I Spent 10 Hours Answering Surveys For Money – Here’s How Much I Made
I talk about online surveys a lot on WebMonkey. And if you research ways to earn money online, they're an incredibly common recommendation.
However, there can be massive differences in how much some survey sites pay. And while many sites claim to pay $5 to $10 or even more per survey, a lot of this isn't true. In reality, many sites out there pay less than this.
And that's why I decided to get to the bottom of this side hustle by spending 10 hours answering surveys for money.
In this experiment, I tested out some leading survey sites to make as much money as possible. Now, I'm going to reveal how much I made, some of the main takeaways, and how to make the most money possible if you get into this type of hustle.
Let's get to it!
My 10 Hour Survey Experiment
I spent a day answering surveys online for 10 hours straight. My goal was to see how much money I could make and how legitimate this side hustle idea is. And I documented the entire thing on my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6cCosbcHpI
Spoiler: I made $15.90 during this 10 hour test. This works out to about $1.59 per hour, which is well below minimum wage and a pretty abysmal result if I'm being honest.
I split my time between a few survey sites for this test, including two popular ones: Swagbucks and InboxDollars and one less popular site, Grindabuck.
I'm familiar with these sites from my phone farming experiment back in college. In fact, I've cashed out dozens of times with Swagbucks and Grindabuck in the past, so I had pretty high expectations.
However, frequent survey disqualifications, low-paying surveys, and some surveys not crediting points properly were ultimately the reason I didn't make much money.
Swagbucks seems like it doesn't work as well for me these days. I still think it's a great platform, and a lot of people I know cash out with it regularly though. But all three sites weren't paying me too much on this particular day that I tested them.
How To Make More Money With Online Surveys
I've tested out dozens of survey websites and get-paid-to sites over the last 5+ years. And while my 10 hour experiment was pretty lackluster, I've still made thousands of dollars with these sites over the years.
So, I'm going to cover some tips and tricks you can use to make as much money with this hustle if you decide to give it a go.
1. Use The Best Sites
There's a massive difference in pay and rewards when it comes to survey websites. So, it's important to use the highest-paying survey sites and to avoid ones that are scams if you actually want to get paid.
Some survey apps and sites I've had the most success with over the years include:
I also made a video where I share other high-paying sites you can use, including options like Prolific and Prizerebel.
Ultimately, I think sticking with a core group of these sites gives you the best chance of success. And in my experience, you can make about $4 to $6 per hour with the sites I've listed above.
2. Use A Separate Email Address
Using a different email address is an easy way to make more money with this hustle. This is because survey companies often email you with bonus opportunities or when new, high-paying surveys become available. And by having a different email address, you ensure you don't miss out on any of these offers.
I didn't do this with my 10 hour experiment above, and this is one of several mistakes I made throughout the day.
3. Take Advantage Of Sign Up Bonuses & Referral Programs
Speaking of bonuses, a lot of survey companies have nice sign up bonuses you can use to hit the ground running.
In my 10 hour experiment, I actually got a nice $5 sign up bonus from InboxDollars. But you can often find $1 and even $10 bonuses from some of the top sites in the space.
Additionally, many companies also have cash referral bonuses that pay you for inviting other people to join. This is one way I've made thousands of dollars by promoting these sites to some friends and readers of WebMonkey.
If you have a large social following, these bonuses can add up quickly. And even inviting a few of your friends to join can mean you all get some bonus cash.
4. Keep Testing New Sites
If my experiment proved anything, it's that popular sites won't always work for everyone. Plus, new companies and money-making apps release all the time, so there's always something new to try.
In my experience, it's good to have a core group of 3 to 5 sites that are the main platforms you use. But stay up to date with the industry and keep testing out new apps and sites as they're released to find more opportunities.
You can also check out Reddit Beermoney for breaking news and updates in the survey and reward app space. This is how I've found lots of earning opportunities in the past, and members share how much they've made with different platforms.
Are Online Surveys Worth It?
In my opinion, online surveys are worth using if you want a flexible and easy online side hustle you can do in your spare time. This is the kind of gig you can use to make some money while you watch TV, or while you're on your morning commute on the bus.
In contrast, online surveys definitely aren't worth using if you want to make a full-time online income.
Survey websites aren't online jobs. These are just a source of extra pocket money, and the most you can usually make is about $4 to $6 per hour with the best sites.
In my experience, it also pays to stack survey sites with similar gigs, like microtask websites or passive income apps. With a bit of effort, this combination means you can usually make an extra $10 to $50 a month, or even more, without too much effort.
What Do Other People Think?
I posted the results of my 10 hour survey experiment to Reddit to see what my fellow side hustlers think. And it really seems like people are split into two camps: people who love this hustle and people who think it's a waste of time.
A lot of the feedback I got told me I used the wrong sites. People suggest using sites like Prolific and Amazon MTurk. Some people also said Swagbucks is better than my test would make it seem, which I know is true from my past results.
Some users also suggested looking into focus groups, website-testing gigs, or other ways to make money online besides surveys.
Ultimately, it seems like plenty of people still make decent money in the paid survey world. But as mentioned, don't forget to check out other opportunities and to keep testing different hustles.
Final Thoughts
After testing out surveys for 10 hours to make money online, my experiment was a pretty epic fail. And even though I've had success with sites like Swagbucks in the past, today just wasn't my day.
I think this ultimately highlights the nature of this side hustle. Some days, you might make decent money, and some days, things might be a bit slower.
I still think online surveys have their place in a side hustle stack. After all, these sites were one of the main ways I made money during college.
That said, consider the opportunity cost of using these sites. And if you want to make a full-time income or thousands of dollars a month, don't bother with answering surveys.
Thanks for reading!
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