A popular way to make money with little effort is by taking paid online surveys.
But not all paid survey sites are created equal, though. That’s why we’ve studied the best paid online survey sites to bring you the ones that are legit and pay well.
By sharing your opinion online, you’ll be able to make money from home or from anywhere you have an internet connection. Share your opinion consistently and make money with little effort.
If you like giving your opinion and spending time online, taking surveys is a good way to earn a little extra every day.
Don’t miss the frequently asked questions which we’ve included at the end of this post.
11 Top legit places to take online surveys for money
1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a reputable company with over 20 million members where you can earn money for giving your opinion online. You’ll get a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up.
How it works: As you complete online surveys, you’ll earn points called SB’s. You can redeem your SB’s for gift cards or get cash back through PayPal. Each survey you complete will have a different payout, but some can offer as much as $50, though most will pay less and take less time.
Good to know: In addition to surveys, Swagbucks also offers rewards for watching videos, searching the web or shopping online. So you’ll have multiple additional ways to earn.
- Welcome bonus: $10 (gift card)
- Join Swagbucks
2. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is a well-established and trusted rewards site that pays you cash for completing various activities, including taking online surveys. They’re A+ rated and accredited with the Better Business Bureau.
How it works: Signing up for a new account is simple and you can earn an easy $5 when you confirm your email. As you enter the welcome screen, you’ll find your available cash balance in the upper right hand corner of the site. It took us seconds to confirm and collect the bonus.
Good to know: InboxDollars adds variety to the experience of earning money online beyond surveys. You can also watch videos and TV, earn cash back, search the web, play games or read emails for cash. We found their website quite fun to browse.
- Welcome bonus: $5
- Join InboxDollars
3. MyPoints
MyPoints is a popular destination to earn points for taking polls and answering online surveys. You can redeem points for gift cards or online certificates. And similar to other sites on this list, you can also earn rewards by watching videos, playing games and clipping coupons.
How it works: When you join MyPoints, you’ll get a $10 welcome bonus. After you sign up, you’ll need to complete a brief profile to start receiving surveys. Complete those surveys, start collecting points, and redeem your points for gift cards.
Good to know: You can redeem your points for gift cards or online certificates from online stores, restaurants, airlines and hotels. MyPoints also partners with PayPal for cash rewards. Gift card values currently start at $3 and go up to $500. And you’ll need at least 480 points to redeem them for a gift card (Amazon gift card).
- Welcome bonus: $10 (amazon and visa gift cards)
- Join MyPoints
4. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a paid survey-focused company that rewards you with points for taking surveys online. You can redeem your points for cash and e-cards after you reach a minimum of 1,000 points, equivalent to $10.
How it works: The process is quite straightforward. You register, confirm your email address, and complete a brief profile about yourself to get matched and qualified for surveys. You can take surveys anywhere and anytime where you have internet access.
Good to know: With Survey Junkie you’ll have instant access to plenty of surveys. New surveys are available daily and you may get regular invitations sent to your inbox. You can cash-out your points through PayPal or redeem them for e-gift cards. E-gift cards can be redeemed in multiples of $5 starting from $10 (that is, $10, $15, $20, etc.)
5. Toluna Influencers
Toluna Influencers is a trusted survey site that works for market research agencies and brands around the world. As you complete surveys, you earn points which can be redeemed for cash and gift cards.
How it works: After registration and email confirmation, you’ll need to complete a profile to get matched with surveys. You’ll find surveys in Toluna’s Survey Center by accessing their website, through their mobile app or through email invitations.
Good to know: Each survey starts with questions designed to find out if you qualify for them. So don’t be discouraged if at times, you don’t qualify after answering some questions. With Toluna, you’ll earn more points than similar survey sites, but you’ll also need more points to redeem rewards, so it’s a bit of a wash.
6. Vindale Research
Vindale Research is an online market research panel that pays you cash for taking surveys online. In addition to their own studies, they connect you to other survey programs to earn more.
How it works: After signing up, follow a few simple steps to start earning: you’ll need to confirm your email, complete your profile and watch a tutorial. Each survey will show you the time to complete it and the cash you’ll earn. After you complete each survey, you’ll see a confirmation page and your account will be credited.
Good to know: You can take surveys anywhere from any device and access hundreds of daily paid surveys. In addition to paid surveys, Vindale Research has other earning programs including cash for opening emails and for watching videos. Once your account balance reaches $50 or more, you can request a payment.
7. SurveyClub
SurveyClub is a survey-focused company that claims more than 16 million members. They combine and connect you to other survey panels which reward your opinions with cash, gift cards, and other rewards.
How it works: Their sign-up process is similar to that of other survey-focused sites: after you create your account, you’ll need to fill out a brief profile to get matched with surveys. Once you join, you can get online surveys sent to your inbox by joining paid research panels.
Good to know: SurveyClub suggests you join a minimum of 3 research panels to ensure you receive enough surveys. So it might be a good idea to create a new email address for surveys if you only have one. You can request a payment from SurveyClub once you’ve accumulated $25 in rewards.
8. OneOpinion
OneOpinion has been around since 2011 and conducts paid online surveys on behalf of market research companies. As a survey taker, you’ll be rewarded with points redeemable for cash or gift cards. We found their website snappy and their surveys interesting.
How it works: A virtual bot named Emily will help you through the simple registration process, which takes about a minute. Once you’re registered, you’ll receive survey invitations in your inbox. And similar to other survey sites, you’ll need to answer some demographic questions to qualify for surveys.
Good to know: You’ll need to reach 25,000 points (1,000 points equal $1) before you can start redeeming rewards. Once you reach that balance, you can get your $25 as cash (Visa cards and PayPal) or gift cards (Amazon gift cards and others). As a member of OneOpinion, you’ll also get the opportunity to test new products at home.
9. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel is a membership rewards site where you accumulate points for taking surveys, watching videos, searching online and other activities. You can redeem your points for cash through PayPal, gift cards and other prizes.
How it works: While the site offers several ways to earn points, members’ go-to method to earn is through paid online surveys. After you sign up and complete a profile questionnaire, check their surveys page to review their daily survey inventory.
Good to know: PrizeRebel reviews your answers to check you’re submitting appropriate responses. They do this to calculate a quality score and make sure you’re paying attention to their surveys. This score helps them determine what surveys are available to you.
10. LifePoints
When you join LifePoints, you’ll be able to earn points for sharing your opinions (that is, taking paid online surveys). Available surveys cover health, sports, travel and other aspects of daily life. They currently have a community of over 5 million members from all over the world.
How it works: You’ll earn LifePoints mainly through the completion of surveys, but other activities such as mini-polls, product testing and other types of data collection are also available on their site. You’ll receive survey invitations by email and you can take them at any time during the survey period.
Good to know: You’ll need to have a minimum of 5,500 points (equivalent to $5) to request a reward. Points can be redeemed as cash (PayPal) and gift cards.
See also:
Another simple way to make money online is by testing products at home. Check out these 7 Ways You Can Get Paid to Test Free Products At Home.
11. Opinion Outpost
This is a free portal to take paid online surveys sponsored by major corporations and businesses. As you complete surveys, you earn points which can be redeemed for cash via PayPal or gift cards (Amazon and others). You may find surveys on topics as diverse as electronics, medicine, politics, sports and advertisements.
How it works: You’ll receive survey opportunities directly to your inbox after you’ve completed a brief questionnaire during registration. They use that information to tailor survey opportunities to you.
Good to know: Opinion Outpost tries to keep surveys as short as possible. In general, their surveys should take around 10 to 15 minutes to complete. You can start redeeming your points when you complete your first 5 surveys.
Tips and best practices when using online survey sites
Sign up for several survey sites
If you register with several online survey sites, you’ll keep a good flow of money-making opportunities coming your way. While survey sites try to send you their survey opportunities frequently, some won’t do it on a daily basis. By signing up with several sites, you’ll insure a steady flow of surveys.
Answer honestly
Survey sites are hired by third parties that rely on valid user opinions and information to improve their products and services. So survey sites depend on quality answers in order to get hired and, importantly, to provide you with a steady inventory of surveys that reward you.
This win-win breaks if you don’t keep your answers honest. Survey services track your responses and you may find it difficult to qualify for surveys and earn regularly if you aren’t consistent. Being truthful in your responses is the best policy.
Keep your profile up-to-date
Perhaps you moved, got a raise or had kids. Online survey sites use this information to better match you with their available surveys. That’s why keeping your profile up-to-date may help you qualify for surveys that weren’t available to you before.
Avoid speeding through your answers
At times, you might be tempted to speed through surveys and straight-line some of your answers. Finish faster and get more money, right? Unfortunately, if you do that, it might get flagged by the survey system and eventually disqualify you from taking additional surveys (or not as many). It’s best to pace yourself and answer without rushing.
Set up a separate email for surveys
After you sign up with a survey site, you’ll receive frequent emails alerting you of new surveys and other money-making opportunities. These emails are convenient, but they can add up quickly and clog your regular inbox, especially if you sign up with more than one survey service.
Using a separate email address will help you keep your regular inbox uncluttered.
Avoid sharing your bank information
Legitimate survey websites are free to join and won’t ask you for your bank account information. Common cash-out methods are gift cards, prepaid cards or PayPal cash; bank transfers are rarely used. In addition, you shouldn’t need to enter your credit card number.
Also, if you get a call from a survey site, keep your guard up and don’t share any personal information to avoid a scam.
FAQs
How much can you make with online surveys?
The amount of money you make will depend on your consistency completing surveys. Online surveys will earn you, on average, the equivalent of $1 to $3 each. The pay ranges anywhere from $0.40 to $50 per survey depending on its length, complexity, and other factors.
How long does it take to complete an online survey?
The time it takes to complete online surveys will vary, but you can expect anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes each. Longer surveys generally carry with them better rewards.
Is there a minimum age to participate in online surveys?
You need to be 13 years or older to earn cash and other prizes for participating in online surveys. Some survey sites require parental consent if you’re at least 13 but less than 18.
How private is my information with online surveys?
Legitimate survey sites have clear anti-spam and privacy policies. While some companies will anonymize your personally identifiable information, others may share it with their business partners. It’s best to read their privacy policies and terms before you sign up.
How do you protect yourself from scams?
You want to watch out for survey sites that ask you for money to participate or require your bank account information. Reputable survey sites will never ask you for that type of information.