Best Survey Apps That Pay Real Money

In today’s world, it pays to invest in passive income sources. Whether you earn just enough to treat yourself once in a while, or are trying to replace your day job, side hustles can truly make money that begins to stack up after a few months.

There are dozens of apps to consider and survey apps are a popular way to earn extra money with (arguably) little effort. You may have heard a lot about survey apps, but knowing which ones are legitimate and which ones are out there to scam your personal information can be hard to determine.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best survey apps. All of the following apps are free and provide a variety of opportunities to make a few extra dollars on the side.

Are you ready to earn a few extra bucks and get paid today? Let’s get started with the best survey apps.

Best Survey Apps

Here’s our list of the best survey apps. Before you go signing up for all of them, however, check out our tips for what’s most important when it comes to a survey app. It pays to work smarter, not harder.

1. Freecash

Freecash pays for surveys, offer walls and game tasks, and hands new users a $10 bonus for signing up. The surveys are the slow lane here: the offer wall, where you try an app or reach a level in a game, pays several times better for the same amount of time. Payouts go out in cash, crypto or gift cards, and the cash-out threshold is low enough that you are not chasing a distant target. Worth having open alongside a dedicated survey panel rather than instead of one.

Claim your $10 Freecash bonus and start on the offer wall →

2. Bigcash

Bigcash gives you $15 just for creating an account, which is the largest joining bonus of anything on this page. After that it pays for surveys, app trials and offer completions, cashing out to PayPal or gift cards. Like Freecash, the offers pay considerably better than the survey wall, so treat the surveys as filler between the bigger tasks rather than the main event.

Grab the $15 Bigcash joining bonus before you do anything else →

3. Testerup

Testerup sits between a survey panel and a testing platform. You get paid to try new apps and games before they reach a wide audience, and there is standard survey work alongside it. The $5 sign-up bonus lands as soon as your account exists, so unlike most panels you see money on day one instead of grinding toward a first payout. Cash out to PayPal.

Create a Testerup account and collect your $5 today →

4. Branded Games

Branded Games, as seen on CBS, is the gaming side of the Branded platform rather than its survey panel. You install a partner game, hit a milestone in it, and get paid for reaching that point. It suits anyone who would rather play something for twenty minutes than answer screener questions, and the per-task payouts are usually larger than a survey pays. Rewards come as cash or gift cards.

Play your first game with Branded Games and get paid for it →

5. InboxDollars

Many of you might have heard of InboxDollars, a website that pays you to complete surveys, participate in focus groups, test products, and even play games. The minimum amount to cash out is advertised as $30, but you will have to pay a $3 transaction fee if you do.

Payout methods include e-gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, a paper check, direct deposit, and PayPal. You can make an average of 50 cents to $5 per survey, plus there’s a $5 sign-up bonus up for grabs as well.

Join InboxDollars free and get paid for your first survey →

6. Swagbucks

One of the best things about Swagbucks is that there’s no minimum to cash out. Surveys range from 50 cents to $2, plus there’s a $10 sign-up bonus available to take advantage of. After taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, testing products, and surfing the web, you can cash out via a prepaid Visa, PayPal, or e-gift cards. There’s also a SwagButton browser extension you can download to earn even more Swagbucks. Overall, it is one of our highly rated money-making apps to make extra money.

Sign up for Swagbucks and start earning on what you already do →

7. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie pays you to complete surveys, participate in online focus groups, and even answer phone surveys. They require a $5 minimum cash out balance. Surveys range anywhere from 10 cents to $2. No sign-up bonus is available, but you can cash out via PayPal, an e-gift card, or a direct deposit to your bank.

Join Survey Junkie and take your first paid survey →

8. LifePoints

LifePoints is another big survey app you’ve probably heard of. They pay for phone surveys, online bulletin boards, product testing, food and wine tasting, as well as contests and giveaways. You’ll need at least $5 to cash out via an e-gift card, PayPal, a charitable donation or a physical gift card. You’ll get $0.10 for signing up, but should earn somewhere between 50 cents and $1.50 for each survey you complete. 

9. National Consumer Panel

National Consumer Panel is run by NielsenIQ and Circana, the two companies that sell retail measurement data to most major consumer brands. Your points are funded by real research budgets rather than ad revenue, which is why it has kept running for decades while most panels quietly disappear.

You earn two ways. Scan the barcodes of what you already buy after each shopping trip, and answer surveys, which average around 150 points each. Signing up also drops you into their $10,000 sweepstakes. At 5,000 points you can cash out for gift cards, Google Play credit, a prepaid debit or credit card, or merchandise.

That 5,000 looks steep until you see how it stacks. Points come in every week you scan and the rate climbs the longer you stay active, so treating it as a background habit gets you there comfortably. The people who never reach it are the ones who scan for two weeks and stop.

Get started with National Consumer Panel →

10. Pinecone Research

The folks at Pinecone Research don’t offer a sign-up bonus, but they only require $3 to be in your account in order to withdraw it. You can make at least $3 per survey and cash out via PayPal, prepaid debit card, gift cards, physical merchandise, or a transfer straight to your bank.

However, Pinecone Research won’t take everyone who signs up. You’ll have to put in an application and wait. Even if you are accepted, your membership isn’t guaranteed. However, you can really get paid well for surveys on Pinecone Research.

Sign up for Pinecone Research and get paid per survey →

11. Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost makes it easy to find surveys to participate in, as you can search for them or have them delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll need at least 5 points in order to cash out via a donation, but otherwise you’ll need 50-100 points to cash out on various types of rewards.

These rewards include cash, free gift cards, or PayPal rewards. You can expect to earn about 50 cents to $5 per survey, but don’t expect a sign-up bonus, unfortunately.

12. Ipsos i-Say

You have a say with i-Say, which pays out in gift card, prepaid card, sweepstakes entries, merchandise, and donations once you reach 500 points. There’s no sign-up bonus but you will receive anywhere from 10-100 points per survey. There’s also a refer-a-friend program available for making extra money as well.

Sign up for Ipsos i-Say and start banking points →

13. MyPoints

MyPoints is another large survey app you’ve probably heard of. After completing surveys, playing games to win real money, watching videos, opening emails, and shopping for cash back, you’ll receive roughly 50 cents to $5 worth every time. You’ll need at least $5 or 700 points in order to cash out on PayPal rewards, a Visa gift card, or gift cards from other retailers and restaurants. MyPoints also has their own browser extension as well.

Join MyPoints and get paid for surveys, shopping and videos →

14. Kashkick

You also won’t get a sign-up bonus for Kashkick, though you will earn anywhere from 50 cents to $2 per survey. There’s no points system to worry about, so the amount you see is what you’ve earned so far. You can cash out after earning $10 via PayPal.

Join KashKick free and cash out to PayPal →

15. Prize Rebel

Prize Rebel requires a minimum of $5 to cash out on their app, which you can do with an Amazon gift card, Bitcoin, PayPal, direct deposit, prepaid Visa cards, or other gift cards. You’ll make roughly 25 cents to $1 per survey, but there are also daily challenges and raffles to participate in as well. No sign-up bonus is available at the time of the writing of this guide.

16. Surveys On The Go

Choose Surveys On The Go if you want to get paid for surveys but don’t want to have to keep checking back in for them. You can also watch TV shows and evaluate products to earn rewards. There’s a mobile app available for download, and you won’t have to worry about deciphering a points system. When you reach $10 in rewards, you can cash out via PayPal, gift cards, or Visa prepaid cards.

Download Surveys On The Go and take your first paid survey →

17. Google Opinion Rewards

Everyone knows Google, but have you heard of Google Opinion Rewards? They’ll pay you anywhere from $0.10 to $1 to give your opinion on a variety of subjects, though you will be restricted to mobile only. Participating in an Audience Measurement Panel may get you more survey invites, but you’ll need at least $2 to cash out via Google Play credits or PayPal rewards.

18. Qmee

Qmee is more of a browser extension than a survey app. It tracks your searches, but don’t think you can fool it into giving you more rewards if you search a ton. You don’t need a certain amount to cash out, and you can easily earn 5 to 12 cents per search. Payment methods include PayPal, gift cards, or a charitable donation.

19. Zap Surveys

The folks at Zap Surveys guarantee you $6.25 in rewards on your first survey. You’ll also receive 40% cash back from over 50 major retailers as well. You’ll earn roughly 25 cents to $1 per survey, but will need $25 to cash out via PayPal, e-gift cards, a prepaid Visa, or gift card.

20. Toluna

PayPal is another popular payout method on Toluna, which rewards you for taking surveys (up to 7 per day). You’ll earn 500 points for signing up and referrals, and can also earn for testing products and participating in polls. You’ll need at least $30 to cash out on PayPal or $10 for gift cards. Most surveys pay you 1,000-2,000 points but you can earn up to 50,000 points in some cases.

Join Toluna and start earning points on your opinions →

21. YouGov

If you’re more political minded, YouGov could be the survey app for you. You’ll make around 300-500 points for every survey you complete, but you’ll need at least 35,000 points to cash out. Payment methods include PayPal, a bank transfer, gift cards, merchandise, movie tickets and donations to charity.

Join YouGov and get paid for your opinion →

22. Harris Poll

Harris Poll rewards you 50 cents to $1.25 for every survey you complete. You’ll need 1,250 points to cash out via gift cards or the rewards catalog. You won’t have the option to cash out via PayPal, but you can expect anywhere from 3-5 surveys per month.

23. Grab Points

Completing surveys, watching videos, participating in online offers, and downloading apps are all ways you can earn money on Grab Points. You can expect to earn anywhere from 130 to 2,000 points per survey, but you’ll need 5,000 points in order to cash out for a gift card. You’ll only need 3,000 points to earn PayPal rewards, but there’s no sign-up bonus available at this time. 

24. Mindswarms

Mindswarms might sound like an odd name, but it’s actually a rewarding survey app you can earn with. You’ll only need $10 to cash out via PayPal. Plus, it’s the only payout method available. However, you should be able to earn anywhere from $10-$50 per survey, of which you should receive 1-3 per month. Surveys are completed via video, so don’t be shy!

25. BzzAgent

BzzAgent links with MyPoints in order to allow you to earn money while you test out free products. While you’ll be subject to the MyPoints rewards and cash out system, BzzAgent allows you to receive free products for online reviews. You’ll receive $10 per user referred, and more referrals gets you more testing opportunities. You’ll receive $1 for signing up, and free products, of course, as long as you qualify.

26. Apperwall

Apperwall rewards you anywhere from 5 cents to $1 per review completed. Instead of completing surveys, you’ll download an app and then submit your review of it. While you’ll need $9 in rewards to cash out, you can only choose PayPal.

27. Valued Opinions

Completing surveys and product testing are only a few of the many options available for earning money on Valued Opinions. You can also complete diary studies or participate in focus groups as well. These opportunities earn you roughly 50 cents to $5, and you’ll need at least $10 in rewards to cash out. Payment methods include gift cards, a prepaid Visa, magazines, or donations.

Join Valued Opinions and get paid for your first survey →

28. SurveySavvy

SurveySavvy might be the last app on our list, but it’s one of the few to have a low cash out amount. In fact, You can easily earn the $1 needed to cash out from a single survey. While you can earn up to $25 in some cases,  most surveys don’t reward that high. You can download the SavvyConnect app as well to earn $5 per connected device.

How We Came Up with This List

After hours of research and testing, we’ve put together this list on the best survey apps you can join to earn money. There are certainly some survey apps that didn’t make our list, but through careful consideration, we’ve included only those that we feel are worth your time to not only consider, but potentially invest in (time-wise) as well.

What is a Survey App?

A survey app is basically a platform that connects brands with consumers in order to elicit feedback. Most survey apps offer members the chance to give their opinions on a variety of products and services, sometimes offering them large rewards for doing so.

Why Should You Use a Survey App?

You should use survey apps if you’re looking for a bit of extra money to work with throughout the month/year. It is a great way to make money online without a website and minimal effort. You should not use a survey app if you’re looking to supplement your annual income and/or replace it entirely. However, there are ways to make money without a job — but survey apps are not the way.

Most Important Features of Survey Apps

There are a few features you’ll want to look at when you consider a survey app. Not all of them are made the same, and it pays to take the time to look at how you’re investing not only your opinions, but your time as well.

Here’s a list of the most crucial features you’ll want to pay attention to as you peruse our list:

• Average survey earnings
• Points system or dollar amounts
• Payout methods
• Minimum balance to cash out and receive rewards
• Brands that offer rewards through the app
• Bonus ways to make money (referrals, offers, etc.)

One of the most common looked-over aspects of survey apps is the privacy factor. While it’s difficult to near-impossible to hide your personal information on the internet these days, it could be worth your while to choose a survey app that respects your privacy and handles your personal data accordingly.

FAQs

Summary

We hope you’ve found this article on the best survey apps useful. As you can see, there are many ways you can make a few extra bucks here and there to treat yourself or even save up for a bigger purchase. Happy surveying!