I’m excited to share this Swagbucks review today. I’ve been using it to earn money for a long time now, and it has changed quite a bit since it rolled out in 2008. Still, more people are interested in earning money by searching or shopping online – and they want to know if it’s worth it or even legit.
Though it has been around for over a decade, there is a chance that some people still don’t even know what it is. So I’m offering this Swagbucks review to help you know exactly what it does and if it will work for you.
What Is Swagbucks?
The first question of the day: What is it? Swagbucks started as a search engine that offers rewards in the form of gift cards and other prizes.
It has since become a multifaceted way to earn more or less passive income. Or, at least save some money and get some cash back for your efforts (which essentially comes down to breaking your unwavering loyalty to Google.)
Swagbucks is a way to get coupon codes at participating stores, earn gift cards, or even get cash delivered to your Paypal account. You can do this just by searching and shopping, or you can take surveys and watch videos for money, too.
Is Swagbucks Legit?
Yes, it is legit, and it’s no more “dangerous” than using Google, which IMO already knows too much! Swagbucks is just another way of pairing companies to shoppers and cutting you in on the deal.
It is not intended to be a revenue source. But it’s a nice and fairly easy way to get a little bit back for your online activity and spending.
Swagbucks Review: Is it Safe To Use?
Like all legit survey and rebate/deal sites, Swagbucks is safe. You just sign in on their secure server and do what you usually would do – just do it through your Swagbucks account.
How Much Can You Earn Using Swagbucks?
So far, Swagbucks has earned people just like you over $55 million. That’s a lot of money – but it’s also a lot of people. Given that Swagbucks has been around for nearly 15 years now, this isn’t going to replace your current retirement plan.
Obviously, results vary, but you can profit off of your time by doing relatively little for your rewards. Your goal should be around $100 per month.
Earning money by doing surveys is just one way to make money using Swagbucks. A single survey, for example, can earn you on average $1 or $2.
How much time you put into it determines how much you can make.
Some survey opportunities can be much more profitable, but most will only contribute about a dollar here and there.
How To Start Making Money With Swagbucks
You can start earning money passively on Swagbucks right away just by searching using the Swagbucks search engine. There are two ways to do this and earn money for the searching and shopping you do online.
The first thing you need to do when you are ready to earn money using Swagbucks is to sign up. You can do that on my affiliate link here. Remember, this is not a side hustle that is meant to be an additional income stream.
It’s simply a way to get back a little bit of what you pay when you shop.
A lot of the earning potential for Swagbucks is based on ads and consumer activity, so it’s more of a cashback reward than a real money-making opportunity. Of course, that’s not a bad thing – but it’s important to make that distinction so you can manage your expectations and have the best Swagbucks experience.
My Swagbucks review may be more positive or favorable than others who may view the earning opportunities as lackluster based on the expectation that it should replace a paycheck.
Beyond the cashback feature, there are also surveys and a variety of other Swagbucks activities that contribute to your overall Swagbucks earnings. Let’s look at some of these methods below.
1. Swagbucks.com
The easiest way to earn through Swagbucks.com is to make it the homepage on your internet browser, and therefore using the Swagbucks search engine by default.
With this, every time you go online, your search will be through Swagbucks and thus count toward your Swagbucks activity. More activity equals more money for essentially doing nothing. At that level, it really doesn’t matter what you earn – it’s practically free money. I say practically only because it does require you to break free of Google, which has gotten too easy to use.
One common concern about Swagbucks search is that it’s not as good as Google. That’s a valid criticism. However, Google doesn’t pay you, but Swagbucks will.
You get different results using Swagbucks, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are worse results. Having said that, there is a difference in the user experience. You have to consider this as a trade-off for the fact that you are earning money to search the internet.
2. Swagbutton
The Swagbutton is a Google Chrome installation that allows you to search Swagbucks while your Google browser is open. Now, you might say, “Problem solved! I can earn money searching on Google, now!” Not so fast, though.
The button just opens up a window to Swagbucks.com – it’s still the same search engine on your Google Chrome toolbar. It’s a less automatic way to earn Swagbucks than having them already saved as your homepage. But, it’s a useful tool if you just want the option or an alternative to Google while using a Google-powered browser.
Swagbucks Activities
Searching online is only one way to make money with Swagbucks. However, it is the easiest and most passive. There are others methods, including simply shopping through the website.
If you shop through Swagbucks, you can earn money back on your purchases through partners of the site. You can find coupon codes for places like Old Navy, Kohls, and even eBay. Best Buy and Hobby Lobby are also among the top stores that offer coupon codes or cashback through Swagbucks.
In addition to your regular consumer habits (which include searching, shopping, and finding deals through Swagbucks), you can make money through Swagbucks by taking surveys and watching videos.
As mentioned above, the survey payouts vary, and you need to do quite a few of them to add up to a substantial dollar amount. But, if you like earning a buck or two for sharing your customer feedback, it does add up when you keep up the habit.
If you frequently write reviews or leave customer feedback, doing so through surveys on Swagbucks is one of the best-paid options.
If you just want to watch a video for money, you can do that on Swagbucks too. However, it’s not a replacement for whatever premium entertainment bundle you’re subscribed to these days. The videos offered are ads, and you don’t get to choose what you watch.
For some people, that seems like easy money. For others, it might be a nightmare. Swagbucks keeps a ledger of all the things you do to earn so you can see where you naturally earn better and what activities you are doing less of or earning less from.
So, you can start earning the natural way, and through the activities ledger, you can begin to shape your experience to be more profitable if you want.
My Honest Swagbucks Review
When I first started using Swagbucks, I was hopeful about how much I could earn, but I managed my expectations. Instead of seeing it as potential income, I saw it more as a discount/rebate site, which is pretty much what it is.
I wouldn’t go into it expecting to get too much for nothing. It does take a fair amount of time and dedication to earn enough money to feel the difference – but it can be very worth it.
Is It Worth It?
The bottom line of this Swagbucks review: is it worth it? I say yes! It is especially worth it for people who do a lot of online shopping anyway. This is because it connects to most of the big stores you probably shop frequently, and you can get coupon codes, plus earn gift cards.
If you are having a tough time balancing your budget, but you don’t want to curb your shopping habit, Swagbucks can be a great way to make ends meet. Setting aside some spare time in the morning or evening, you can essentially make a few dollars here and there every day.
If you tend to be more direct and deliberate with your Google searches, you won’t find too much difference between Swagbucks and Google. But, on the other hand, if you often search in vague terms or ask broad questions, Swagbucks may not help as much there. But, it can still earn you money!
I love how transparent Swagbucks is – it’s a useful tool to see how you can earn more and helps you keep track of how your activities benefit you. There are so many ways to earn with Swagbucks, and it’s nice to know which ones are the most profitable.
Want to earn even more? Here are 17 brilliant ways to get free money!
