Online Paid Surveys FAQ

Paid Surveys, What is it?

Online Paid Surveys are online questionnaires. To take survey is to complete this online form answering questions about particular product or service. Some long online surveys consist of 30-50 pages and it takes up to hour to complete! Typical payment is from $0.1 (for very short) to $20 per online survey completed. Some industry specialized surveys worth up to $80 - $100. For example SurveySavvy (Owned by Luth Research) pays IT professionals up to $80 for some IT specialized surveys.

Are Paid Surveys Real?

Yes, paid surveys are real. There are hundreds of legitimate market research companies who offer incentives for your opinion. And many of them are in business 30 - 40 years! Companies have come to these firms to get public opinions on their products or services and are willing to pay them to find out what you think.

Why do companies pay for taking online surveys?

Companies need to know what people think, why they like or do not like (and do not buy) products and services. This helps companies improve their products and services and make them more money. For this reason your opinion is extremely valuable. They are looking for honest people to join their survey online panels for cash. Online market research companies pay cash every time you take online paid surveys. You will always be paid an honorarium for your time.

Are paid surveys free to join?

Yes, legitimate paid survey sites are free to join. If anybody requests a payment from you to join paid surveys - this must be for you as a "Red Flag". Never pay for free information about paid surveys.

What are Focus Groups?

A focus group is an informal, round-table discussion lead by a professional moderator. Most often, the discussion is in regard to a service, a particular product, or advertising. The discussions usually last from 1 1/2 to 2 hours, require no preparation, and you are paid $40 to $150 for your time, depending on the topic.

How do companies reward for paid surveys?

Rewards are cash (checks or PayPal), cash drawings and sweepstakes, prizes, points which you can convert to cash or merchandize. Payments are sent by check or PayPal.

How does it work?

You will sign-up for a paid survey site. During signing-up you will fill online forms with your demographic information (age, gender, household income etc…). After that paid survey company when they have a survey available in which they are looking for someone who fits your profile, they will send you an invitation to take this paid survey. The invitation will usually contain a link directly to the survey and the incentive they are offering for you to take the survey. Just click on the link and take the online survey to qualify for the reward.

How much money can I earn?

If you sign-up for a big number of survey sites, take the majority of the surveys you are invited to , you could make about $1,000 to $3,000 a year in cash or something equivalent.  Typical payment is from $0.1 (for very short) to $20 per online survey completed. Some industry specialized surveys worth up to $80 - $100.  Treat this as extra cash, not a career.

What about taxes on the money I make?

If you're a U.S. citizen, you'll be considered an "independent contractor" for income tax purposes and no income or other taxes are withheld from the payments you receive. At the end of the year, any survey company that has paid you $600 or more will send you an IRS Form 1099 - and you're supposed to include this as "miscellaneous income" on your tax return.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need to ask an accountant or other tax professional for the answer to this question, and how it might apply to you in your location.

How to avoid scams?

To avoid scams you have to make some research of site offering paid surveys. The most important rule is Do not pay for online surveys! Legitimate companies never charge any money for membership! You also have to pay attention to age of website. For example this website is online since March, 2003, and it lists only free legitimate paid surveys.

See also:

Free Paid Surveys Directory Navigation: