19 Best Survey Sites To Make The Most Money

There are a lot of online survey sites out there.

And depending on what you read, some people will call them scams while others will tell you they are legit.

So what is the truth?

The truth is paid surveys are a legitimate way to make money online.

But you have to not only know what sites are the best, you also need to keep your expectations in perspective.

I get paid to take surveys all the time.

And I’ve been getting paid for close to 15 years.

I’ve also been scammed many times. But I’ve made a lot of money too.

So if you are looking for the best paid survey sites to make money, you’ve come to the right place!

Getting Paid To Take Surveys

Legitimate Paid Online Surveys

best survey sites

Below I list the 19 best paid survey opportunities for you to start earning extra cash.

I’ve ranked these sites based on a number of factors that are important if you want to make money.

Swagbucks Surveys

Survey Junkie Surveys

I list and explain the ranking factors posted at the end of this post so you can see my methodology.

For ease of reading, I’ve broken the surveys into 2 sections.

The first section are the best survey sites. They offer the most surveys to take, pay well, and send your earnings quickly.

The second section are good survey sites. They tend to offer fewer surveys and pay a decent rate.

The bottom line is I recommend all of these websites for making money.

In fact, I’ve used most of them myself.

If I didn’t like a site, it didn’t pay, or felt like a scam, I didn’t include it on this list.

After you read through the list, be sure to read through the FAQ section at the end.

It contains valuable information to help you be successful and teaches you how to make the most money possible.

The Best Online Survey Sites Out There

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is hands down, the best choice when it comes to taking surveys for cash.

The reason is simple. They are a survey aggregator.

This means they post surveys from many sites on their website for you to take.

As an added bonus there is a mobile app that allows you to take surveys on the go or in your spare time.

So no matter where you are, you can earn money using Swagbucks.

Another reason I love them so much is because they offer other tasks to earn money as well.

You can play online games, watch videos, answer questions, earn cash back online shopping, and more.

You earn SB which you can convert into cash or free gift cards.

The conversion rate is 1 SB equals $0.01. This makes it easy to know just how much money you have earned.

Finally, many times they offer gift cards at a discount.

So instead of redeeming 2,500 SB for a $25 Amazon gift card, you only have to redeem 2,200 points.

As of this writing, Swagbucks has paid out over $275 million in rewards!

The bottom line is Swagbucks should be the first place you sign up when looking to take online surveys.

Swagbucks Box

Prize Rebel

Prize Rebel works as a survey aggregator as well.

They partner with 8 research companies to offer many surveys for you to take all the time.

What makes them different from the others on this list is their use of categories.

Other sites simply list surveys.

But Prize Rebel categorizes them so you can focus on things you enjoy.

For example, if you enjoy grocery shopping, you can take surveys aimed at this group.

If you like entertainment, there are options in this category.

This makes it easy to find the perfect ones for you.

In addition to surveys, you can also earn credits by watching videos, completing tasks, and even taking advantage of various offers.

As with many of the other sites, you redeem your points for cash or gift cards.

The conversion rate is 1 point equals $0.01, making the math easy to do.

As of this writing, Prize Rebel has paid out over $19 million to its users.

Prize Rebel Box

Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is another good option for you to consider.

In addition to offering surveys, you can also earn points for answering daily polls or even shopping locally.

Most surveys pay in the 50 – 200 point range. You also will earn credits even if you don’t qualify.

As with other sites, 1 point equals $0.01 and you can cash out your earnings once you earn 1,000 points.

You can redeem your earnings for cash or gift cards.

When it comes to redeeming for cash, Branded Surveys offers you the ability to direct deposit into your bank account, cutting out PayPal.

Finally, they offer a loyalty program that allows you to earn bonus points for being an active member.

This loyalty program is a great way to easily earn extra points.

Branded Surveys Box

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of my favorite pure survey companies.

What I mean by this is you only complete surveys with them.

While this lessens the points you can earn from other tasks, the points you earn are competitive.

The conversion rate is 1 point equals $0.01, which is in line with others.

The thing that really sets Survey Junkie apart is the ability to earn points for getting started.

By signing up, confirming my email and completing my profile, I already had 500 points, good for $5 in cash.

Note that the minimum number of points to get cash is 1,000.

When redeeming gift cards, the minimum points required is lower and varies by retailer and face value of the gift card.

Survey Junkie Box

QuickRewards

QuickRewards is one of the under the radar survey websites.

They have been around for close to 20 years, but you here the names of other survey sites more often.

This doesn’t diminish QuickRewards.

It is one of the best options out there.

You can earn cash rewards for completing surveys, playing games, watching videos, and completing offers.

What makes them stand out is there is no minimum to cash out to your PayPal account.

If you have even just $0.01 in earnings, you can cash out.

Their customer service is top notch too and they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

QuickRewards Button

MyPoints

MyPoints is similar to the sites listed above.

You can earn money taking surveys or doing other activities.

What I like most about this site is you can redeem your points for travel miles.

If you want to travel somewhere and want a discount on airfare, answer some surveys and get miles to apply towards your airfare.

If you earn enough, you can fly for free!

Of course, you can redeem your points for cash or gift cards too.

When it comes to the surveys, you earn more points the longer it is.

The conversion of points with MyPoints is 1 point equals $0.006.

This this is a little less than most other sites.

But with the added opportunities to earn credits, it is well worth your time.

My Points Box

Point Club

PointClub is a hidden gem when it comes to online surveys.

They offer a good number of high paying surveys as well as other ways to earn points.

This includes playing games, taking part in contests and promotions, and more.

When it comes to points, 1 point equals $1.00 which is more than most other sites.

Also, when you sign up, you get points for verifying your email and completing your profile just for joining.

Most surveys pay between 500 and 5,000 points.

You can redeem your points for cash or gift cards.

Point Club Box

TGM Panel

TGM Panel is another survey site that flies under the radar.

But it worth looking into.

Not only do they offer a massive number of surveys, but you can earn money other ways too.

This includes mystery shopping, focus groups, and mobile app testing.

You get paid in cash, so there is no point conversions.

You can however choose to use your balance to buy gift cards if you want.

What really is unique about TGM Panel is you earn points even when you get disqualified from a survey.

This makes this site worth checking out.

TGM Panel Box

Vindale Research

Vindale offers many surveys to take as well as good earnings for each.

The nice thing is you earn money for each completed survey, so there is no need to do the math to figure out what 1 point is worth.

Additionally, most have a payout between $1.00 and $2.00 and some go as high as $10.00.

Vindale also offers a unique rewards program.

Follow the company on social media and from time to time they will post codes.

Copy the code and paste in the promo code section when you log in and you earn bonuses.

The biggest downside is you need $50 before you can cash out.

Vindale Box

Toluna Influencers

Toluna is a diamond in the rough when it comes to surveys.

Not only do they offer a handful of great surveys, but they categorize them as well.

This allows you to easily pick the ones that interest you the most.

Additionally, they reward you to complete questionnaires.

Other survey sites might enter you into a sweepstakes for answering these questions, but most don’t offer you anything.

As a result of this additional way to earn, the conversion rate for Toluna is much higher.

In order to earn $10, you need 30,000 points.

While this seems high, remember you are getting paid for all the questionnaires you answer.

Toluna Box

Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost offers plenty of surveys, many high value ones in fact.

But the process to get started is a little different than others.

To begin, you have to confirm your email address and then answer a detailed profile questionnaire.

It is only after this are you able to start taking surveys.

The other difference is most other companies send you surveys that you will qualify for.

But with Opinion Outpost, you have to answer a short questionnaire before every survey.

This turns some people off but the benefit is higher reward surveys.

I’ve found most pay $1.00 or more to complete.

So here is my trick.

I save Opinion Outpost for last.

I complete surveys from other companies first and then focus on Opinion Outpost.

This helps me to maximize my time and income.

As for points, 1 point equals $0.01 and you can redeem them for cash or gift cards.

To redeem for cash, you need a minimum of $10 or 1,000 points.
Opinion Outpost Box

ForthRight

Another under the radar site is ForthRight.

They only offer surveys, but you can earn serious cash with this one.

Most of the ones they offer pay between $1 – $3 each.

In addition to this, they offer loyalty bonuses as well. After every 3 surveys you take, you earn a $2 bonus!

This applies even if you qualify for a survey or not.

This makes ForthRight a contender for highest paying online surveys.

Another way ForthRight stands out is they will text you surveys to take on your phone.

So no matter where you are, you can complete a survey and make money.

Of course there is a downside.

Because of the high demand for this site, they have rolling acceptance for survey takers.

This means you can’t just sign up at any time. You need to get lucky and sign up when they have open spots.

ForthRight Box

Survey Club

Survey Club is newer site that started in 2005.

They take the aggregator approach, meaning they offer surveys from various sites on their site.

This saves you a lot of time by not having to visit multiple websites.

In addition to surveys, you can also take part in focus groups and clinical trials, which pay a lot more.

Another nice feature of Survey Club is they offer a filter so you can see what surveys you are most likely to be able to complete.

This again saves you time.

As for earnings, most surveys pay between $0.50 and $2.00 depending on the length.

If you are able to take part in a focus group or clinical trial, the payment is anywhere from $50 up to $1,000.

You can redeem your earnings for cash or gift cards.

Survey Club Box

Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars is lot like Swagbucks as there are many ways to make money using the site.

This includes taking surveys, playing games, even watching movie trailers.

The reason they aren’t ranked as high is twofold.

First, the income per survey tends to be lower than many others.

You are looking at an average of $0.50 a survey.

This isn’t bad, but you can earn more with other sites.

Also, they tend to take a little longer to make payments.

With Swagbucks, I have my money in a couple days. With Inbox Dollars, I usually have to wait a week.

Finally, they take a $3 processing fee on your payment. In some cases, they waive this if your balance is high enough.

Inbox Dollars Box

National Consumer Panel

National Consumer Panel (NCP) is a joint venture between Nielsen and IRI, which have both been in the market research industry for decades.

With NPC, you first apply for acceptance and if you are able to join, you can take surveys.

The surveys pay 150 points and you need a minimum of 6,000 points to redeem.

In addition to surveys, you can provide your grocery shopping habits as well.

National Consumer Panel will send you a barcode scanner and you will scan your groceries as well as say where you made the purchase and the price.

Doing this will allow you to earn additional points.

National Consumer Panel Box

Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research was the first survey site I started using.

This was over 10 years ago now.

The thing I like about them is that every survey pays the same rate, $3.00 and you qualify for every one they send you.

The downside to this is you usually only get 1-2 surveys a month.

But, there are times when they want you to review a product.

If you are chosen, they will ship the product to you for free and you get to use it for a couple weeks.

Then you complete a survey on your experience and earn $3.00.

Many times, they have allowed me to keep the product as well.

The rewards are in points and 1 point is equal to $0.01.

You can redeem points for cash, gift cards, or items and there is no minimum before you can redeem.

This means you can request PayPal cash instantly.

Pinecone Research Box

Additional Survey Sites

While the sites listed above are the best websites that offer surveys in my opinion, there are others.

The list below includes some more sites worth looking into.

Even though they don’t offer the same benefits, they still are a good source of income for the right person.

KashKick

KashKick is another decent option for you to consider.

The main difference with this site is you earn cash for every survey you complete, not points.

The money you earn varies based on the length of the survey.

Most range between $0.50 and $1.00 but I’ve seen some as high as $4.00 or more.

You do need to earn at least $10 before you cash out and they only make payments twice a month.

So if you redeem your earnings on the 17th, you have to wait until the end of the month to get paid.

In addition to surveys they also have offers that you can make money doing.

However, most of these require you to sign up for something, so they are not something you will be making a lot of money doing.

KashKick Box

American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is the granddaddy of survey sites.

This is because they have been around since 1986 and users have completed over 20 million surveys.

They offer high value surveys, ranging from $0.50 to $2.00 each.

Payment is credited as points, where 1 point equals $0.01.

To get your earnings, you need a minimum of $10.

American Consumer Box

Springboard America

Springboard America is a good fallback option when it comes to surveys.

They have been in business for a long time and have a solid history of paying users.

The payout per survey is high, typically $1.00 or more.

One downside is survey payouts is mixed between cash and sweepstakes entries.

In other words, you won’t earn money every time.

Another drawback is you need to earn $50 before you can cash out.

Even with the dings, since the surveys that do pay cash is on the high end, this one is worth considering.

Springboard America Box

LifePoints

LifePoints has a lot of things going for it.

But it also has some drawbacks.

On the plus side, they offer product testing and behavior tracking as ways to earn money.

The points you earn for each varies.

Most surveys though pay between 20 and 100 points each.

Here is where the main drawback is.

The rewards structure can be confusing.

For gift cards, you typically get a better return on your earnings, mostly 1 point equaling $0.01.

But when requesting cash, the point value degrades rapidly. In some cases, 1 point is equivalent to $0.009.

The confusing part here is this changes from time to time, so you never know exactly the value of your points.

Life Points Box

MySoapBox

MySoapBox offers a good number of paid surveys.

Most range between 750 and 1,500 points per survey.

While this sounds good, the conversion rate isn’t the same as with most other sites.

With MySopaBox, you need 1,000 points to earn $1.00, making the ratio $0.001.

The most interesting part of MySoapBox is you can choose to take part in studies, which reward you with a decent amount of points.

My Soap Box Box

How Can I Make The Most Money With Surveys?

pile of money

Now that you know what the best survey sites are, the next question is how can I make the most money?

Here are the survey tricks I’ve used to maximize my time and my income.

#1. Create A Dedicated Email Account

Most of the sites listed will email new surveys every day.

These emails can overwhelm your personal email so I recommend creating a separate email account.

I use Gmail for surveys.

I set it up so that surveys go directly into folders I create and not my inbox.

This helps to keep me organized.

For example, I first go into my Survey Junkie folder and complete those surveys.

Then I go into my Branded Surveys folder to take those surveys.

I work my way down until I go through all of the folders.

I also like this system because it keeps the most current surveys at the top of the list.

Since you have a limited time to complete a survey, I want to focus on the newest ones first.

#2. Sign Up On Multiple Websites

Companies are selective when working with market research companies.

For this reason, the same survey will not appear on multiple sites.

Since each site has unique surveys to take, you need to sign up for multiple sites.

Another reason for this is each site has a limited number of surveys.

If your goal is to make $100 a month, you are going to have a difficult time reaching this goal if you only sign up for one site.

And I’ll say you will never reach your goal either.

I can’t remember a time when I make $100 a month from a single site.

So run through the list and pick the 3-5 sites that sound the most interesting to you and sign up.

In the FAQ section below, I help you find the perfect survey for you.

#3. Respond Quickly

The next important step is to act fast.

Each survey only needs a set number of people to complete it.

If you wait too long, even if you fit the demographic, you won’t qualify simply because enough people have already completed it.

This doesn’t mean you have to refresh your inbox every minute and complete the surveys the second they come in.

But you should check a few times a day if you want to make the most money.

I would check first thing in the morning, at lunch, after dinner, and once more before bed.

Understand I wasn’t completing multiple surveys 4 times a day.

Most times I only had emails in the morning and later in the day.

But by checking often, I was able to complete a lot more.

#4. Complete The Questionnaire

Most sites use the profile you complete to pre-qualify you.

This requires you enter some basic information about yourself.

The reason this is needed is because many surveys are based off of certain demographic information and they want the people they are targeting to answer the questions.

This doesn’t mean you will qualify for every survey they send you.

But it does mean you have a higher probability of qualifying for it.

So take your time and complete the profile section in full.

I know this can be a pain because some of them are really long.

But you have to look at the long term benefits here.

If you don’t complete your profile, you are going to be sent a ton of surveys.

Sounds great, but you will get disqualified from most of them.

Not only are you frustrated, but you aren’t making any money.

If you spend the time to complete the profile questions, you will be able to complete most of the surveys sent to you.

Now you are spending your time making money.

#5. Read And Follow Instructions

Most sites will tell you how long it will take to complete an online survey.

When I first started out, these time estimates were correct.

If it said it would take me 20 minutes to complete, that is how long it took.

But then I noticed something.

Many of the surveys from the same company have a similar format.

For example, the multiple choice questions from Pinecone are always listed in the same order.

Because of this, I started to complete them a lot faster.

In fact, I usually can do them in half the time now.

This is because as I am reading the question, I know what the answer choices will be and where the answer I am choosing is.

The result is I don’t have to read through all the answers on these questions, saving me time.

This allows me to take more surveys and make more money,

#6. Be Honest

Don’t take what I just said as me being dishonest or racing through the survey just to make money.

I am reading the questions and answering honestly.

I just know the format, so I am able to be more efficient when answering the questions.

If you try to race through, picking the same answer all the time or even random answers, you will get caught.

And you will get banned from the site and forfeit all the money you earned.

How do they know?

In most surveys, there are similar questions worded a little differently. If you consistently answer differently, it’s a red flag.

At the end of the day, be honest in your answers.

It will take you longer to complete the surveys in the beginning, but over time, you will get faster.

#7. Have A Strategy

This tip is huge.

You need to have a plan for how you are taking surveys.

Take note to the number of surveys you are offered from the companies you sign up with.

How much do they pay on average? Do you qualify for most of them or do you waste your time?

Once you know this, you can strategically complete them based on these factors.

Additionally, you want to know how much money you want to earn.

If your goal is $100 a month, then you are better served going after some higher value surveys.

But if time is short, it might make sense to take a few quick surveys even with a lower payout.

#8. Have Fun

The point of taking surveys online is to make money while enjoying your time.

If this feels like a job, then you aren’t going to work hard at maximizing your income and will be disappointed.

This is why I recommend most newcomers focus on sites like Swagbucks, Prize Rebel, MyPoints and Inbox Dollars.

Not only can you take surveys, but you can do other things to earn money as well.

How These Sites Are Ranked

best survey sites rankings

Earlier I mentioned that I ranked the best survey sites on a number of factors.

Here is my methodology.

#1. Legitimacy

The first thing I look for is a company that has been around for a while and has a proven record of paying its users.

I don’t want to waste my time with scams and don’t want to waste your time either.

So this post only contain legitimate survey sites.

Every site I list here has a history of paying users over a period of time.

Understand this isn’t to say there aren’t complaints about not paying.

There certainly are.

But I weigh those comments and reviews.

Many times the negativity is due to a lack of understanding from the survey taker or them trying cheat the system.

#2. Can You Earn A Fair Wage

Surveys don’t pay a lot of money.

You will be earning roughly $1.00 give or take for every survey you complete.

But seeing as how you are committing so little time to the survey, this is expected.

What I don’t want to see are endless surveys that reward you with $0.10 or less.

I also don’t want to see ones where your only option is to be entered into a raffle and not make any money.

I am not saying these types of sites are scams.

But if your goal is to make money, these sites won’t help you reach your goal.

As a result, they are ranked lower or not even included on this list.

#3. Can You Make Money

What I mean by this is, even if a site offers a great rate per survey, if they don’t have many surveys for you to take, is it worth it?

For example, if Site A pays $5 per survey but only offers you one per month, is that better than Site B that pays $2 per survey and offers you 100 surveys per month?

In my rankings, Site B is a better option because you can make more money.

#4. Additional Ways To Earn Money

Bonus points go to sites that offer additional ways to earn money.

I love taking surveys, but there are days when I just don’t feel like it.

On these days, it’s nice to put the video player on auto feed or play a game and still earn credits that I can convert to cash or gift cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions I get asked about completing online surveys for money.

Are all paid survey sites legit?

No.

There are a lot of scams out there.

This is why I created this list.

I’ve used many of these sites to make money over the years.

And the ones I haven’t used, I tested out to make sure they are legit.

The bottom line is all the companies I list allow you to make money and will pay you for the money you earn.

The only exception is if you violate their rules, which I talk about next.

Why are there so many negative reviews and opinions about surveys?

The biggest reason for the negativity around paid surveys is a lack of understanding.

Many blogs pitch surveys as an easy way to make money fast.

The truth is you aren’t going to get rich overnight completing surveys.

And you aren’t going to be able to quit your job and rely on the survey income either.

Surveys are a great way to make $100 extra every month.

And in some months, if you are dedicated, you could make more.

But because other websites tell readers they can make $1,000 a month doing this, people go in with expectations that will never materialize.

It’s like going for a 20 minute walk after dinner every night for a week and thinking you’ll lose 50 pounds.

It’s not reality.

Another reason is people try to cheat the system.

Most surveys take 10 minutes or longer to complete.

But some people race through the multiple choice questions, choosing the first answer every time.

This works occasionally, but eventually it sends red flags.

The result is their account gets suspended and they never get paid.

Then they leave negative reviews saying the company is a scam because it didn’t pay out.

Finally, most surveys have a demographic they want to take the survey.

For example, they may want moms to give their opinions on baby items. If you are a male survey taker, you will not qualify.

This frustrates people.

They think they should qualify for every survey, when the truth is, no one qualifies for every single one.

At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game.

You have to take a lot of surveys and you will qualify for a good number.

I can’t tell you the exact number because all survey sites differ.

But in over 15 years taking surveys, I would qualify for 75-80%.

How much do online surveys pay?

Each survey you take pays a different amount.

Most base payment on the number of questions you need to answer to complete the survey.

Some shorter ones pay as little as $0.10. But some longer ones can pay up to $5 or more.

For the most part, you will see surveys in the $0.50 to $1.00 range.

What are the best online surveys for cash?

Most of the sites listed pay out in points.

While in most cases you can convert your points to cash paid via PayPal, some sites skip the points and simply pay in cash.

The top rated online surveys that pay cash are as follows.

What are the best surveys for gift cards?

While many of the sites listed in this post pay out in gift cards, some are better than others.

This means some have a larger variety of stores they offer gift cards for.

It also means they run occasionally sales on gift cards, making your points more valuable.

The best surveys for gift cards are as follows.

What are the top paying survey sites?

High paying surveys are offered by all of the sites.

But some sites have a larger number of high paying surveys.

What do I mean by high paying?

Anything over $1 per survey is considered high paying.

The highest paying online survey can be found on the following sites.

What sites are the best to start with?

There are a lot of survey sites out there and this can make it overwhelming to get started.

But if you read through this entire post, you saw a few names over and over.

These are the best paid surveys to start with.

They are easy to navigate and offer different experiences so you can get a better idea of what you like the most.

How Much Money Can You Make Taking Surveys

making money

At the end of the day, you aren’t going to get rich by completing online surveys for money.

Most people can expect to make between $50-$100 per month.

If you are dedicated and spend time every day doing this, you could earn upwards of $200 a month.

But this more the exception.

It’s like when you see a weight loss commercial on television.

All the people are telling you how they’ve lost 50 or 100 pounds in a short period of time.

But in small text it says how these results are not typical and you can expect to lose 5 pounds.

The same goes for surveys.

The vast majority will earn $50 – $100 a month.

For some, this might be disappointing. They were hoping for a quick payday.

But completing surveys takes time to earn money.

The good news is making between $50 and $100 a month has an impact.

Putting an extra $100 towards your debt will make a difference.

Having an extra $75 a month for groceries is huge.

The bottom line is the money adds up and makes a difference.

Wrapping Up

A great way to earn extra income is to get paid to do surveys.

You won’t be replacing your income, but you will be earning some extra money on the side.

Use that money to put towards your debt, save for a vacation, build your savings, even cover monthly bills.

You could even use the gift cards for the gifts you buy around the holidays.

Any little bit helps you financially.

So if you think you would enjoy taking online surveys, try out a few of the sites I list and start making a little extra money on the side.

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