Companies are constantly trying to figure out what consumers want. So what if you could get paid to tell them your opinions? That’s the idea behind survey sites. The “best survey sites” are ones that are legit and easy to use. They're also very popular with stay-at-home moms, students, and people who are just looking to get paid from home.

I mean, survey sites can be a great way to side hustle when you need extra cash, and since springtime is just around the corner…we figured it was time to put together an anthology. There are plenty of survey sites out there, so we tested the most popular ones and came up with our five favorites. There’s plenty of variety here so we’re sure you’ll find one that fits your needs!

 

(In Our Opinion) The 7 Best Survey Sites for Side Hustle Cash

 

Swagbucks

1. Swagbucks

If you’ve been on the internet for a while, you’ve probably heard of Swagbucks.  Swagbucks is a site where you can complete tasks to earn the titular Swagbucks (abbreviated SB) which you can then redeem for gift cards. It’s a super simple way to earn some extra cash just for doing things that you would normally do! Signing up is super easy. All you need is your email and a password, or you can sign up with your Facebook account. Go here to sign up.    Below are all the ways you can earn money with Swagbucks.

Shop Online

 

 

One of the easiest ways to earn SB is by shopping online. You’ll have a cash back amount listed on popular stores such as Walmart, Sephora, and JCPenney. There are also a TON of offers for travel sites, so you could earn major rewards just for planning your next vacation!

Another cool way to earn SB is by redeeming Groupon or Living Social offers. Swagbucks will let you know if there are any available offers in your area, and you’ll get points when you purchase. Savings everywhere!

Watch Videos

Did you ever wish you could get paid to watch videos online? Well, it's your lucky day. Swagbucks will aggregate playlists of videos and you can earn points just for watching. And if watching videos isn't really your thing, you can try this pro tip. Just open the playlist, turn the sound off, and minimize the window. Ssh!

Take Surveys

Survey sites are extremely popular and for good reason. Getting paid to give your opinion sounds great doesn’t it? And Swagbucks even takes into account that you won’t qualify for every survey. Even if you don’t qualify you’ll still get 1 SB for your time.

Surveys also usually have higher point values since they take a longer time to complete. This can be a great place to start out if you want to quickly earn one of the lower value gift cards!

Install the SwagButton

And finally, download the SwagButton. It’s an extension that shows you SB offers on participating sites. That way you won’t miss out on points just because you didn’t go through the SwagBucks portal! Super simple, super easy.

 

 

Survey Momma

1. Survey Momma

Survey Momma is a great starter survey site – you’re essentially signing up to a survey aggregator that will send you survey opportunities for focus groups and brand surveys. Be warned though – since Survey Momma is an aggregator, that means that they will send opportunities straight to your inbox. Make sure you are checking your email to receive your surveys! Another note, Survey Momma does not pay you itself. Instead, the company that is conducting the survey will pay you. Survey Momma also lists some of the other top survey sites on the web, which will help you stay busy while you wait for their email opportunities.

Ebates

2. Ebates

Ebates is one of the most popular “survey” sites on the internet, but the truth is it’s more like a rebate site. The way Ebates works is that it gives you a percentage cash back when you shop through their referral links, which is great for the holidays, birthdays, or any other time that you are doing a lot of shopping online.

The only downside to Ebates is that they only pay out 4 times a year – February 15th, May 15th, August 15th, and November 15^th. If you’re looking to make money quick, (like, this spring) it’s probably not ideal, but for those of you that buy almost everything online there’s really no reason not to take advantage of Ebates, especially while you do your seasonal shopping.

 

Signing up for Ebates is incredibly simple. Click here to sign up. All you need is your email and a password, or you can sign up with your Facebook or Google account. After signing up you’ll want to make sure to add your address so Ebates can send you your rebate check! (They also payout via Paypal, which I like = super easy.)

 

In-Store Rebates

Ebates recently started offering In-Store rebate opportunities as well. All you have to do is have your debit or credit card linked to your profile, and then you will get cash back when a qualifying purchase is made.

Download the Ebates Extension

Much like other money-saving tools like Honey or Swagbucks, Ebates has an internet extension! The Ebates extension is great because it sits right on your toolbar and allows you to view your account. You can see what cash back you have pending, as well as new stores offering rebates. It will also apply coupons for you at checkout so you save even more upfront!

Ebates works differently than a lot of online points-based services. Every 3 months you’ll receive either a paper check by mail or a deposit to your linked paypal account. All you need to do is reach over $5.01 in cash back and you’ll get paid!

Why We Like Ebates

It's REAL CASH BACK from stuff you'd already shop for. There's a reason it's one of the most popular platforms out there – they offer good opportunities for cash back and they make payout simple by offering to do it via check or email every quarter. You can track your money in real time, so there's no “did I make anything?” uncertainty like with other cashback websites.

It's also entirely free to use and they don't take out any fees for you to use it. Click here to try out Ebates if you're interested in making a little money on the side or maximizing the amount of cash you use to shop!

Earning Station – (Choo! Choo! Sorry, I couldn't Resist)

3. Earning Station

Earning Station is the truest to the typical survey site – tons of surveys to choose from, their own digital currency, and a pretty good referral program. It can be a little difficult to qualify for surveys, but the sheer number of ones available means that you’re sure to find a way to make money online. The low payout amount is also a plus – instead of having to take hundreds of surveys to reach a high payout limit, you can cash out at as little as $10. Plus you’re able to get points simply by watching videos, which is even easier than taking surveys.

Opinion Network

 

 

4. Opinion Network

 

Opinion Network is a new, user-friendly survey site that customizes survey offers to you based on your age and demographic information. Users can complete up to 10 surveys daily to earn CASH.

One Opinion

5. OneOpinion

This is probably the easiest survey site to get started with. Within minutes of sign up we were already making money! Upon entering in our demographic data we were immediately matched with a survey for $2.50, which isn’t chump change in the online survey world. They offer both gift cards and Paypal as payout options, and you can collect once you’ve amassed 25,000 OneOpinion credits ($25). Within a week we had received a reasonable amount of surveys that were all over $1, meaning it didn’t feel like we were toiling away for just a few cents.

Survey Junkie

 

6. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a newer survey site, but still a great source for making some extra cash! It's a well designed, easy-to-navigate site that offers both your usual survey opportunities as well as focus groups. By completing surveys you earn points, and 1000 points can be exchanged for $10.00 – redeemable to your paypal account or in gift cards. The great thing about Survey Junkie is that their surveys tend to range between 50-450 points per survey, meaning you don't have to complete as many to get paid!

Panel Pay Day

 

7. Panel Pay Day

Panel Pay Day is similar to Survey Momma in that it is an aggregation site – meaning you aren't completing surveys on the site directly, but instead are paired with companies and offers directly. This can mean higher rewards or opportunities for offers from brands you know and love. Just make sure that you're checking your inbox regularly to receive your matches!

Pro Tip: Create a Gmail account just for survey offers so as not to clutter your regular inbox!

 

What are some of your favorite survey sites?