Sharing your opinion online can be a low-effort way to make some extra money when you’ve got a few spare minutes. You can take surveys from your phone wherever you’re most comfortable.

But before you sign up for a survey site, there are several factors you’ll want to consider, including how you’ll get paid. Look for surveys that pay cash—not just gift cards or sweepstakes entries. 

That way you can actually use the money you earn toward your monthly bills, groceries and other necessities. Plus, some studies have found that gift cards can lead to even more spending.

In this guide to paid surveys, you’ll find the best survey sites and apps that pay cash, including a breakdown of their key features and earning potential.

Are Surveys That Pay Cash Legit?

Yes—surveys that pay cash are completely legitimate, but only when you use reputable platforms.

Companies are always looking for consumer insights to help inform new products, marketing strategies and more. Instead of running expensive focus groups, they can partner with survey platforms that pay users for their feedback.

Just keep in mind that not all survey sites are worth your time. Some use complicated points systems, require you to meet high minimums to cash out or rarely qualify users for surveys.

The best survey sites focus on transparency and real cash payouts, like KashKick.

🚩 To avoid scams, watch out for:

• Unclear payout details. Before you even sign up for a survey site, it should be easy to find information on how much you need to earn to cash out, ways you can get paid and how long it takes to receive payment.
• Low ratings and bad reviews. Check Trustpilot ratings and app store reviews. You can also peruse Reddit to read through first-person experiences with a survey site.
• Fees. You shouldn’t have to pay a fee to sign up or cash out on a survey site. After all, you’re getting paid to share your opinion!

Best Surveys That Pay Cash

Below, find some of the best survey sites that pay cash.

1. KashKick

KashKick is one of the most transparent platforms when it comes to making money online. You won’t have to deal with a confusing point system. Instead, you’ll earn money where $1 Kash = $1 USD.

After you create a free KashKick account, fill out your profile survey. It takes just a few minutes, and you’ll earn $1. Your responses help match you to surveys and prevent too many disqualifications. (Dive deeper into how KashKick surveys work.)

Before you begin any survey, you’ll see how much it pays and approximately how long it’ll take. Once completed, your earnings are immediately added to your KashKick account—no lengthy pending periods. Reach $10 and you can cash out for—yes—cash through PayPal.

If you get bored of surveys, explore additional ways to earn on KashKick—by playing games, claiming deals and earning cashback when you shop online. Unlike other rewards apps, there are plenty of opportunities to earn without spending a dime!

Key features:

• Real cash payouts through PayPal
• Low cashout minimum ($10)
• Quick payouts (1-3 days)
• Transparent survey offers
• Additional ways to earn (games, bonus offers, etc.)

Earning potential:

• KashKick’s surveys can pay anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars. To maximize your earnings, pair surveys with game and deal offers.
• One KashKick member, 55-year-old Eric Jackson, earned over $500 in less than a year just by taking surveys and playing games.

👉 Sign up to see how much you can earn.

2. Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is a paid survey site that’ll reward you in points when you complete surveys. Although earning points isn’t ideal, the system is fairly straightforward: 500 points = $5.

Note that Branded Surveys exclusively offers surveys (no games or deals like KashKick), so your earning potential may be lower.

Key features:

• Real cash payments through PayPal or bank transfers
• Low cashout minimum (500 points or $5)
• Quick payouts for most members (1-2 business days)

Earning potential:

• Depending on how much you use the site and survey availability, members can expect to earn anywhere from $5 to $100 a month, according to the site.
• One Redditor said they made up to $18 taking surveys all day.

3. Google Opinion Rewards

To take surveys through Google Opinion Rewards, you’ll need to download its iOS or Android app. You’ll receive notifications when short surveys become available, which can take around 20 seconds to complete.

Expect to receive location-based and receipt tasks—meaning you’ll get requests to take surveys about places you’ve visited or asked to upload receipts.

Key features:

• iOS users receive automatic payments via PayPal when they earn $2
• Android users receive Google Play credits when they earn $2

Earning potential:

• Surveys pay between $0.10 and $1. This varies based on the number of questions and amount of time required, according to the site.

4. InboxDollars

Over on InboxDollars, users earn money for playing games, shopping online and—yes—taking surveys. The first payout minimum is a bit higher at $15, then it drops to $10. You’ll get a $5 bonus when you sign up and confirm your email.

Key features:

• Request payouts through PayPal
• Minimum for first cashout is $15
• Can take up to 10 days to process your request (this is on the slower side)
• Additional ways to earn (games, online shopping and more)

Earning potential:

• Earnings per survey typically range from $0.50 to $5, according to the site.
• Over on Reddit, one user said they averaged $1 a day—$5 if they were lucky. Another estimated around $10 every two to three months, and one said they made $115 in one month, but that was mostly from playing games (not surveys).

5. MyPoints

With MyPoints, you can earn points when you take surveys (or play games and shop online). One perk is that you can earn 5 points (with a maximum of 25 a day) if you get disqualified from a survey.

Although the platform has a confusing points-to-dollar ratio and unclear minimum to cash out, MyPoints is legitimate. It’s owned by the same company behind Swagbucks and InboxDollars.

Key features:

• Get paid in cash through PayPal
• Minimum to cash out is unclear, but one review suggested $15
• Typically takes 10 business days to process cashout requests, according to the site
• Other ways to earn include playing games and shopping online

Earning potential:

• The site says it pays up to 2,200 points per survey, though it’s unclear what that equates to in dollars.

6. Rakuten Insight

Rakuten is a well-known site to earn cashback when shopping in store and online. But over on Rakuten Insight, you can earn points by taking online surveys. These can range from a few minutes to 30 minutes, and you can exchange points for cash through PayPal.

Key features:

• Get paid through PayPal
• Minimum starts at $5 (or 500 points)
• Unclear how long it takes to process payouts

Earning potential:

• It’s unclear how much you can earn, but one review suggests the earning potential is “right in the middle.” “It’s not that bad, but it’s not that good, either,” it reads.

7. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie rewards you with points when you complete surveys. Once you earn 500 points, you can cash out for $5. You can tap into more survey opportunities if you opt into Survey Junkie’s Surf to Earn program, which collects information on your internet browsing habits, including pages you visit, products you shop, ads you see and more.

Key features:

• Options to cash out through PayPal or a bank transfer
• Minimum to request a payment is $5 (or 500 points)
• PayPal requests can take 1-3 business days to process, and bank transfers can take up to 5 business days

Earning potential:

• Examples of real surveys include 45 points for a 13-minute survey, 35 points for a 15-minute survey and 15 points for a 7-minute survey.
• Survey Junkie will throw a few points your way if you get disqualified from surveys.
• Get more details on earnings in this comprehensive Survey Junkie review.

8. Swagbucks

Swagbucks rewards users “SB” points when they complete microtasks like surveys, games and online shopping. Surveys pay approximately 25 to 500 SB, according to the site. The points system is a little tricky, but 2,530 SB will get you a $25 PayPal cashout right now.

Key features:

• Earn SB through various tasks
• Option to cash out through PayPal
• The minimum to cash out varies
• Your first PayPal request can take up to a week to process, according to the site

Earning potential:

• The site says “motivated earners” can make up to $100 or more each month. This seems to require taking advantage of other ways to earn on the site.
• Over on Reddit, reported earnings varied from $50 a month to $400 to $800 a month.

How to Maximize My Survey Cash Earnings

If you’re looking to earn more cash from survey sites, follow these tips:

• Use sites that pay real cash instead of points or rewards. If you’re here on this guide, you’re off to a great start! Points can often make it less clear how much time you’re putting into earning money. 
• Check reviews before signing up. Always read Trustpilot, app store and Reddit reviews. Sure, every site and app will have a few bad reviews, but if the ratings are consistently low, then it might be worth checking out another option.
• Take longer, higher-paying surveys. Use the survey sites that are transparent and provide the length of survey and potential earnings upfront. Then, you can do some quick math to figure out which surveys are most worth your time.
• Stay consistent. Some sites will reward you when you consistently check in for new surveys. For example, when you open KashKick, you’ll automatically get entered into a daily cash sweepstakes. Log in daily to start a streak and get more entries to win.
• Take the profile survey. The best survey sites will have you fill out a profile that helps match you to the most relevant surveys and decrease your disqualification rate. KashKick, for example, will give you $1 when you fill out a profile survey!
• Be honest. If a survey site detects you’re randomly filling in answers, you could get disqualified. Be honest with your answers; they should match the responses you give on other surveys or in your profile. Surveys will also sometimes throw a softball question at you, so pay attention!
• Avoid VPNs. Survey sites and other reward platforms don’t like VPNs. It’s confusing and feels like a scam to them, so it’s best to avoid VPNs!
• Opt for platforms with games and deals. Chances are, you’ll get bored of surveys. Increase your chances of earning money when you use a platform like KashKick where you can get paid to play games and claim deals, too.

Take Legit Surveys Online That Pay Cash

Surveys won’t replace a full-time income, but they’re an easy, flexible way to earn some extra money in your spare time, especially if you choose a site that pays you in cash.

If you’re serious about taking legit surveys that pay cash, then start with KashKick. With multiple ways to earn, low cashout minimums and the option to collect cash through PayPal, it’s a winner!

👉 Sign up for KashKick today.