Survey Junkie Review: Scam or Legit Money Making App? (2024)

Survey Junkie Review: Scam or Legit Money Making App? (1)

Some links on our website are sponsored, and we may earn money when you make a purchase or sign-up after clicking. Learn more about how we make money and read our review methodology.

Is Survey Junkie legit? Is it worth your time? This Survey Junkie review will teach you everything you need to know, beginning with the number one question on most people’s minds: how much can you expect to earn?

Table of Contents

My Survey Junkie Test Results

To find out how much you can realistically earn on Survey Junkie, I signed up and spent an average of 30 minutes per day completing surveys.

As part of my test, I completed all of Survey Junkie’s profile questionnaires. These are short, basic surveys on topics like technology, health and travel, and are recommended so that Survey Junkie can send you more targeted (and higher-paying) surveys.

In addition, I completed the site’s “Survey Medleys,” which have fewer than 10 questions each and also help the company better target you with surveys.

After setting up my profile and answering all the demographic questions, I attempted 20 surveys over the course of a week, of which I qualified for 10.

In total, I earned an average of $3.75 per hour.

My qualification rate improved the more surveys I took. There was a point where I was kicked out of seven straight surveys, but by the end of my test, things really improved and I qualified for four in a row.

The screenshot below shows some of the surveys I attempted and completed.

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Overall, this pay rate is on par with what others have reported. However, because of Survey Junkie’s low minimum payout of $5, this is one of the better options to start with.(Other sites have minimum payouts as high as $50.)

Additionally, Survey Junkie now offers users the opportunity to join free product trials, live user groups, and one-on-one phone calls to conduct market research. These opportunities are rare, but they can pay up to $100 each.

In short, Survey Junkie is not meant to provide a full-time income. Instead, it’s best viewed as a way to earn $25 to $40 in extra money per month (which is possible with consistent usage).

You can sign up here, or if you’re interested in learning more, continue reading.

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Survey Junkie has a stellar reputation and is widely regarded as one of the best paid survey sites. If you're new to online surveys, its low minimum withdrawal and easy-to-use interface make it an excellent site to start with. Just go in with realistic expectations: you’ll earn about $4 per hour, with a rare opportunity to earn more.

Pros:

  • It's one of the highest-rated and most well-known paid survey sites.
  • Survey opportunities improve with the more time you spend on the site.
  • The very low $5 minimum withdrawal that makes it easy to cash out.

Cons:

  • Has a limited selection of cash-out options compared to some other sites.
  • Survey Junkie says that on average, you only qualify for 1 out of 5 surveys. (My qualification rate was 50%.)

Sign-Up for Survey Junkie

How Does Survey Junkie Work?

One benefit to Survey Junkie is that no phone number is needed when you sign up. The sign-up process is quick and easy, so you can start earning points quickly.

Once you get to the Survey Junkie homepage, just click on “Join Now.” Then, you’ll get the option to join using Facebook, Google or an email address.

Although Survey Junkie partners with other market research companies, it doesn’t make you sign up for those sites. In that regard, it acts as an aggregator of surveys.

Once logged in, Survey Junkie allows you to view the different surveys offered. Surveys are prioritized by the ones that you’re most likely to qualify for.

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If you don’t qualify for a survey (which you usually discover after about a minute of screening questions), you’re still rewarded with a few points.

The specific kinds of survey questions you’ll encounter depends on factors like your age, income and lifestyle. In my case, I’m interested in sports and finance, and I received a lot of surveys centered around those topics.

In some cases, you’ll be asked to answer open-ended questions (meaning you’ll have to provide a short typed response to a prompt).

Survey Junkie Pulse

Survey Junkie Pulse (stylized as SJ Pulse or Survey Pulse) is a free browser extension that allows you to share your internet usage data with the company in return for rewards.

Once installed, it works in the background and serves as a passive income app. In addition, there’s a 150 point sign-up bonus for having it installed for 30 days.

Survey Junkie characterizes the data collected by Survey Pulse as:

  • What you search for.
  • The websites you visit.
  • The apps you use.
  • The products you shop for.
  • The advertisements you view.

Survey Junkie claims that the data you provide is anonymized and stripped of any personally identifiable information.

While that’s true, you should be aware that digital marketing firms (and others) use this information to create wide-ranging (anonymized) profiles that influence things like the advertisements you see when browsing websites.

In other words, this information may not be directly attributable to you by name, but it does become part of the “big data” picture of you that shapes your internet experience.

Note: Survey Junkie does not collect sensitive personal information such as credit card details or passwords.

In return for this data, you’ll earn some amount of passive income. Unfortunately, Survey Junkie does not offer any insight into how much you’ll earn or how frequently, and user reviews from around the web have been mixed.

At the same time, the consensus seems to be that Pulse does not pay as much as other passive income apps, such as the Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel.

Finally, note that Pulse users have access to an array of paid surveys that are not available on the main Survey Junkie platform. In other words, using Pulse means you’re likely to get access to more and better surveys.

Survey Junkie Reputation

As of February 28, 2024, Survey Junkie has a 4.1/5 rating on Trustpilot from 44,676 user reviews, which is one of the highest ratings for a major paid survey site.

The site also has a 3.82/5 rating on the BBB’s user review site (from over 900 reviews), with a B accreditation.

Survey Junkie reviews on the iOS and Google Play app stores are as follows:

iOS RatingReviewsAndroid RatingVotes
4.5/573,6944.3/593,979

How Does Survey Junkie Pay You?

You can redeem the points you earn for free gift cards or PayPal cash. If you live in the United States, you also have the option for a direct bank transfer through a third-party service called Dwolla.

To cash in your points for any method of payment, you have to have at least 500 points, which equates to $5 in value (one Survey Junkie point equals 1 cent). This is one of the lowest minimum withdrawal amounts in the paid survey industry.

Survey Junkie vs. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is different from Survey Junkie in one key way: while it does offer surveys, it’s more of an overall online rewards platform than a dedicated survey website.

For example, it offers a cash-back shopping portal and get paid to sign-up offers (read our Swagbucks review to learn more).

If you like more variety when it comes to earning money online, Swagbucks might be a good option for you. As with Survey Junkie, you can get gift cards for your points or redeem them for PayPal cash.

Survey Junkie Tips

Before you sign up and start filling out surveys without a plan in place, let’s look at how you can maximize your earnings with a few useful Survey Junkie tips.

Tip #1: Take the Demographic Surveys

You should do the demographic surveys right away, because that will enable you to get more targeted surveys (which pay the best rates).

If you’re hesitant about providing personal information, in the video below, I run through the general profile questions for you to see the type of information you’re providing.

Tip #2: Use a Dedicated Email Address

Create an email address that you use only for surveys. While you might be tempted to skip this step, believe me, it’s best not to overload your primary inbox.

This is especially true if you sign up for more than one site. While Survey Junkie tends to only send one email per day, some sites bombard your inbox with a notification for each individual survey opportunity.

Tip #3: Be Sure to Download the Survey Junkie App

While the website is optimized for mobile browsers, the Survey Junkie app has a clean interface and is easy to use on your phone. That really opens up your earning potential, as you can tackle surveys whenever you have a few minutes to kill.

Tip #4: Answer Honestly

Most survey sites have algorithms that can identify people who complete the surveys as fast as possible, without taking time to read the questions and answer honestly. In other words, they know if you’re just clicking buttons and your answers don’t add up.

Survey Junkie will even throw in some random quality control questions to make sure you’re paying attention (and not a robot).

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Take the time to mark the correct answer. It’ll pay off in the long run, as you’ll get survey opportunities that allow you to earn more.

Tip #5: Do the QuickStart Checklist Up-Front to Maximize Your Points

You earn 25 points for confirming your email address and 50 points for completing the profile survey. Those are high-value tasks for the time involved.

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Tip #6: Accept the Fact That You Won’t Get Rich

Remember, this isn’t meant to be a huge money-maker. Keeping realistic expectations will make this process more fun. This should be viewed as a way to spend a little free time to earn a bit of pocket change or a free gift card here and there – not as a full-time online job that’s going to pay your bills every month.

Tip #7: Compare Time vs. Points

Before attempting a survey, compare the estimated time it will take you to complete versus the points you’ll earn. For example, the picture below shows two surveys, each worth 55 points. The first takes nine minutes and the second takes 18 minutes.

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The best choice isn’t always as obvious as this example, so you should get in the habit of doing a quick calculation in your head to figure out which surveys give you the chance to make the most amount of money in the least amount of time.

For me, I attempted to only take surveys that paid out over $4 per hour. To get this figure, divide the number of points by the number of minutes and look for a ratio over four.

Tip #8: Opt-In to Product Trials and Focus Groups

By default, you’re not opted-in for the higher paying offers such as product trials and focus groups. I only got the opportunity after I completed all the demographic surveys.

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Survey Junkie FAQs

Is Survey Junkie legit?

Survey Junkie has some of the best user ratings among paid survey sites. It’s a well-known company that is widely regarded as a leader in the consumer market research field, and we recommend it as a top choice for earning extra money with online surveys. You can refer to the reputation section of this article for an up-to-date summary of Survey Junkie reviews from users of the platform.

How much can you realistically make on Survey Junkie?

If you’re in a desirable demographic and complete three surveys a day you can potentially make up to $40 per month, based on the results of my testing. If you qualify for the product testing or focus group opportunities, you can make between $5 and $100 for each one that you participate in. Unfortunately, focus group opportunities — which pay closer to the high end of that range — are only offered once per month on average.

Do any sites offer higher paying surveys?

We’ve found Survey Junkie to be a high-paying online survey site. However, there are a couple of platforms that offer even higher paying surveys if you’re willing to participate in more complicated research.

For example, we tested a platform called User Interviews and earned more than $50 per hour. But while Survey Junkie’s surveys usually take just a few minutes to complete, User Interviews’ typically take 30-60 minutes.

Another high-paying survey company is Prolific, which guarantees that you’ll make at least $6.50 per hour as a survey taker. However, these are academic studies, so the company is selective about who it allows on its survey panel (and there’s usually a waiting list to join).

How do you qualify for surveys on Survey Junkie?

In order to qualify for the most surveys possible, be sure to fill out your profile questionnaire completely when you create your account. You’ll be asked a series of demographic screening questions (such as age, gender and income level), as well as screening questions about your interests and lifestyle.

The more Survey Junkie knows about you, the more surveys you can qualify for. That’s because companies are often looking for specific subsets of users (e.g., women under the age of 35 who like both gardening and rock climbing). If you fail to provide a full demographic profile, you might miss out on surveys that are targeted to subsets that you’re in.

Additionally, active users are rewarded with more survey opportunities, so it pays to log into the site and take at least one survey as often as you can.

How does SurveyJunkie pay you?

You can get paid via PayPal in all participating countries, and U.S.-based users can request a bank transfer. If you choose the PayPal option, you may be required to verify your account over the phone with a Survey Junkie customer service representative.

U.S.-based users can also choose to cash out for a digital gift card, but note that as with PayPal payments, this option might require you to verify your account over the phone.

What gift cards does Survey Junkie have?

Gift card options include a range of major retailers, such as Amazon, Groupon, Sephora, Starbucks, Target and Walmart.

How long does it take to get paid from Survey Junkie?

Most rewards are delivered immediately after cashing out your survey earnings, but it can take a bit longer if you’re required to verify your account over the phone.

How do you delete your Survey Junkie account?

If you decide to delete your Survey Junkie account, click on your profile, click “Edit” and then “Remove My Account.” Provide your password, and the account will be deleted.

Our Survey Junkie Rating Methodology

Survey Junkie’s 4.5/5 overall score is based on the following factors:

Rating FactorWeightRatingScore
Earnings per hour:50%4.22.1
Survey availability:15%4.80.72
Payout experience:15%4.80.72
Trustworthiness:10%4.50.45
User experience:10%4.80.48
Overall score:4.47

In summary, Survey Junkie garnered average scores for earnings per hour but stands out as a solid all-around survey site thanks to other rating factors, such as high surrey availability (there’s almost always surveys to take), a low-minimum payout ($5 is one of the lowest among survey sites), strong trustworthiness, and a best-in-class user experience.

Additionally, it’s one of the few survey sites that offers cash payments directly to your bank account.

To learn more about our testing and evaluation process, see our survey ranking methodology page.

Final Thoughts: Is Survey Junkie Worth It?

There are dozens of sites that allow you to take surveys for money. And while it’s true that they won’t pay your bills, many of them provide decent ways to make extra cash on the side in your spare time.

Survey Junkie ranks at or near the top of the list of these online survey sites, regardless of the metric. It’s easy to sign up for, has a good inventory of surveys, offers good pay rates, and has a low minimum cash-out threshold.

And if you’re lucky enough to qualify for the product testing opportunities, you might even score some free swag in exchange for your participation.

For those reasons, we think it should be one of the first places you turn to for paid surveys.

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R.J. Weiss

R.J. Weiss, founder of The Ways To Wealth, has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2010. Holding a B.A. in finance and having completed the CFP® certification curriculum at The American College, R.J. combines formal education with a deep commitment to providing unbiased financial insights. Recognized as a trusted authority in the financial realm, his expertise is highlighted in major publications like Business Insider, New York Times, and Forbes.

    Survey Junkie Review: Scam or Legit Money Making App? (2024)

    FAQs

    Survey Junkie Review: Scam or Legit Money Making App? ›

    As you can see, these members all agree that Survey Junkie is legit and pays out on time. And one member even made $100 in about three weeks, which is pretty good. However, they also agree that Survey Junkie is just a beermoney site and won't make anyone rich. Extra Reading – The Best & Most Legit Highest Paying Apps.

    Is making money on Survey Junkie legit? ›

    Survey Junkie is transparent about what you can expect: “You'll not get rich by taking surveys.” Thousands of users have reported earning real money through the site. While it's not a path to wealth, you won't be misled or scammed. You can join Survey Junkie and learn to use the site within minutes.

    Can you make $100 a day with Survey Junkie? ›

    1. Survey Junkie: Description: Survey Junkie is a platform where you can earn money by sharing your opinions through online surveys. Earning Potential: While it may not guarantee $100 a day, consistent participation and high-value surveys can help you reach that goal.

    Why won't Survey Junkie let me cash out? ›

    You must reach a minimum of 500 points to cash-out. Once you've reached at least 500 points, redeem them for e-Giftcards or cash through PayPal or Dwolla. See “redemption” section to learn more.

    Does Survey Junkie sell your information? ›

    Sale of Personal Data

    If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link.

    Can you make a living off Survey Junkie? ›

    You won't get rich taking surveys and it's not meant to take the place of a full-time job but it can supplement your income and give you a little extra flexibility in your budget. Complete three surveys daily and earn as much as $40 monthly.

    Do you have to pay taxes on Survey Junkie? ›

    As your points grow, please be aware that U.S. residents earning over $600 within the same calendar year on Survey Junkie must fill out a W-9 form so that we can issue you a 1099 document. To prepare for this, we require you to complete your W-9 once you reach 55,000 points or $550.

    How long does it take Survey Junkie to pay you? ›

    Survey Junkie pays out quickly. Payout threshold: the minimum to cash out is $5 and it's easy to reach that figure within 1-3 days. Payment processing: It can take 2-4 business days for you to receive your rewards, with the cash deposited into your PayPal account or the e-gift card delivered to your inbox.

    Which survey app pays the most? ›

    What's The Highest Paying Survey App? The highest paying survey app is Pinecone Research since it pays $3 per survey. Branded Surveys and Swagbucks can also have some high-paying surveys and have excellent mobile apps.

    Is Survey Junkie or Swagbucks better? ›

    Where the two platforms differ is in their minimum payout. With Survey Junkie, you can only cash your earnings once you get 500 points, or $5. The minimum payout for Swagbucks sits at 100 SB or $1. That means Swagbucks pays more quickly.

    What is the best survey site to earn money? ›

    Which paid survey sites are legitimate? Online surveys are a legitimate way for brands to get consumer feedback on their products and services. Some of the best survey sites include Branded Surveys, Toluna, Swagbucks, LifePoints, OnePoll, i-Say (IPSOS), InboxPounds, PopulusLive, Opinion Outpost and Valued Opinions.

    How much can you make on Survey Junkie a day? ›

    Survey Junkie pays around $0.25 to $1 per survey you complete. In my experience, it's possible to make about $25 to $100 per month or so. However, how much you make largely depends on how many surveys you qualify for and how much time you spend on the platform.

    Can you quit Survey Junkie? ›

    If you want to delete or permanently opt out of your Survey Junkie account, submit your request at Customer Service or via our online form (DSAR) or write to Customer Service by selecting “contact us” on our help page on our website.

    Does Survey Junkie pay to your bank account? ›

    Survey Junkie used to make users wait until they had 1000 points, but it only takes 500 points to cash out now. Redeeming your points happens pretty much instantaneously, but a bank transfer can take 2-3 days to show up on your account.

    Is Survey Junkie a real business? ›

    Survey Junkie is a safe and secure website, trusted by millions of members who take surveys and redeem on a daily basis. That being said, the member's account is in good standing and fully verified. Our records indicate their recent redemption for a $10 Amazon eGift card was processed.

    How to make money fast? ›

    Want to make money fast? Here are 16 legit ways to do it
    1. Find unclaimed property.
    2. Sell unused gift cards.
    3. Trade in electronics.
    4. Take surveys.
    5. Sell clothes online.
    6. Be a rideshare driver.
    7. Make deliveries.
    8. Do Taskrabbit.

    Is Survey Junkie safe for bank transfer? ›

    Yes, it is safe to provide Survey Junkie with your bank account information if you choose to receive payments through bank transfer. Survey Junkie offers bank transfer as one of its payout options, along with PayPal and e-gift cards.

    Are there any legit survey sites that pay? ›

    Which paid survey sites are legitimate? Online surveys are a legitimate way for brands to get consumer feedback on their products and services. Some of the best survey sites include Branded Surveys, Toluna, Swagbucks, LifePoints, OnePoll, i-Say (IPSOS), InboxPounds, PopulusLive, Opinion Outpost and Valued Opinions.

    How can I make money fast? ›

    Want to make money fast? Here are 16 legit ways to do it
    1. Find unclaimed property.
    2. Sell unused gift cards.
    3. Trade in electronics.
    4. Take surveys.
    5. Sell clothes online.
    6. Be a rideshare driver.
    7. Make deliveries.
    8. Do Taskrabbit.

    References

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