Paid Surveys: Extra Money or a Scam?
Here are some of my recommendations for paid survey apps and websites.
Can I Ask You a Question?
Market research and survey groups are key pieces of society, doing everything from collecting feedback about politics to product development and measuring advertising effectiveness. Market research companies receive valuable feedback for their clients and will often reward participants with money, gift cards, or prizes. What was once done by telemarketing and guys with clipboards hassling shoppers in malls has evolved into slick apps and websites that people flock to for rewards.
I have used several of these programs and will give you the skinny here.
Pay Day or Scam?
There are many survey groups out there that use shady practices to avoid paying participants. Look out for:
- Unreachable cash-out minimums
- Tasks that sign users up for unwanted products and services
- Time-wasting survey opportunities that result in "not qualified" messages
- Incredibly low paying surveys, especially when they take several minutes
- Fees to participate
Tips:
- Start a separate email address for surveys to avoid receiving spam in your primary email and help avoid identity theft.
- Read user reviews and pay attention to comments about how easy the cash-out process is.
- Don't pay anything to get started.
- Avoid sharing your social security number, and if you ever feel uncomfortable answering a question, don't. Some surveys openly warn that they are asking about sensitive topics and offer an option like "I don't want to share."
- Check what surveys are worth. Some companies pay a couple of dollars for a single survey, but they are long and in-depth. Some surveys are less than a dollar, but they don't ask for much and are quick.
- Be diligent. Some survey groups only offer surveys to small groups or for a limited time, so surveys can expire before you get to them. Also, for some survey groups, payments increase the more you participate or the longer you are with the group.
The Good and the Bad
The Good:
- Pinecone Research—I have used Pinecone Research for twenty years, and they are the best survey group I have ever used. They use a points program, with most surveys worth 300 points. Those points can then be redeemed for gift cards, prizes, or a payment with 300 points equaling three dollars. I haven't redeemed for prizes, but their cashout option receives payment within a couple of days of redemption. Surveys are usually geared toward upcoming products and take around fifteen minutes. After taking surveys, participants may be sent products and receive follow-up surveys for even more points. In my years of using the program, I have received cereal, chips, bacon, paper towels, and air freshener. There's nothing like getting a surprise in the mail that is a product that no one else has yet because it isn't on the market and then giving feedback to determine if and how the product will be sold. They usually offer one to three surveys per month. Pinecone Research doesn't accept referrals or even have an active signup link on its website. They do occasionally run banner ads or send links out to their participants to recruit.
- Streetbees—Streetbees is an app that has short surveys that they call stories. Stories are laid out almost like a text message conversation, starting by asking about your day and moving on to a series of questions that may be multiple choice or may be open-ended. Many of the surveys are short and only worth ten to fifty cents. Some surveys are a little longer and ask users to take a picture (such as showing what products they are currently using), and they may be worth between a dollar and five dollars. Survey topics range from how participants feel about topics to what products they are using to clean or for personal care to what they are eating. After completing a story, it is submitted for review. This process usually happens in about a day (sometimes within a couple of hours). If approved, funds are sent straight to PayPal - no minimums or need to request payment! Surveys are occasionally declined, and reasons are not given unless the Streetbees help team is emailed. In the last eleven months of participating, I have made almost a hundred dollars. If you sign up, please use my referral code 6303X6 to tell them I sent you.
- National Consumer Panel (NCP)—NCP is a market research panel that is a joint venture between Nielsen (the people known for the television ratings) and IRi. They are a little more than just a survey group; they also ask participants to scan their purchases either using a phone app or a scanner that they provide. They use this data to analyze prices, what promotions are used (sales, coupons, etc.), and purchase trends. NCP also sends out brief surveys (usually around five to fifteen minutes long) to get users' opinions about products they may be buying and seasonal activities. Participation is rewarded with points that accumulate and can be redeemed for gift cards or goods from the NCP Prize Catalog or can be used in monthly raffles for even bigger prizes. NCP is generous with its points with points awarded weekly (as long as the user scans purchases), and the number of points given rises based on tenure and consistency. Surveys are usually worth 150 points or 50 points, plus a raffle entry. Extra opportunities are available to earn compensation with things like snack diaries, anniversaries, birthdays, and seasonal contests. I have redeemed my points a few times over the years and haven't run into issues. Prizes may take a couple of weeks to receive, but the gift card option only takes about a day.
- Paidviewpoint.com—Paidviewpoint.com is a survey group that emails several survey opportunities per week. Surveys usually take between five and twenty minutes, and users are still compensated ten cents if they don't qualify for the full survey. Users build a TraitScore through consistently participating, resulting in higher payouts for completed surveys. The payout threshold is $15, which is tougher to reach at first as users build their TraitScore, but with consistency, TraitScore bonuses make payouts possible within a month or two. Payments are made via PayPal.
The Bad:
- InboxDollars—InboxDollars is a program with multiple ways to earn—taking surveys, clicking on links in emails, watching videos, and even playing in-app mini-games. Reviews in the Google Play Store are mixed, although the average rating is four-stars. My impression is less than favorable. There are paid offers such as sign up for this free sample club, or click here and get a reloadable gift card! Many of the offers were spammy or possible scams that I wasn't interested in. I tried signing up for one of the free samples, and it launched me into an endless loop of needing to signing up for other programs to get free samples which resulted in multiple spammers getting my email address, and I never got my free sample. The points from playing games are minimal and have a limited number of plays per day. The video links took me to outdated Yahoo News articles and would sometimes freeze. The surveys had small values and often said I wasn't qualified after a few questions. I wasted hours of time over the course of a couple of months, and I never got to a level to cash out due to the cash-out minimum.
- MindField Online—I've attempted to use MindField Online several times in the last eleven years, and despite having my demographic profile filled out, I have been bombarded with emails inviting me to take surveys that I would start and never qualify for. My history shows a list of over 50 surveys taken, with zero surveys qualified for payment.
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You won't make a fortune, but paid surveys can be a legitimate source of side income.
Happy Earning!
While you won't become a millionaire with these programs or even make enough to quit your job, these surveys can be fun, get you the inside scoop on new products, and get you some extra cash and prizes for participating. Find the programs that work for you (I recommend using more than one to maximize your earnings), and have fun!
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2020 Liz Woodward
