You may not get rich doing surveys for money, but if youve got free time, you can make some extra cash.
There are a lot of perks to doing surveys: they can be done by anyone with an internet connection, and you can start and stop whenever you want.
When looking for a side hustle that is completely accessible and flexible, using surveys to make money is your best bet. Other side hustles are more lucrative but none of them are as easy to start.
If youre ready to go from experimenting with a business to developing a serious side hustle or even a full-time business youll want to check out Earnable, my program that gives you everything you need to start and grow your own business. Click here to learn more.
Taking Surveys for Money at a Glance
Be careful to only work with reputable companies, less scrupulous survey sites might sell your personal data. Theres also plenty of scams out there.
Getting Started with Surveys for Money
“Earn money for online surveys” might sound like one of those too-good-to-be-true opportunities. After all, what kind of legitimate business pays people to answer questions over the internet?
As it turns out, quite a few. Companies want to know what consumers think, and online surveys are a quick, cheap, and easy way for them to gather large amounts of data. To get this data, businesses contract with survey companies.
In most cases, participating in an online survey for cash works like this:
- Register with an online survey provider – There are several reputable online survey companies. To work with them, you’ll need to register at each site.
Before you go in, know that most survey companies will ask for quite a bit of information. This is because they tailor their surveys to specific demographics.
For example, a company running a survey about baby products will probably want to target parents of babies, with an emphasis on moms in particular. If you’re a retired male with no children, you probably won’t get picked for that survey. - Get notified about surveys – Once you’ve registered and completed your profile, most survey companies will let you know when you’ve been picked to participate in a survey. In some cases, you simply answer questions online. In others, the company behind the survey wants you to try out a product and then answer questions about it.
- Get paid – This is the part you’ve been waiting for. Once you’ve successfully completed the survey, you receive payment for your efforts. Many survey companies will transfer cash directly into your PayPal account, while others reward you with points, free products, or other rewards.
The 5 Best Sites to Make Money with Surveys
If you’re up for taking online surveys, the good news is there are plenty of places to do it. Here are five sites to check out.
1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is actually much more than an online survey site. When you sign up, you can choose from a host of options to earn Swagbucks, which you can then use to redeem for discounts, coupons, and rewards, including Amazon gift cards.
You can also install the Swagbucks browser extension, which lets you earn rewards just for surfing the internet.
If you choose to participate in online surveys, some reviewers say it can be difficult to meet the demographic requirements. Additionally, Swagbucks will send you to third-party survey sites, which means you often have to fill out another personal profile to start the survey.
2. Opinion Outpost
Many users say they like Opinion Outpost due to its no-frills dashboard. The design is straightforward, which makes it easier to navigate compared to other survey sites. Once you sign up, you simply click on which surveys you want to take.
Opinion Outpost compensates users with points, which you can cash in for gift cards and other rewards. If you’re not into gift cards, you can also cash out your points for PayPal deposits.
3. Toluna
Toluna is a bit different than other online survey sites in that it allows users to choose which types of surveys they want to take. For example, tech-savvy individuals can focus solely on surveys that cover digital products or electronics.
As with many other survey sites, you earn points you can redeem for rewards or cash. On average, you can earn about $1 per 3,000 points.
4. LifePoints
Formerly known as MySurvey, LifePoints is a survey site that lets you earn points by taking surveys, tracking your experiences with a particular product in a “diary entry,” or testing products at home and then giving feedback.
Several online reviews note that it can be difficult to get a handle on how much a “point” is worth, as different surveys assign different values to points. For example, one survey may offer an exchange rate of 2,400 LifePoints for a $24 PayPal payment, while another might give you $5 in PayPal after you earn 5,500 LifePoints.
5. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie encourages users to “be an influencer” by participating in online surveys. In exchange, you can earn points you can put toward gift cards or cash payments. Each survey tells you exactly how much you’ll earn for your time, so you never have to go into a survey guessing how much it’s worth.
Even better, the points system at Survey Junkie is straightforward. Each point is worth one cent. You must earn 1,000 points before you can cash out. Points have an expiration date, though, so be aware that you might lose your points if you let your account sit stagnant for too long.