Click on the links below to find answers to these frequently asked questions.
- Can I really make money with online surveys?
- Why would survey companies want to pay me for my participation?
- How much money will I make by participating in online surveys?
- Can anyone do this?
- How, when, and by whom will I get paid?
- Do I have to pay taxes on the money I make?
- Are the listings in your Survey Directory and Survey Services legitimate survey companies?
- Should I pay to take paid online surveys?
- Why do some surveys involve product offers or free trials?
- I’m concerned about privacy issues. Should I worry about this?
Can I really make money with paid online surveys?
Yes! These companies will actually pay you for your participation in their survey programs.
Why would survey companies want to pay for my participation?
Market research is the driving force behind all big corporations. This is the age of the consumer, and every corporation knows that they have to provide what the consumer wants in order to be competitive in the marketplace. You are the consumer! The survey companies are hired by corporations to research certain trends and opinions of the general public. By participating in online surveys, you help tell the corporations what you – the consumer – want, thereby giving them the competitive edge they need to attract your business. But consumers need an incentive to participate. And what’s the best incentive? Money!
How much money will I make by participating in paid online surveys?
Companies may offer you anywhere from $2-$75 per survey, or some companies will ask you to try out certain products which they let you keep afterwards. Some companies pay you in “points,” and then give you the option of trading them in for cash or for other products or items that may be of interest to you. If you are willing to participate in focus groups, take phone surveys, or preview movie trailers, you may be eligible to make as much as $150 per hour. These opportunities are rare. The majority of short surveys that you will receive through e-mail will probably be around the $1 – $2 range.
Few people can make a living out of online surveys, and they’re not likely to be millionaires. They do, however, enjoy the “work at home” comforts and lifestyle, making their own hours, and being independent.
Most people use paid online surveys as extra income, or as a money-making hobby to do in their spare time. They may complete enough surveys to cover their monthly car payments or just to have a little extra spending cash for going out on the weekends.
No one can guarantee a specific amount of money. Many factors contribute to your earning potential, including your own aptitude for hard work (you can’t make money if you don’t keep filling out those surveys!) and the amount of time you’re willing to put towards online surveys. Another factor involves your demographic profile (e.g. your age, income, race, profession, marital status, etc.). Certain surveys require a specific demographic profile in order to participate. On many survey sites, you can increase the chances of receiving targeted surveys by filling out specific information under their “profile” section (or their screener surveys), which will better determine into which demographics you fit. That being said, there are more than enough paid online surveys for people from all demographics to work at home comfortably.
The bottom line is, the more paid online surveys you fill out, the more money you can make. It’s up to you to set the pace. See our Free Online Survey Directory to get a list of free survey sites.
Can anyone do this?
The majority of online survey opportunities require that you are at least 18 years of age. Other than that, they do not require any special skills or qualifications, just the desire and ability to work at home. Surveys are not limited to residents of the United States. There is ample opportunity for people of all countries to participate in survey programs. Many online surveys require a certain demographic (e.g. married women between the ages of 24-35 who live in Canada), but many surveys are general.
How, when, and by whom will I get paid?
Generally, you will be paid a set amount for participating in a survey, focus group or other opportunity. Some focus group opportunities will pay by the hour. Most companies will pay you cash, but some will give you free products, chances to win bigger prizes, or “points” that can be redeemed for cash or other products.
Each time you participate in a survey, you will be paid directly by the sponsoring company – usually a market research group hired by a larger corporation to conduct the research. Payment is usually in U.S. funds and may come as a check in the mail or online via PayPal.
All details concerning payment will be outlined upfront by the survey companies. If you are uncomfortable with receiving payments via PayPal (only a few companies require this method), skip that company. There are plenty of other companies willing to pay you by check or other methods.
Do I have to pay taxes on the money I make?
If you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll be considered an independent contractor and no taxes will be withheld from the payments you receive. Any company that pays you over $600 in a year must send you a Form 1099, and you should include this as “miscellaneous income” on your tax return.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need to seek out an accountant or other tax professional in your location.
Everyone, whether a U.S. citizen or not, should always consult with his or her accountant or other tax professional regarding work at home issues.
Are the companies listed in your Free Online Survey Directory actually online survey companies?
Yes! These are legitimate market research companies whose corporate clients hire them to conduct surveys.
Should I pay to take paid online surveys?
You should never pay a company in order to perform work for them. None of the survey companies provided for you by our Free Online Survey Directory will charge a fee for your participation. Web sites that call themselves “survey companies” or “market research firms” – but require you to pay in order to participate in their surveys – are scams, plain and simple.
Why do some surveys involve product offers or free trials?
Some market research companies work with various sponsors. Sometimes you’ll be invited to purchase products at a discount or participate in trial offers. You can just ignore these offers if you’re not interested.
They do this to help promote their products and services, and it’s also used to help offset the cost of paying high rewards to survey participants. Oddly enough, these are usually the ones that pay the highest rewards. We suggest you don’t discount the company just because they want to give you an i-pod or plasma screen TV instead of cash. You can turn around and sell it on e-bay for $20 or just keep it for yourself. The companies will tell you upfront what they’ll pay you, so you can always ignore these types of surveys if you’re so inclined.
I’m concerned about privacy issues. Should I worry about this?
Our Free Online Survey Directory are Market research companies who are usually paid by large corporations to conduct surveys on their behalf. They need your participation in order to succeed.
Market research companies therefore take consumer privacy very seriously. If it were known that a certain market research company was violating your privacy, they wouldn’t be in business very long.
Generally you’ll be asked to provide basic information about where you live, what you do for a living, your gender, etc. in order to create your personal profile so that they’ll know which surveys to send you. If you feel uncomfortable about giving out cetain information, you don’t have to. Each company has their own privacy policy which you can find at their website.
