Paid survey sites

Below are the results of our attempt to spend an hour a day at each site for five consecutive days. Some days, for several sites, there are not enough surveys to fill an hour. (We didn't factor this time into our total review time.)


We've listed these US sites by average hourly earnings in 2017, from highest to lowest.


1. OneOpinion


Average Earning: $2.03 per hour


The site is a survey aggregator with an efficient selection process. Its dashboard is informative and displays useful sections such as your events and customer support forms. The site was above average in our eligible selection surveys. When it comes to points earned per survey, 500 or 1,000 points might seem high at first, but when converted into actual rewards, you'll earn 50 cents or $1. Additionally, you cannot cash out until you reach 25,000 points (equivalent to $25). Find out more in our OneOpinion review.

2. Survey Junkie


Average Earning: $1.57 per hour


The site is a smaller survey aggregator, but it stands out. The site has a clean and easy to use dashboard and gives you a high score for every survey you complete. The points system is simple and shows you how many dollars your points are worth on the dashboard. But you must reach 500 points to cash out. See our Survey Addicts review for more information.


3. Opinion OutPost


Average Earning: $1.50 per hour


Some survey sites bombard users with information and opportunities, but Opinion Outpost does not. Its simple and intuitive website allows us to answer survey after survey without thinking. As beginners, we also appreciate the site's simple points system, which is 10 cents per point. On top of that, we actually made some money. We average $1.50 per hour on Opinion Outpost and are able to cash out on Amazon. For more, check out our Opinion Outpost review.


4. i-say


Average Earning: $1.01 per hour


This website provides surveys only through Ipsos, the market research company that owns the website. The site offers fewer surveys than aggregators, but you stay on i-Say each time you complete a survey, which makes the overall experience easier. Sometimes it shows surveys you've already tried, which is confusing. For more information, see the i-Say review.


5. MyPoints


Average Earning: $1.01 per hour


The site offers 75 survey opportunities, the most of any site we tested. But he also had the lowest pass rate at 9.33% and a low average hourly wage rate. In addition, the reasons for disqualification from the survey are often unclear. At one point we were disqualified after being asked to write the word "purple". (Yes, we spelled it right.) Check out our full MyPoints review.


6. Swag Bucks


Average Earning: $0.89 per hour


The site offers many opportunities for investigation, but disqualifications are not uncommon. Sometimes we are disqualified just because we clicked on a survey link. Swagbucks aggregates third-party surveys, so some sites it sends you are better than others. Earning points takes a long time, but the site's extensive rewards marketplace offers hundreds of options, including gift cards, sweepstakes, and PayPal payments. Check out our full Swagbucks review.


7. Toluna


Average Earning: $0.71 per hour


Unlike many other sites, Toluna allows users to choose their survey topics, such as electronics or travel, which makes the job more fun. However, this advantage does not compensate for his low salary. After converting the points to cash, we only earned 71 cents per hour, one of the lowest of any site we tested. Our five hours of points is not enough to redeem the cheapest gift card. Read more in our Toluna review.


8. InboxDollars


Average Earning: $0.41 per hour


New users will receive a $5 bonus after confirming their email address with InboxDollars. But that doesn't make up for the meager hourly earnings we made when we took the survey — 41 cents, the lowest of the 12 sites we tested. Sometimes, instead of sending us surveys, the site directs us to promotions that require our address, phone number, and date of birth. Read our InboxDollars review.


What you need to know if you're taking an online survey


Even with the drawbacks of online surveys, some may still find surveys an attractive option. After all, there is no barrier to entry and it can be done anywhere with an internet connection.


After 55 hours of collective investigation, our recommendations are as follows:


Don't share too much. If you are asked for your social security number, bank account number, or driver's license number, please exit the survey. Velasquez suggested "intentionally" sharing other private information with investigative sites. Answering questions about TV commercials may be fine, but providing medical information may not be worth the risk.


Create an email address just for the survey site. Most survey sites send us several emails a day. Signing up for these sites with a separate email address prevents survey offers from cluttering your primary inbox.


Install anti-malware software. We recommend this step if a survey site directs you to a third-party client that sends spam.


Take a rest. We often go through lengthy inquiry processes with our faces glued to our computer screens. To prevent eye strain, the American Optometric Association recommends the 20/20/20 rule: pause for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, then look 20 feet away.