Paid Online Surveys – Can You Really Get Paid to Take Surveys?
An Honest View of Survey Income Opportunities:
Companies around the globe rely on consumer feedback to develop products that sell. Retailers need to measure customer satisfaction to improve their margins and defend or increase their market share. And they are willing to pay for it.
If you have a bit of time to spare, have a computer with internet access, and are comfortable with sharing and expressing your opinion, then taking surveys for money may be a fun, easy and rewarding source of (extra) income.
I have been filling out surveys for a number of years and am ready to share my experience with you and help you steer clear of scams and time thieves. Anybody interested in this approach to make some extra cash on the web with market research is invited to exchange ideas and experiences here. I would suggest join the below recommended survey companies and get paid to take surveys.
What’s Here?
- Taking Surveys – Will I get Rich?
- Recognize who you’re dealing with!
- Try – Don’t Buy!
- Top Online Survey Sites for Cash
- The Most Important Thing: So, how much cash can I realistically make from surveys?
- More Reputable Survey Companies
- Membership Survey Directories
- Even More Survey Companies
- Basic Tips to Maximize Your Survey Earnings
- 6 Easy Tips To Maximize Your Survey Success
- Other International Survey Opportunities
- About The Referral Of Friends
- Are you supplementing your income with online surveys?
Taking Surveys for Money – Will I get Rich?
Hint: Don’t quit you day job just yet!
Although I realize that everyone might have a different perception of richness it’s safe to say – you won’t get rich overnight by filling out surveys. But with the right information and mindset you WILL make some decent money.
A lot of survey companies “compensate” you by entering you in their monthly, quarterly, or whenever drawing of varying cash or points prizes. They commonly range from $10 to $100, in some cases even $5,000 to $10,000. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries, but it’s safe to say don’t expect to win something on a regular basis. If you like the thrill of sweepstakes for BIG money and have lots of spare time, by all means, give it a try.
For the purpose of this lens however, I shall focus more on those companies where you will definitely make some cash, not just lottery tickets, “chances” or alarm clocks.
Bookmark and Share Important Tip: Before we dig in please make sure to bookmark this page so you will always find your way back.
Recognize who you’re dealing with!
A little caution saves you from tons of SPAM and waste of time and money
If you want to venture out on your own and do some research you will come across a myriad of sites promising you fabulous rewards (like $1,000 gift cards, 60-inch Plasma TVs, Caribbean Luxury Cruises for 4, and the like). You get the idea, if it sounds too good, there’s probably a catch.
Once you sign up you will find out that in order to get the promised reward you must first complete a certain number of tasks like applying for credit cards, subscribing to download services, ordering free samples, and the like. Only if you complete all demanded steps, and have them reported back to the marketing site within the allotted time frame, you may be able to receive the reward.
Even if you are willing to do what it takes, it is important to know that these sites are not genuine market researchers. They are marketers who receive commissions from the companies they promote.
Important tip: Always read “the fine print”, Terms and Conditions, or whatever it’s called, to see what you’re dealing with.
Try – Don’t Buy!
Join a few sites and test the waters.
OK, now that you know who are not real or paying research companies, I will show you some of the genuine market research companies that compensate you adequately for your valuable insight.
Sign up with all of these for starters, submit your profile and take a couple of surveys. This will cost you nothing but a few minutes your time. Membership is always free.
If nothing else, register with my favorite and recommended panels and see what it’s all about. To receive survey invitations, you will need to submit one or more profiling questionnaires so that the surveying company can pre select you for their client’s specific requirements.
You may have to wait a few days before a suitable survey opportunity comes along. Monitor your email inbox and jump at every invitation sent your way.
Top Online Survey Sites to Make Extra Money
Proven and trustworthy:
These are real research sites that are 100% free to join. They send meaningful surveys on a regular basis and I can personally attest that they pay up as promised. I have actually received checks, Amazon gift certificates or PayPal for cash and tons of neat stuff to test. If you are serious about giving online surveys for money a try, you should definitely start with these companies before anything else!
Knowing what a real company looks like will also help you avoid the hordes of look-alike who are only after your email addresses to spam you.
Toluna (USA)
Toluna was formerly known as Greenfield Online. They send by far the most number of survey invitations, sometimes multiple times a day. Most surveys pay only pennies, but if you respond to a lot of surveys (and qualify) then this can eventually add up. Toluna also has survey panels in several other countries. See below in the International Survey Sites section.
American Consumer Opinion
ACOP rewards its survey panelists with cash for every survey taken, and also offers monthly member cash draws. Accepts participants from around the world. Available in most major languages.
Opinion Outpost
Whoa! Opinion Outpost adds a bit of Western fun to the serious survey business. Their bounty is real though, generally between $2 and $5 for regular surveys. US and Canada residents only.
Ipsos i-Say
Ipsos is one of the largest and most respected survey-based research companies in the world. In addition to your monetary survey compensation there are several very interesting prizes to be won, like gift cards or even a car! Well, I’ve not won a car (yet) but I’m not waiting for it either. For responding to survey invitation, you usually get a few points even if you don’t qualify for the entire survey. At the end of each survey is a fun little game where you can win some cool prizes. Earned points can be redeemed for gift cards to any retailer you can think of. From Amazon to Walmart, hundreds of different merchants and services. This makes it as good as cash.
Survey Savvy
SurveySavvy sends well targeted surveys, infrequently at first until you complete your profile. They offer cash rewards, not points, lottery tickets or other gimmicks. I receive more $20+ surveys from Survey Savvy than any other research panel. You can request a check of your earnings anytime you like, no need to rack up a threshold amount. This is just one reason why Survey Savvy is at the top of my favorites list. They also have the most generous referral bonus which compensates you for every friend you refer, as long as you are an active member. I believe every family should have at least one SurveySavvy member!
MySurvey
This is another reputable market research company with a rewards program. You receive points for every survey, even short screeners. If you qualify for the entire survey you might be offered a higher reward. Points can be converted to cash after reaching a certain threshold. You also have the choice of charity donations, merchandise or raffle tickets.
The Most Important Thing:
You never need to pay a reputable research company to join!
Trust your instinct!
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually most certainly is!
So, how much cash can I realistically make from surveys?
Where’s the money? Show me the money!
Some survey sites actually pay cash for a completed survey, commonly between $1 and $5. Survey length ranges generally from a few minutes to about 30 minutes. You may have heard claims that a 5 minute survey earns you $25 or more, and that you can take as many of these surveys as you like on any given day… well, I don’t know about that. I’m not saying that’s impossible, but it’s not realistic either in my opinion.
Few companies pay out your reward immediately, either by mailing you a check or for smaller amounts commonly via PayPal. If you don’t already have an account with PayPal, you should definitely sign up for one before registering with the survey sites. It’s free, fast and easy to join.
The majority however, reward you with their own currency or “points”, which you can accumulate and upon reaching a certain threshold, exchange for cash, gift cards, merchandise, lottery tickets, or a donation to your favorite charity.
Bottom line: The average person will not earn enough to quit a regular job. Depending on your profile, how many companies you join, and how much time you devote each day, you can expect to make at least $500 realistically. That’s not including any sweepstakes or lottery winnings, which depend purely on your luck, of course. So for most, it’s a nice and very easy extra money.
So far, so good. You have access to a computer and the internet, you’re eager to share your opinions and help shape the future of new products and services, and you have plenty of time on your hands. So why will you not get rich overnight?
The main reasons are that you will have to fit a certain, sometimes very narrow, profile for a particular survey, and you will only get a limited number of survey invitations sent your way. So again, sign up with as much survey companies as you can find.
More Reputable Survey Companies
Sign up for as many as you can
If you have taken a couple of surveys and think you could handle more then here’s a handy link list for you. Not all of them pay cash; some pay with points, raffle tickets, or other commodities. They may not promise you a fortune, but they are honest and free of scams. (At least the last time I checked.)
This list keeps on growing as I find the time, so please come back once in a while for more scam-free survey opportunities which you can join and get paid to take surveys.