, community features, product testing opportunities |
| 6 | Vindale Research | $0.50 to $5 | PayPal | 18+ years old in U.S., Great Britain, or Australia | Fast PayPal payments, hundreds of daily survey opportunities |
| 7 | Toluna | $0.10 to $50 | Points redeemable for vouchers, gift cards, or prizes | 16+ years old; 18+ for certain surveys | Online community, game playing for points, referral system |
| 8 | Branded Research | $0.50 to $3 | Gift cards, PayPal, cash, or charitable donations | 18+ years old, or 13+ with parent/guardian consent | Daily polls and challenges, sign up with Facebook or email |
| 9 | Pinecone Research | $3 per survey | PayPal, gift cards, or prizes | 18+ years old in U.S., Canada, U.K., or Germany | Higher compensation, product testing opportunities, full rewards catalog |
| 10 | CashKarma | About 50 points per survey (cash value varies) | PayPal money or Amazon gift cards | Smartphone with iOS or Android access | Mobile app, gamified experience, 300 point signup bonus |
| 11 | PrizeRebel | $0.40 to $0.60 | Gift cards, PayPal cash, direct bank payment or online game codes | 18+ years old (16+ with permission) in U.S., Canada, U.K., or Australia | Quick account setup, daily challenges, raffles, and giveaways |
| 12 | Opinion Outpost | $0.30 to $5 | PayPal cash, Amazon/iTunes gift cards, charitable donations | 18+ years old in U.S. or other accredited countries | Simple signup, Facebook/LinkedIn integration, ~10 minute surveys |
| 13 | Valued Opinions | $5 per survey | Gift cards for select retailers like Amazon, Target, and Macy’s | U.S. residents 13+ years old | Higher compensation per survey, product testing, ad campaign reviews |
| 14 | American Consumer Opinion | $0.05 to $0.50 | PayPal cash or charitable donations | Only one signup per household | One of oldest survey sites, doesn’t sell contact information |
| 15 | Survey Club | $0.50 to $5 (each includes value in description) | Amazon Gift Card | 18+ years old | Product testing, research panels, clinical trials, mystery shopping |
| 16 | i-Say | $0.10 to $1 | Gift cards, PayPal cash, charitable donations | 16+ years old in U.S. or U.K. | Loyalty program, polls, email notifications, ~8 surveys monthly average |
| 17 | OneOpinion | $1 to $5 | Gift cards and digital gift codes | 18+ years old, or 13+ with parent/guardian permission | Simple registration, email invites, 25,000 points = $25 cash out |
| 18 | Harris Poll Online | $1 per survey | Gift cards, online vouchers, or charitable donations | 13+ in U.S./Canada; 14+ in other countries | 45-year history, member of National Council of Public Polls |
| 19 | OnePoll | About $1 per survey | BACS or PayPal | 16+ years old (18+ for some surveys) | U.K. based, quick surveys, trending topics, results used in press |
| 20 | Panda Research | Varies widely (specified per survey) | PayPal deposits | 18+ years old living in U.S. | Payments on 1st and 15th ($50 minimum), email reading tasks, referrals |
How to Protect Yourself When Taking an Online Survey
There are official paid survey websites accessible where you can make cash online by sharing your opinions. But there are also websites that just want to collect your personal information or surveys that may not be worth the risk. To protect yourself and your personal information online, keep the following tips in mind:
🚫 Absolute Red Flags & Don’ts
- Don’t share sensitive information like your Social Security Number, bank account information, or driver’s license number
- Don’t pay any upfront fees or sign up for a website with a credit card
- Avoid websites that offer hundreds of dollars or perks that sound too good to be true
- If something feels off to you, leave the site
✅ Recommended Safety Practices
- Use a dedicated email address only for survey accounts
- Use anti-virus and anti-malware software on your computer
- Read reviews before signing up; past members often have helpful feedback or warnings
- Be cautious of websites or apps that send you to third-party websites during a survey
- Read the website’s privacy policy before signing up
- Request that companies don’t sell your personal information; many have forms available on their website for this purpose
- Take your time as you go through surveys; you’re less likely to share sensitive information if you really think about it for a minute first
- Take frequent breaks so you don’t get overwhelmed or confused
Detailed Platform Breakdown: Top 5 Survey Sites
1. Swagbucks: The Most Versatile Platform
Swagbucks promotes its platform as a method to get paid for doing things you already do. You may make money by surfing the web on their approved search engine, watching movies, or using their mobile app in addition to conducting paid surveys. You get a bonus just for joining up, and then you get points for doing these various activities. You may then cash out your points for gift cards or money at a variety of merchants.
2. Survey Junkie: Best for Direct Survey Matching
Filling up a profile on SurveyJunkie allows the site to match you with surveys that are related to your consumer interests. Then, on your computer or mobile device, you may complete surveys and earn points for each one. You may exchange your points for PayPal cash or e-gift cards at a later date. To cash out, you only need to earn roughly $10 in points, which is less than many other survey sites.
3. InboxDollars: Multiple Earning Methods
InboxDollars helps you to earn money for taking online surveys, watching movies and TV, enjoying video games, redeeming coupons, and even shopping. The website additionally gives a $5 bonus for signing up, and gives quite a lot of cost choices. You can earn money and cards for varied retailers.
4. Pinecone Research: Higher Value Surveys
Pinecone Research gives you the opportunity to take online surveys for cash about new products and initiatives. You start by filling out some basic personal information. Then you can browse surveys on the platform and get points for each. The compensation is a bit higher than many other websites. But some of the surveys and product assessments can be more time-consuming. And contributors may only receive a few opportunities per day. The website also has a full rewards section, so you can either redeem your points for cash or choose from a variety of prizes.
5. LifePoints: Global Survey Community
Once you join a LifePoints account, you’ll receive relevant survey opportunities via email. Some surveys include basic online questions, while others may require you to visit specific websites and even try out physical products first. You can choose the one you want to participate in, and the site tries to send out surveys to only the most relevant users. There’s also a community of other users that users can connect with. The site uses a points system to allow users to redeem rewards, which can vary over time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Surveys
Even with these sites and best practices in mind, you may still have questions about how the process works. Many websites provide FAQs on their websites, and some of the answers differ from site to site. But here are some general insights that may be helpful for potential survey takers.
Are paid surveys worth it?
No matter the site, the earnings from taking surveys can be meager compared with other work opportunities. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, for example, and our hourly earnings ranged from 41 cents to $2.03. Most survey sites also required a minimum number of points before we could redeem them for rewards. On many of the sites, we didn’t reach that minimum number after 5 hours of work.
In addition to our time, we also gave up valuable personal information to these survey sites. We typically revealed our dates of birth, ZIP codes, incomes, health illnesses, ethnicities, living arrangements and much more. And after spending hours in a question-and-answer mode, we rarely thought much about giving out these details.
“The biggest risk is the unknown of how that data is going to be used,” says Eva Velasquez, the president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “You really are putting yourself at the mercy of those sites and saying, ‘OK, I’m going to trust you to be a good steward of the information I give you.’ ”
Velasquez says our data could be used for questionable research or sold to health insurers, for example. Or it could be stolen, which is a risk with any website that stores personal information. Most of the data we gave away seemed innocent — our shopping habits and travel plans, for example. But data like your birthdate could be used with other stolen data to take your identity. So keep that in mind as you’re answering questions.
Do survey sites offer other ways to make money besides surveys?
Yes, you can watch videos, surf the web, and even play games to earn money on many of these sites. Market research companies are often looking for your opinions and experiences that relate to the brands they work with.
So there are opportunities to provide insights that don’t involve a basic survey. For example, Swagbucks lets you earn money by watching videos and then answering quick polls. MyPoints lets you earn cashback or rewards from retailers when you shop online. And InboxDollars pays you for watching TV ads.
How will I be paid for taking an online survey?
Depending on the site, there are often several ways you can be paid for taking online surveys including:
- PayPal
- Gift cards
- Mailed Check
- Charitable donations
- Physical products
- Online game codes
- Points you can use for a variety of perks
Will I be paid after every survey I take?
Most sites have a minimum amount you need to earn to cash out so, if it takes 5 surveys to reach that amount, you’ll have to take 5 surveys before you can get paid. Other sites payout after a certain amount of time or number of surveys or points.
How does a survey site make money?
Legit survey websites don’t charge their users a fee when signing up. So it’s fair to wonder — what’s in it for them? In most cases, these sites partner with businesses that are looking for insights from consumers that can help them shape their products, services, or marketing. So the businesses pay for the data you provide. The survey site takes their cut and you get a small portion of it.
What do I need to start taking surveys?
Specific requirements differ from company to company. But you don’t typically need anything more than a computer or mobile device and a dedicated email address. Some of the platforms above have device requirements, so check to make sure your tech is approved before wasting your time on the signup process. There are also some opportunities for product testing that may require a physical address or P.O. Box, but these opportunities are usually not required for participation in online surveys.
How can I maximize my earnings on paid survey sites?
Aside from choosing the sites that work best for you, there are some things you can do to avoid completely wasting your time on online surveys:
- Fill out the initial questionnaire or signup form fully; many survey sites offer more money for people to complete surveys that require respondents from specific demographic groups
- Pay attention while completing surveys; some include questions designed to make sure you’re actually reading and not just picking random responses, so you’ll be paid less if you’re just going through the motions
- Take surveys during the week; more people are free on the weekends, so you may get more opportunities when others are busy
- Opt for the highest paying surveys first; some sites give you multiple opportunities at once — and if others jump on those top paid surveys first, you might miss out
- Refer friends to your favorite sites; many offer bonus points for referrals
- Sign up for a few different sites; you don’t have to have an account on all of them, but rotating between a few trusted favorites can help you access more survey opportunities
- Sign up for sites that offer free points just for activating a new account; many of the ones above include these incentives, though some only offer temporary promotions
- Follow your favorite survey websites on social media; some post exclusive opportunities that are just for their loyal followers
How long do online surveys take to complete?
This varies between websites and even within each individual platform. Many sites will tell you the approximate length of each survey, and some even let you see your progress as you work. In general, you can expect most surveys to take between 5 and 15 minutes. Often, those that take longer are the ones that pay a bit more, while shorter surveys may only make you a few cents.
What types of surveys for cash can I take?
There are all different types of market research surveys available online. Some may ask you to evaluate potential ad campaigns. Others might ask about your shopping habits. Generally, websites try to match users with survey opportunities that are actually relevant to them. Some may also give you a bit of information about each before you actually sign up and start taking it. So you can usually choose the ones that are of most interest to you.
Are paid survey sites worth my time?
That depends on how much you value your time. Generally, you’re not going to make many dollars per hour for sharing your opinion. So if you’re just looking for ways to make money, online survey sites probably are not the best option. However, if you’re not doing anything else and are just looking for extremely easy ways to earn extra cash or want to get a gift card in the mail every once in a while, survey sites can help you kill a bit of time in a semi-productive way.
Conclusion: Realistic Expectations for Online Survey Earnings
Surveying for cash probably isn’t going to get you rich. In fact, you probably won’t earn as much as you could with other business opportunities, like blogging, delivering food, or selling products online. But if you have a bit of extra time and just want to answer some easy questions while you’re watching TV or sitting in a waiting room, these websites offer the opportunity to earn extra cash, gift cards and other perks. Just make sure you protect your personal information and choose the survey sites that are the best fit for you. Then you can start having fun and helping companies shape the products and marketing initiatives that are most relevant to you as a consumer.
Key Takeaways for Success:
- Start with reputable sites: Choose from the 20 legitimate platforms listed above
- Protect your information: Follow all safety guidelines and never share sensitive data
- Manage expectations: Surveys provide supplemental income, not a living wage
- Diversify your approach: Join multiple sites to increase earning opportunities
- Track your time: Ensure you’re not spending more time than the rewards are worth
- Stay safe online: Always verify site legitimacy before providing any personal information
Realistic Earnings Expectations
Based on average payout rates from the sites listed:
- Casual User (5-10 surveys/week): $5-20 monthly
- Regular User (1-2 surveys/day): $20-50 monthly
- Dedicated User (10+ surveys/day): $50-150 monthly
Important: These are estimates. Actual earnings vary based on demographics, survey availability, and time investment.






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