If you are looking for a way to earn some extra cash online, surveys are one of the best ways that don’t take all that much time to complete. In this article, I’m going to cover everything you need to know on how to make money online doing surveys, as well as share 10 great sites for you to get started with.
Online surveys are a great way for companies to test products, services, features, website funnels, etc. directly with consumers and to get actual feedback. For you as a survey taker, your time and opinion are then rewarded with payment.
It’s important to clear that up immediately because the best way to find legitimate methods of making money on the internet is to understand the business model. If it doesn’t make any sense, then it is probably a scam. As you can see though, online surveys have a benefit for all involved, meaning you can definitely make money doing them.
So, let’s get to the steps on how to make money online by doing surveys.
How to make money online doing surveys:
How to make money online doing surveys
The steps listed below shall help you to make money online doing surveys:
1. Find suitable survey sites
The first step is to start by identifying suitable survey sites.
Not every survey site is legitimate, and not all that is legitimate may deal with a niche that is convenient or applicable to you.
You have to assess your own competencies, experience, and preferences first before proceeding to narrow down your choices appropriately.
Below we cover the best websites for you to get started taking online surveys.
2. Create an account with each and complete your profile
After narrowing down to your picks, you now have to create an account with each and complete your profile.
While creating an account, be sure to submit all your details to give the clients and companies as clear a picture of yourself as possible.
A good practice is to create a separate email address for surveys. This will prevent your main email address from filling up with email notifications for new survey opportunities.
Don’t worry about having too little experience in a particular field, a lot of the time businesses actually look for people who aren’t that familiar with the topic as they may not fully understand the jargon used.
3. Register for survey jobs
Once your profile has been completed you can start signing up for survey jobs.
I recommend starting off with low-paid jobs as they are often simpler and more straightforward to complete. These can help build your ratings up and help you land the more complicated and better-paying surveys later on.
4. Take and complete surveys in a timely manner
Once you start a survey, make sure to complete it within the allocated time frame, and follow all of the instructions to the letter.
Not meeting the deadline could mean that you are ineligible for payment, and the same goes for not following the instructions given. Also, you need to be truthful and use clear and straightforward language while you’re completing surveys.
Making false claims and going off-topic will only negatively affect your rating.
5. Be available for any feedback
Some clients may seek further clarification from you with regards to the claims you have made while taking the online survey. You should therefore be aware that you may need to provide them with more information and clarifications about those claims.
From my experience, this does not happen very often, but it is good to be aware of it in case it does occur.
Factors to consider when taking online surveys
When taking online surveys, these are the most important things you should be aware of to get the best results:
- Create accounts with numerous survey sites
- Register for as many surveys as possible
- Be honest while taking surveys – share your opinion
- Prioritize the low-paid surveys as they are often simpler and less competitive
- Utilize different devices like laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Many companies offer their surveys on different platforms at the same time, and some devices are less competitive than others.
- Set realistic goals for how many surveys you can complete and take breaks in between.
Best online survey sites
The following websites are 10 of the best online survey sites for you to try. There’s a mix of sites so you should find something to suit your needs, even if you are a complete beginner to online surveys.
1. Survey Junkie
- The average payout per survey: $2
- Payment method(s): eGift cards and PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $10 (1,000 points)
Survey Junkie is for anyone who is above 13 and resides in Canada, the United States, or Australia. The site is free to join and is also great as it has plenty of surveys to do.
All you have to do is create an account to get started out. And you obtain points for each completed survey which can later be converted into cash.
2. Branded Surveys
- The average payout per survey: $3
- Payment method(s): Gift cards or PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $5
Branded Surveys is a great platform to earn money by simply sharing your thoughts and opinions about different brands, services, and products.
Here there are three levels, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. As your rating improves, you move higher and earn more. You need to spend a bit more time on this site to really make the most of it, but it can be very well worth it.
3. InboxDollars
- The average payout per survey: $5
- Payment method(s): Gift cards, prepaid VISA, and checks
- Minimum to cash out: $30
InboxDollars is the site to enroll in if you want some quick money. New users are automatically accredited with $5, although you will need to reach $30 in order to cash it all out.
The workflow here is quite easy with a good mix of products for the survey takers. This site is also a good option for anyone looking to do online surveying as a part-time job.
4. Toluna
- The average payout per survey: $3
- Payment method(s): PayPal and Gift cards
- Minimum to cash out: $10
Toluna is one of the best online survey platforms as it lets its users pick the topics they are most interested in.
These range from travel to electronics, consumer products, and so on. At the end of each study, the survey taker is awarded points that can, later on, be redeemed into cash.
5. Swagbucks
- The average payout per survey: $1.20
- Payment method(s): Gift cards or PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $25/PayPal and $3/gift cards
Swagbucks is one of the most popular survey sites and welcomes new members with a $20 bonus. Here you earn money by searching the web, undertaking online shopping tasks, watching videos, and so on.
Quality is very important here, with disqualifications being fairly common when people try to cheat the system. This is again why you should pay attention to the rules and complete the surveys appropriately.
6. MyPoints
- The average payout per survey: $2.50
- Payment method(s): Gift cards
- Minimum to cash out: $3
MyPoints rewards you for watching videos, taking polls, and answering questions.
You can then redeem those points by converting them to cash. Unlike other sites, it does not have jobs in-house. Instead, it directs you to third-party sites to complete the surveys.
7. i-Say
- The average payout per survey: $0.55
- Payment method(s): Gift cards and PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $15 for VISA/PayPal; and $10 for gift cards
i-Say is one of the largest online survey sites open to US residents 18 years and older.
It prides itself on having a large pool of work at any given time. On the flip side though, it has a very low compensation rate so it may not be the best option for someone who wants to make real money.
i-Say is opening up in other regions around the world, but payment in those other regions tends to be gift cards, with Paypal only being an option in North America.
8. Opinion Outpost
- The average payout per survey: $2.75
- Payment method(s): Gift cards or PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $10/PayPal; and $5 for gift cards
If you have never tried online surveys before, then Opinion Outpost is a great way to get started.
It has a simple and straightforward design that is simple to navigate. And most of its surveys are simple and straightforward enough for beginners to easily get to grips with.
9. Pinecone Research
- The average payout per survey: $3
- Payment method(s): VISA gift card, check, or PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $3
Pinecone Research is a legitimate survey site bearing the A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. They can be quite difficult to join, however, as they only open up to specific demographics at a time and are not always accepting new members.
They mostly accept people from the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom, although they also occasionally accept people based in other European countries like France, Germany, and Italy.
If you can get in, they pay a pretty good $3 as most surveys only take 15 minutes to complete.
10. OneOpinion
- The average payout per survey: $3
- Payment method(s): Gift cards and PayPal
- Minimum to cash out: $25
Wrapping up the list of the leading survey companies online is OneOpinion. To earn money via this site, you create an account and can access gigs from the dashboard.
You have to reach 25,000 points in order to cash out a payment, but this site is open to anyone over the age of 13, although you do need to reside in the USA or the UK to join.
Are paid surveys worth it?
Yes, they definitely can be. They give you the opportunity to make money online legitimately and in the comfort of your own home. Moreover, many of them have a consistent flow of work for you to earn money regularly.
You aren’t going to become rich doing paid surveys, but it can be a good way to supplement your income or make a little money on the side.
How much can you make doing online surveys?
Most people make around $50-150 per month doing surveys if they spend a couple of hours per week doing them. It all depends though, on the site you pick for the job, the length of time you devote every day or week to surveys, and your own competence or experience in the field.
The max I have earned doing surveys in a month was $163. I must have spent at least 40 hours doing surveys that month though, which comes to $4.08 per hour. I can chalk this up to low-paying surveys though, but even if they paid double, that would be quite a low return for the time spent.
I personally prefer making websites or blogs for long-term returns or offering freelance services if you need money in a short time span. But doing online surveys can be a great way to make some money online without needing to develop any specialized skill set.
Are paid survey sites safe?
Yes, the sites listed above are all genuine survey sites that pay real cash (or gift cards) for completed surveys.
Always look for reviews from real people before joining a survey site and if they offer things that seem too good to be true, then they probably are and proceed with caution.
Final thoughts on making money online doing surveys
There you have it; the aforementioned online sites, like Survey Junkie or Inbox Dollars, are a great way to start earning money online through surveys. Once you get started and find a couple of sites you enjoy, it can be a very rewarding process and you may even discover some new great brands while you’re at it.
As you can see it is very possible to earn an income from online surveys. The genuine sites don’t require you to pay, so take that as a warning sign if you do find other sites that require you to pay a fee to use them.
All that is left to do is for you to start doing some online surveys!
