9 Insanely High Paying Survey Sites That Pay More Than Some Jobs
by Admin Joe
updated – Apr 28th 2020
Which are the highest paying survey sites? As a keen survey taking bad-ass, this is a question that I’ve always wanted to know.
I’ve been making money from online paid surveys for a good few years now. In that time I have experienced things that have worked, and things that haven’t.
Therefore, I have compiled my personal list of the very best paid survey websites I have found. They are also panels that I currently use too.
In descending order, I’ve mostly focused my attention on finding survey panels that will reward you the most money for your time. That’s what it all comes down to right? Hard cash.
The best strategy I have discovered is to only use the very best survey panels. You can then ignore the not so good ones. I know what you’re thinking. “Well duh! That’s common sense. Why do I need you to tell me that?“
Think about it this way. You will want your pay-per-hour can be as high as it can possibly be for this line of work. This is the same train of thought you would use for any other job. If you can combine the best survey panels then you can make much more money than you originally first thought.
You can also kick the low paying survey websites to the curb. There will likely be more generous ones out there which are much more worthy of your time.
As of writing, the national minimum wage in the UK for under 18’s is £4.05 per hour. This isn’t much to write home about I agree, but here’s the thing. Some paid survey panels offer up a higher pay per hour than even this. Remarkable isn’t it?
Here’s something else. You dear reader might not be old enough yet for a real day job yet (or maybe I’m dead wrong about that). This is one of the big reasons why I believe paid surveys are ideal for teenagers and young people. Although, pretty much any age group can take part too if they want to.
The majority of these survey websites are UK based. For this reason, you will need to check if you can become a member depending on which country you reside in. Enough talk, let’s do this!
9. Viewsbank
This company has been around since 2003. As a matter of fact, this panel has an active community of people who you can meet and talk to. You can make comments about polls and start debates with other members.
There is no need to click a button to prompt a payout. The money will always be sent to your PayPal account automatically. It requires no action on your part so it’s one less thing to think about.
Viewsbank will normally compensate you with a smaller reward if you are ever screened out of an assignment. Most other paid survey panels don’t do this so you can be thankful that your work hasn’t been for nothing.
It’s possible to also earn extra money through answering trending and admin polls. The daily admin polls will earn you 10p just for answering one question. I make a habit of doing this every day as it’s very easy money.
In addition, there is the opportunity to create a poll of your very own too. If you’re lucky enough for your poll to trend then you will receive £10 for your efforts.
Try to think of a really original and interesting poll idea. If all goes well, this will improve your chances of Viewsbank picking you. It might be smart to pick a subject relevant to current affairs and new trends.
Another outlet for income is the referral program that they run. All you have to do is send the referral link to your friends to click. You could make between 10p – £5 for each friend that signs up and participates.
Not only this, but occasionally they display research projects and mystery shopping assignments. These tasks offer even higher rewards.
Pay – 40p for a 5 minute survey (approx. £4 per hour)
Rewards – PayPal
Minimum Payout – £12
Frequency of Work – a few surveys per month
Sign up HERE!
8. YouGov
There is a sign up bonus of £1 up for grabs when you register. If you take advantage of the referral link you will also earn £2 for each person referred. Although, the referred party will need to sign up and then also complete 6 surveys before this can happens.
The glaring advantage of this site is that you will never be screened out of a survey. This is a big plus in my book (we all know how annoying not qualifying for a survey is).
This means that you won’t be wasting your time completing half a survey with no reward at the end of it. How awesome is that!? In addition, it’s the only paid survey site I can think of that has this feature.
Almost all of the surveys are between 5-15 minutes long. Sometimes the panel will choose to publish the results of surveys and polls in national newspapers. Look out for this.
The statistics from this panel are prominent in many UK media outlets. I’ve even seen surveys that I’ve completed in the past used in this way first hand. People take these findings very seriously especially in regards to politics.
Just to clarify, you need to be over 16 in order to participate. In some ways it is sort of like a social media website. This is because you can follow people and other people can also follow you. There is also an app available for mobile and tablet users.
If you really want to, you can use the points that you accumulate to enter a prize draw. You would then have the chance to win a top prize of £2,000.
In my opinion, I don’t think this is worth doing. For instance, I would rather build up my points to withdraw guaranteed cash. This has to be better than gambling on something I would only have a slim chance of winning anyway. However, this is entirely your decision.
Pay – 50 points / 50p for a 10 minute survey (approx. £3 per hour)
Rewards – bank transfer
Minimum Payout – £50
Frequency of Work – a few times per week
Sign up HERE!
7. Branded Surveys (formerly MintVine)
You will get plenty of paid surveys anyway. Although, if you are at a loose end then Branded Surveys has features including:
- survey street
- points place
- rewards road
These provide a constant supply of surveys where there normally wouldn’t be. This is my go to whenever I’m lacking survey invitations from any panel in my email inbox.
Branded Surveys will reward you with 200 points just for registering. The panel will usually compensate you with a small amount of consolation money for trying. Usually, around 5 points if you get screened out. This is a benefit as you won’t be wasting time on a survey for no money.
You shouldn’t try to take advantage of this system. Some people will do this by deliberately screening themselves out of paid surveys. This is in the hope of getting the quick consolation points. They will then repeat the process over and over again.
If you get caught out then Branded Surveys could be suspend or ban you from the panel.
Also, they run a daily poll which rewards you with around 5 points for each answer. You will earn 25 bonus points if you complete a streak of 10 consecutive polls. The streak bonus encourages you to participate regularly which I do and I recommend you do the same.
They will give you points for downloading or signing up to different brands on their offer wall. Some of these are free trials too so it could be worth your time. Make sure to check in regularly. It’s handy if you were planning on buying something on the offer wall anyway.
I find it especially useful for grocery shopping. They have offers with supermarkets for when shopping for food.
They go above and beyond with their referral programme. You will make 50 points when each of your referred friends completes their first paid survey.
Not only this, but you will also earn 15% of every survey and offer they ever complete. This means you will be earning money for a long time if you manage to refer loyal members.
You can post the invitation link wherever you please, this includes:
- blogs and websites
- social media
Your completed surveys will be classified as ‘pending‘ until they can properly review them for quality. Moreover, the panel will then label them as ‘approved‘ or ‘rejected‘ afterwards.
This is an American survey site so the currency will display in US dollars. Then it will convert into the relevant currency of your choosing through PayPal after you cash out. I don’t reside in the US and I’ve never had any problems when cashing out. There is no cause for concern here.
If you want to interact with other members then Branded Surveys has forums for that very purpose. You should be able to get help there if you are struggling.
This panel has a solid 4 star rating on trustpilot which is encouraging.
Pay – varies
Rewards – PayPal, gift cards/vouchers
Minimum Payout – $10
Frequency of Work – daily
Sign up HERE!
6. NewVista
This is a very good survey website which I recently found. It fell under my radar for a long time for some reason but I’m glad I discovered it.
This panel requires you to be 16 or over and a UK citizen in order to join.
You might notice that some of your surveys aren’t being recorded as complete after you finish them. Don’t worry about this because there is a delay with certain paid surveys. This normally depends on whether the survey you’ve taken is hosted on site or with another survey panel.
New Vista will usually manually adjust your points balance at the end of each month. If you notice a sudden surge of points then this is why.
If you get screened out of a survey then you will be pre-entered in to a competition. You will be in the running to win one of two £250 prizes.
In addition, the panel will normally confirm by email if you have won. You will then receive your reward by check. You can also check who the winners are on their social media accounts and on the main website too.
This panel will welcome you generously by giving you a £5 bonus just for signing up. Once you pass the payment threshold, they will send your £50 check. This will go to your home address at the end of the month without having to do anything.
Pay – 50 points / 50p for a 5 minute survey (approx. £4 per hour)
Rewards – PayPal
Minimum Payout – £50
Frequency of Work – almost daily except for most weekends
Sign up HERE!
5. SurveyBods
You can influence how organisations and brands do business when you use this survey panel. They work alongside companies such as:
In a lot of ways, SurveyBods is very similar to Panelbase but with less paid survey invites sadly.
Every month, members who are active will enter in to a prize draw. Additionally, you will be welcome to participate in online community activities. These reap even bigger rewards if you take part.
The most popular payment method is bank transfer. This can take anywhere between 2 to 3 weeks to complete.
One unique aspect is the fact that they will incentivize you for completing profiler surveys. Most other panels wouldn’t normally do this. Profile surveys like this just tell the panel about you personally. They will then know which paid surveys to invite you to. This is a really simple way to make quick points.
They will choose to reward loyal members with statuses including:
- bronze
- silver
- gold
- platinum
- diamond
These are all dependent on how many paid surveys you complete which is a nice little touch. I always find it interesting to see where I place among other participants. It adds a sense of achievement too. You can compete against other members to see who can accomplish the best rank.
SurveyBods also has a strike system. This means that if you break the rules 3 times then the panel will likely suspend or maybe even ban you completely. This can mean things such as:
- failing quality control checks
- rushing through surveys
- dishonesty
Pay – 40p for a 5 minute survey (approx. £4 per hour)
Rewards – PayPal, vouchers/gift cards
Minimum Payout – £15
Frequency of Work – weekly
Sign up HERE!
4. Panelbase
This is a very decent survey site which offers a wide range of paid surveys of varying lengths on a regular basis. There are many ways you can take surveys with Panelbase. You can do this through:
- focus groups
- phone
- text
Surveys that you complete are classified as ‘pending‘ before the Panelbase team reviews them one by one.
You will get a £3 sign up bonus right after you join. Correspondingly, it has a referral and affiliate program if you’re looking for an extra stream of income from them. This works by emailing your friends and then they will need to click the link. You will make 20p each time one of your friends signs ups.
If you get the opportunity to do a telephone survey then this usually takes up to 10 minutes to complete. These are normally higher paying than the standard internet surveys. The panel’s very own professional researchers will conduct the phone interview.
Sometimes they will play an audio file over the phone line for you to listen to as part of the survey. Then you will review what you’ve heard and answer follow-up questions.
The SMS surveys will be short and will only consist of a smattering of questions. You don’t have to worry about any expenses as sending and receiving these texts won’t cost you a penny. The survey panel won’t send you spam messages either as a result of taking part.
They will usually arrange high paying focus group sessions within hotels or similar locations. They should be over and done with in under an hour and half. Panelbase will reward you with £20-50 for taking part. There may also be food and drink available at the venue.
You will have to go to a venue for product tests just like focus groups. Product testing will take 15-60 minutes and you will earn £2-20.
Postal surveys are simple to complete. They will mail it to you to fill in and you return it in the pre-paid envelope that they will provide. Like I said, it won’t cost you a thing to mail it back. Don’t take too long as there is usually a deadline for returns.
Panelbase is part of Dipstick Research Limited which made its start all the way back in 1997. This panel is only available to UK citizens as it stands and you have to be 16 years or older to register. Your input will influence organisations such as:
The monthly prize draw comprises of a variety of cash prizes and other goods. You will earn an entry into the competition every time the panel screens you out of a survey. They also grant you entry by participating in the mini polls.
There is a page on the website to check to see if you are a winner or not. Although, they will get in touch directly if you have won anyway.
If trust is a concern for you then it should reassure you to know about their impressive rating on trustpilot. This is partly what swayed me when I first signed up. In addition, they stick closely to the MRS code of conduct and the Data Protection Act 1998.
Pay – 40p for a 5 minute survey (approx. £4 per hour)
Rewards – BACS, vouchers/gift cards, charity
Minimum Payout – £10
Frequency of Work – almost daily except for most weekends
Sign up HERE!
3. OnePoll
This survey site isn’t the best for big rewards. Although, to make up for that it offers quick, easy and fun surveys. You can complete these almost everyday. There usually aren’t any new surveys available during weekends though. The pay can range anywhere from 10p – 50p per survey.
On the contrary, it may take you a while until you can withdraw. This is taking into account how low the survey rewards are and how high the payment threshold is but it is worth it.
One small annoyance that I have picked up on with OnePoll are the occasions when you get timed out of paid surveys. This usually only happens if you stop completing a survey on a question and are inactive for a few minutes.
If you leave it for too long then the survey will reset back to the beginning, losing all your progress. This is especially frustrating if it happens towards the end of a particularly long paid survey. The only way to really prevent this is to stay focused and complete the survey all in one sitting.
This is such a minor flaw in reality. It doesn’t really take away from how great the rest of this survey panel is so don’t allow it to put you off.
This panel works with organisations such as:
To give you a head start, you the panel will give you a £2.50 incentive just for signing up. You also have the chance to refer people by email as an extra earner. They will reward you 50p per person you successfully refer.
When that person reaches £20 then you will earn an extra £1. Furthermore, when that person goes even further and accumulates £40, then you will make £2.50 extra. In essence, the longer the person sticks with the panel the more profitable it will be for you.
Pay – 10p for a 1 minute survey (approx. £6 per hour)
Rewards – PayPal, BACS
Minimum Payout – £40
Frequency of Work – daily except for most weekends
Sign up HERE!
2. Pinecone Research
This high paying site almost made my number one. Although, it is a survey company that is notoriously difficult to sign up to which I know all too well.
They seem to be very picky about who they want as members. You may need to wait until someone else invites you to join. This seems a little mean but that’s just how it is.
Alternatively, you could search online via forums and other sites. You might be lucky enough to find an invitation that way.
Not only is the pay impressive, you also get the opportunity to test and try out free products. They will send these items to your home address. Moreover, this could be anything from cleaning products to food/drinks. More often than not you will get to keep the item too.
Pinecone Research will not always guarantee you a free product every time. There are normally lots of survey participants. This means they only have a limited number that they can to dish out.
When you test out a product, you are influencing whether or not it will make it on to the supermarket shelf or not. The power is in the palm of your hands.
This panel is particularly strict about the confidentiality of the products in their surveys. You have to agree to not share information if you want to take part. However, you can let other people help you test some products. This is fine as long as they are a member of your household.
The majority of these paid surveys will take 15-20 minutes to complete. The minimum payment threshold is fairly low. This is considering that it should only take you 1 or 2 surveys to reach the cheapest reward. The payment and redemption process will usually each take 3-5 business days on average so be patient.
They will occasionally send you a survey with unpaid household questions to answers. These are just profiler questions to keep your information up to date. They can hopefully send you more paid surveys relevant to you this way.
Be very careful that you aren’t inactive for too long. This is because any remaining points that you accumulate will expire after 12 months of no survey activity.
Pay – 300 points / £3 for a 15 minute survey (approx. £9 per hour)
Rewards – PayPal, vouchers/gift cards, catalogue
Minimum Payout – £3
Frequency of Work – a few surveys per month
Sign up HERE!
1. Populus Live
This is the best and highest paying survey site that I have discovered so far. It is consequently my favorite panel by a country mile. In summary, I love it!
The generosity of this site is staggering in comparison to most other survey companies. Well, the vast majority of panels apart from Pinecone Research (which I mentioned previously). You will need to be over 16 and a citizen of the UK if you want to join.
Surveys cover all sorts of social issues. Your opinions will go towards helping governments and other organisations. The media will also make use of your answers in the form of statistics. This could be in a newspaper or TV show.
You can tell that many people trust this company as there are more than enough positive reviews around. There is even a testimonials section on the website.
Survey rewards range from £1 – £5. Despite this, the only real downside is the fact that you only get a small handful of survey invites each month. It should take you 2-3 months to meet the minimum payout requirement.
If they disqualify you from a paid survey then you will gain an entry into the monthly prize draw. The reward is a check for £250.
They will only count certain surveys as complete after the survey closes. You might have to wait days, weeks or even months for the panel to clear and verify it.
The panel will process the checks at the start of each month. You will need to first reach 50 points during the prior month though. The only payment method they offer is a check. This is a little inconvenient at times for the people who would prefer an online option.
Pay – 1 point / £1 for a 5 minute survey (approx. £9 per hour)
Rewards – Check
Minimum Payout – £50
Frequency of Work – a few surveys per month
Sign up HERE!
So there you have it. On the whole, can you think of any that I missed? If so, let me know.
From this we know that there are plenty of high paying survey websites. That’s if we’re willing to spend time looking for them. We can also learn that answering paid survey questions isn’t the only way to earn money.
Sometimes you will make the biggest bucks by entering competitions and referring other people. The referral systems are especially fruitful if you know lots of people.
Your next port of call should be to do additional research into even more high paying survey sites. I’m sure there are many more than the ones I’ve already talked about.
Spend an hour or two gathering up a collection of paid survey sites that you want to sign up to. I instinctively do this every few months in case there is something out there that I have missed.
You can use Google or any other search engine for this. I would also recommend that you check out Survey Police. This is a site that I’ve admired for a long time. They should be very helpful particularly for this task. I say this because they mainly review top survey panels on their website.
The paid survey panels I have mentioned above are great but it doesn’t end there. You should also check out my 11 Trustworthy Paid Survey Sites That Earn You Cash From Home post for even more survey websites you may not know about.
Do you have a favorite high paying survey panel personal to you? Which high payers do you know of that I didn’t mention above?
Please don’t forget to share this with your friends and comment below. Thanks for reading!
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