Surveys for Money: Are They Worth It?
When you are looking for ways to make some extra money on the side, online surveys might seem like a good option. But is this type of work legitimate? Is there any way to tell if a survey website is legit or not? What kind of questions should you ask before taking an online survey site’s offer of making money by filling out surveys and how can you protect yourself from scammers when doing so?
The answers to these important questions will be discussed in this article.
What are paid online surveys?
Paid online surveys are a type of research survey that is done for the purpose of gathering public opinion on specific products or topics. This data can then be helpful in making decisions about marketing, product development and more. They’re often used by market researchers to gauge public opinion on certain goods or services.
Companies like Proctor and Gamble, Disney and the United States government have all used paid online surveys to gather important data.
Paid surveys are generally for market research purposes, not to make a quick buck.
Online surveys are different from the in-person and phone versions because they can be taken anonymously at anytime of day or night, without having to answer questions about your personal life that may make you uncomfortable
Are surveys for money websites legitimate?
There are many companies that offer paid survey opportunities online and it can be difficult to know which ones are legitimate. Some have been known to take your personal information without letting you know what they will use it for or how long they’ll keep it on file. It’s important to research any company before you sign up with them and provide your personal information.
How to identify legitimate online survey sites
It’s not always easy to tell which survey sites are legitimate, but there are some things you can look for.
- Legitimate online surveys will usually provide a lot of information about what you’ll get in return (whether it be cash or prizes) and how much time they expect your survey to take.
- Online survey sites should have an extensive list of the qualifications they’re looking for in a survey respondent.
- They should show you a preview and summary of each study before you commit to taking it.
- Legitimate sites will usually have an extensive privacy policy.
- It’s important not to give your information out too quickly, so do your research on any company that offers paid surveys.
- Keep an eye out for surveys that may ask you to share your credit card information.
- Make sure the site is secure.
- If the site asks for more personal information than what would be needed in order to complete a survey, it’s likely not legit.
- Join a few panels on reputable sites, like Toluna.
- Answer surveys for points that can then be redeemed as cash or gift cards.
- Legitimate survey sites typically offer a wide variety of surveys in the areas of interest such as food, fashion, business and more.
What can you earn from taking online surveys?
The amount of money you can earn from online surveys depends on how much time you’re willing to invest in these surveys. With a little bit of research and some dedication, it’s possible for an online survey site member to earn $100 or more per month. You can see that the earnings aren’t high, but if you are looking for something easy then this might be worth it.
Why do companies pay people to take online surveys?
Companies want to know what you think about their products. This is why they pay people for taking surveys – it’s the best way to find out how well or poorly a product will sell so that companies can make smart decisions about future marketing and advertising plans
Are paid survey sites legal?
Paid survey sites are legal, but they’re not always safe. Remember to be diligent and do your research before signing up for any site that offers paid surveys for money.
Online survey scams are prevalent because many people don’t know how to spot them! There’s no way of knowing which online survey is honest until after you try it, and that can be difficult when you’re looking for a reliable way to make money.
A legitimate survey site will always list the questions they are asking, how much time it should take to complete, what your payment is if you qualify (usually $0.30-$50 per hour), who’s paying them and where the surveys come from.
A quick search of the survey site will usually reveal some complaints. If there are more than a few unhappy customers, it might be best to move on and find another website that doesn’t come with such bad reviews.
Some sites may require you to sign up for an account before they allow you access, but not all do this.
You should always read the Terms and Conditions before joining. This is a lot of information that may come off as tedious, however it’s important to know what you’re agreeing to by clicking “I agree.”
It doesn’t hurt to ask questions if something isn’t clear or if you want more info on payment rates for each survey length.
You shouldn’t have to fill out a lengthy survey before you get your first credit. If it’s not clear how the site works, or what is happening after you sign up, there may be something fishy going on.
It’s important that surveys are always available and easy to find when signing in; if they’re gone for days or weeks at a time, there may be something wrong.
What are the best online survey sites?
The best online survey sites are those that have the highest payout rates, and offer a wide variety of surveys.
There’s no one-size fits all when it comes to survey sites; what you’re looking for may be different from someone else.
A good place to start is with companies like Survey Junkie or SwagBucks, which have been recognized as some of the best survey sites for quite a while.
Other good surveys for money sites are Ipsos, Global Test Market, Valued Opinions and Toluna.
Each site has a different way of working with the consumer; read their terms before you sign up to ensure that they’re going to be able to offer you what you want for your time.
For example, Valued Opinions will pay an average of $0.50 per hour to answer surveys (depending on your age), but it’s not always easy to find the site open or have new surveys available at any given time because there are so many surveys to fill.
Toluna is a site that pays you in points for answering questions and takes your opinion on products or services; it’s free to join, but if you want the points converted into cash before they expire at the end of every year, then they take an average of 50 cents per hour from your balance as a fee.
Pinecone Research is a site that pays you in points for answering surveys, and it takes your opinion on products or services; the return rate varies from 40-50% of all questions asked being rewarded with points, but they also have some restrictions around how many hours per year you can spend doing these types of tasks before they expire.
Panda Research asks for a registration fee of 50 cents, and then they provide you with an e-mail address that signifies your account number; you won’t be able to cash out until they’ve reached their minimum payout threshold which is set at $25, but after the initial cost it’s well worth it as long as you’re able to answer the surveys.
Survey Junkie is a site that offers to send you surveys for cash and points, but they have a registration fee of $30. They also offer rewards in the form of Amazon gift cards that can be redeemed without any minimum threshold or expiration dates, which is great if you’re not quite sure what to get someone as a present.
Survey Savvy has no registration fees, and they offer surveys in a variety of formats such as short, quick polls that require only a few minutes to answer.
SwagBucks is a site that offers a variety of surveys and you can choose what type of reward package you want to get, which is nice if there’s something specific that you’re looking for.
If none of these options sound appealing, the next best option would be signing up with an actual market research company such as Ipsos or Nielsen where they will pay participants a flat fee for completing a survey.
Surveys can be completed from the comfort of your own home and many times they are accessible by mobile device, which is great because it lets you do them anywhere at any time with no travel necessary.
Are there platforms to set up to offer surveys for money?
NeoBux is a paid to click platform that pays you to view advertisements and click on ads, as well as to take surveys.
To learn more about NeoBux, check out I Buy I Review’s complete review here.
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
