Got some time to kill? Close the YouTube cat videos. You could be making up to $1,000 (£800) a year instead, by taking paid online surveys and testing free products.
online surveys
There are dozens of market research companies recruiting new members from around the world to fill out surveys.
They rely on people like you sharing opinions - from Donald Trump to the latest phone - and offer money and rewards in return.
But be careful! Many aren't legit and never pay out. We've used, reviewed and ranked 25 of the best survey websites that will pay you for your views... 🙂
Every site has a limited number of paid surveys each month per person. To make money doing surveys and earn serious rewards, sign up to as many survey panels as possible. We share more tips at the end of the guide!
Survey sites that really pay
Swagbucks SurveysSwagbucks
A huge variety of ways to earn rewards. Exclusive signup bonus!
Who are they? Swagbucks are the largest and most reliable paid survey site. They've so far paid over $600,000,000 in rewards to members around the world. They offer rewards for playing games, taking offers, searching the web, making online purchases and watching videos!
Rewards: Money, vouchers and prize draws.
Amount per survey: 30 - 150 SB points (100 SB = $1 or £0.77).
Min. reward threshold: 1 SB.
Our review: We love Swagbucks, and we hear positive reviews from our readers about them too. We've found that taking surveys and polls every day provides the highest payout for your time, but there are 11 ways to earn Swagbucks across the site.
Surveys take around 10 minutes to complete, meaning you can earn around £5 an hour ($6.50). Swagbucks also offers users the ability to take surveys from multiple providers and give consolation points when you don't qualify for a survey.
Use our button below to claim an exclusive $/£10 signup bonus. 😀
Sign up to Swagbucks »
Toluna surveysToluna
One of the biggest survey panels with daily online surveys, paid as cash or vouchers.
Who are they? A trusted opinion website working on behalf of leading companies. They want to know what you think about certain products, services and issues. In return, you get rewarded!
Rewards: PayPal payments, Amazon and high-street vouchers.
Amount per survey: 1,200 - 50,000 points (80,000 points gets you a £15 voucher).
Min. reward threshold: 27,000 for vouchers (or just 500 if you want to enter prize draws).
Our review: We've written a full Toluna review but in a nutshell it's very easy to take multiple surveys every day on the site or via the app. Each survey takes around 15 minutes to complete, so it'll take around 4 hours overall to earn a £15 voucher (£3.75 an hour).
Toluna have also recently introduced a games section where you can play and earn!
Sign up to Toluna »
OnepollOnePoll
Exclusive £5 signup bonus.
Who are they? Best known for short, quick surveys about every topic. OnePoll provide surveys to the press and major brands.
Rewards: Cash or PayPal payments.
Amount per survey: 10p - £1.
Min. reward threshold: £40.
Our review: OnePoll were one of the first survey sites in the UK, and they've always got quick and fun surveys to answer. Look out for the surveys about celebs.
Surveys take around 3 minutes so at 20p a survey (average) it'll take around 10 hours to earn £40.
You need to check your account daily for surveys and some users report getting stuck just under the £40 threshold. If this happens you can refer a friend for £4 and then withdraw your earnings.
Use our signup link below for an exclusive £5 signup bonus.
Sign up to OnePoll »
Branded SurveysBranded Surveys
Online community with frequent global market research surveys
Who are they? Previously known as Mintvine, Branded Surveys are popular with survey enthusiasts due to providing a high volume of surveys.
Rewards: Money or gift cards.
Amount per survey: Varies.
Min. reward threshold: $10 (£8).
Our review: One of our personal favourites. Great new website, easy to use and fast paying.
You can also earn ongoing points for referring friends, where you get a percentage of everything they earn.
Sign up to Branded Surveys »
LifePoints logoLifePoints
Surveys on LifePoints will allow you to make £3-5 per hour.
Who are they? Two very popular survey sites, MySurvey and GlobalTestMarket, have merged to form LifePoints.
Rewards: PayPal payments, Amazon and high-street vouchers.
Amount per survey: ~£1.
Min. reward threshold: 550 points (£5).
Our review: Another one worth signing up for. We got lots of surveys sent from these guys, and they tend to match your profile and interests as a consumer.
The average survey takes about 15 minutes to complete, and gives you 100 points. So you could earn around £3-£5/hour.
Register below and wait for them to send you some surveys and start earning immediately!
Sign up to LifePoints »
IPSOS i-Say survey sitesi-Say (IPSOS)
Make £10+ a month.
Who are they? One of the largest (and best paying) survey-based market research companies around, working with trusted brands and research companies worldwide.
Rewards: High-street and Amazon Vouchers, plus prize draws for all members.
Amount per survey: ~£1.
Min. reward threshold: £10.
Our review: A well-trusted panel. They send you surveys every week to answer by email. The reward threshold is relatively low, and most people will be able to cash out in under 10 surveys.
Sign up to i-Say »
inboxpounds logoInboxPounds
Quite an unconventional survey website but that’s why students love it. Get paid to play games and search the web too! Free signup bonus.
Who are they? Also known as InboxDollars in the US, this established community rewards you for activities beyond paid surveys.
Rewards: Money and vouchers.
Amount per survey: 20p - £1.
Min. reward threshold: £20.
Our review: If you're looking for a little variation, InboxPounds makes earning money online a little more interesting.
You can choose whether to take surveys, earn cashback, play games, read emails or search the web in return for cash.
You can currently get a bonus just for signing up, so not much to lose. Just be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach the minimum payout.
Sign up to InboxPounds »
Fancy extra money for testing real products? We've also reviewed the best product testing companies.
TRP SurveysTRP Surveys
A chance to shape the future of TV and radio.
Who are they? A site running surveys about TV and media in the UK.
Rewards: Amazon voucher, or charity/community group donations.
Amount per survey: 12.5p - £5
Min. reward threshold: £5
Our review: This is a decent UK only survey site as they offer quick daily surveys about what you watched yesterday for 12.5p and regular bonus surveys about TV related topics for between 25p - £5 (depending on how long they take you).
As an added bonus they sometimes offer the opportunity for panellists to watch and give feedback on brand new programmes which are being tested.
Sign up to TRP Surveys »
Opinion-OutpostOpinion Outpost
One of the lowest payout thresholds.
Who are they? Opinion Outpost have shot up in popularity due to fast payouts and fun surveys.
Rewards: Money and Amazon Vouchers.
Amount per survey: 50p
Min. reward threshold: £2.50
Our review: If you want to make quick money, this is the survey site you need to sign up for. You only need to take 5 surveys to be due a payout and they take around 10-15 minutes each.
Sign up to Opinion Outpost »
PanelOpinion SurveysPanel Opinion
Low payout threshold.
Who are they? Panel Opinion are one of the most popular online survey sites in 2020.
Rewards: Money.
Amount per survey: 50p - £4.
Min. reward threshold: £10.
Our review: The surveys usually take around 10-15 minutes to complete and you can even make up to £4 for a single survey sometimes.
They pay out in cash and have a low payout threshold of just £10.
Sign up to Panel Opinion »
Pinecone research SurveysPinecone Research
£3 per survey, invite only.
Who are they? Pinecone are an exclusive survey and product testing company, currently invite only.
Rewards: £3 per completed survey, free products to test and keep.
Amount per survey: £3.
Min. reward threshold: £3.
Our review: Pinecone is the Holy Grail of survey sites and invites are rare so it's well worth signing up while we have some invites on offer. The payout is huge and surveys don't take too long to complete.
Note: There's no guarantee they'll be open to new registrations at any one time, but we try to arrange a limited number for our readers each month. Check the link below. If we don't, join our newsletter for updates! 🙂
Sign up to Pinecone »
Yougov SurveysYouGov
Earn 50p per survey.
Who are they? This is a little different to others, focusing more on social issues and general interest topics. YouGov polls include topics such as politics, public affairs and commercial products. Great if you have big opinions!
Rewards: Money and prize draws.
Amount per survey: 50p - £3.
Min. reward threshold: £50.
Our review: YouGov is one of the more interesting sites to sign up to because of the kinds of surveys they conduct. Most are on current issues that are in the news and they encourage you to express your views.
Surveys can take up to 30 minutes but are not always that frequent. We received one or two a fortnight, so it can take a few months to hit the threshold. However, you get £1 just for joining and if you get your friends to sign up too you can quickly get lots more points and cash!
Sign up to YouGov »
PanelbasePanelBase
Earn £3 just for signing up!
Who are they? PanelBase isn't your average survey site. They don't inundate you with surveys, but the ones they do send are very well paid and relevant to you!
Rewards: Money, vouchers and prize draws.
Amount per survey: 50p - £10 (avg. ~£1.50).
Min. reward threshold: £10.
Our review: £3 just for signing up to a survey site is a bit of a no-brainer... The surveys pay out higher than the industry average too which gives you the opportunity to earn some good money!
However they do select their survey respondents very carefully so you may be sent slightly less opportunities than other sites. Just make sure you fully complete your profile to give yourself the best chance.
Sign up to PanelBase »
Hiving-SurveysHiving
Good referral scheme.
Who are they? Hiving run online surveys on behalf of leading brands.
Rewards: Money.
Amount per survey: ~50p
Min. reward threshold: £4
Our review: Hiving reward you around 50 points per minute when completing surveys and you can withdraw as soon as you reach 4000 points (£4).
They also reward users for referring friends and give you points even if you are declined for a survey.
Sign up to Hiving »
vopinions-logoValued Opinions
£10 voucher per hour.
Who are they? Valued Opinions are part of a larger market research group. They send out online surveys to members whose profiles match broad demographics and requirements.
Rewards: Vouchers (inc. Amazon, M&S, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis).
Amount per survey: £1 - £5.
Min. reward threshold: £10.
Our review: They use your profile to send you only relevant surveys to take part in.
The surveys are usually quite interesting and can take anything from 10-30 minutes each, so within just one hour you could bag yourself a £10 voucher.
Sign up to Valued Opinions »
Survey BodsSurvey Bods
£3 upon sign up and profile completion.
Who are they? SurveyBods work with top companies that want your opinion.
Rewards: Money, Amazon vouchers and prize draws.
Amount per survey: 50p - £3
Min. reward threshold: £15
Our review: The surveys usually take around 10 minutes and are pretty easy to complete. You have to be as honest as possible as they have a "strike system". 3 bad surveys and you're out (we like to see it as a challenge).
They're a well trusted site that work with top brands and well worth joining through our link for a £3 cash bonus when signing up. Make sure you complete your profile too. Plus their site is a lot more snazzy than a lot of the others...
Sign up to Survey Bods »
PrizeRebelPrizeRebel
£2 minimum reward threshold.
Who are they? PrizeRebel is a GetPaidTo site that features surveys quite heavily.
Rewards: Paypal cash or giftcards.
Amount per survey: 50p - £20
Min. reward threshold: £2
Our review: This is a great survey site if you're looking for a quick and low payout as you only need 200 points to claim a £2 Amazon voucher.
You can usually earn around 20 points for a 10 minute survey so make sure you look out for other opportunities to earn points too, such as completing offers and watching videos.
Sign up to PrizeRebel »
Opinion BureauOpinion Bureau
£5 bonus upon sign up.
Who are they? A relatively new survey site with some interesting polls.
Rewards: Money or vouchers.
Amount per survey: £1 - £10
Min. reward threshold: £10
Our review: Whilst not a real top level survey site, Opinion Bureau is a good option for making a little extra money.
Sign up to Opinion Bureau »
Maru VoiceMaru Voice
Chance to win £1,000 when you sign up.
Who are they? They provide information to government bodies and not-for-profit organisations among others.
Rewards: Paypal cash or giftcards.
Amount per survey: £1 - £10
Min. reward threshold: £10
Our review: This very popular company from Canada has now opened up a UK survey site and it's great.
There aren't loads of surveys to answer but the ones that come through tend to offer a decent opportunity to earn money. The questions are more interesting than other survey sites too so it keeps you engaged.
Sign up to Maru Voice »
MindmoverMindMover
Interesting online surveys on consumer products
Who are they? MindMover allow you to share your opinions on everything from food to public transport.
Rewards: Money.
Amount per survey: 50p - £1.50.
Min. reward threshold: £20.
Our review: MindMover is a decent option but it can take a while to build up the points as surveys are sometimes few and far between.
It takes around 15 minutes to take each survey.
Sign up to MindMover »
Prolific Academic LogoProlific Academic
Good money if you give quality answers.
Who are they? They provide data for academics and researchers at many top universities and companies.
Rewards: Money.
Amount per survey: £1-£10.
Min. reward threshold: £20 with no fee.
Our review: Prolific Academic is a high-end survey site which means that you have to really focus on giving good answers in order to keep a high score. If you drop below a certain level you'll be screened out of a lot of surveys.
However, with big effort comes big rewards. Surveys tend to take around 45 minutes and can payout as much as £10. If you can hit the sweet spot with this survey site you could make some good money.
And if you’re looking for the best paid survey websites in the UK, this one is potentially one of the highest, so we'd definitely recommend giving it a go.
Sign up to Prolific Academic »
iPolliPoll
Mobile compatibility & multiple payout opportunities.
Who are they? iPoll used to be called Survey Heads and are a US based company.
Rewards: Money, vouchers & magazine subscriptions.
Amount per survey: 40p - £1.70
Min. reward threshold: £20
Our review: It will take you around 15 minutes to take a survey but the range of rewards are decent.
The only downside is that the amount of available surveys tends to be quite low.
Sign up to iPoll »
Opinion-Panel-CommunityThe OpinionPanel Community
Members get £10 just for signing up.
Who are they? They are the UK’s largest research panel for anyone aged 13-30. They offer interesting surveys and online focus groups for big brands and universities, with their research often reaching the media spotlight!
Rewards: Amazon and high-street vouchers.
Amount per survey: 50p-£4 per survey, £30 - £50 for online focus groups.
Min. reward threshold: £25
Our review: The OpinionPanel Community are a trusted site and their surveys take around 10 minutes to complete. The majority of surveys tend to pay out around £1-2.
There is also mobile compatibility so you can take surveys on the go.
Sign up to OpinionPanel »
Populus-LogoPopulusLive
Earn £1 for every 5 mins.
Who are they? They are a big UK survey site who provide stats to the press and current affairs programmes.
Rewards: Money.
Amount per survey: ~£2.
Min. reward threshold: 50 points (£50).
Our review: PopulusLive offer a decent payout, however it can take some time to reach the threshold and surveys run out quickly once they have enough respondents.
It's essential that you fill in your profile fully to get the maximum number of surveys. You also have to be very careful with your answers as they have quality checks in place to make sure you aren't cheating or rushing through.
Sign up to PopulusLive »
NewVista Survey SiteNew Vista Live
Earn £100 per year and £5 just for joining.
Who are they? A leading marketing research company who have chosen to conduct surveys online rather than traditional cold-calling and so on.
Rewards: Money and prize draws.
Amount per survey: Around £1 a survey.
Min. reward threshold: £50.
Our review: NewVista offers users cash for completing surveys where 100 points = £1. For some, it can take a while to reach the £50 threshold but the surveys usually take just 15 minutes (so ~£4/hour) and they pay well.
Make sure you answer questions honestly as NewVista are known for chucking in a few red herrings to make sure you're actually thinking rather than speeding through.
