The need to make extra money from home has hit an all-time high, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing. As a result, many people with Internet connections are flocking online to find paid survey opportunities and try their hand at completing surveys for money or gift cards. And the top survey sites can help immensely with filling in budget holes or simply providing some extra money in a pinch. But are legitimate surveys easy to find? What are the average earnings, and how much extra money can you honestly make overall with paid online surveys?

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Can you really get paid to take surveys?

Market research companies are always looking for legitimate and inexpensive solutions for obtaining the market research data they require. While word of mouth is always the cheapest, outsourcing their market research needs to the best survey sites can also be quite the deal. Some of the best-paid survey sites have thousands of members waiting for survey opportunities to earn extra money for their valued opinions.

Taking paid surveys or completing them as they’re offered won’t pay enough to let anyone quit their day job. But legitimate online survey sites help their members earn extra money or get paid via gift cards for taking and completing currently offered and new surveys as they arrive. A popular survey site will often offer other options to make extra money besides completing surveys.

Beware of Survey Scams

Unfortunately, not all online survey websites are legitimate. Cybercriminals sometimes create scam survey sites to scam members out of their money or personal information. They may even toss out an occasional fake online survey to lure new members or confuse and excite existing ones. Obtaining valued opinions for market research is not the goal in those cases. They’re simply trying to con you out of your money.

If you’re not familiar with the survey site or if it doesn’t have solid online support and reviews, don’t join it. And if a survey site claims an incredibly high average payout amount or high average earnings from its members, then run. Companies offering the best online surveys are not get-rich-quick schemes, and the average payout potential will rarely be more than extra money via cash or gift cards. However, if or when you need that extra money, taking paid surveys is an easy way to get it. Just make sure the online survey sites you join and participate in are legit.

Important note: Never trust a survey site that demands or expects fees from their members to access online surveys. Surveys for money are free to take because businesses rely on marketing research. If you have to pay, run away. Legitimate paid online survey sites reward their members for taking online surveys, not the other way around.

What survey sites are legit?

There are several legit paid online survey sites and online survey apps to choose from, work online, or download to your devices. In fact, working on multiple online survey sites simultaneously can help you earn even more money. Each paid survey site will offer different cash or gift rewards per survey Of course, you still won’t make a livable wage doing online surveys for money, but you’ll earn more by working on some of the best-paid survey sites. Legitimate companies include:

InboxDollars

At InboxDollars, you can get paid for taking online surveys, searching the web, reading emails, playing games, and more. Survey opportunities are highly screened and determined by the needs of the marketing research companies. So check regularly to complete surveys for PayPal cash or gift cards for major retailers.

I-Say

I-Say gets its survey opportunities through Ipsos, one of the oldest paid survey sites, and only pays members for taking online surveys. However, the online surveys it offers are random and time-sensitive, so you’ll also want to work with other paid online survey sites. Survey takers who complete surveys can earn points and redeem them for Amazon gift cards or PayPal cash.

LifePoints

The survey company LifePoints has been operating since 1999 and has members from over 40 countries. So it’s definitely one of the most legitimate paid online survey sites. Market research companies regularly release new surveys through LifePoints, but points take time to accumulate on the site. Once you’ve accumulated enough, however, you can redeem them for gift cards, PayPal cash, or donate them to the Special Olympics.

MyPoints

MyPoints pays members to complete surveys, shop at specific retailers, and for dining out. Members earn points every time they take new surveys or complete specific shopping tasks. Those points can then be redeemed for gift cards or PayPal cash. MyPoints also offers a $10 sign-up bonus, but members have to spend $20 within their first 30 days to qualify for the bonus.

Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost launched in 2009, and it’s one of the most legit paid online survey sites that deal specifically with online surveys. Businesses, government agencies, and public organizations all rely on the valued opinions of Opinion Outpost members. New surveys are plentiful, and payment is offered via PayPal cash, Visa prepaid cards, and Amazon gift cards. Rewards for certain online surveys on Opinion Outpost may take as long as six weeks to verify. So earnings are slow but steady.

Survey Club

Survey Club is often forgotten or omitted on lists for online survey sites, but it’s been around since 2005 and is one of the most legit paid online survey sites. Survey Club offers members to earn points which can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards in return for completing surveys and shopping. Businesses can also list their online surveys right on the Survey Club site, so new surveys are plentiful.

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has only been around since 2013, but it’s a popular goto survey site for those who enjoy taking surveys for money. Survey Junkie pays its members to complete online surveys and to share their browsing behavior. You can always sign up and use a different browser on Survey Junkie than the one you usually use for personal, business, or financial purposes. Survey Junkie regularly releases online surveys, but you won’t get rich on any site for completing surveys for money. Still, if you take three online surveys monthly through Survey Junkie, the average earnings the surveys pay can be around $40 per month. There are other ways as well to increase your average payout.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is, without a doubt, one of the best online survey sites for taking paid surveys. The site always has plenty of online surveys ready to be snagged, but there are more ways to earn than taking surveys for money. Swagbucks also pays members for watching videos or ads, playing games, shopping, and for product reviews. You’ll find out quickly that while average earnings may not be high, Swagbucks is one of the more enjoyable paid survey sites.

How much do online surveys really pay?

The average earnings for paid survey sites depend on their chosen online survey site. An occasional online survey may be listed at a high price point, but that’s a rarity. If you see one you’re qualified for, snag it because it won’t be active for long. However, most surveys offer average earnings between $.50 and $5.00. Most online surveys settle on a price point of around $1.

Of course, the average payout can be far less than what you actually earn during a specific month since it can take weeks for an online survey site to verify the final earnings. Legitimate paid survey sites will still pay you. However, it may just take a while to be added to your account. Overall, you may be lucky to earn $10-$50 per month taking surveys for money on a single online survey site. Taking advantage of extra tasks such as watching videos and referring members can boost your average earnings or average payout each month on your chosen paid survey sites.

What pays more, Swagbucks or Survey Junkie?

Swagbucks and Survey Junkie are undoubtedly two of the top online survey sites, but how do they compare?

Swagbucks 

  • Members can take surveys for money.
  • Online survey compensation can range from $.05 to $35.00.
  • Members can perform tasks as well, including watching videos, playing games, and shopping.
  • Swagbucks offers bonuses such as extra cash back for shopping online and free coupons.

Survey Junkie

  • Members can take surveys for money.
  • Members can also get paid to share their browser information.
  • Average online survey prices range from $.05 to $3.00.
  • Survey Junkie keeps its online survey categories loaded.

Both survey sites are great solutions for those wanting to take surveys for money. On Survey Junkie, you might make $8 per hour if you were lucky enough to qualify for back-to-back online surveys. Swagbucks, however, offers more ways to make money, and its online survey prices are occasionally high. Theoretically, it is possible to earn as much as $100 in one day on Swagbucks if you complete high-priced offers on the tasks list. Since Swagbucks offers so much more than just online surveys, it tends to be the higher-paying survey site of the two.

What’s the best money-making app?

If you’re looking to take surveys for money, you may also have other skills that can be applied to your money-making goals as well. There are several good money-making apps, but the best option depends on your needs and interests. Some of the best apps for making money include:

OfferUp

OfferUp is an upgraded approach to Craigslist, allowing anyone to buy or sell new or used items through the app. Sellers can choose firm prices or allow for haggling. They can also arrange local pick-up or pay shipping charges. Anything shipped also incurs a 12.9% fee through the app.

Rakuten

Rakuten offers up to 40% cashback bonuses for physical and online shopping. In addition, members are rewarded for signing up, and they also offer referral bonuses. Payout occurs every three months, and cashout can be as low as $5.

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has one of the best survey apps due to its ease of use and data protection policy. Loads of surveys are released monthly, and most take less than 15 minutes to complete. Payout through the app is simple, and payment can be through PayPal cash or digital gift cards.

Swagbucks

The Swagbucks app is known for surveys, but it offers several other ways to earn money. Use it to shop online, play games, scan receipts, and get paid to sign up for new products and services. Even if you don’t take a single paid survey, you can still earn $10 a day or more completing different tasks.

Uber

If you have a car that fits their guidelines, Uber is still one of the best apps to use to make money. You can deliver food or groceries if you don’t want to chauffeur strangers. Earning potential can be as high as $20 per trip after expenses, and you can cash out up to five times per day.

Upwork

Upwork is targeted explicitly at freelancers of all kinds. There are over 1,600 skills to choose from, and payment is made ten days after the billing cycle closes. There is a service fee of up to 20%, but payment is guaranteed for the work you provide.

In Conclusion

Paid online survey sites will never provide enough earnings to quit your day job. But they can help you earn enough cash to pay an important bill, fill up your gas tank, take your family out to dinner, or start an emergency fund. So choose one of the legit online survey sites above, or combine your favorite options and answer surveys to earn some extra cash in your spare time.

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