You probably know surveys aren’t my favorite way to make extra money, but I make an exception for it when you’re just hanging out, e.g. watching T.V., riding the metro, during your break at work, or in the back of an Uber.
That’s the right way to think about surveys. They’re filler money for dead time. Nobody is paying rent with them.
So why do other lists hand you 20 or 30 sites? Because a long list looks helpful. Sign up for all of them and you get 20 profile questionnaires, 20 inboxes full of survey invites and 20 balances stuck under the cash-out line. That’s not a side hustle. That’s a part-time job that pays a few bucks.
Here are the 5 that are worth an account, in the order they’re worth opening.
The 5 at a glance
| Site | Sign-up bonus | First cash-out | Paid by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freecash | $10 after your first offer | $5 to $20 by region | PayPal, crypto, gift cards | Try it |
| Testerup | $10 welcome bonus | Shown in the app | PayPal, Venmo, Visa card, Amazon card | Try it |
| Swagbucks | $10, but only after a $25 purchase | $3 in gift cards | PayPal, gift cards | Try it |
| InboxDollars | $5 after your profile survey | $15 | PayPal, Visa, gift cards | Try it |
| Survey Junkie | Points, no set amount | $5 | PayPal, bank, gift cards | Try it |
1.Freecash
Best for: getting paid the same day
- What it is
- A rewards site and app with a big survey wall, plus games, app trials and other offers.
- What you do
- Open the surveys tab, pick one that fits, answer honestly. When surveys dry up, grab a game or an offer instead.
- How much it pays
- Your first offer unlocks a $10 welcome bonus. The first withdrawal needs $5 to $20 depending on where you live, then $5 for PayPal after that. Most PayPal, crypto and gift card withdrawals are instant.
- The catch
- You have to verify your ID (a selfie plus your ID) before the first cash-out. 16 and up.
Worth it? Yes. It’s the fastest way on this page to find out whether surveys are worth it for you, because the money shows up right away.
2.Testerup
Best for: surveys and game tests in one app
- What it is
- An app that pays you to test mobile games and take paid surveys.
- What you do
- Pick a survey or a game task from the list. Every one shows what it pays before you start, so you never guess.
- How much it pays
- $10 welcome bonus. Cash out by PayPal, Venmo (US), a Visa virtual card or an Amazon gift card, usually within 24 hours and up to 3 business days.
- The catch
- PayPal and Venmo payouts lose 5%. The Visa card and Amazon gift card don’t. You need to be 18 and pass a face check before your first payout.
Worth it? Yes if you’re on your phone a lot. Surveys and game tests in one app means you’re not stuck when there’s no survey that fits you.
3.Swagbucks
Best for: people who shop online
- What it is
- One of the oldest rewards sites. It pays points (SB) for surveys, games, shopping cash back and deals. 100 SB = $1.
- What you do
- Take surveys from your list, and pick up points from games and shopping when you feel like it.
- How much it pays
- Gift cards start at 300 SB, which is $3. PayPal cash takes 2 to 5 business days.
- The catch
- The $10 welcome bonus isn’t free. You have to spend at least $25 at a store through Swagbucks within 30 days of joining to get it.
Worth it? Only if you shop online anyway. Then the bonus is easy and the surveys are gravy. For surveys alone, the two above are better.
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4.InboxDollars
Best for: a balance in real dollars
- What it is
- A survey and rewards site that pays in actual dollars, not points.
- What you do
- Take surveys, play games, open PaidEmails. Your balance is in dollars, so there’s no points math.
- How much it pays
- $5 welcome bonus once you sign up and finish the short profile survey. First cash-out is $15, then $10 after that, by PayPal, Visa or gift card.
- The catch
- Payment can take up to 10 business days. If you don’t log in or confirm a PaidEmail in the 10 days before it’s processed, the request gets removed. US only, 18 and up.
Worth it? Only if you’ll open it a few times a week. That $15 first cash-out takes a while on surveys alone.
5.Survey Junkie
Best for: people who only want surveys
- What it is
- A straight-up survey site. Surveys are all it does, so there is nothing else in the app to distract you.
- What you do
- Fill out your profile so it can match you, then take the surveys it sends. You get a few points even when you get screened out.
- How much it pays
- Cash out from $5 (500 points) to PayPal, a bank transfer or gift cards.
- The catch
- Screen-outs happen a lot, and a screen-out only pays a few points. 18 and up, in the US, Canada, Australia or the UK.
Worth it? Only if you want a pure survey site and nothing else. Keep it as your backup, not your main one.
I’ve used Survey Junkie on and off for years. It’s worth signing up for. Check what’s good when you have off time.
What about the other 20?
Most of them pay the same way these do, just with a higher cash-out line or slower payments. Some are fine. Some are dead and the lists never got updated.
If you really want one more, Google Opinion Rewards is the lowest-effort option out there. It pings you with a short survey now and then. On iPhone it pays $0.10 to $1.00 a survey to PayPal. On Android it pays Google Play credit, and that credit expires a year after you get it. Tiny money, but it takes seconds. There’s more on that in how to get free Google Play credit.
How to actually get paid from surveys
Fill out every profile question the day you sign up. It’s boring, but that’s what the site uses to send you surveys you’ll qualify for, so you get screened out less.
Pick one main site and one backup. Spreading 20 minutes a day across five sites just means five balances that never reach the cash-out line.
Cash out the second you can. Don’t sit on a balance. If a site changes its rules or bans your account, that money’s gone.
And skip any survey site that asks you to pay to join. None of the five above charge you anything.
Want faster money than surveys? Short tasks and game offers usually pay more for the same 15 minutes. The best short task sites page covers those, and if Amazon is where you’d spend it anyway, here’s how to get Amazon gift cards for free. More ideas live in the side hustles section.
Survey site questions
How much can you make with paid surveys?
Not a lot, and anyone who promises a number is guessing. Most survey sites don’t publish what a survey pays until you see it in your list. Plan on a few bucks here and there, more if you mix in the games and offers on Freecash and Testerup.
Which survey site pays the fastest?
Freecash. Once your ID is verified, most PayPal, crypto and gift card withdrawals are instant. Testerup usually pays within 24 hours.
Do I have to pay to join a survey site?
No. A real survey site never charges you to join. If one asks for money or a card number up front, close the tab.
Why do I keep getting screened out?
The survey is looking for a certain kind of person, and you don’t match. It happens to everyone. A full profile cuts it down, and Survey Junkie pays a few points even when it happens.
Next step
Want to see which apps are paying out best this week? Check what’s paying right now, or the full list of apps that pay you real money.
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