If you’ve ever answered a few questions online in exchange for cash or gift cards, you already understand the appeal of paid online surveys. They’re low-effort, easy to fit into your spare time and don’t require leaving the couch. A win-win-win!
But before you jump in, it’s important to evaluate your options. There are plenty of survey sites and apps out there—but not all of them will be worth your time.
Use this guide to learn how paid online surveys work, how much money you can make and explore the platforms worth signing up for—starting right here with KashKick.
Rest assured the online survey sites below have been vetted. If you find others you want to try, just be sure to know how to spot a paid survey scam first.
Key Takeaways
- Paid online surveys are legit, but best for side income—not full-time earnings.
- Platforms like KashKick stand out by offering cash payouts, low minimums and multiple ways to earn beyond surveys.
- Using several reputable survey apps and prioritizing higher-paying surveys can significantly boost your results.
How Do Paid Online Surveys Work?
Paid online surveys connect companies with real consumers who are willing to share their opinions about products, services, advertisements and more. In turn, these consumers earn a little bit of money, and brands use the feedback to inform their marketing efforts, test new ideas, improve their products and more.
Here’s how it typically works:
- Sign up for a survey site or app like KashKick. This should be totally free.
- Answer a few questions or fill out a profile so the site can match you with surveys.
- Take surveys. These can range anywhere from 2 to 25 minutes. The best paid survey sites will be transparent and let you know each survey’s length and pay.
- Complete surveys to earn cash or points. (Pro tip: Look for the sites that use a straightforward rewards system. For example, KashKick rewards members kash: 1 Kash = $ 1 USD.)
- Withdraw your earnings once you meet the minimum payout requirements. This varies by site. On KashKick, it’s just $10, and you’ll receive your payment via PayPal, gift card or even charity donation within one to three days.
Do note that a frequent complaint about many survey sites is survey disqualification. Unfortunately, this is just part of the process. Brands often want to survey specific demographics. Think: renters, car owners, Floridians, parents or the household decision-maker.
Learn more about why rewards sites like KashKick pay you.
Can I Make a Living Doing Online Surveys?
Paid online surveys are a simple way to earn some extra cash—not replace a full-time job. Some people can make a steady stream of extra cash each month, but this is totally dependent on survey availability, rates, platform and more.
If a site claims you can earn big bucks from surveys, it’s probably best to steer clear. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
That said, platforms like KashKick make it easier to earn more consistently by offering:
- Multiple earning options beyond surveys, including games and deals.
- Clear cash payouts via PayPal instead of a confusifng points system.
- A lucrative referral program that pays 25% of friends’ earnings.
If you’re looking for a flexible, low-effort way to add some money to your budget, paid surveys can help—just don’t expect them to make you rich!
Best Paid Online Survey Apps
There’s no shortage of paid online survey sites and apps out there. To find the best one for you, you’ll want to consider:
- Additional ways to earn on the platform
- Reviews and ratings
- Average survey pay and length
- Payout minimum
- Payout method (think: cash vs. gift cards)
- Payment processing time
With these top-of-mind, let’s jump into the best paid online survey apps.
1. KashKick
KashKick is one of the most well-rounded platforms for paid online surveys and making extra money.
Let’s take a closer look at surveys first. When you get started with KashKick, you’ll complete a profile survey. This is quick and easy, helps match you to the most relevant surveys, and pays $1.
From there, you can start taking surveys! Because KashKick prioritizes transparency, it shares the estimated length of time and potential earnings for each.
Beyond surveys, you can also earn money on KashKick when you play games, shop online and claim deals. This day in the life of a KashKick member showcases just a few ways you can earn.
Here’s what else you need to know about KashKick:
- You can cash out as soon as you earn $10.
- Opt for cash through PayPal, a gift card or a charity donation.
- Payments process within one to three days—speedy!
Again, surveys won’t make you rich, but KashKick is a great way to pad your bank account. In a KashKick review, one member shared he made $500 in less than a year by playing games and taking surveys.
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a popular rewards platform and, like KashKick, it offers a few ways to earn—including paid surveys. When you complete a survey, you’ll earn points (SB). Once you earn enough SBs, you can cash out.
Right now, you’ll need 1,530 SBs to cash out for a $15 gift card or PayPal cash. For context, the site says you can earn around 25 to 500 SBs per survey.
3. InboxDollars
Having been around since 2000, InboxDollars is an old-timer in the paid survey space. You’ll earn dollars when you play games, shop online and take surveys. Once you earn $15, you can cash out via PayPal or for a gift card. The minimum to cash out decreases to $10 after your first payment, and you’ll get a $5 bonus to get you started.
4. Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research rewards users with points for taking surveys, playing games and more. The minimum to cash out is $10 (or 1,000 points), but you’ll only have the option to claim gift cards—no PayPal or bank transfers are available.
5. Opinion Outpost
Opinion Outpost is a market research site that pays users for taking online surveys, testing new products, watching ads and sharing your opinions.
The site doesn’t make it clear how many points you need to cash out, but a review noted the minimum is $5 (or 50 points). You can grab a gift card or exchange your points for cash through PayPal.
It’s worth noting Opinion Outpost doesn’t have an app, so you’ll use this via desktop or mobile browser only.
6. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is exclusively a survey site, so likely won’t earn as much as you would on a rewards platform that pays you to complete other tasks.
With Branded Surveys, you will earn points when you complete surveys. You can exchange these points for a gift card or cash through PayPal or a bank transfer. The minimum to cash out is $5 (or 500 points).
7. Toluna
Toluna, a global market research company, has an Influencers program that rewards users for taking surveys. (This is another site that exclusively offers surveys—no games or deals.)
You’ll earn points that you can exchange for cash through PayPal or gift cards. Currently, 3,000 points equals $1. It’s unclear how many points you need to cash out.
8. MyPoints
MyPoints is owned by the same company that owns Swagbucks and InboxDollars, so you may notice some overlap.
With MyPoints, you can earn points for shopping, playing games and, yes, taking surveys. You can cash these points out for gift cards, cash through PayPal or even airline miles.
It’s worth noting MyPoints has a bit of a complicated points-to-dollar ratio, and it’s not quite clear how much you need to earn to cash out, though one review suggested $15.
However, one nice perk is that MyPoints will reward you 5 points even if you get disqualified from a survey—up to 25 points daily.
9. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is another survey site that’s been around a while (since 2005!). Here, you’ll earn points when you complete surveys. Once you earn 500 points (or $5), you can request a payout for a gift card or cash through PayPal or a bank transfer.
Like MyPoints, Survey Junkie will give you a few points when you’re disqualified from a survey.
Survey Junkie doesn’t pay you to play games or shop online, but you can opt into its Surf to Earn program if you feel comfortable sharing your internet search history.
10. Google Opinion Rewards
Google Opinion Rewards is available only as an iOS and Android app. You’ll complete short surveys—around 20 seconds—to earn up to $1 in Google Play or PayPal credit. Whenever a survey is available, you’ll get a notification. The minimum to cash out is just $2.
11. YouGov
Join YouGov to earn points when you complete surveys and other research opportunities. Once you reach the required points minimum (you can find this on your Account page once you sign up), then you can cash out for cash, gift certificates or other rewards.
12. LifePoints
LifePoints only offers surveys as a way to earn points. Whenever a survey is available to take, you’ll receive an email. They typically take around 10 to 20 minutes, according to the website.
Once you earn 550 points (or what they call LPs), you can cash out through PayPal or gift cards. However, it’s worth noting most gift cards are only offered in increments of $10 (or 1,100 LPs).
13. Panda Research
Panda Research matches members to paid surveys and market research opportunities based on their demographics. Browse offers on the website or get email notifications. You can earn additional money by reading emails (capped at $25 per payout).
Once you reach $50 in approved funds, you can opt to get paid. Note that payouts are in $50 increments, so if you made $62 and requested your money, $12 will remain in your account for a future payment.
Payouts happen on the 1st and 15th of each month through PayPal. (This is a different setup than most survey sites. You can read more on the FAQ page.)
If you’re looking to make money fast, you’ll probably have better luck on a different site.
14. American Consumer Opinion
American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) rewards members points—anywhere from 100 to 5,000—when they take surveys or participate in research projects. For context, 1 point equals 1 cent. You’ll need 1,000 points to cash out through PayPal or as a charity donation.
15. Poll Pay
Poll Pay might look familiar—it looks very similar to InboxDollars. That’s because it’s owned by the same parent company, Prodege. So what’s the difference? For one, Poll Pay is newer, established in 2019. It also seems as though Poll Pay focuses a bit more on paid surveys, according to several online sources.
You’ll also notice Poll Pay rewards you in coins, not dollars, which you can convert to cash via PayPal or gift cards. The cashout minimum is also higher at $30, according to the site’s terms.
16. SurveySavvy
SurveySavvy’s parent company, Luth Research, has been BBB accredited since 1993 and in business for nearly 50 years. Through SurveySavvy, you can get rewarded for taking online surveys, participating in behavioural research and referring friends.
Curious how the behavioral research works? Install a desktop application called SavvyConnect, which collects data as you surf the web. You’ll get $3 per device each month as well as access to special surveys and faster payments.
Once you earn more than $1, you can cash out. SurveySavvy will send you a check in the mail.
17. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel is a paid survey site that rewards you in points. Once you earn enough points to equal $5, you can cash out through PayPal, opt for gift cards or collect Bitcoins. If you opt for a gift card, the site says 99% are delivered digitally within 5 minutes of reward redemption.
Note that PrizeRebel doesn’t have an app.
18. JumpTask
Over on JumpTask, you can make money completing microtasks like taking surveys, playing games, engaging on social media, sharing your internet and training AI.
But there’s a flag: You’ll earn $JMPT rewards, which is a crypto token. These are paid instantly, and you can use them right away from your crypto wallet. You are able to convert it to money, but it does add an extra step in the process.
19. Prolific
According to the site, brands like Google, Stanford University and AI Safety Institute use Prolific for market research. That’s where you enter the picture.
You can pick and choose which tasks you want to complete, and earn cash (either USD or GBP). When researchers submit tasks, they must meet an hourly pay rate of £6 or $8. Once you earn £6 or $6, you can get paid—in either currency—via PayPal. After your first four cashouts, you’ll get paid automatically.
20. Freecash
Freecash is newer to the get-paid-to space, established in 2020. With this app, users earn coins when they take surveys, play games and test apps. For context, 1,000 points equals $1. The minimum to cash out ranges from $5 to $20 depending on where you live.
Learn more about Freecash (and alternatives) here.
21. Opinion Edge
Opinion Edge offers paid survey opportunities in multiple languages. The site says it hosts over 8,000 surveys daily. You’ll earn Unipoints, which you can redeem for a Tango card. You’ll need at least 1,000 points or $10. You cannot redeem more than $15 at once.
As you take more surveys, you’ll level up, and cashout minimums decrease to 500 points or $5. Learn more about the levels on the FAQ page.
How to Maximize Paid Survey Earnings
Ready to level up? Here are a few tips to help you maximize your paid survey earnings.
- Use platforms that offer multiple ways to earn. You’ll inevitably get tired of surveys, so use a rewards site like KashKick that pays you for playing games and claiming deals.
- Take surveys regularly: New surveys are always becoming available, so even if you go through a streak of disqualifications, it’s always worth checking in regularly for new opportunities.
- Prioritize high-paying surveys: Calculate which surveys have the best per-minute rates and prioritize those.
- Pay attention: Some surveys sprinkle in obvious questions to make sure you’re paying attention and not randomly clicking answers. If you can’t answer “What’s 2+2,” for example, you’ll get disqualified.
- Be honest. Many sites, like KashKick, will have you answer some basic demographic questions to help match you to surveys. If you answer those questions differently in surveys, you could get disqualified.
- Be open. Avoid answering “I don’t know” or “I don’t care” for too many questions unless that’s truly how you feel.
- Refer friends: Some survey sites have referral programs, so when you refer your friends, you can earn a bonus. KashKick’s referral program, for example, will pay you 25% of your friends’ earnings for life.
- Opt for cash rewards: Look for the survey sites that have straightforward rewards systems and pay out in cash. This will be the most useful to your bank account!
- Avoid VPNs. This is confusing for survey sites and could cause you to get locked out of your account.
- Be ready to verify your identity. More and more rewards sites are requiring users to submit a picture of a government-issued ID before they can cash out. This is part of a verification process to ensure you’re a real person, but it has some users spooked. (For example, Rewarded Play reviewers weren’t happy.) If this happens, just make sure it’s through a legit platform. KashKick, for instance, uses Plaid to verify users’ identities.
How to Know If a Paid Online Survey App Is Legit
When it comes to making money online, it’s important to avoid scams. Here are a few ways to check if a survey site is legit:
- Reviews and reputation: Always check reviews and ratings! This includes Reddit reviews, Trustpilot ratings, and app store ratings and reviews.
- Payment proof and options: The best apps make it easy to understand how you get paid and when.
- Privacy and transparency: Because you’re answering personal questions, make sure to look into a platform’s privacy policy to understand how your data is being used.
- Customer support: Responsive support is key. You can typically gauge this by reading through Reddit threads. It should also be obvious on the site or app how to get in touch.
- Check for fees. Many sites are free to sign up for, but be sure to read the fine print and make sure you won’t get charged a processing fee when you cash out. The survey site can charge these fees and still be legit, but it’s certainly not ideal!
Earn Money With Paid Online Surveys
The bottom line is this: Paid online surveys won’t make you rich, but they are a straightforward way to earn some extra money from your phone—and from the couch.
Sites like KashKick make it easy to get started and offer several ways to earn, so you’ll never get bored. Plus, as soon as you earn $10, you can cash out!
FAQ on Paid Online Surveys
Do online surveys really pay?
Yes, legitimate platforms do pay real money. KashKick offers cash payouts for completing surveys, along with other earning opportunities.
Which online survey is legit to earn money?
KashKick is one of the best options thanks to its variety of earning methods, low payout minimum, and fast and easy cash payments.
Can you make $100 a day from surveys?
For most users, earning $100 a day from surveys alone is unlikely. To maximize your daily earnings, combine surveys with other offers and bonuses on platforms like KashKick.