The short answer
Survey and reward sites are real and mostly pay what they say, but they pay very little per hour and are frustrating to use. Prolific pays cash for research studies, with limited availability; Swagbucks pays in points for small activities; ySense mixes surveys, offers and tasks. Treat them as pocket money and never pay to join.
Survey sites occupy a strange place in the make-money-online world. They are neither the scam that cynics claim nor the easy income that some ads imply. They are a low-paying, time-consuming way of turning spare minutes into small amounts of money, and whether that is worth it depends entirely on what else you could be doing with those minutes.
The short answer
If you want pocket money in idle moments, three sites are worth knowing about: Prolific, which pays cash for academic and market research studies; Swagbucks, which pays in points across surveys, videos, shopping and games; and ySense, which combines surveys, offers and small tasks. None of them replaces a job, and none should take more than a small share of your time. If you have a marketable skill, even a modest one, freelancing will almost certainly pay better per hour.
How survey sites really make money
It helps to understand where the money comes from, because it explains why the pay is what it is. Companies, universities and research firms want opinions and behavioural data from particular kinds of people. Survey platforms recruit those people, match them to studies and take a share of what the client pays. You receive a slice of that.
This has two practical consequences. First, your value to the platform depends on how closely your profile matches what buyers want, so you will qualify for some surveys and not others. Second, a survey that pays you a small amount may be worth far more to the buyer, which is why screening questions come first and why disqualifications are common. Our guide to online surveys covers the general mechanics.
Prolific
Prolific is built around research studies, often from universities and academic groups, alongside some commercial work. It describes itself as a platform for researchers, and it applies rules designed to protect participants: it sets a minimum hourly rate that researchers are required to meet, and it pays in cash rather than points or gift cards.
What is good. The pay per hour is generally higher than on most survey sites, and researchers are held to a stated minimum. Taking part is opt-in, so you choose which studies to do and can leave one without penalty. Payment goes to your account as money, which you withdraw through a payment service once you pass a small threshold. The platform also mediates when a payment dispute arises.
What is difficult. Availability is unpredictable. Studies appear when researchers post them and often fill within minutes, so you may go days with nothing. Quality checks matter, and failing attention checks can affect your standing. Researchers can reject submissions, and while the platform mediates, outcomes are not guaranteed. Reports suggest new accounts may face a waiting period, and availability varies by country, so check current conditions before planning around it.
Best suited to people who can check in a few times a day, enjoy research-style tasks and want cash rather than points. It suits students and anyone with flexible time.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a rewards programme rather than a pure survey site. You earn points, called SB, by answering surveys, watching videos, playing games, shopping through partner links and searching. Points are worth roughly a cent each, and you can exchange them for gift cards or cash through a payment service.
What is good. There are many ways to earn, so you are less likely to find nothing to do. It is one of the older, better-known programmes, and it pays out. Shopping cash-back can be worthwhile if you would buy the item anyway.
What is difficult. The hourly return from surveys is typically very low, and independent reviewers who tracked their time reported figures that many people would find discouraging. Being screened out partway through a survey is common, sometimes with little or no credit. Some activities push you towards spending money or signing up for services, which can cancel out the reward. Points may also expire if an account sits inactive, so read the current terms.
Best suited to people who like collecting small rewards across many activities and who will not be tempted to spend to earn. Not suited to anyone looking for reliable hourly income.
ySense
ySense offers surveys, "offers" that involve completing steps for a partner company, small tasks and videos, with several ways to cash out, including payment services and gift cards. It also has a referral scheme.
What is good. The range of activities and payout options is wide, and many users report that cash-outs work as described.
What is difficult. Reviews are mixed. Common complaints include frequent disqualifications after spending time on surveys, slow or automated support responses, occasional account or payment problems and limited options in some regions. The "offers" section deserves particular care, because some require you to hand over personal details, sign up for services or spend money, and the reward may not justify it.
Best suited to people who want a range of small ways to earn and who will read the terms of each offer carefully. Not suited to anyone who dislikes screen-outs.
The head-to-head table
| Prolific | Swagbucks | ySense | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main activity | Research studies | Surveys, videos, games, shopping | Surveys, offers, tasks |
| How you are paid | Cash | Points, exchanged for cash or gift cards | Cash or gift cards |
| Typical pay rate | Higher, with a stated minimum | Low | Low to variable |
| Availability | Irregular, limited | Plentiful but low value | Fairly plentiful but frequent screen-outs |
| Main downside | Few studies, fast fill | Very low hourly return | Disqualifications, support complaints |
| Best for | Cash-focused, flexible people | Casual point collectors | Variety seekers who read terms |
What you will actually earn
The honest answer is very little per hour, and it varies with your country, profile and luck. Marketing statements about earning "up to" a certain amount describe the best case, not the typical one. A sensible approach is to time yourself for a couple of weeks and count only the hours spent, including the time lost to screen-outs and waiting for studies. Divide what you earned by that total. Comparing the resulting figure with other options in our list of side hustle ideas usually makes the decision easy.
The data trade-off
Survey sites ask for a lot about you, including your age, household, employment, spending and health habits, because that information is the product. Before signing up, read the privacy policy and consider what you are comfortable sharing. Use a strong, unique password, and consider a separate email address for these sites. Never provide identity documents or financial account details beyond what a legitimate payout genuinely needs. If you are unsure about a particular request, our guide to make-money-online scams lists the signs of a scheme.
Also note that age rules apply. Many sites require you to be an adult or above a certain age, and where teenagers are allowed, parental involvement may be required. Our page on making money online as a teen explains this.
Red flags among survey sites
The honest sites do not charge to join. Be very cautious about any site or "membership" that asks for a registration fee, promises specific daily earnings, says you can "unlock" higher-paying surveys by paying, or sells lists of "the best paying survey companies". These are the typical patterns of pay-to-play schemes, which we cover in our comparison of free and paid ways to make money online.
Getting paid and tax
Check the withdrawal options available in your country, the minimum amount and any fees or currency conversion charges before you start, since these differ and change. Keep a simple record of what you earn, because in many places even small amounts are technically taxable income. Our guide to tracking online income and taxes explains what to record, and a local accountant can tell you the rules where you live.
A sensible way to try them
Sign up for one site at a time and treat the first two weeks as a test. Set a fixed daily time limit so the activity cannot expand to fill your evenings. Track how many surveys you start, how many you complete and what you are paid. After two weeks, decide whether the return justifies continuing, and if it does not, stop without guilt. There is no loyalty reward for persistence on a low-paying activity.
If you want something that pays better per hour but still needs no experience, look at our guides to making money online for free and with no experience.
Checking a site before you sign up
Not every site that pays for surveys or tasks is genuine, and some charge you to join. Before you register, run the offer through our online income scam checker, and never pay a fee to be given survey or task work.
Who this suits, and who it doesn't
Survey sites suit people who want small amounts of pocket money in spare moments, who are comfortable sharing some personal data and who can tolerate screen-outs. They are a poor fit for anyone who needs meaningful income, dislikes wasted effort or hopes for a steady schedule.
For a wider view of realistic options, read the complete guide to making money online.
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Frequently asked questions
Are survey sites legitimate?
The established ones are legitimate in the sense that they generally do pay out, but legitimate does not mean lucrative. Earnings per hour are typically low, and you will often be screened out of surveys after starting them. A site that asks you to pay a fee to join, or promises high, guaranteed earnings, is not one of the honest ones.
Which survey site pays the most?
Sites that pay for research studies rather than marketing surveys tend to pay better per hour, and Prolific states a minimum hourly rate that researchers must meet. But availability is limited and irregular, so a higher hourly rate does not translate into a steady income.
Do survey sites sell my data?
They collect a lot of personal information because that information is what makes surveys valuable to the companies paying for them. Read each site's privacy policy, give only what you are comfortable sharing and use a separate email address if you prefer to keep your main inbox clean.
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The editorial team behind How To Make Money Online, responsible for researching, writing, and fact-checking every guide on this site against current platform terms and fees.