11 Best Sites for Paid Online Surveys (2023)

While there are plenty of ways to make money online in your spare time, taking paid online surveys is easily one of the most popular options.

Fortunately, there are several websites and apps that make it possible to take surveys and answer simple questions for money. The confusing part is deciding which sites are worth your time.

With that in mind, we’ve been testing the most popular survey websites to create this list of the best options you can use to make extra money.

All the sites listed below allow you to earn cash with great flexibility. You can sign up for the different sites and apps and take surveys whenever you have time to share your valuable opinions. Some of these sites focus exclusively on surveys, and others offer other ways to make money in addition to surveys. Check the description of each site to see what it offers.

Some sites also have signup bonuses, which is an awesome way to start. We recommended signing up for those offering a bonus since it’s essentially free money.

Note: Taking paid online surveys is not the most lucrative side hustle. You’re likely to earn a pretty low hourly rate. If you’re trying to maximize your income, other side hustle ideas allow you to earn much more. However, taking surveys online is extremely flexible, and anyone can do it. If you want to make a small amount of extra money in your spare time, consider the sites listed below.

Paid Online Surveys: The Best Legit Survey Websites

One of the keys to making money with surveys is to use a few different legit survey sites or apps. The number of opportunities available at each site will be limited. You’ll have more opportunities If you’re using a few different sites. If you only use a single site, you might run out of surveys, or the ones left will be lower paying.

Here are the best paid survey sites:

1. Swagbucks ($10 signup bonus)

Swagbucks is our top choice for paid surveys for a few different reasons. For starters, you’ll get a $5 signup bonus for creating a new account, which takes just a minute.

As a Swagbucks user, you can make money in several ways through this online community (which is one of the reasons we like it so much). It works on a point system, and they refer to the points as “Swagbucks,” or SB for short.

Once you’ve accumulated some SB, you can redeem them for cash (via PayPal) or a gift card. You can choose a gift card from many stores, restaurants, and websites. The conversion rate for cash is 100 SB = $1. They offer some gift cards at discounted rates, but the specials vary. For example, you may get a $50 gift card to a particular retailer for 4700 SB, representing a 6% discount.

One of the benefits of Swagbucks is that you can start redeeming rewards as soon as you have enough for a $3 gift card reward. Some other sites require a higher balance before the rewards can be redeemed.

You can earn Swagbucks for things like:

• Taking surveys
• Watching videos
• Playing online games
• Trying special offers
• Shopping online
• Using the Swagbucks search engine
• Buying e-gift cards for many different stores and restaurants

As far as the surveys are concerned, Swagbucks will show you the available surveys, along with the estimated time to take a survey and the amount of SB you’ll earn for it. There are usually many quick surveys to choose from, so you can start with the ones that pay the best rates.

What separates Swagbucks from other survey sites is all of the other ways that you can make money. If you want to maximize your income with Swagbucks, you should be doing more than just taking surveys.

While you can get paid for things like watching videos, playing games, and searching, the best results will come from shopping online, buying gift cards, and trying special offers.

The online shopping or cashback component is similar to Rakuten. You can install the Swagbucks browser extension, and you’ll get a notification whenever you browse a website that’s part of their program.

It will show you how much cash back you can earn in SB. Sometimes the amount you can earn is higher than what Rakuten offers. If you use it for purchases you need to make anyway, it’s an easy way to earn something extra.

Buying gift cards through Swagbucks is also a great way to rack up SB quickly. The key is to use this only for things you need to buy anyway. If you do that, you can earn SB for your normal shopping habits. You can also buy gift cards for others (like birthday gifts) and earn the extra SB.

Trying offers can also be a great way to earn SB. Some are free offers, and others will involve making a purchase or starting a trial. Again, the key is to not make any extra purchases unless the amount of SB that you’ll earn exceeds the price.

Overall, Swagbucks is our top choice because of the number of ways you can earn money, the constant selection and availability of surveys and offers, and because the site is very user-friendly.

→ Sign up for Swagbucks here to get a $10 bonus.

2. Survey Junkie

Unlike Swagbucks, Survey Junkie focuses exclusively on surveys. While Survey Junkie doesn’t offer other ways to make money, you should definitely sign up for this site if surveys are what you’re after.

When you take surveys through Survey Junkie, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for real cash. The conversion rate is 100 points per dollar, and you’ll need at least 1,000 points before you can cash out (minimum payout of $10).

When you’re logged in, you’ll see the available surveys, the estimated time needed to complete the survey, and the points you’ll earn. While there are a decent number of surveys available, you’ll probably go through most of them if you’re a frequent user.

If you’re logged in to your dashboard, and you see a survey with a high payout, be sure to take it immediately. Most surveys are limited to a specific number of users, and once that number is reached, the survey will be gone. So it’s a good idea to jump on the best paid survey opportunities as soon as they become available.

Overall, Survey Junkie offers a nice user interface and some good survey opportunities. If you’re looking for a site that focuses exclusively on surveys, Survey Junkie will be one of your favorite sites.

→ Sign up for Survey Junkie here.

3. MyPoints ($10 signup bonus)

If you like Swagbucks, you’ll like MyPoints as well. The two sites are owned by the same parent company, and there are a lot of similarities. Although the sites are similar, there are different offers, so it makes sense to use both.

MyPoints also works on a points system (they offer a signup bonus you can earn with just a minute of your time). However, the points-to-dollars conversion will vary depending on the reward. Currently, you can choose a gift card from 85 different stores, restaurants, and websites, or a Visa gift card that you can use for anything.

Like Swagbucks, MyPoints allows you to earn points in several different ways. You can get points for:

• Taking surveys
• Watching videos
• Playing games
• Printing coupons
• Booking travel (hotels, flights, cars)
• Shopping online
• Accepting different offers

Like Swagbucks, online shopping and special offers allow you to accumulate points the fastest. MyPoints also has a browser extension that works similarly to Rakuten or Swagbucks and will notify you of eligible offers while browsing.

One of the cool features of MyPoints is the Daily 5. It gives a list of several things you can do to earn points, and if you do five of them on any given day, you’ll earn five bonus points. It’s a great way to stay active on the site and ensure you’re continually earning points.

→ Sign up for MyPoints here to get a $10 bonus.

4. Branded Surveys ($1 signup bonus)

Branded Surveys is one of the more popular and legitimate survey companies, with a few million active users. They also have a solid rating (currently 4.2 out of 5) on TrustPilot, which is not always the case in this industry.

Like Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys focuses mostly on surveys rather than offering users lots of different ways to make money. If you’re looking to monetize your spare time, this is an excellent site that you’ll want to sign up for.

Branded Surveys uses a points system. Each task will earn you a specified number of points. When you have at least 1,000 points, you can redeem them for a reward. You can choose cash (through PayPal) or gift cards. The conversion rate is 100 points = $1. This makes it nice and easy to keep track of how much you’re earning.

When you sign up, you’ll get 100 bonus points (50 for signing up and 50 for completing your profile). There are also a few other introductory surveys that are quick and easy to complete, and you’ll earn 10-50 points for each. It’s a good idea to complete these because it will help them to learn more about you so they can match you up with the best surveys.

They also offer what’s called the Branded Elite loyalty program. There are three levels: bronze, silver, and gold. As you complete more surveys, you’ll work your way up through the levels. The higher tiers allow you to earn more and provide access to some of the highest-paying surveys. To maximize your earning power, you’ll want to work your way up to the gold tier.

→ Sign up for Branded Surveys here to get a $1 bonus.

5. Rakuten Insight

You may be familiar with Rakuten for its incredibly popular cashback program. Rakuten Insight is part of the same parent company.

Like Survey Junkie and Branded Surveys, Rakuten Insight focuses exclusively on survey opportunities. It’s a very straightforward platform. You’ll sign up and enter a few basic details about yourself. Rakuten Insight will show you survey opportunities based on your details.

Rakuten Insight uses a point system. You’ll earn points for each survey you complete, and then you can redeem those points for cash (via PayPal) or an Amazon gift card. Rakuten Insight doesn’t offer as many redemption options as some of the other sites, but you can redeem for as little as $5.

If you want to maximize the money you can earn by taking surveys, you should definitely sign up for a free account with Rakuten Insight.

→ Sign up for Rakuten Insight here.

6. InboxDollars ($5 signup bonus)

InboxDollars is another site similar to Swagbucks and MyPoints. With InboxDollars, you can earn money for a variety of things like:

• Taking surveys
• Watching videos
• Playing games
• Searching the internet
• Installing mobile apps
• Trying different offers

When you log in to the InboxDollars dashboard, you’ll see the latest offers. If you scroll down, you can also see the most popular offers.

The best way to make money is to take advantage of as many of these offers as possible. Some are as simple as installing a free app on your phone. Others will require you to make a purchase. You can also watch ads for money or other small tasks.

InboxDollars does not use a point system, so you’ll see exactly how much money you’ve earned. When you’re looking at the available surveys, you’ll also see how long the survey will take, and how much you can earn for completing it.

Although InboxDollars is similar to Swagbucks and MyPoints, we have it rated lower for a few reasons. First, InboxDollars’ cashback program is not as robust as Swagbucks or MyPoints.

Also, InboxDollars charges a $3 processing fee when you cash out your balance. Because of the fee, you’ll probably want to wait longer and let the balance build up before you cash out, so you’ll pay less in fees.

Despite those negatives, InboxDollars still has a lot to offer. If you find a few offers you like, it can be a really easy way to get paid (especially the offers that pay you to install an app).

→ Sign up for InboxDollars here to get a $5 bonus.

7. KashKick

KashKick offers survey opportunities, and you can also earn extra cash for other small tasks like watching videos, surfing the web, and taking advantage of special offers. Although KashKick is more than just a survey website, the options for making money aren’t quite as broad as other sites like Swagbucks and MyPoints. Still, KashKick offers several ways to make small amounts of money in your spare time.

One of the benefits of using KashKick is that you’ll receive PayPal money You can redeem your points once your balance reaches $10. You don’t have to mess with gift cards or other redemption options, which is ideal if you prefer cash.

The downside of KashKick is that you’ll need to keep your account active, or you may lose your balance for inactivity. If you don’t log in for 60 days, your account may be considered inactive. KashKick is a good option for someone active who wants to maximize income opportunities. But the casual survey taker will probably want to use other platforms.

→ Sign up for KashKick here.

8. Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost is a popular site with about 2 million active users. You’ll get access to a few different types of surveys including:

• Product tests (reviewing new products)
• Advertisement reviews
• Diary studies (tracking and sharing your lifestyle habits)
• Focus groups
• Location-based services

You’ll earn points for each completed survey, which can be redeemed for your choice of rewards. The available rewards include PayPal cash, Google Play credits, and a wide range of gift cards.

→ Sign up for Opinion Outpost here.

9. Ipsos iSay

Ipsos iSay is fairly similar to Opinion Outpost. You can earn points for completing several different types or surveys and participating in focus groups and feedback communities.

You can redeem your points for your choice of rewards, including PayPal cash, Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards, Target gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, and more.

→ Sign up for Ipsos iSay here.

10. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel allows you to earn points for things like:

• Taking fun surveys
• Watching videos
• Accepting offers

The site works on a point system. You can redeem your points for cash or gift cards from many stores, websites, and restaurants. The conversion rate is 100 points = $1.

The available surveys will list the time needed to complete the survey, as well as the points you’ll earn by completing it.

While there are several different ways to earn a reward with PrizeRebel, we have several other sites rated higher. The amount you can earn from surveys at PrizeRebel is generally not as good as what you can earn at other sites (from what we’ve found). We also find the user interface to be a little confusing and not as easy to use as some other options like Swagbucks.

If you’re only going to use a few different online survey sites, we recommend the others that are higher rated ahead of PrizeRebel. Still, if you’re looking to use several different sites to maximize the number of relevant surveys you can take, PrizeRebel is a good option.

→ Sign up for PrizeRebel here.

11. Respondent

Respondent is very different from all the other sites included on this list. The surveys available through Respondent are generally on the longer side, but they pay very well (like $50 per hour, or more in some cases). There are not a ton of surveys available from their partners, and you’ll need to meet certain requirements and qualifications to be eligible for specific surveys. Still, when the opportunity arises, it pays very well.

We recommend you sign up for Respondent and create a profile to see what’s currently available. Respondent will email you when there’s a new survey that may be a good match, and you can participate if you’re interested. You can’t count on having longer surveys available every week or every month, but the hourly rate you earn will far exceed what you earn from other survey sites.

→ Sign up for Respondent here.

Choosing the Right Paid Survey Sites for Extra Money

With many websites offering surveys, deciding which ones to sign up for and use can be confusing. We recommend you sign up for at least a few different sites because the number of market research surveys available at any site will be limited. If you’re using a few different sites, you can participate in the highest-paying surveys available at each site.

The top survey sites are ranked in this article, so we recommend starting at the top and signing up for at least a few top-rated sites. As you use the sites, you’ll probably find a few that are your favorites. You can give these sites most of your time and attention going forward.

Is Taking Online Surveys a Good Side Hustle?

If you’re looking for a way to make extra money, you may wonder if taking surveys and polls is worth your time. There’s no “yes” or “no” answer to that question. The truth is, any side hustle can be right for one person and wrong for another.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of making money with online surveys so you can judge for yourself if it is a good fit for your own situation.

Pros:

Here are some of the best things about taking surveys for money.

It’s Extremely Flexible

Taking surveys is one of the most flexible side hustles you’ll find. You can work whenever it fits into your schedule, even if it is just a few minutes at a time. You can take surveys from your phone and complete them while watching TV, while your kids are napping, or whenever you like.

Another nice thing is that you can start and stop whenever you want. Some side hustles may not require a ton of your time, but they require you to do something each day or each week. With surveys, you can take long periods off and come back at any time. It’s totally up to you.

Taking surveys can be a great option for people with busy schedules, inconsistent schedules, and small windows of time for a side hustle.

Anyone Can Do It

There are no special skills or experience required. Things like your work experience, income, family, and living situation may impact the surveys available to you. However, there are surveys available for all different types of people.

The combination of extreme flexibility and the lack of requirements or qualifications needed make this a good option for a lot of people.

You Can Take Surveys in Your Down Time

You don’t need much time to set aside for taking surveys. Whenever you have some downtime, even on your lunch break, you can take a few surveys and make some extra money.

Many Sites Offer More Ways to Make Money Aside From Just Surveys

Several of the best survey sites also offer other ways to earn points or make money. Sites like Swagbucks, MyPoints, and InboxDollars allow you to make more money for things like watching videos, installing apps, shopping online, and accepting special offers. These options are perfect if you want to maximize your income. You can easily multiply your earnings without much extra effort, which is why those sites are rated high on our list.

Cons:

Like anything else in life, there are some cons to go along with the pros.

Limited Income Potential

Although you can definitely make money by taking surveys that pay, it’s not going to offer the same income potential as some other side hustles like blogging or selling on Amazon. Taking surveys offers more flexibility, but you’ll sacrifice in terms of income potential and hourly earnings.

Surveys could be a good fit if you’re looking to make a few hundred dollars per month with a flexible side hustle, but you won’t make a lot per survey. If you want a side hustle that has the potential to turn into a full-time income, you’re better off going with a different side hustle.

Survey Sites Can Be Frustrating

To be honest, some frustrations come with taking surveys. One of the reasons we created this list of the top survey sites is to help you find the best options for minimizing frustrations. There are some bad sites out there that are horrible to use. Still, even with quality sites, there are still some things that are frustrating. Here are a few examples of what you might experience:

• Limited number of surveys available – Your income might be limited because of a lack of available surveys. This is why we recommend signing up for a few different sites.
• When does it end? Some survey sites will direct you from one survey to another. It can be hard to know when one survey ends, and equally hard to know if you’ve completed the requirements to get compensated for the survey.
• Answering several questions only to be told that you’re not eligible – This is possibly the most frustrating thing. With many surveys, you’ll have to answer preliminary questions to know if you qualify for a survey. Sometimes these qualifying questions seem more like the survey itself, and if you don’t qualify, you won’t be able to earn points or get paid (you may get a few points just for trying).
• Answering the same questions over and over again – Be prepared to answer basic questions like your gender, age, ethnicity, income, and family situation many times.

Tips for Taking Online Surveys for Money

• Join several sites. To maximize your income, you’ll need to use at least a few different sites to have a steady stream of opportunities.
• Create a new email address. You’ll need to enter your email address to join any of these platforms, and most of them will email you about new opportunities regularly. Rather than cluttering your existing inbox, it’s a good idea to create a separate email address just to use for these sites.
• Be realistic. These sites can present an opportunity to earn a maximum of a few hundred dollars (total, not per site) each month. If you’re looking for something more substantial, you should consider other side hustle ideas.
• Stick to legitimate companies. There are a lot of sites and apps claiming to offer surveys, but some of them are scams. Stick to established companies, like the ones featured here, to avoid wasting your time.

Online Surveys for Money: Final Thoughts

Overall, taking online surveys can be a good way to make extra money if you’re looking for something flexible.

And if you’re ready to get paid to take surveys, go ahead and sign up for our top legitimate survey sites: Swagbucks, MyPoints, Survey Junkie, and Branded Surveys. Start taking surveys in your spare time and you’ll have a flexible side hustle.