“Get paid to take surveys online!” I’ve seen this offer everywhere online and I’ve always wondered if apps for surveys really worked.
On one end, it seems too good to be true. On the other end, as an online entrepreneur, I know first-hand that there are many cool ways to make money online, regardless of your skill set.
When it comes to apps for surveys, sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty and start side-hustling.
So let’s talk about it.
Can You Really Get Paid with Survey Apps?
Well, yes and no. Taking surveys as a side hustle is easy, effortless, and always free to sign up for. But, keep in mind that it’s not a get-rich-quick option. Heck, it’s not even a part-time job option in my opinion.
If you want to make more than a few dollars per week, you may need to look into different hustles. However, if you’re just looking for a low-effort way to earn money while watching TV, working out, or during a commute (via train or something similar), surveys are a great option!
Don’t get me wrong, if you can earn $40 or $50 per month from taking surveys online that’s great! This is money that can be used to cover a small household bill or purchase items you need in your home.
So let’s dive in and discuss some of the best apps for surveys that I’ve found online.
1. Opinion Outpost
Trust Pilot Rating: 3.3 Stars
Opinion Outpost is one of the apps for surveys that allows you to earn points. You can then redeem those points for gift cards with major retailers or PayPal credit.
It won’t make you much, but when I tested it, I was able to earn at least 15 points on the first day.
If you’re looking to receive PayPal credit, you’ll need to earn at least 100 points which will convert to $10. Some gift cards require fewer points to redeem, like 50 points for a $5 Amazon gift card.
Opinion Outpost also allows you the chance to enter to win a $10,000 quarterly sweepstakes. The odds of being selected are low, but you have nothing to lose, so feel free to enter!
Sign up for Opinion Outpost here
Related: Easy, Low-Effort Ways to Make Money
2. Pinecone Research
Trust Pilot Rating: 2.7 Stars
Pinecone Research is a personal favorite. The company has been in business for 18 years and offers 10-20 minute surveys that can pay up to $3 per survey. Plus, they don’t pre-screen survey-takers by asking them to answer certain questions to qualify for a survey.
You simply take the surveys and get paid out in cash after each one, so there’s no waiting around to reach a certain threshold. You can use the extra money for groceries, gas, or even debt payoff. Doesn’t matter, there are always more surveys to take!
In the last few years or so, the website has also added the ability to test certain products. These tests can typically pay out more but are a bit more competitive. But, if you like trying new things, it’s a great way to get free items and get paid for your time.
Sign up for Pinecone Research here
3. Swagbucks
Trust Pilot Rating: 4.3 Stars
Swagbucks is another one of my personal favorites. You can earn money on Swagbucks by doing a variety of things, but their surveys are always an easy option.
Most surveys take 10-20 minutes to complete, and you can earn an average of 75 Swagbucks.
In addition to the ways to earn via surveys, Swagbucks also offers more ways to earn some cash. The ways to obtain SB points are as follows:
- Cashback for online shopping
- Watching videos
- Using grocery coupons
- Taking part of polls
- Playing games
If you earn 100 Swagbucks, it’s equivalent to $1. You can redeem Swagbucks for gift cards from popular retailers, restaurants, etc. I shop on Amazon often, so I like to redeem Swagbucks for Amazon gift cards. You can get your first gift card with as little as 300 Swagbucks.
Below, you can see an example of some of the survey offers I receive via Swagbucks.
4. Toluna
Trust Pilot Rating: 4.0 Stars
Toluna is a survey site you might not have heard of, but it’s pretty great. You earn points right off the bat by taking surveys to fill out your profile and share more about yourself. There are 100-point ‘get to know you’ surveys about travel, internet usage, automotive, mobile device, etc. There are also surveys about lifestyle topics and food.
You can redeem points for gift cards starting at 30,000 points which converts to $10.
5. Survey Junkie
Trust Pilot Rating: 4.3 Stars
Survey Junkie is another great site that you may like when comparing different apps for surveys. You get 25 points just for signing up and 50 points when you complete your profile. This can take as little as 3-5 minutes.
Survey Junkie sends surveys on a wide variety of topics depending on your experience and lifestyle. The average survey on this site ranges from 3 minutes to 20 minutes, and you can earn an average of 50-100 points per survey.
You can redeem your points for cash once your reach a $10 threshold. Every 100 points usually equal a dollar, so if you take a survey almost every day, you can redeem your earnings at least twice a month, maybe more.
Sign up for Survey Junkie here
6. Branded Surveys
Trust Pilot Rating: 4.2 Stars
Branded Surveys will pay you for completing online surveys and other tasks. The business was founded in 2012 under the name Mintvine and changed its name to Branded Surveys in 2017. Along with surveys, you can earn points by:
- Daily polls
- Survey and poll streaks
- Referring friends
You can later exchange your points for cash or gift cards by completing surveys. If you have 100 points, this will be worth $1 because each point is worth one penny.
500 points is the lowest that can be redeemed (aka, $5). When you have earned enough points, you can obtain a free gift card from a selection of eateries and shops. You can also choose PayPal and bank transfers as well.
Sign up for Branded Surveys here
7. Mindswarms
Trust Pilot Rating: 2.9 Stars
Top brands in tech, advertising, retail, healthcare, entertainment, and other industries work with the market research company Mindswarms. As a tester and surveyor, you can create video surveys using your smartphone and test new products like websites. You get paid by Mindswarms through the brands they have partnerships with.
Once you create your profile, you’ll have to create a profile video and share your interests while verifying the quality of your audio and video. The next step is to watch for a survey opportunity to present itself. You will receive $50 from Mindswarms for each 10-question survey you complete. Within 24 hours, your payment will be delivered to you via PayPal.
8. PrizeRebel
Trust Pilot Rating: 3.8 Stars
One of the major companies in the online paid survey and get-paid-to space is PrizeRebel. Since its creation in 2007, it has given out more than $25 million in incentives and has more than 12 million subscribers, according to its own statistics.
Before beginning a survey, you can check the amount you will receive once you complete it. There will also be a time estimate that will let you know how long the survey will take you to complete. Be aware that your profile and where you reside will determine the precise number of survey providers and opportunities available to you. You will therefore find more prospects in some places than others.
Each point is worth a penny, so 100 points equal $1. You can cash out once you’ve reached $2 for gift cards and $5 for PayPal or via bank deposit.
Getting Started With Apps For Surveys
Taking surveys online is a great way to earn a little extra money. No, you won’t earn hundreds or thousands of dollars, but you shouldn’t expect that.
If you’d like to get started with certain apps for surveys, here are a few things to keep in mind.
You Must Complete Your Profile
You can’t just sign up and expect to start earning money. You usually have to complete your profile and answer certain questions about yourself. This will help the survey company send you survey offers that are relevant to you. Some survey sites will pay you in points or cash to complete your profile, which is always a bonus.
You May Have To Prequalify For Surveys
Many survey sites require you to take a pre-survey to see if you’ll qualify for the paid survey opportunity. They do this to make sure someone who doesn’t have any pets is not answering a survey about being a dog owner.
You can also try Pinecone Research if you want to skip the pre-qualification process altogether.
Answer the Questions Honestly
This should go without being said, but don’t feel like you have to give a certain answer just to get more survey opportunities or earn more money. Taking surveys is supposed to be easy and painless, and you’re supposed to give your honest opinion.
Don’t waste time and energy giving conflicted responses that aren’t entirely true. Doing that will just spoil the whole experience and won’t help the company that is looking for honest feedback.
Best Strategy to Optimize Your Earnings
After going through this experience over the past few months and seeing a positive outcome, we’ve come up with a specific strategy that will allow you to optimize your earnings when taking surveys online.
Step 1: Sign up with a few different survey websites
Each survey site has its own pros and cons and different payment terms and thresholds. You can get more earning opportunities by signing up with 2-4 different survey websites to start.
That way, if one isn’t providing you with many options at the moment, you can focus your attention on another site.
Step 2: Check your email and follow up regularly
You won’t know about survey opportunities if you don’t check in on the website and check your email for opportunities regularly. Most survey sites send out opportunities daily, so it’s best to check in at least every other day to get more opportunities.
Step 3: Make the most of your spare time
Decide how much time you can dedicate to taking surveys each week. For example, if you dedicate just 2.5 hours per week, that could equal a few extra dollars each week to fill up your gas tank or treat yourself.
You don’t want to spend every waking hour looking for surveys, but maybe you can take one during your lunch break and another in the morning after breakfast instead of sitting at the table and looking at social media on your phone.
I don’t think anyone can say they don’t have any spare time because there are always moments throughout our day when we experience downtime or do something unproductive. Make the most of that time by taking surveys instead.
Apps For Surveys Won’t Make You Rich
As a final word, taking surveys online will NOT make you rich or result in you being able to quit your day job. It just doesn’t work like that, and I’ve never heard of anyone becoming a full-time survey taker. #sorrynotsorry
If anyone tells you otherwise or claims that you can earn thousands of dollars per month taking surveys, they’re lying. The only types of consumer research that pay out a significant amount of money include focus groups and panel studies, and perhaps I can talk about those in another post.
Taking surveys will provide you with extra money that you otherwise wouldn’t have made in a short amount of time. Which is nice! You should try to overdo it though, seeing as how you can spend an hour taking surveys and not even earn minimum wage in some cases.
Related: 20 Ways to Make Extra Money Today
15 Side Income Ideas You Can Start (With No Special Skills)
All in all, if you’re looking for a super easy way to make extra money that you can use for one-off purchases, lunch or an outing with friends, or to help supplement a regular bill, online surveys can definitely help. Just don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Have you ever heard of any of these survey websites or tried to earn money by taking surveys online?
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