Want extra money on the side without a second job? You’re not alone. According to a recent Bankrate survey, more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults now have a side hustle—and side hustle apps like Branded Surveys are one of the easiest entry points.

This Branded Surveys review breaks down how the platform works, what real users are earning, what the Trustpilot scores actually mean and where it falls short.

You’ll also see how it stacks up against other apps that pay real money like KashKick, which pays you to take surveys plus play games, claim deals and shop online. Spoiler: Surveys alone tend to cap out fast, but the right mix can move the needle.

What Is Branded Surveys?

Branded Surveys is an online market research platform that pays members for completing surveys on behalf of brands and research firms. The company launched in 2012 as MintVine and rebranded as Branded Surveys in 2017.

The model is straightforward. Brands need consumer opinions to inform product decisions, marketing strategies and pricing. Instead of running expensive focus groups, they tap survey platforms like Branded Surveys to source feedback from regular people. You answer questions and earn points; the brand gets data.

Branded Surveys is available to users in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. Surveys are accessible on the web or through mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Is Branded Surveys Legit?

Yes, Branded Surveys is a legit platform with a long track record. It’s been paying out for over a decade, and the ratings hold up.

Here’s how its current ratings shake out:

• Trustpilot: 4.1 stars from more than 119,000 reviews
• Apple App Store: 4.5 stars from over 13,000 reviews
• Google Play Store: 4.3 stars from over 13,000 reviews

Those are strong scores for a paid survey site. For context, most legitimate survey platforms hover between 3.5 and 4.2 on Trustpilot. The flip side is that even well-reviewed survey sites carry common complaints. Disqualifications, slow earning pace and occasional missing points are baked into the category, and Branded Surveys isn’t an exception.

If you want to verify any platform yourself before signing up, check its Trustpilot page and scan app store reviews for recent feedback.

How Branded Surveys Works

Signing up takes about a minute. You’ll create a profile with your email, then fill out demographic questions that match you to surveys. Completing the profile earns you a 100-point ($1) welcome bonus.

From there, the daily flow looks like this:

• Log in and check your dashboard for available surveys
• Pick one that matches your interests and time available
• Answer screening questions (you may or may not qualify)
• Complete the full survey if you qualify, then collect points
• Optional: Take a daily one-click poll for bonus points
• Redeem points once you hit the 500-point ($5) minimum

The earning ratio is simple: 500 points equals $5. Individual surveys typically pay a few cents to a few dollars and take 10 to 20 minutes to complete.

Branded Surveys also runs a loyalty program called Branded Elite, with Bronze, Silver and Gold badge tiers earned by your monthly survey count (2, 10 or 25 surveys per month). Members earn weekly bonuses on top of their regular survey points, up to a 19% bonus for Gold members completing 30 surveys in a week.

The referral program pays a bonus for each friend you invite, with the amount scaling based on your badge tier and theirs.

Payout Options

Once you reach 500 points, you have a few ways to cash out:

• PayPal cash (1 to 2 business days)
• Bank transfer (within 48 hours, U.S. users only)
• Gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Google Play

Silver and Gold members get instant payout approvals, skipping the standard 1-2 business day wait.

There are no fees to cash out, and payouts are reliable based on the bulk of user feedback.

What You Can Really Earn on Branded Surveys

Set realistic expectations. Individual surveys pay a few cents to a few dollars, and most users earn $5 to $100 a month depending on time invested and how often they qualify, according to the website.

The honest framing: Branded Surveys won’t out-earn a part-time job hour for hour. It works best as background income, something you do while watching TV or waiting in line, not as a primary side gig.

A few factors move the needle higher:

• Demographic match: Parents, urban dwellers and certain income brackets get more invites.
• Profile depth: A fully completed profile reduces disqualifications.
• Loyalty tier: Gold-status members earn bonuses on every survey.
• Consistency: Logging in daily catches more time-sensitive opportunities.

Branded Surveys Pros and Cons

Here’s an honest breakdown of where Branded Surveys does well and where it falls short.

Pros

• Low $5 cashout minimum, one of the lowest in the survey space
• Multiple payout options including PayPal, bank transfer and gift cards
• Strong Trustpilot rating (4.1) and solid app store scores
• Long track record (since 2012) with millions paid out to members
• Loyalty tiers reward consistent users with bonuses
• Available on web, iOS and Android

Cons

• Points-based system can feel slower than direct cash platforms
• Disqualifications after partial completion are common
• Per-survey payouts are on the smaller side, typical of survey-only sites
• Surveys-only model means no games, deals or cashback to round out earnings
• Limited to U.S., U.K. and Canada

Real User Reviews: The Good and the Frustrating

Trustpilot reviews skew positive, with about 62% of users leaving 5-star ratings. Positive reviews often highlight reliable payouts and ease of use:

• “I really do like Branded Surveys’ fast and reliable payouts with no gimmicks, fees or hidden language. Soon as the earnings hit my account I was able to cashout to my PayPal.” (Trustpilot)
• “I found Branded Surveys an easy way to make some extra cash. It took me about two months to make $100 and I would devote maybe an hour a day. The company was quick to send their payment.” (Trustpilot)

Negative reviews follow a familiar pattern for the category:

• “I have spent most of my time filling out information only to find I do not qualify for the survey. Sometimes I will spend as much as 10 full minutes answering questions.” (Trustpilot)
• “It also seems to take a long while to accumulate 500 points… a 5 day wait for very little change is just completely ridiculous.” (Apple App Store)

Bottom line: Branded Surveys pays as promised, but the disqualification grind is real. That’s the trade-off with any survey-only platform.

A Faster, Higher-Earning Alternative: KashKick

If you’re looking at Branded Surveys for the side income, KashKick is worth a look. It pays in real cash (not points), and surveys are just one of several ways to earn. That matters because when surveys slow down, you can still pull in cash from games, deals and online shopping.

KashKick is a U.S.-based rewards platform that pays members real cash for completing simple online activities. KashKick members earned $18,920,414 in 2025 alone.

• Payment speed: 1-3 business days
• Payment method: PayPal, Venmo, gift cards or charity
• Best for: Variety, surveys, games, deals and cashback in one place
• Watch for: U.S.-only; some game offers have time-limited milestones

What makes KashKick a stronger fit for most earners:

• $1 Kash equals $1 USD, so no confusing points-to-dollars math.
• Profile completion earns your first $1 right away, the fastest first earn in the rewards space.
• The $10 cashout minimum is slightly higher than Branded Surveys’ $5, but offset by more ways to earn.
• Multiple income streams: surveys, games (some pay $100 or more for hitting milestones), deals (some pay $300 or more), KashBack on online shopping and a 25% referral cut on friends’ game and deal earnings.
• A daily giveaway pays five members up to $100 each, just for logging in.

Real members back it up. Eric, a self-described “Average Joe,” earned more than $500 in less than a year mostly through games and surveys. Kayla, a member since 2024, has earned over $1,200 by stacking KashBack and games. Read more KashKick reviews.

👉 Sign up for KashKick and start earning real cash in minutes.

If you want to see how KashKick stacks up against other survey-only options before deciding, check out the roundup of surveys that pay cash.

Should You Sign Up for Branded Surveys?

Branded Surveys is a legit, well-reviewed paid survey platform that delivers on its core promise. If you want a clean survey-only experience with a low $5 cashout and solid payout reliability, it’s a reasonable pick.

The catch is the ceiling. A surveys-only platform caps your earning at how many surveys you qualify for, and disqualifications are part of the deal. That’s why most consistent earners pair a survey site with a multi-method platform like KashKick, which adds games, deals and cashback to the mix and pays in real cash through PayPal or Venmo.

Want to earn faster from day one? Sign up for KashKick and start earning real cash with surveys, games and more.