Do you want to make money online? If yes, then paid online surveys might be a good idea. However, many platforms offer the opportunity, and it is not an easy decision which one to choose.
This side hustle seems pretty simple outside, but it involves just a bit more than sitting in front of your computer or using your phone.
You have to choose the survey sites (as mentioned before) and determine how much time you invest in having an average of how much you can make. See? Not that simple.
If it makes you feel a bit more confident about choosing this side hustle, it has been around for quite some time now. The issue lies in how much money you can earn.
Online surveys are the definition of side hustle. They won’t make you rich, but they will allow you to make the extra cash you need.
We just believe it would be a good idea to give you a heads-up about it, so you are prepared for what it takes and what you earn.
So, without further delay, what about going over it? We will share how you can start online surveys and guide you through the process of making the green papers you need.
What Are Online Surveys?
Just like the name says, surveys.
There is nothing special about how online surveys are structured. You have got the structured questionnaire you have to fill.
This questionnaire can either have questions about services, products, preferences, or maybe leave your opinion about a specific company.
You will find the same format as if you were filling one that is usually given by promoters outside of malls or maybe stores. However, you don’t get paid for those, right?
Most surveys are meant for a target audience, so the company or party involved in it can have an average of how they can improve or get the details of anything they have set for the survey.
The length and specific format of online surveys can vary since there are several ways to build them today. But the purpose of either getting data of customers or to know people’s opinions hasn’t changed.
Now, why do companies offer survey respondents money or rewards for just completing them?
Since people aren’t always willing to complete surveys (over 75% of them), online survey companies need people to do so, and this led to the option of survey participants taking paid surveys for extra cash.
Every person is a consumer, so it is perfect for them to aim at anyone willing to fill the surveys in exchange for some money.
However, keep in mind that you need to provide honest feedback and do some research in case you aren’t familiar with the companies, products, or what is being asked.
Do You Need Any Talent to Make Money with Oline Surveys?
Not at all.
This is probably one of the biggest pros of the side hustle since there’s no need to learn something in order to answer the surveys.
Of course, we are aware that we mentioned research, but you don’t have to dive too deep into it. A quick one will be enough, and if the survey is giving you a hard time, you can choose to skip it.
If you don’t fill it, you could be losing some money, though.
Although there’s no need for such thing as talent or even learning something, you can have some benefits if you have knowledge in some niches.
Depending on the survey platform you choose, you can find a wide variety of topics and questionnaires. Thus, you could find several ones that fit what you know.
This can bring a benefit since you will be taking some specialized surveys. They aren’t too common, but you can reply to them faster and without spending more time in quick research.
In our case, we started with this side hustle without knowing anything, not even how online surveys worked properly.
Everything went well, and we even consider today that it may be foolproof when you just take 5 minutes to know about them and the platform you choose.
Cost & Earnings: How They Work
If you are wondering what you need to start, pretty much nothing.
For starters, you don’t even need to invest money in the side hustle since you only need:
- A computer.
- Internet connection.
- Smartphone (secondary option to complete the surveys).
There is no need to pay for memberships, fees, or any other expense. Your computer or cellphone doesn’t need to be the latest model either. Basic ones will do perfectly.
So, you don’t have to worry about costs or any expenses related to the side hustle. However, earnings could not be the best for you.
Remember when we mentioned that this is clearly a side hustle for just some extra cash? We meant it.
Online surveys are not designed to make a lot of money.
Overall, you must know that most online survey sites work with points (usually called based on the platform’s name), and you have to collect a minimum amount to get paid.
Some platforms will give you more points for each survey you complete, while others will limit your earnings to a range.
To give you an example, Swagbucks is a popular choice we will review a bit later. But for now, you can earn $1 every 100 SB (the point of the platform).
According to the system (and our experience), you can earn between 25 to 200 SB points per survey.
Swagbucks, however, can be a bit confusing on how it pays, but this is something we will clarify later.
Others like Lifepoints pay about 10 to 50 LP for each survey, but you need about 500-1,000 LP for the same amount of money.
With the points and minimum in mind, you need to know two more things:
- Not all online survey companies pay with money. They either offer prizes and cash, or only items.
- You don’t have an unlimited amount of surveys. Instead, you have a couple every week, making it hard to accumulate points.
Again, how many surveys and the payments will depend on the platform you choose, but in general, you won’t be making too much cash with it.
Personally, we make about $120 a month for surveys, but this involves more than one platform. Sometimes, if we are lucky, we can get to $150. See? Literally for extra cash only.
Finally, there are a few platforms that do pay cash per survey. We will be mentioning some of them later on.
Are Online Surveys a Waste of Time?
We know you think this isn’t cut for you. After all, the money you can earn isn’t that appealing.
But if you ask us, it is a matter of perspective.
Online surveys aren’t a waste of time if you are trying to make some extra cash. On the other hand, if you are aiming for high profit or income, they aren’t for you.
However, the extra money you can make every month is a great step for savings, paying bills, or financing some expenses in the future.
Also, remember that completing surveys doesn’t take too long, which is why most companies don’t pay much.
Of course, the time depends on the length of the survey. Longer ones will always give you more points.
None of them will take over 30 minutes, and this is the estimate of the platform when you are filling it, which could be reduced depending on the person.
If you want our advice for this: You should give it a try as a side hustle. Just think about it, you can do it at home or any other place, and it won’t take over 30 minutes a day or even 3 hours a week.
Even when you decide to take it, you can continue with your full-time job or find a side hustle to complement this one or vice-versa.
4 Best Survey Sites to Make Money (H2?)
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of platforms out there. It is clear not all of them work or are worth your time.
Thus, to save some time, we decided to share the best ones you can choose so you can start right away and avoid any scams or waste of time:
(NOTE: for these headings, please add them as H3 or the one that comes after the one you are using for the main subheadings—NOTICE THE ‘H2’ NEXT TO THE SUBHEADING—. I didn’t want to make these bigger to avoid confusion).
Swagbucks (H3?)
Prodege, LLC owns and operates Swagbucks. This platform is a fast-growing business that has been in operation for over a decade and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
This makes you start with a great opinion about the platform, and, in fact, it is considered the best for online surveys today.
Each completed survey earns between 1 and 350 Swagbucks or points (though we follow the average we give you before since surveys with so many points are rare).
The points on the platform, as mentioned before, are also known as SB.
You’ll get $1 for every 100 SBs. These can be used to redeem PayPal cash, gift cards, or Amazon, Lowe’s, and Target gift cards.
After spending $25 or more at one of the featured retailers, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target, new Swagbucks members will be eligible for a $10 bonus.
Swagbucks is not just about making money online through paid surveys. Members are awarded SBs that can be used to shop online, search the web, and view videos.
Once you have earned 160 points, you can redeem your earnings.
The higher your SBs accumulate, the more gift cards you can redeem. You have more options for gift cards.
The good part about the platform is that it is available in the Americas and Europe, so you shouldn’t have problems taking part.
Just keep in mind that you must be 13+ years old and meet all the additional conditions and terms of the platform.
Based on the number of points, expect to earn between 40 cents and $2 per survey.
LifePoints
LifePoints, formerly known as National Family Opinion, has been in existence since 1946 and boasts more than 5 million members worldwide.
You can register to become a member and earn LifePoints through online surveys. For it, you will have to verify your email address, provide basic information such as your name, address, and date of birth to get 10 LifePoints immediately added to your account.
You can view and choose surveys that best suit your demographic by creating a profile.
LifePoints surveys cover everything from technology and automobiles to household brands and many other topics.
While some surveys can pay 600 points or $5 each, most survey opportunities are between $0.50 to $1. In our experience, the surveys with such large amounts of LP are almost never available. However, the platform does pay.
You can access the platform if you are located in the United States of America, India, South Africa, Mexico, Hong Kong, China, and 35 other countries.
However, unlike Swagbucks, you must be 16+ years old. But the average earnings and payment methods remain the same.
Survey Junkie
According to the Bureau previously mentioned, survey Junkie, another leader in the industry of surveying, has a ranting set at B. The company was founded in 2011 and has served more than 10 million members.
It is most well-known for its basic features and offers paid surveys. Earnings are tracked in points just like the previous platforms.
Every 100 points are equal to $1. To cash out via PayPal, e-gift cards, or other methods, you need a minimum of 1,000 points (or $10).
Some users can earn money by testing products, participating in online focus groups, or taking part in phone surveys. These options can pay well (between $5 and $150) but are quite limited and almost never available.
To participate on the platform, sign up and create your profile to start making money in five minutes.
You can access it if you are in the USA, Canada, and Australia and meet the 13+ years old requirement.
Toluna
Probably one you have heard or read about before. Toluna, a market research company, has been in existence since 1994. It holds an A+ rating, and it is quite popular among users.
Once you sign up for a free account, you will receive an email with a confirmation link. This link will confirm your registration and allow you to start taking surveys. In addition, it will earn you 500 bonus points for signing up.
Toluna offers surveys worth 15 to 50,000 points depending on how long it takes to complete.
To redeem a reward, you must have 10,000 points. This allows you to plant trees in Peru, Thailand, and Uganda since part of the platform’s focus is charity work.
You can redeem gift card rewards by racking up 30,000 points to get a $10 gift certificate to major retailers such as Petco, Starbucks, and Kohl’s.
Available in over 21 countries, including the ones mentioned so far, you must be 16+ years old.
Finally, what do you think about online surveys so far? We know the points system and rewards can be a bit hard to understand or work with, but they are money.
In the beginning, you won’t be receiving many surveys, which is why people rely on different platforms simultaneously. We also recommend you do the same.
You won’t have to wait long periods of time for the sites to create surveys or expect survey templates to reach you once they are being developed.
Give it a try regardless of your opinion so far. It is better to determine if this is a good opportunity for the extra cash or one to ski after experimenting with one survey platform/site or more.
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