Surveys have long been one of the best ways to make some money on the side. They’re quick, easy, and, if you ask me, are basically passive. But the thing is, there are tons of survey apps out there.
Believe me, I’d know. I’ve been taking surveys on these for around 8 years now. I’ve been disqualified from thousands and paid for hundreds of ‘em.
But, whether there weren’t enough surveys available or the apps were scams, only a few have allowed me to actually cash out.
Instead of wasting your time on survey apps that don’t pay, I’ve compiled 30 of the best ones on the market right now that will net you some extra cash on the side.
Before we dive deeper into these, let’s go over some basic stuff.
How do survey apps work?
Survey apps are basically mediators between companies and consumers (that’s you). When a company wants some feedback, they’ll reach out to these platforms to get quick and plentiful answers. You can then get paid for completing surveys on said platforms.
Once you sign up for one of these platforms, you’ll fill out your info and get matched with potential surveys. Or, in other cases, you’ll have to answer some screening questions for every survey.
Now, throughout the years, I’ve used apps that go one of two ways: Get-paid-to (the original GPT) sites that work with survey providers, or focus groups. There are also survey apps that just offer surveys, like Survey Junkie, but these usually pay the same as GPT sites and have the feel of a focus group platform.
Get-paid-to (GPT) sites
GPT apps like Swagbucks partner with companies called survey providers. These providers are the mediators between GPT apps and the companies conducting the surveys.
In essence, this goes as follows: Company → Survey provider → GPT site → You
I’ll mostly be covering GPT sites and apps in this article since they’re the easiest to take surveys on. There are caveats to this, like lower pay and disqualifications, but I’ll talk more about these shortly. Now, onto focus groups.
Focus groups
Focus groups are essentially cutting the GPT site from the equation. When a company reaches out to them, they connect them directly with the consumer.
So, in this case, it goes as follows: Company → Focus group → You
I have included some of these below, many of which I’ve used throughout the years. The pay is much better, and the surveys are much more targeted (i.e., you won’t need to go over too many screening questions, if any).
The issue is that you won’t get as many surveys on these. And they usually require you to be a lot more focused (lame pun #1) than GPT sites, as you’ll need to give detailed answers or go over many questions.
With this in mind, let me clear up a question you have right now. Can you actually make any money with focus groups or GPT apps?
Can you really make money with online surveys?
You can certainly make some money with online surveys but don’t expect to make enough to consider quitting your job. If you spend an hour or two every day taking surveys, you’ll probably make up to $500-$1,000 per year.
And, here’s where I have to chime in. Look, surveys, to me, are basically passive income. It’s something you can do while commuting on public transport. It’s something you can do instead of doomscrolling or spending hours on social media.
But, unfortunately, the pay on many of these isn’t the best and most have minimum withdrawal requirements (usually around $5-$20). After 8+ years of checking out and using different platforms, the average I’ve managed to make is $4-5/hr.
Now, that sounds great. You can take surveys mindlessly for 1 hour a day, and it’ll be an extra $150 per month. The issue is that there just aren’t that many surveys around to guarantee consistency.
You can, however, sign up for multiple survey apps and maybe manage to get in an hour or two of consistently taking surveys each day.
There’s one big caveat with this, though, which I hinted at above. Disqualifications. Many GPT sites will DQ you from a survey if you don’t fit the demographic they want, and you usually won’t get a cent (or will legit get paid exactly 1 cent) for the time spent answering the prescreen questions.
And, since many of the survey apps use the same survey providers, you can’t just double-take the same survey, leading to more DQs.
Of course, this is just me being cynical. And, the truth is that surveys are an amazing way to make some money on the side for plenty of reasons. You don’t need anything besides some of your time. No unique skills, no labor, nothing. Just your opinion.
They’re super easy to take, and most survey platforms have some other ways to make money as well. If you manage to get into a focus group platform, you can even make close to $10/hr.
This is primarily why I wanted to go over the best survey apps. It can be a great way for you to get started with making money online. Hell, it got me into online moneymaking, and I’ve not stopped since.
So, yes, you can really make money with online surveys. It’ll usually not be more than $5-$6/hr, but that can be enough to get yourself a gift. Maybe that gift is right here on Whop. But let’s keep that for later on.
Onwards, to the survey apps.
The 30 best survey apps to make money
After that bashing and yapping, let’s get straight into it. All these apps are going to help you make some money online, have plenty of cashout methods, and some of them have no minimum withdrawal.
Remember to always do your due diligence, even with these apps. Some of them might stop paying out despite being reputable for years.
1. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is the perfect mix between a GPT site and a focus group. As the name says, it’s a platform that only has surveys but with a more GPT feel.
You can also use SJ to make some extra money when you surf the web, by installing the extension and letting the platform track what you search.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $3.00
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards (U.S. only), direct bank transfer (U.S. only)
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks was and still is the best GPT platform for surveys out there. It was one of the first ones I used, as its age restriction was and still is 13+ (just don’t use a VPN like I did; these sites don’t like that).
As a GPT site, you can also do pretty much any kind of offer to earn a couple of bucks, like downloading and playing games, watching videos, and so on.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.40 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, coupons
- Minimum withdrawal: $1 (gift cards), $5 (PayPal)
3. Freecash
Freecash is the new kid on the block, and while they don’t give free cash, they do allow you to take surveys and make some cash. It’s also one of the few platforms that lets you cash out in crypto with a pretty low minimum withdrawal.
Of course, this is a get-paid-to site, so you can also do a bunch of other tasks to get some money and cash out to PayPal, gift cards, or wire transfers.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.40 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal, crypto, bank transfers, gift cards, gaming skins
- Minimum withdrawal: $5 (PayPal, gift cards, bank transfers), $0.10/$0.25 (crypto)
4. Google Opinion Rewards
Good ol’ Google Opinion Rewards. This was another app I tried out back in my teens (now I sound old), and the surveys were pretty easy and consistent. It’s on the lower end in terms of pay, as you’ll only get around $0.10-$0.20 per survey, but that can go up to $1.
And, with a minimum withdrawal of $2, you can expect to reach the threshold within your first 4-5 surveys.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.10 to $1.00
- Cashout methods: Google Play credit or PayPal
- Minimum withdrawal: $2
5. Ipsos i-Say
Ipsos i-Say is, like Survey Junkie, more of a survey panel than a GPT site or focus group. While most surveys are your typical questionnaires, you might also be selected for live studies or product testing.
The payout isn’t the best, at $1 max, but you can withdraw directly to PayPal or gift cards. Ipsos also offers the chance to donate your earnings, which is pretty neat.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1.00
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, charity donations
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
6. KashKick
KashKick is another GPT site that wasn’t around when I was hammering out surveys. To be fair, I wish that it was. It’s got pretty similar payouts to what you’d expect from apps like Survey Junkie, but it’s also got the rest of the GPT site.
The only caveat with KashKick is that the minimum withdrawal is $10, which might take a solid month to reach.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $10
7. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys…well, it has surveys in the name, so it must be good. In all honesty, I remember first seeing the site in 2020, and they were and still are a pretty good option.
What really makes them stand out is their loyalty program. Basically, when you take more surveys, you get bonus payouts and faster withdrawals.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
8. YouGov
YouGov is a little bit different in that its surveys primarily focus on current affairs. So, if you’ve got strong opinions, this is the right place for you. Keep in mind that the only cashout methods are bank transfer and gift cards with pretty high minimum withdrawals, at $50 and $15, respectively.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $1.50
- Cashout methods: Bank transfer or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $15 (gift cards), $50 (bank transfer)
9. Toluna
Now, Toluna was one of the first survey apps I used, and I still have it installed on one of my old phones. While it does have the general GPT offers, the real value is in the surveys. It doesn’t have the best payouts in the world, but it’s pretty consistent.
The only issue is the minimum withdrawals, especially for PayPal. But you can score a gift card for a minimum of $10.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $1.50
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $10 (gift cards), $30 (PayPal)
10. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is very similar to Swagbucks, both in terms of pay and offers. They’re owned by the same parent company, which makes sense. If you tried out SB already, give ID a try as well but make sure to not take the same surveys, as you might get disqualified.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.20 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, prepaid cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5 (prepaid/gift cards), $10 (PayPal; $15 for first cashout)
11. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel was always one of the platforms I wanted to try out but wasn’t old enough. Safe to say, it’s your standard GPT site. There are plenty of surveys on there, and even though they don’t pay as much, the consistency gives it some points in my eyes.
Plus, you can cash out for as little as $2 with some of the gift cards. Even PayPal cashouts are low at a $5 minimum.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, crypto, direct deposit
- Minimum withdrawal: $5 ($2 for some gift cards)
12. SurveyMonkey Rewards
You’ve probably taken a SurveyMonkey survey at one point, as it’s one of the most popular platforms for businesses to create surveys. But there’s also SurveyMonkey Rewards, which rewards (lame pun #2) you for taking surveys.
The only thing you’ll have to keep in mind is that the cashout methods are gift cards, so no PayPal this time around. You can also donate your rewards.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1
- Cashout methods: Gift cards or donations
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
13. Opinion Outpost
Opinion Outpost is basically a barebones survey app but in the best way possible. You’ll just have to take a few screening questions, and then you’ll get emails with surveys every day. Pay-wise, I’ve covered some better ones here, but the minimum should be around $0.50/survey, which is pretty good.
You can also cash out a gift card once you reach $3, so it shouldn’t take too long to reach that threshold.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $3 (gift cards), $10 (PayPal)
14. OnePoll
Here’s one for my U.K. folks as well. OnePoll used to also be in the U.S., but they recently rebranded and don’t seem to offer any surveys to consumers. The pay is a bit on the lower side, with surveys usually paying out up to $0.60 (or 50p), but they’re pretty consistent.
The one thing you have to keep in mind is that the minimum withdrawal is rather high, at $32 (£25), but you can cash out directly to your bank or PayPal.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $0.60 (20p to 50p)
- Cashout methods: Bank transfer or PayPal
- Minimum withdrawal: $32 (£25)
15. Rakuten Insight
Rakuten Insight is one of my favorite survey apps to this day because it’s super simple to sign up and take surveys. It’s also got a modest minimum withdrawal of $5, and you can cash out to PayPal or gift cards.
The best thing for me is that they’ll pay you a few cents even if you get DQed from a survey or the survey stops working for technical reasons.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
16. Five Surveys
Now, here’s another one of my favorites, which is different from most. Five Surveys basically tells you exactly what you get right in their name. You take 5 surveys, you get paid $5. You can cash that out to PayPal or your bank, as well as gift cards.
There are plenty of surveys around, so it won’t take more than a month to get the first bit of cash.
- Avg. payout per survey: $1 (fixed pay of $5 per five surveys)
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, bank transfer
- Minimum withdrawal: No minimum payout
17. ZoomBucks
ZoomBucks is pretty much identical to Swagbucks in terms of the offers and surveys you’ll get. Their names are even similar. Again, you won’t make much on here, but you can expect each survey to net you $0.40 and take around 5-10 minutes to complete.
And you can cash out to gift cards once you reach $1, which is pretty neat.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.40 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, prepaid cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $1 (gift/prepaid cards), $5 (PayPal)
18. LifePoints
LifePoints has pretty much everything you’d expect from a survey app. You have your regular surveys, which might not pay as much on the higher end, but you’ll still be able to get at least $0.50 from each.
And, of course, you can cash out to PayPal or gift cards with a minimum threshold of $5.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
19. QuickRewards
I wanted to mention QuickRewards purely for its minimum withdrawal. It’s a good survey app, don’t get me wrong. It’s got plenty of surveys around, and the pay is what one would expect, at around $0.30-$3 per survey.
However, the great thing about QR is that once you reach 100 points ($0.01), you get an immediate cashout in PayPal or gift cards. So, essentially, you get paid instantly.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.30 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $0.01
20. Qmee
I always called Qmee “Who, me?” (lame pun #3; last one, I promise) because I’d get notifications saying “We have a notification for you” on the daily when I used it. Jokes aside, the app is great, as it has a bunch of surveys and you can also earn while surfing the web.
Best of all, you get immediate cashouts to PayPal, as well as the option to donate your earnings or cash out with Venmo and gift cards.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.40 to $2
- Cashout methods: PayPal, Venmo, gift cards, charity
- Minimum withdrawal: No minimum payout
21. Crowdtap
Crowdtap is a big player in the survey app scene, with millions of users in the U.S. The pay for each is on the lower end, as you most likely won’t earn more than $0.75/survey. But most of these are super easy to complete, as they have fewer questions than what you’d find in most other apps.
Keep in mind, though, that you can only cash out with gift cards.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $0.75
- Cashout methods: Gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
22. AttaPoll
AttaPoll is probably the easiest survey app you’ll find. You just sign up, fill out your profile, and you’re good to go. The app sends you surveys directly based on your profile, so you won’t waste too much time on screening questions.
The pay is decent, and you can cash out once you hit $3 (or $2.50 with some gift cards).
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.10 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, gift cards, charity
- Minimum withdrawal: $2.50 (gift cards), $3 (PayPal)
23. Mobrog
Mobrog is another survey platform that’s been around for a while, and it is one of the latest survey apps I’ve been using. It’s pretty straightforward to use, offering a decent range of surveys that pay well enough.
The minimum withdrawal is higher than others at $6.25, but it’s still manageable if you’re consistent.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.50 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $6.25
24. PaidViewpoint
PaidViewpoint is a small but reliable option. The pay per survey is lower, but they keep things simple. If you’re looking for something with minimal hassle, this one’s worth a try.
The minimum withdrawal is a bit high at $15, and you can only cash out with PayPal. The good thing is that the withdrawal threshold goes down as you make more cashouts, at $10 for the 2nd one and $5 for any after that.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.30 to $0.50
- Cashout methods: PayPal
- Minimum withdrawal: $15
25. Prime Opinion
Prime Opinion is pretty straightforward. You take surveys, earn a bit of cash, and cash out when you hit the minimum. They even mention the average time each survey takes before you start the prescreen.
The pay-per-survey is similar to what you’d expect from mid-tier apps, and you can withdraw using PayPal or gift cards at a $5 minimum.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $1
- Cashout methods: PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
26. OnePulse
OnePulse offers a quick and easy survey experience. With OP, you get Pulses, which are short, 3-question surveys that are super easy to take. The payouts are modest, but since the surveys are so short, it’s a good option if you’re looking for a simple side gig.
The minimum withdrawal is higher than most, though, at $20, so keep that in mind.
- Avg. payout per survey: $0.25 to $0.40
- Cashout methods: PayPal
- Minimum withdrawal: $20
27. Forthright
Forthright is a pretty solid survey app for plenty of reasons. For one, you get solid pay for each, at around $1-$3, and you can cash out with PayPal, crypto, or direct bank transfers. Best of all, cashouts are more or less instant. You can also donate your earnings to charity.
- Avg. payout per survey: $1 to $3
- Cashout methods: PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards, crypto, charity
- Minimum withdrawal: No minimum payout
28. User Interviews
These last 3 are focus group platforms, and User Interviews is hands down the best for one simple reason. They offer a premium rate for your time. This platform connects you with companies looking for detailed feedback directly, which is why they pay out at least $50/hr for your time.
Plus, cashing out is hassle-free, with no minimum withdrawal.
- Avg. payout per survey: $50/hr
- Cashout methods: PayPal or gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: No minimum payout
29. Prolific
User Interviews is the best, but Prolific is my go-to for high-quality, well-paying surveys. It’s long been called the best survey app. These are usually for academic research, so you won’t deal with the randomness of GPT surveys.
The pay is excellent, with most surveys paying around $10/hr, and you can cash out easily via PayPal once you hit $5. While it’s available worldwide, you might have to join a waitlist. So feel free to sign up and hope that you get accepted because the pay is among the top.
- Avg. payout per survey: $10/hr to $12/hr
- Cashout methods: PayPal
- Minimum withdrawal: $6
30. CloudResearch
CloudResearch is another platform for academic surveys, but it’s a bit more exclusive. You’ll need a good track record on other survey sites, like Prolific, to get invited.
Once you’re in, though, the pay is great, with most surveys taking around 10-20 minutes and paying $1-$5. It can be time-consuming, yes, but it’s definitely one of the highest-paying survey apps out there.
- Avg. payout per survey: $10/hr
- Cashout methods: PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards
- Minimum withdrawal: $5
Staying safe with survey apps: How to spot a scam
Now, all the apps I mentioned above are definitely not scams. Some might have high minimum withdrawals, yes, but you’ll be able to cash out. As I said at the start, though, there are plenty of scams out there, and there are ways to spot them.
No reviews
If a survey app has no reviews, it’s either brand-new, nobody really knows about it, or it is a scam. In any of these cases, you should stay away from it. Check Trustpilot or Google for some trustworthy reviews.
Long prescreens
If any survey app forces you to take prescreen questions that last for 15-20+ minutes, there’s a chance that they might be a scam and want to steal your info. Prescreens should be quick and ask you just a couple of questions.
Too-good-to-be-true payouts
Look, surveys aren’t going to pay out $50-$100 for 20 minutes of your time. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it probably is.
Asking for payment
Any survey app that asks you for a payment or a membership to take “premium” surveys is most likely going to be a scam. Never send any money to these platforms, regardless of how high the payouts of their surveys might be.
Now, while you can’t make $50-$100 from an online survey, it’s definitely not the only way to make money online…
Looking to make money online? Be sure to check out Whop
Surveys are great. I have a love-hate relationship with them, but they’re great. The one thing they aren’t, though, is your next big money-maker. You’ll only earn a buck from most surveys. But that’s only the start of your online moneymaking venture.
Remember what I told you above? It's a better idea to get money from surveys and buy yourself a gift. Well, Whop has a lot of potential gifts to improve your chance of making money online.
If you’re just starting your journey, you’ll find tons of different resources, from courses to communities, on Whop.
All of them are hosted by experts in their respective industries, who are sharing their knowledge and experiences to help you and like-minded folks make more in a month than what you’d make with surveys in a year.
And, hey, nothing is stopping you from creating your own whop when the time comes. You can sell any type of digital product or service here. Even if you just scroll around, you’ll find tons of different creators doing their thing.
So, are you ready to take your moneymaking journey to the next level? You can create your account and start browsing in the same time it would take to complete a survey, and it won’t cost you anything.
Survey app FAQs
How much can you make with online surveys?
You can make upwards of $500-$1,000 per year with online surveys. Realistically, you shouldn’t expect to earn anything more than $5-$6/hr or $40-$50 per month.
Are survey apps legit?
Survey apps are legitimate in that they’ll pay you for answering questions and let you cash out in cash or gift cards. But there are some scams out there, so do your due diligence before creating an account on one.
What’s the highest-paying survey app?
The highest-paying survey app is Prolific, which can net you $10/hr. Platforms like User Interviews, which is a focus group platform, can also pay you close to $50/hr.
Which surveys pay instantly?
Typically, most surveys will pay instantly once you complete them. Look for survey apps with no minimum withdrawals, like Qmee, to be able to cash out almost instantly.
