If you’re looking for ways to make a few extra bucks online, you’ve probably come across Swagbucks. The premise is simple: Get rewarded for taking surveys, cashback shopping and playing games.
But is Swagbucks legit? Is it worth your time?
This guide deep dives into the rewards platform. Learn how it works, read reviews and explore alternatives to Swagbucks—like KashKick.
Key Takeaways
- Swagbucks is a legitimate rewards platform that pays users in SBs when they take surveys, play games and earn cashback on shopping.
- Positive reviewers like that there are a variety of ways to earn and it’s easy to use. Negative reviews cite issues with cashing out and frustrating customer service experiences.
- If you’re looking for more straightforward—and bigger—payouts, platforms like KashKick make it easy to make money by taking surveys, playing games and trying new apps.
Is Swagbucks Legit?
Yes, Swagbucks is legitimate. The rewards platform has been around since 2008. Its parent company, Prodege, is an online marketing company based in California that also owns MyPoints, InboxDollars and more.
Let’s break down Swagbucks’ ratings:
- Trustpilot: 3.9 stars out of 41K+ reviews
- Apple App Store: 4.4 stars out of 147K+ reviews
- Google Play: 4.3 stars out of 443K+ reviews
In short, Swagbucks is legitimate, but let’s see how it works—and what real users have to say.
How Does Swagbucks Work?
Swagbucks works similarly to other get-paid-to (GPT) rewards platforms. You complete small tasks, earn points (SBs) and redeem them for rewards.
SBs don’t directly convert to a cash amount, but right now, you’ll need 1,530 SBs to cash out for $15. You can choose a gift card or get cash through PayPal. According to the site, the average user can make $2 to $5 a day.
Here’s how you can start collecting SBs:
Take Surveys
On Swagbucks, you can participate in everything from single-question polls to in-depth studies. The site says surveys pay up to $20 or more, but most pay about 25 to 500 SB points.
With all paid surveys, it’s important to temper your expectations. This income won’t replace your full-time job, but if you’ve got time to spare, they’re easy to complete from home!
Play Games
In addition to surveys, you can also earn SBs for playing mobile games through Swagbucks. You’ll find popular games like “Monopoly Go!,” “Animals & Coins” and “Solitaire Smash.”
When you reach certain milestones, you’ll earn SBs.
For example, with “Merge Gardens,” you can currently earn 3 cents when you reach level 3, and another 13 cents when you reach level 5. In total, you have the chance to earn up to $117.67.
Earn Cashback
You can also find online and in-store deals through Swagbucks. Some examples available right now include up to 4% cash back at Amazon, 2% cash back at Old Navy and 4% cash back at Chewy.
But make sure you review the fine print of each deal. With Amazon, you’ll also get 4% back on Amazon devices or home security and smart home devices.
It’s also worth noting you’ll receive cashback in the form of SBs, which you’ll then exchange for actual cash through PayPal or a gift card.
Refer Your Friends
Invite your friends to Swagbucks and get 10% of whatever they earn.
Complete Daily Goals
Swagbucks also has a Daily Goal Meter. When you complete a certain number of SB tasks or goals, you can earn bonus SBs. An example of a daily goal is “Earn 40 SBs to get 3 SBs.”
Watch Videos
Swagbucks previously paid users to watch videos, but this feature was removed in 2022.
Review of Swagbucks
When evaluating any rewards platform, it’s important to look at reviews. Here’s an overview of real user feedback.
What Users Like
- Offers a variety of easy ways to earn extra cash or gift cards
- Easy to use
The reviews:
- From TrustPilot: “I love everything about Swagbucks. The app is easy to navigate, the surveys are easy to understand and I love being able to earn points by playing games. I also like that when you redeem points for a gift card, I always get it within 3 days.”
- From Google Play: “I love this app! It’s very easy to use, fun and helps me make some extra money. What’s not to like?”
- From the App Store: “I really love this app! It not only allows you to make extra money doing surveys, but it also provides different offers for tasks to complete or games to play to earn more rewards. … It’s definitely worth using on a daily basis!”
What Users Don’t Like
- Time-consuming
- Recent updates make it more difficult to earn
- Issues with cashing out
- Frustrating experience with customer service
Reviews:
- From Google Play: “Swagbucks isn’t what it used to be. I’ve been using since 2010. It’s basically a big spam hole now.”
- From Trustpilot: “Takes forever to get a reward. Get bounced out of surveys after answering 5 minutes of qualifying questions.”
- From Trustpilot: “After years of being an active member I decided to change my password for additional security. Next thing I know I try to log in to my account and it’s saying my account has been deactivated. After submitting multiple tickets with customer service and still not getting a response after 3 months I’ve given up. I’ve used swagbucks for many years and made countless money and I’m really disappointed in the level of customer service. If you are new to swagbucks or looking to join — don’t waste your time.”
Best Alternatives to Swagbucks for Earning Money Online
If you’re looking for alternative or additional ways to earn, here are several platforms similar to Swagbucks.
1. KashKick
KashKick is a great alternative to Swagbucks. The rewards platform pays you to complete similar tasks, including taking surveys, playing games and earning cash back on shopping.
You can also earn rewards just for trying a new service or app. For example, you can get $1.75 when you sign up and upload your first receipt to Upside; get $3 when you sign up for TikTok Lite; or get $300 when you open a Chime checking account with no monthly fees or minimums. These deals are always changing, so you’ll never run out of ways to earn.
KashKick is also a great Swagbucks alternative because it doesn’t use a complicated points system. You’ll earn Kash, and the math is easy: 1 Kash equals $1 USD. Plus, the minimum payout is $10, which you can use to get a gift card, cash out to PayPal or donate to charity.
KashKick’s referral program also beats Swagbucks’, giving users 25% of each reward their friends earn from playing games and claiming deals (compared to Swagbucks’ 10%).
KashKick doesn’t have as many Trustpilot ratings as Swagbucks, but it boasts a 4.1-star average. Over in the App Store, the average star rating is 4.6, and in Google Play, it’s 4.5 stars.
👉 See how much you can earn with KashKick.
2. Survey Junkie
If you love Swagbucks’ surveys, then Survey Junkie might be a solid alternative for you. You can earn rewards for taking surveys and sharing information about your online searches, site visits and more. But you won’t find games or cashback opportunities.
Once you earn 500 points (or $5), you can request a payout. Options include gift cards, PayPal and bank transfers.
3. Testerup
With Testerup, you can earn money as an online tester. That means you can get rewarded for completing tasks like playing games, taking surveys and testing apps and websites. Each offer has a list of tasks you’ll need to complete to earn rewards.
The site claims you can earn up to $120 per test offer, though again, it’s important to have realistic expectations!
You can get paid through PayPal. A minimum withdrawal amount wasn’t found after digging into the site, but one review stated it’s $70, which is very steep for this type of platform. The maximum transaction is listed at $250.
4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is owned by the same company as Swagbucks, so you might notice some similarities between the two platforms!
With InboxDollars, you’ll earn dollars—not points—by taking surveys, playing games and shopping online. When you join, you can snag a $5 bonus, and once you’ve earned $15, you can cash out through PayPal or for a gift card.
Maximize Your Earnings with the Best Swagbucks Alternatives
Determining which rewards platforms you want to use can feel overwhelming—there are so many! But you’ll want to look for ones that:
- Offer a variety of ways to earn. When you get bored of surveys, for example, you can play some games. With more variety, you’ve got more opportunities to earn!
- Use clear points systems. When it comes to making money online, transparency is crucial. Points systems can make it difficult to figure out how much you’ve earned (and even mask the fact that you’re really not earning much at all).
- Have low payout thresholds. The lower the payout minimum, the better. Because tasks often aren’t super high-paying, even collecting $20 on some of these platforms can be a challenge.
- Pay cash. Collecting your rewards via PayPal or a bank transfer is ideal. Gift cards can get lost in the shuffle and limit how you spend the money.
- Have good reviews. Of course, you can find negative reviews for anything these days, but the best rewards apps have higher average ratings and overall positive user experiences.
For these reasons, KashKick consistently comes out on top when it comes to Swagbucks alternatives. The easy-to-use platform offers users a variety of ways to earn, uses a clear points system and pays out via PayPal once you earn $10.
👉 Start earning with KashKick.
FAQ on Swagbucks
How does Swagbucks pay you?
Swagbucks pays you in SB points. You earn SBs by completing surveys, playing games and shopping. Once you collect enough SBs, you can redeem them for PayPal cash or gift cards.
Is Swagbucks worth it?
It depends on your goals. If you’re looking to make some extra money from your couch, it can be a great option. But if you’re looking to cover this week’s grocery shopping, you might want to explore other side hustles.
How much can you make using Swagbucks?
How much you make will depend on how much time you spend on Swagbucks. Realistically, you can earn a few dollars a week. More dedicated users might make $50 a month.