
Everybody looks for ways to make money online at one some point, and if you will ask 10 people how they think you can make money online, you will get 10 different answers. This is partially due to the fact that most people are exposed to a lot of myths regarding how to make money using the internet. Another reason would be the fact that there are very few guides that actually explain how people can make money, not just on what platforms.
This article will show you some great websites that you can use to make money, by simply taking part in online surveys. You will also learn how to use the websites in order to maximize your earnings.
More and more survey websites have been popping up on the internet, in the last couple of years, and while a large part of them are hoaxes, there are also a few that will genuinely pay anyone who signs up to them and completes surveys.
The best part of using these websites is that anyone can do it. They basically provide people with a simple way of making money on the side.
As a bonus, you will also be guided through everything that you have to do, in order to start making money in less than 20 minutes.
What are online survey websites and why you should take part in them?
As stated above, there are websites that are unreliable, however, there are also many legit platforms that pay you in order to take part in surveys. The information collected from these surveys is then sent to various companies in order to improve the products and services that they offer.
You don’t need much in order to get started. Basically, you only need a computer, laptop, or tablet, and an internet connection. While many of these survey companies will ask you to fill in any qualifications that you may have, they only require this information in order to create statistics; you will be able to take part in surveys regardless of these.
Another thing that you should keep in mind, is the fact that , while they are called survey websites, these platforms will give you the option to earn money by doing a variety of other things, such as playing games, watching YouTube videos, watching ads, searching for things on particular search engines, etc.
Some will even send you products in order to test them and they will pay you after you give a detailed report regarding your experience. There is a seemingly endless supply of activities that you can do in order to earn money, so even if you don’t have a lot of time, you will still be able to earn a few bucks on the side.
This having been said, it is unlikely that time will be an issue when it comes to making money from survey websites. Many platforms will pay you to do things that you normally do, such as shop online, search for things on the internet, play a few games, etc.
This brings us to another important question:
How much can you earn through survey websites?
This largely depends on how much time you are willing to devote to these activities. Most people can easily make around $100 per month, using the strategies presented below. However, there are some who have managed to earn more.
Also, if you want to earn a decent amount of money from survey websites, then you will have to sign up to 5-6 at the same time. Each of these platforms only sends you a few surveys each week, and by creating accounts on multiple websites, you will be able to increase your earnings.
If you are consistent, you can easily make an additional $1,200 per year, to use however you see fit. This does not mean that it is possible to exploit these websites and get rich from doing surveys. Nobody has managed to live off of what they make from survey sites, however, there are a lot of people who can the additional income in order to go on a holiday, buy a new laptop, or start a business.
As a word of warning, look at how the points used as rewards translate into real money. Each website will give you points for every task that you complete, and each one of them assigns a different value to these.
The best, legit survey websites that you can make money from
Let’s take a look at some of the best survey websites around, and explain why they are perfect if you want to make some money on the side.
- PrizeRebel
Amount of time to invest each day: 10 minutes;
Amount of money per task: approx. 70 points;
Each PrizeRebel point is worth $0.01, and you will need to earn at least $5 in order to withdraw your money. Payout takes 24 hours, and you can withdraw the money through PayPal, transfer them to your BitCoin wallet or bank account, or get Gift Cards.
Prize Rebel is great due to the fact that it offers a large number of quick surveys, and this will enable you to earn quite a bit of money in a very short span of time.
While all the websites presented in this list are great, this platform will help you get the biggest return for your effort.
- MintVine
Amount of time to invest each day: 10-20 minutes per survey;
Amount of money per task: $0.50-$5.00;
MintVine offers a large number of surveys, so you will always have one just waiting to be done, and also pays a decent amount of money. Most surveys take around 15 minutes to complete and will bring you about $5.
It’s easy to earn about $100 per month, especially when considering the fact that you can increase your earnings by redeeming offers, participating in research studies, referring others, and shopping at specific stores.
The website’s interface is intuitive and simple, so you won’t get lost while looking for new surveys. Also, MintVine is part of the Better Business Bureau, so you will always get paid for your time and effort.
- Swagbucks
Amount of time to invest each day: 10-20 minutes per survey;
Amount of money per task: $0.50;
Swagbucks is one of the most popular survey websites around and has proven to be reliable time and time again. While the platform is primarily built around surveys, you can make money by doing several other things, such as:
- Answering opinion surveys’
- Searching for things that interest you use Swagbucks’ internal search engine;
- Completing daily polls;
- Shopping online through Swagbucks;
- Playing games;
- Watching YouTube videos (on both computers, and mobile devices);
- Finding and using trial offers;
- Downloading and installing the Swagbucks browser toolbar;
- Completing various tasks;
- Printing and using coupons found on the website;
- Reading online articles presented through SwagBucks;
- Redeeming codes;
- Earning a specific number of Swagbucks each day;
Overall, there are a lot of ways you can make money on this platform. You can make around $40 per month, just by doing everything that you would do anyway, through their services. Swagbucks will pay you when you buy and search for things online, and everyone does these two things all the time.
- CashCrate
Amount of time to invest each day: 5-10 minutes per survey;
Amount of money per task: $0.50-$3.00;
CashCrate is another great option if you want to make money by doing surveys. A particularity of this platform is that you will actually be paid in dollars, not points. With CashCrate, you won’t have to constantly transform points into money, to see how much you’ve earned.
This having been said, the minimum amount of money that you can withdraw is $20, and it comes in the form of a paper cheque. Furthermore, due to the fact that you will basically have to wait until the cheque gets to you (about two weeks), means that this platform may not be a great choice if you want to withdraw money as you earn it.
On the other hand, this may give you enough time to earn the next $20, so when one cheque arrives, you can get them to send the next one.
Now that you have an idea about what the best survey sites are, let’s see how you can set up a system that will enable you to earn at least $100 per month, using them.
Starting to make money from survey websites
The following strategies will help you maximize your earnings, by selecting and using only the most time-efficient and profitable parts of each platform. Also, while these same steps may work for other websites, there is no guarantee that if you stray from the list presented above you will be able to hit the $100 per month. This is due to the fact that each survey websites is different in terms of payout and survey difficulty.
- Create accounts to each one of the websites presented in the list above
The very nature of these websites makes it quite difficult to earn $100 from a single source. This is why you will have to sign up for each of them. While it may seem that you are earning a small amount of money from each of the websites (which you will), it will all add up to a hefty payout at the end of the month.
You may think that earning $100 per month isn’t a lot, but when you consider the fact that if you add up everything you make over the course of a whole year, you will have made $1,200, by doing something that requires little effort.
In the end, the more websites you sign up to, the more surveys, games, offers, polls, and referrals you will have access to, which translates into profit.
Another thing that you should take into consideration is the fact that not every website offers daily surveys, so having more platforms at your disposal means that you will never run out of things to do.
There is no particular order that you should follow when checking what each website has to offer. Look around, and when you see something great on one of them, start there.
Sign up to the survey websites of your choice, and move to the next step.
Keep in mind: Each of these websites has a withdrawal threshold that you must reach in order to actually get paid. Keep this in mind when choosing the websites to sign up to, and also do your best to reach this threshold on as many websites as possible. If you quit when you’re halfway there, then you will have lost that money, unless you ever decide to continue until you can cash in.
- Cash in on all of the survey websites that you have signed up for
Some of these platforms, such as Swagbucks offer a lot of ways through which those who sign up can earn extra points. Try to take advantage of all of them, so that you will be able to cash in faster.
With Swagbucks, you can make your first dollar with only a few clicks, and after that, you can start actually doing surveys.
Read carefully when signing up, because a lot of websites offer these options, and they are too good to pass up. MintVine is another example of a website that gives you the ability to make a bit of money right after you sign up.
The best part is that most websites will actually guide you through the entire process, basically showing you how to make money on their website.
A few platforms will even give you money just for signing up, so you will start off with a few dollars in your pocket.
- Take part in as many surveys as you can
You should never pass up a survey if you are given the option to participate. You are, after all, trying to make money on survey websites.
Also, keep in mind that some platforms may require you to apply for surveys. This is due to the fact that there are surveys which only target particular groups of people, so you will have to go through a screening process before getting to participate. Luckily, this process is pretty simple. You will have to fill in some information, and then wait to see if you got in or not.
Unfortunately, this means that there is a waiting period that prevents you from earning money, and it is better to apply to as many surveys as possible so that you will always have something to do.
Furthermore, most companies will reward you with points just for applying, so even if you don’t get to take part in the survey, it will still be worth it to try.
On other websites, surveys will be offered to you or will be listed so that you can choose the ones that you want to do. Take advantage of all the opportunities that you get. After all, it only takes a few minutes to finish a survey, and it will all pay off at the end of the month.
You may think that you can skip a few surveys, and compensate by doing other tasks. Doing so will only make you work more for less money. They aren’t called survey sites for nothing. While it’s great to have the option of doing other things in order to earn money, surveys are by far worth the most money.
Don’t worry if you wake up one morning and see that the only surveys that you can take part in are worth $0.15. Do the surveys, and then look for other things that you can use to increase your earnings
You need to constantly think about the bigger picture. Some days you will earn $2-3 from all of the websites that you have signed up for, but that’s OK. There will also be days when you’ll be offered $1.5-surveys on each of the platforms. Over time, you will get closer and closer to your $100 per month goal.
Be consistent, focus on the tasks that are rewarded with the most amount of money, and you will be fine.
Another thing that you could do, especially if you don’t have a lot of time, is to go to Prize Rebel and spend 15-20 minutes doing surveys. While the platform does pay less money for each survey, these are a lot shorter, so you will be able to get through quite a few of them in a few minutes.
This is just one example of the things that you can do in order to optimize the amount of time that you spend doing surveys. Always consider how much time you have, and then look for things that bring the most amount of money and can be done fast.
Doing surveys is free, so the only resource that you have to keep an eye on is time.
- Make a habit out of doing small actions on Swagbucks, on a daily basis
Swagbucks is great because it pays you to do things that you normally do on other websites. So try to use the websites in one way or another, on a daily basis.
Use the platform when you need to search for something online, or when you want to buy a product. If you have a few minutes, then look at what coupons you can redeem.
You can make money even if you don’t have time. Just start a video and let it run in the background, while you go about your day.
In time, you will basically integrate Swagbucks into your daily routine and will make money without even realizing.
If you maximize the amount of Swagbucks that you can earn each week, then you’ll have earned over $1,000 in gift cards, at the end of a year.
The same goes for other websites that reward you for the various tasks. A lot of people tend to ignore these tasks and only do the surveys, thinking that they take more time, or that they don’t pay enough. Again, every bit counts. By doing these as well, you are using all the means that are at your disposal in order to monetize your time and maximize your profit.
Both MintVine and PrizeRebel can be used in order to earn money by doing small tasks, so you’re not stuck with Swagbucks. Choose the one that you like, or use all three of them and triple your profit.
- Make money when you spend money by buying things through these platforms
A great advantage of Survey sites is that they do much more than pay you for small tasks. If you purchase products through them, you will either get free things or discounts.
For example, if you’re interested in buying a product from Amazon, do it through one of these platforms, and you may also get a discount or a free gift card. The same goes for services, and also for software.
So make sure that whenever you plan on buying something, you look at what you get if you make your purchase using one of these platforms. You’ll buy the product anyway, so why not get something extra as well.
From the websites presented in the list above, you have two ways to make money when buying things:
- MintVine;
- Swagbucks;
These are only the ones on the list. If you look online, there is a big chance that you will find many other platforms that will reward you for the same thing. However, always make sure that a platform is legitimate before using it to purchase products. If you’re not sure about which sites are legit and which aren’t, just stick to the ones presented in this article.
Also, different platforms offer different bonuses for your purchases, so be sure to read what each of them has to offer. What you choose is up to you. Some would rather pay less for a product, and others may prefer to get free things with each of their purchases.
Let’s do a short recap of this strategy:
(Step 1) Getting started
First of all, sign up to as many survey websites as possible, so that you will always have a survey waiting for you when you have a few spare moments.
Some websites only allocate a limited number of surveys to each user, over the course of a week, and if you only use one platform, you may find that there won’t be anything more to do after the first few days of each week.
If you’re not sure about how reliable some websites are, then stick to the following ones:
- MintVine;
- PrizeRebel;
- CashCrate;
- Swagbucks;
Now let’s move to the second step that you should take in order to earn the maximum amount of money from survey sites.
(Step 2) Redeeming every sign-up offer that you come across
Most survey websites offer sign-up bonuses that can give you a sizeable initial boost. You can earn over $20 just by installing a toolbar and setting up a few details regarding your accounts, or by sharing your referral code with friends and family.
(Step 3) Take part in as many surveys as you can, and also apply to as many as you have the chance
Some websites will let you pick from a list of surveys, so be sure to take advantage of all of them. Others will only send you a limited number of surveys each week and you should apply to more than one website in order to ensure that you have something to make money from each day.
The third category of survey websites, the ones that ask you to apply before taking part in one will require more of your attention. Apply whenever you get the chance knowing that even if you don’t get in, you will still be rewarded with a few points.
(Step 4) Do something on these platforms each day. Make a habit out of this.
In the end, it will all add up, so take advantage of websites like Swagbucks in order to search for things on the internet, play games, watch videos, and do other tasks that will make you money.
(Step 5) Make money when you spend money by purchasing things through survey websites that offer this functionality
Always check to see if you can get something extra by buying things through the survey sites that you’ve signed up to. Some offer bonus items, and others may give you discounts. Either way, you will still be getting something for free.
Facts and questions when using survey websites to make money
In this section, we will clear up some of the most common misconceptions regarding survey sites, and also look at some of the most often asked questions.
Can survey websites be scams?
First of all, none of the websites presented in the list above are scams. Those are legitimate, official businesses that have been around for a long time. Furthermore, they have always paid their users, so they are totally safe.
This having been said, there is no way to guarantee that other websites are as reliable as these. You will have to do a bit of research before signing up on other survey sites, and even if they look alright, you may still have issues with some of them.
The websites listed in this article are part of the Better Business Bureau, and other larger, legitimate organizations, that see to it that every user gets the money he or she has earned.
How will I receive the money that I earn?
Each website has its own method of handling payment, and you will have to look for details when you sign up.
Some websites pay through PayPal, however, most will send you a cheque. If you don’t necessarily need the money, then you will also be able to use your points in order to redeem gift cards.
Are survey websites a waste of time?
There’s a short answer for this question: Not unless you don’t cash out.
The fact that you need to reach a certain threshold in order to get the money what you’ve earned means that the only way you can waste your time is if you give up before getting paid.
It may seem that you’re moving too slowly, however, once you get to the end of the month and look at how much you earned, your perception will change.
Can this type of work be automated?
No, not really. Survey sites aren’t a get rich fast scheme or a free money recipe. You will have to work for your money. However, this isn’t as horrible as you might think. Consider the fact that you only need to spend 20-30 minutes each day doing this.
It is also important to mention the fact that automating most of the tasks found on survey websites will result in a permanent ban on the respective platform. So, even if you do find a way or a tool to help you automate things, it is simply not worth the risk.
Conclusion
Hopefully, all of your questions have been answered, and you are now ready to start making money from survey websites.
Keep in mind that you don’t need any resources or qualifications to get started. If you’ve got a computer, tablet or laptop, and a stable internet connection, then you’re good to go.
While it may seem that you are earning too little money to make a difference, as time passes, you will begin to see that you are actually making enough to pay for a holiday at the end of the year or buy a new laptop.
As long as you are focused on volume, and are patient, you will make a decent amount of money, just by working (if you can call it work) in your free time.
However, be warned, surveys are a great way to make some money on the side, but you should never rely solely on this income. There are other ways to earn money online.