Woman lounging outdoors smiling at cell phone

Does Taking Surveys Really Pay? [Truth for 2024] 

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors, and we might earn a commission if you click on one.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? I mean, why would anyone want to actually pay you for your feedback?

Here’s why: Reputable survey sites like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Survey Junkie partner with big brands. These brands need feedback in order to improve their products and services.

That’s where you come in. 

You just give your honest feedback about their products and services, and the survey sites will reward you by sharing the money they’re getting from the brands.

So, does taking surveys really pay? Yes, it does! Not only that, but I’ll also share the survey sites that offer cash welcome bonuses.

In the most recent data from the Federal Reserve, 17% of Americans were behind on rent payments. This means every extra dollar helps. 

So, let’s start making money with surveys!

Does Taking Surveys Really Pay 

Yes, taking surveys really pays! I’ll explain which survey sites and survey apps pay real money, which pay in gift cards, and which offer both options. 

*Warning: Taking online surveys is not intended to replace income from a full-time job. But, it is realistically possible to make an extra $50 to $100 a month just by answering easy questions from the comfort of your home or whenever the mood strikes you.

The Best Surveys That Really Pay 

InboxDollars 

How You Get Paid: PayPal, electronic gift cards, or prepaid Visa

Does taking surveys really pay? You must be new to this! Because InboxDollars has been paying people to take surveys since 2000.  

InboxDollars has paid over $80 million dollars to members.

The money starts rolling in as soon as you sign up. That’s because InboxDollars features a $5 sign-up bonus when you join and complete the qualifying introduction activity.

InboxDollars promises to pay in about 3 business days when you cash out to PayPal or in gift cards. You can get your first payment when you hit $15 in your account. And after that first payout, you’ll only need to collect $10 to cash out.

InboxDollars on the Apple App Store offering cash for your everyday online activies.
InboxDollars really pays you for taking surveys and is rated 4.5 stars in the Apple App Store.
Source: Apple App Store

Learn more about why InboxDollars is a legit get-paid-to (GPT) app where you can answer questions for money.

Branded Surveys 

How You Get Paid: PayPal, gift cards, prepaid Visa, and more 

If you’re here, then you’re probably asking, “Does taking surveys really pay?” Well, just ask the 3 million users who earn cash with Branded Surveys! 

Signing up for Branded Surveys is totally free. And you get 100 points just for joining!

But how much are points worth on Branded Surveys? That’s easy, too. Each 100 points you earn is equal to $1. 

And when can you cash out with Branded Surveys? As soon as you’ve collected 500 points ($5), you can withdraw real money via PayPal or claim your electronic gift cards.

Branded Surveys in the Apple App Store  offering to match you with high-paying surveys.
New surveys every day make Branded Surveys a fun way to get paid just for giving your opinions.
Source: Apple App Store

If you want more details, see our complete Branded Surveys review

Also, here’s a short video explaining how to earn money with Branded Surveys:

Or, if games are more your thing, here are several ways you can earn gift cards by playing games.

MyPoints 

How You Get Paid: Electronic gift cards

So, does taking surveys really pay? Well, with MyPoints, you get a $5 welcome bonus just for confirming your email address when you sign up! 

You can earn up to 2,200 points per survey. And you can turn your points into gift cards for popular stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target, eBay, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, and more.

And with MyPoints, teens can get paid to take surveys, too! If you’re excited about that, learn more about how to make money as a teenager without a job

MyPoints in the Apple App Store offering points for answering fun surveys and polls.
MyPoints lists surveys along with how many points you’ll earn and how many minutes it’ll take to earn those points that you can turn into gift cards.
Source: Apple App Store

And if making money online from the comfort of your couch sounds like something you’d enjoy, then check out these apps that pay cash.

Freecash 

How You Get Paid: PayPal, gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, Bitcoin, and more

Does taking surveys really pay? It certainly does with the Freecash app! Currently, Freecash has over 12,000 earning opportunities and users can earn up to $497.82 per offer!

The Freecash website offering $1 per 5- to 10-minute survey.
Companies need feedback from consumers like you, and they’re willing to pay you for your opinions! 
Source: Freecash

Here’s an example of someone making money taking online surveys:

A user on the Freecash website who has completed 50 offers and made over $694.
On the Freecash Leaderboard, you compete to win bonus money, like Freecash user Ryan, who has earned over $265 dollars in the past 30 days.
Source: Freecash

So, is Freecash legit? Why yes. Yes, it is.

Survey Junkie 

How You Get Paid: Real money via PayPal or bank transfer or electronic gift cards

With Survey Junkie (SJ), you earn points whenever you complete a survey. Then, you can redeem your points for cash through PayPal, gift cards, and more. And you can cash out starting at just 500 points ($5).

What’s fun about Survey Junkie is the variety.

Major brands in different categories like food, travel, tech, entertainment, fashion, real estate, and more all partner with Survey Junkie because they need your feedback to improve their products!

Your feedback, combined with everyone else’s on the platform, is really valuable to these brands. So they pay Survey Junkie, who then shares part of that money with you.

Survey Junkie on the Apple App Store offering to turn every 100 points you earn into $1.
Does taking surveys really pay? With Survey Junkie, surveys pay each time you reach $5 in your account.
Source: Apple App Store

Whenever there’s a new survey available, you’ll see it on your Survey Junkie dashboard. You can also get special alerts sent straight to your email.

And with SJ, even if you don’t qualify to take a particular survey, you’ll still get points just for trying!

Looking to maximize your survey earnings? Learn about these Survey Junkie hack ideas.

Swagbucks 

How You Get Paid: Real money via PayPal or electronic gift cards

Swagbucks is currently offering a $10 sign-up bonus. So, yes, I’d say Swagbucks definitely pays you for taking surveys! Swagbucks is as legit as they come in the world of survey sites.

For completing surveys, you’ll earn SB points that you can turn into cash or gift cards. Swagbucks makes it fun and easy to get paid for online surveys.

The Swagbucks website stating that most of their surveys pay 100 to 300 SB, redeemable for gift cards and PayPal cash.
Does taking surveys really pay? With Swagbucks, it has for over 15 years!
Source: Swagbucks

If you enjoy giving your opinions and feedback, Swagbucks just might get you addicted to earning money for it! You might even want to check out these other survey sites like Swagbucks.

KashKick 

How You Get Paid: Real money via PayPal

Does taking surveys really pay? With KashKick, you start to collect real money as soon as you complete your profile! 

You can expect to get paid up to $2 per 15-minute survey. And just like with all survey sites, KashKick isn’t intended to be a way to fully pay your rent, but it’s a highly convenient, fun way to earn extra cash whenever you feel like it — with no boss and no schedule!

The KashKick app in the Apple App Store displaying available surveys as well as how long each should take and how much they pay.
KashKick shows you how much you’ll earn and how much time it’ll take.
Source: Apple App Store

How long does it take to get your money with KashKick? (I like this part.) You can get your money out once you’ve collected just $10 in your account. Then, you can move the money right into your PayPal account.

KashKick is available for iOS and Android. If you want a breakdown of all the pros and cons, see our full KashKick review.

Survey Roundtable 

How You Get Paid: Real money through PayPal or electronic gift cards

When pondering the meaning of life and the deep questions such as, “Does taking surveys really pay?” you’ll find the clouds part and a voice coming from the heavens that says, “Yes, Survey Roundtable has been paying people for surveys since 2013.”

With Survey Roundtable, you earn SRT points. You can then cash in these points for real money or gift cards.

One nice thing about Survey Roundtable is that you’ll earn points for attempting surveys, even if you don’t qualify for them. This way, you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your time.

And you’ll earn 1,000 SRT points just for completing the registration process!

Here’s a Survey Roundtable review from a happy user on Trustpilot:

A 5-star Trustpilot review from a Survey Roundtable user who enjoys taking the surveys and received their first payout fast.
Michelle enjoys taking simple surveys that pay with Survey Roundtable.
Source: Trustpilot

And here are more ways you can take surveys for gift cards.

Commonly Asked Questions About Does Taking Surveys Really Pay?

Can You Actually Make Money From Surveys? 

Yes, you can actually make money from surveys! These are some of the best sites for making money just for giving your opinion:

Is Taking Surveys For Money Worth It? 

Taking surveys for money is worth it if you enjoy it! It’s a really easy way to make money online whenever you want from the comfort of your home or when you’re on the go. Plus, it’s a way to make money for free and without a boss.

How Much Money Can You Actually Make From Surveys?

Typically, you can earn a few dollars per survey. Realistically, you can make between $50 and $100 per month from surveys, but it depends on how many hours you want to put into it as well as on your demographics. The best move is to try it because it’s free! 

Is There a Catch To Paid Surveys? 

There’s no catch to paid surveys because they’re free. It does, however, take time. So, really, taking paid surveys is something to do if you find it enjoyable. I like the idea of making extra money online whenever I’m waiting in line somewhere. If you find it fun, try it!

What Survey Site Pays The Most Money? 

The survey site that pays the most money really depends on your demographics. So, it’s best to try out a few free survey sites. I like the ones that start you with a welcome bonus, such as Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and MyPoints. Survey Junkie and Freecash also pay well.

Does Taking Surveys Really Pay For Money?

Taking surveys really pays real money! Just be sure to sign up for online surveys that allow you to cash out to PayPal. Reputable options include Swagbucks (read about the best survey sites like Swagbucks), InboxDollars (read Is Inbox Dollars Legit?), Freecash (read Is Freecash Legit?), KashKick (read our KashKick review), MyPoints, Branded Surveys (read our Branded Surveys review), and Survey Junkie (read our Survey Junkie review).