Legitimate Paid Online Surveys
Are you looking for quick ways to earn extra bucks? Completing surveys is one of the easiest side hustles you can make money from! Here are the best companies that offer legitimate paid online surveys you can try today!
Back before I started blogging, I used to do paid surveys quite a lot. The best thing about this side hustle is you could do it in between your chores, while waiting in line at a cashier in the grocery store, or when you just want some entertainment while lounging on your couch.
I didn’t earn a lot of money from this side hustle and I was only paid $5 or $10 here and there, but I can say that answering surveys for money is one of the easiest side hustle ideas out there!
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But I’llll be honest with you: I’ve signed up with a lot of these survey companies and found many of them are a waste of time. However, I’ve also found a few that are worth trying and I can highly recommend.
I still complete surveys every now and then to rack up points to get free Amazon gift cards. It’s a great way to save money most especially when you have Amazon Prime Membership.
Free Amazon gift cards + free shipping through Amazon Prime = Free Stuff!
If you want to earn cash though, don’t worry, these legitimate paid online survey companies I’ve listed down below pay cash as well.
But first…
A Few Honest Truths About Making Money Answering Legitimate Paid Online Surveys:
1. Surveys will not make you rich and cannot replace a career.
To make hundreds through this side hustle, you also have to put in a lot of time.
So, if you are here to find a high-paying online job, surveys are definitely NOT the best way to go no matter what other blogs or websites say. I’d suggest taking on real high-paying side hustles such as freelance writing, proofreading, blogging, or teaching on the side.
However, if you have idle 10 minutes in between tasks and you want to monetize those idle minutes, then I could recommend completing legitimate paid surveys.
2. High-paying surveys are rare.
Based on my experience, most surveys don’t pay more than $10 per hour. Although there are some surveys that pay as much as $50, they easily get filled so you have to keep checking for when they’re open.
3. There is also a gazillion of companies that pay you so little, like cents, for a 20-30 minute survey.
Yep, they are a complete waste of time.
4. Your location matters!
If you are in the US or Canada, you’re in luck as there are many legitimate paid online surveys you can try. I live in Puerto Rico so I was not eligible to join many companies. Yes, I got rejected many times!
5. There are lots of scam sites.
There are plenty of scam sites that ask you to pay upfront to join. NEVER EVER pay any money to earn money.
On the flip side, earning maybe a hundred or so per month is possible only if you dedicate time to it and you only take well-paying surveys. So, always check out how much a survey is worth before you start one.
How to Maximize Your Survey Earnings
A few helpful tips to maximize your earnings:
- Sign up with these survey companies on this list to give yourself the best shot at being eligible for more opportunities. Also remember that these companies only offer a few surveys every other day so the more survey companies you join, the more opportunities you’ll have to earn money.
- If you want to earn more through legitimate paid online surveys, be organized, write your log-in details in one place, perhaps in an email. It is also better to open a separate email address for surveys alone so you’ll have easy access to survey opportunities in one place.
- Create a schedule for when to complete surveys and dedicate at least an hour (the more, the better) every day to earn more. If you’re a mom, perhaps you can answer surveys while waiting for your kids at school, while your baby is sleeping, while having your morning coffee or whenever you have an opportunity to answer quick questions.
Best Legitimate Paid Online Surveys
When I wrote this post back in 2018, I listed around 10 companies but through time, I have narrowed down my choices to ONE + four more great ones that I highly recommend but I was not qualified to join.
This list is for you if you want to join just a few of the best online survey companies.
BUT, if you enjoy racking up points or earning a few bucks through surveys and have a lot of time to spare for this side hustle, then you might also want to check this post: 17 Real Ways to Earn Free Gift Cards
So, let’s get started!
Swagbucks
This is perhaps the most well-known and trusted survey site and one of the first I’ve tried.
Swagbucks is a search engine, survey company, and cashback site in one. When you answer surveys through Swagbucks, you can earn SB’s which you can redeem as cash through Paypal or convert into gift cards.
This company remains my favorite way to get FREE $10 Amazon gift cards every now and then.
They pay through Paypal too (a.k.a. CASH!) when you reach $25 worth of points.
If you only want to sign up for ONE survey company, for me Swagbucks is definitely that company you should try.
They also offer a lot of other earning opportunities aside from online surveys. You can earn SB’s when you make a purchase through their partner stores (e.g. Amazon), use the site for research or watch a video through the site.
For a limited time, they offer these bonuses:
- $5 for simply signing up
- $10 extra after a qualifying purchase through the site
You can get $15 worth of bonuses by simply joining here.
Related:
How to Flip Money: 22+ Legitimate Ways to Flip Money
Related Post
Swagbucks Review: Is It Worth It?
MyPoints
MyPoints is another survey site owned by Swagbucks and works just like Swagbucks! They also pay Paypal Cash ($25 worth of points).
However, I noticed that there are more high-paying surveys on Swagbucks than on MyPoints. So, when I am in the mood for surveys, I open Swagbucks first and when for some reasons I keep getting disqualified for surveys , I go to MyPoints to increase my earning potential.
Do not get discouraged when you get disqualified to answer surveys. It only means that at that time, you are not the type of consumer they want to get opinion from. It happens to me sometimes but the next time I try, I get to answer surveys again!
These are great survey sites that I wasn’t qualified to join due to my location. I’ve read a lot of good reviews on these sites so if you are in the U.S. or Canada and want to maximize your earnings through surveys, make sure to try these three, too!
Other Best Legitimate Paid Online Surveys Sites for U.S. and Canada
Pinecone Research
Based on what I’ve read about this company, I must say that this is the best survey site that you should try. Compared to the other survey companies, including Swagbucks, you will never get disqualified on any survey with Pinecone Research.
Pinecone Research is an exclusive online survey website run by Nielsen, one of the world’s top market research company based in New York.
The site is exclusive because you need to be invited (your invite here) and then qualify to join. In other words, they choose you to participate in their research and once you are in, they will send you 1-4 surveys a week for you to complete.
How much can you earn through Pinecone Research?
Pinecone Research pays 300 points (equivalent to $3) per 10-15 minute survey you complete, which means you get paid around $12-$18 per hour completing surveys through this site. I think that’s a really good number, plus you get to learn more about products before they hit the market or influence which products make it to the stores.
You can join Pinecone Research through this link. Please note that if you head directly to their website, you won’t see any sign up option.
Vindale Research
Vindale Research has a lot of great features, too, and surveys that I wish I could participate in. If you want to complete online surveys that pay real cash, then this is for you because they are not offering gift cards or points but cash!
They pay up to $50 per completed survey and up to $75 if you make a review of a product they send you. This is by far the highest payout I’ve seen in surveys!
Vindale Research also offers a lot of small daily studies that you can participate in. For these small daily studies or surveys, you get paid around $1.25.
You can sign up with Vindale Research here.
Inbox Dollars
This is a fun survey site where you can earn money answering surveys, watching TV and playing games. If you like Swagbucks, you’ll probably also love Inbox Dollars because it works just like Swagbucks. With Inbox Dollars you can also earn cashback while you shop online, get free products, get discounts from top brands and more! Inbox Dollars has paid over $57 million in rewards to date.
Sign up through this link to receive $5 Welcome Bonus. US and Canada only.
Global Test Market
Join Global Test Market to increase your opportunities to earn more money through surveys.
Based on user reviews, the site is similar to Pinecone Research, which pays you for your opinion about products or for learning about new products before they even hit the market. They pay up to $5 per survey and have paid over $32 million in 2014.
You can start earning $5 per survey through Global Test Market here.
While taking surveys will not make you rich, it is still a quick way to earn extra cash without leaving your home, getting a job, or learning a skill. You don’t need to have a degree or special knowledge to start earning a few bucks through surveys.
However, if you are looking for a better way to earn extra money without getting a job, start your own blog! A lot of people have quit their 9-5 job to blog full-time! This little blog here, combined with my other side hustles, allows me to stay home and be with my son. You can, too!
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
What are your thoughts about making money with online surveys? Tell us in the comments below!
Hi Jane my is Ntsiki. I would like some more information about the stay at home survey side hustles, thank you
Hi Jane my name is Alzonia from South Africa and I’m interested in the online survey side hustle however I am currently unemployed and don’t have start up funds for training like other websites asking for. Please send me more information in this regard?
Hey doll. I can’t get any of your site follows or invites to sites to load! What is wrong?