Best Paid Surveys
$0.50 and $3
$10
$1 for new members who complete their first survey
16+
$0.50 to $3
$10
None
18+
$0.40 to $2
$3 for gift cards, $25 for PayPal
$5 - $15
13+
Up to $2.50
$3 for gift cards, $25 for PayPal
$10
13+
Taking surveys online won't replace your full-time job, but it's an easy way to earn some spending money in your free time. The best paid survey sites offer a fair payout, fun bonuses and plenty of ways to earn. But there are a lot of scams out there, so it's essential to do your research and understand which sites are legitimate and which aren't worth your time.
This review will guide you through five popular sites for paid surveys to help you decide if they're right for you. Plus, read on for a brief guide on paid surveys and how they work.
Our Top Picks For Best Paid Surveys
- Best Payout Per Survey - Survey Junkie
- Lowest Minimum Payout Threshold - Pinecone Research
- Best For Extra Rewards - Swagbucks
- Best For Teens - LifePoints
- Best Sign-Up Bonus - MyPoints
Best Paid Surveys Reviews
Why we chose it: Survey Junkie offers consistently high payouts per survey. This popular site is transparent about its point system and has a wide range of payment methods to get the most out of your time.
Survey Junkie, one of the most popular paid survey apps in the US, is well-reviewed for its consistency and ease of use. Users on this platform earn an average payout of $0.50 to $3 per survey. That may not sound high, but it's all about consistency. Survey Junkie has more available surveys than other platforms, and each task takes just a few minutes, so you can get more value from your time on this site.
Survey Junkie is available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Anyone over the age of 18 can make a free account. You'll have to provide some personal information at sign-up, such as your city, age, shopping habits and pets. This information helps to determine which surveys you're a good match for.
Once you create your account, you can download the mobile app and claim surveys. Survey Junkie offers points for each survey. The points system is easy to understand — each point is worth one cent. So, if you earn 150 points for taking a survey, that can be redeemed for $1.50 in gift cards or cash. There is a $10 minimum payout threshold, and payment methods include:
- Gift cards to top retailers
- Visa gift cards
- PayPal or bank transfer
There are a few additional ways to earn with Survey Junkie, including downloading the Pulse browser extension and earning points while you browse or shop. But extra reward opportunities are limited. Another downside is that there's no bonus for signing up.
Survey Junkie has a B rating and 4.28 out of 5 stars from the BBB. This is a reliable platform and a good way to earn a little extra money each month, but it might not be the best choice if you're looking for various ways to earn.
Why we chose it: Pinecone Research has a $3 minimum payout threshold. That means you could cash out your rewards after just one survey. On top of that, this site offers unique insights into new products before they hit the market.
Pinecone Research is one of the oldest paid survey sites on the market. This platform is owned by Nielsen Holdings, a global market research company, and is available to adult consumers in the US. Signing up is free, and you'll get invitations to available surveys via email, so you don't have to waste time browsing the site and claiming surveys yourself.
Pinecone Research has a clear points system, similar to other sites on this list. Each point is worth one cent. Once you've earned 300 points, your first $3 payout will be sent as a check. After that, you can redeem your points as check payments, gift cards or PayPal cash. Most other survey sites don't offer paychecks, which makes Pinecone a unique option for someone who likes getting physical checks in the mail.
Most reviews say Pinecone isn't as easy to use as other survey platforms. The dashboard is a little outdated, and how many points you've earned per survey isn't always clear. Pinecone Research is legitimate, but there is a history of scammers using the website's name — you'll see fraud warnings on the site's homepage. Make sure you're signing up with the official platform, not through social media, when you make your account.
Another drawback of this platform is that survey opportunities can be limited. But they get sent directly to your email, so you won't lose time looking for a survey. Signing up is free and easy, and you can get paid quickly. In other words, this could be a good survey company to use on top of another account to boost your monthly earnings.
Why we chose it: Swagbucks offers many ways to earn extra rewards. It doesn't have the highest payout per survey, but this is one of the best survey sites to get paid for things you normally do, like browsing, shopping or playing games.
Swagbucks offers more than just paid surveys online. This site lets you earn points for shopping, watching videos or browsing your usual sites. It offers an average payment of $0.40 to $2 per survey, but with multiple ways to earn, it's possible to earn more points on this site than with any other platform — especially if you spend a lot of time browsing and shopping online.
Swagbucks is free and available to anyone over the age of 13 in most countries. There is an automatic $5 bonus just for signing up. You can earn an additional $10 Swag Up bonus if you make a purchase over $25 through one of its merchants. Once you've made your account, you can browse the Swagbucks platform for available tasks, such as:
- Shopping through Swag Up
- Playing games
- Watching videos
- Using the Swagbucks search engine to browse like you usually do
As you complete tasks, you'll earn SB Points. You can redeem these points for PayPal cash, Visa gift cards or gift cards to major retailers. There is a $3 minimum threshold for gift card payments. But if you want to transfer your earnings to your PayPal account, you'll need at least $25.
Swagbucks has earned 4 out of 5 stars on popular consumer review sites and has more positive customer reviews than some other sites on this list. You won't earn a ton per survey, but it offers plenty of ways to earn and has a user-friendly app so you can earn points wherever you go.
Why we chose it: LifePoints is available to teens 14 and older worldwide. It offers rewards for quick surveys and polls, and is a safe way to earn extra cash without spending money.
LifePoints was formed in 2019 from a merger of MySurvey and Lightspeed, two popular survey platforms. Today, it offers paid surveys to anyone 14 and up. This is a straightforward platform that offers points for answering survey questions. You can't earn by browsing, shopping or watching videos on this site, which makes it a safe platform for teens — there is no risk of overspending or going to unsafe sites to earn points.
Signing up for LifePoints is free and takes a few minutes. You'll get a 10-point sign-up bonus right away. Once you set up your account, LifePoints will send notifications via email whenever surveys are available. According to reviews, this site offers more survey opportunities than similar platforms.
LifePoints's point system is a little less straightforward than others. You'll need 550 points to earn a $5 gift card — so each point is worth slightly less than one cent. But you can easily track the points you earn on the LifePoints dashboard and cash out via PayPal, gift cards or a charitable donation.
One downside of LifePoints is that points will expire if you don't cash them out. Points last for three years on the platform. So, if you sign up for a LifePoints account and start earning points, and then forget about it, your payments will eventually disappear. LifePoints also has limited customer support and no live chat service to answer questions. Aside from that, this is a safe, simple platform for teens to earn as much as $100 per month with paid surveys.
Why we chose it: MyPoints offers a $10 bonus if you make two qualifying purchases within 30 days of opening your account.
MyPoints is a product of Prodege, the same parent company that owns Swagbucks and a few other paid survey sites. This company offers multiple ways to earn points, including surveys, watching videos and shopping with its partner companies.
MyPoints is partnered with big brands like Walmart, PetCo and AutoZone, and you'll earn points if you use the MyPoints browser to shop on those sites. You can also earn a quick $10 bonus for your first two purchases through the platform. You have to spend at least $20 to earn the bonus, which is why this site is best for someone who does the bulk of their shopping online.
Signing up for MyPoints is free, and the site is available to anyone older than 13 (if you're under 18, you'll need parental consent). You can earn up to $2.50 per survey. Unfortunately, MyPoints's rewards system isn't as straightforward as other options.
According to the website, $10 is equivalent to 1,750 points. That makes it tricky to understand exactly how much you earn with each task. You can redeem your points for PayPal cash or gift cards. Like with Swagbucks, the payout threshold for a gift card is $3, but you'll need $25 to cash out via PayPal.
MyPoints is rated between 3 and 4.5 stars (out of five) on top review platforms. Some complaints refer to limited customer support, but most users report that this site is easy to use and pays as advertised. It could be a good choice for someone who shops online and wants to earn cash back on regular purchases.
Other Paid Surveys We Considered
If you're looking for legit online paid surveys, any of the five sites reviewed above would be an excellent place to start. But they aren't your only options. There are tons of paid survey sites out there that offer cash rewards for simple online tasks. Here are a few other top paid surveys we considered, and why they don't stand out compared to other options.
Ipsos i-Say
Ipsos i-Say is a popular survey site that offers quick cash rewards for answering questions. This is a legitimate platform with positive reviews but limited payment methods. Ipsos i-Say pays as little as $0.10 per survey.
InboxDollars
The main appeal of InboxDollars is that there is no points system — you'll earn up to $5 in direct cash value for each survey. However, this platform has a $30 payout threshold, and most surveys don't pay much.
Toluna
Toluna, like other survey sites, offers the chance to influence major brands. It advertises itself as an influencer community and hosts regular lotteries to earn up to $300. But Toluna receives poor customer reviews, and its points expire within a year.
Paid Surveys Guide
Paid surveys will not replace your full-time income. Even the best paid survey apps can only offer an extra $100 to $200 per month — usually much less.
That said, earning survey money is a fun way to kill time, learn about new products or splurge on a few gifts for yourself. As long as you sign up with a legitimate, free site, there's no harm in trying it out. This quick guide will walk you through the ins and outs of online paid surveys to help you decide if they're right for you.
What Are Paid Surveys?
Paid surveys offer rewards, usually in the form of points, in exchange for information. These surveys aim to provide market data to major brands like Google, Yahoo, Amazon and more. Data gathered from paid surveys tells brands more about their consumers and helps them improve their marketing.
Most surveys pay less than $1 and take a few minutes to complete. The types of online surveys available depend on the platform you're using, but often include:
- Polls: Quick polls can tell brands how effective an advertising strategy is. They may ask for your opinions on a product or for you to rate something on a numbered scale.
- Branded surveys: A branded survey will ask for your feedback about a specific brand. These surveys can take anywhere from five minutes to an hour and will include questions about products, ads, brand reputation and more.
- Location-specific surveys: Brands often want to learn more about consumers in a specific location. These surveys may ask for personal information like your shopping habits and household size.
- Shopping and browsing data: Some survey platforms collect consumer data by tracking your online activity. You can earn points by downloading a browser extension and using it to shop or browse. Just make sure you have antivirus software installed and only download attachments from trusted sites.
There are two main reasons people take paid surveys. The first is to earn money — again, it's not a living, but you can get a little extra spending money in the form of gift cards or PayPal cash.
The second reason is to offer feedback. When you complete surveys online, your answers help to influence brands and products. Some survey sites offer product reviews, so you can test out new products before they hit the market. It can be a fun way to make an impact on your favorite brands.
How Do Paid Surveys Work?
You must sign up for a survey platform to start taking paid surveys for rewards. It should be free to make an account — don't sign up for any site that requires an upfront fee.
Some platforms send invitations to surveys via email, while others require you to browse and claim surveys as they become available. Most survey sites offer points for each survey. Points can then be used to "buy" rewards like gift cards or PayPal cash.
Depending on the survey platform you use, you might be able to earn extra points for other activities, like shopping, browsing or watching videos. Sites like Swagbucks and MyPoints can be useful for people who already spend a lot of time online.
You should be aware that there's no such thing as "instant" paid surveys. Every legitimate survey platform has a points system, a payout threshold or a waiting period — you can't transfer funds directly to your bank account as soon as you finish a survey. But the money you earn on these sites is real, and there is no fee to start earning.
Best Practices When Completing Surveys For Extra Cash
You should always be cautious when providing personal information online, no matter what you're doing. Here are a few tips to protect yourself from scams and maximize your earnings with paid surveys:
Don't Give Out Sensitive Information
Survey sites want to know who you are as a consumer. They will ask for some personal information at sign-up, including your age, ethnicity, place of birth and more. That said, you should never give out information that can put your identity or finances at risk.
A legitimate survey site will never ask for:
- Your social security number
- Your bank account number or routing number (some sites offer payment via bank transfer, but this information should not be included in your profile or any surveys)
- Your driver's license or ID number
- Personal details about members of your family such as their social security numbers or full names
- Your exact address
- Credit card information
Install Antivirus Software On Your Device
Some survey sites offer browser extensions or apps that track your shopping and browsing activities. These extensions are safe and only use your data for marketing purposes. However, it's essential to have antivirus software for extra protection before you download anything.
Sign Up With An Email Address That's Exclusively For Online Survey Sites
Your email address might be linked to a lot of personal accounts and information. It's best not to give your primary email to any survey site, even if you're sure it's legitimate. This will also help you to avoid spam and keep your primary inbox tidy. Some sites send survey invitations through email, which means you could get a lot of emails every day.
Paid Surveys FAQ
How We Chose The Best Paid Surveys
We compared top brands based on a few critical factors to choose the best paid surveys for this review. Some important features of the best paid survey sites include:
- Security: The best survey sites take measures to prevent scams, never charge an upfront fee and never ask for sensitive personal information.
- Customer reviews and third-party ratings: We looked for survey sites with positive reviews online, both from customers and neutral third-party reviewers.
- Minimum payout threshold: A lower payment threshold means you can access your rewards sooner.
- Variety of ways to earn: We looked for survey sites that offer multiple types of surveys, plus other activities, so there are multiple ways to earn points.
- Payment methods: Multiple payment methods, including PayPal and bank transfers, make it easier to access your rewards.
- Customer support: Helpful customer support is vital for any company. We looked for survey sites that had positive reviews for their responsive customer service.
- Ease of use: The best paid survey sites should have a clear layout and a user-friendly mobile app.
- Transparency of payment systems: Most survey sites offer points that can be converted to cash and rewards. We looked for sites with a clear points system — either one cent per point or a dashboard for users to see exactly how much they're earning.
- Average pay per survey: No survey site is a full-time job, but we looked for the best sites that pay a fair value for your time.
Summary Of Digg's Best Paid Surveys
- Best Payout Per Survey - Survey Junkie
- Lowest Minimum Payout Threshold - Pinecone Research
- Best For Extra Rewards - Swagbucks
- Best For Teens - LifePoints
- Best Sign-Up Bonus - MyPoints
