Making cash from online survey sites - new MSE guide

mjm3346

nandrews said:

That's good to know. Perhaps you will be willing to share the "real survey sites" you found that work well for you.

Apart from a few "invite only" things it's some of the sites that are on the MSE list that actually run surveys for themselves and not sites like swagbucks etc that simply have surveys for other sites and always pay less than going direct as they obviously want a cut of what the actual site pays - a survey that paid me £3 I saw offered on SB for 29 SB which is about 21 pence. The purchase info sites are worth over £300 a year, data tracking over £100.

nandrews

OK I guess you've found the secret and don't want to ruin it by sharing - that's understandable. But for the 'other' survey sites, what's your take on the way they deal with members and invites? I am probably on a hiding to nothing, but I find they behaviour quite disgusting and will campaign for their proper regulation. Thinking of the many thousands of people that they rip of by taking their opinions for a trifle.

mjm3346

nandrews said:

OK I guess you've found the secret and don't want to ruin it by sharing - that's understandable. But for the 'other' survey sites, what's your take on the way they deal with members and invites? I am probably on a hiding to nothing, but I find they behaviour quite disgusting and will campaign for their proper regulation. Thinking of the many thousands of people that they rip of by taking their opinions for a trifle.

In my experience most sites say what they pay for a survey and the approx time it takes - people are not forced to do them so it's up to the individual if they are willing to accept the equivalent of less than £2 an hour for what they do - swagbucks (and some others) usually have a very poor hourly rate for surveys (less than £1.50 an hour) but I had one recently that was the equivalent of over £21 an hour again it's about how selective you are - Nearly all the survey sites I use are on the MSE list but so are 17 that based on personal experience I choose to avoid (inc a few I haven't tried). 

The is a long list of sites here, ignoring the "featured" sites, they do seem to be ranked by user ratings (they have Yougov at 4 I found the site worked well but the rewards were far too small) 
https://www.surveypolice.com/countries/united-kingdom

allison445

nandrews said:

OK I guess you've found the secret and don't want to ruin it by sharing - that's understandable. But for the 'other' survey sites, what's your take on the way they deal with members and invites? I am probably on a hiding to nothing, but I find they behaviour quite disgusting and will campaign for their proper regulation. Thinking of the many thousands of people that they rip of by taking their opinions for a trifle.

I think it is all down to personal choice there are some sites I use which others hate and vice versa it also depends massively on your demographics how much you can make
I make a decent amount per month on 5 sites I use regularly was 6 but 1 has reduced the amount they pay on there surveys massively a 15 minute survey for 6p just is not worth my time
It's trial and error and not a one size fits all experience I have went through dozens of sites before I found the ones which work best for me 
Must admit I have never tried swagbucks although I have done some of there surveys via other sites

nandrews

The case is not about what they say they will pay for a survey, but what they actually pay, how much and if they will pay at all. Indeed we are free to choose whether to enter a survey or not. But my gripe is when I receive an invitation to enter a survey, from a company who I have given an extensive profile to. Then they ask me maybe three questions such as age, gender, location and then reject me based on my profile. I say, why was I ever bothered by them when they clearly already knew I could not enter!
You may do surveys for the compensation they will pay you, but they say it's not a paying deal and that they expect your opinions to be given voluntarily. Which us why the compensation is generally very small. But even so, as volunteers, I feel I deserve more respect for my time and effort than just being selected apparently at random, without regard for the details they already know.
I appreciate that for some the choice of survey panel is a personal preference. But it's still worth sharing the reasons why, as the plus points maybe be helpful to others. Indeed the negative points may not have been realised by someone else and their mention might save them much wasted effort.
 

mjm3346

nandrews said:

The case is not about what they say they will pay for a survey, but what they actually pay, how much and if they will pay at all. Indeed we are free to choose whether to enter a survey or not. But my gripe is when I receive an invitation to enter a survey, from a company who I have given an extensive profile to. Then they ask me maybe three questions such as age, gender, location and then reject me based on my profile. I say, why was I ever bothered by them when they clearly already knew I could not enter!
You may do surveys for the compensation they will pay you, but they say it's not a paying deal and that they expect your opinions to be given voluntarily. Which us why the compensation is generally very small. But even so, as volunteers, I feel I deserve more respect for my time and effort than just being selected apparently at random, without regard for the details they already know.
I appreciate that for some the choice of survey panel is a personal preference. But it's still worth sharing the reasons why, as the plus points maybe be helpful to others. Indeed the negative points may not have been realised by someone else and their mention might save them much wasted effort.
 

I have always got paid the stated amount, if there is a screen out within a handful of questions it doesn't bother me (I would guess maybe 1 in 10 for direct surveys) - For all the sites I use it is a paying deal and time is rewarded - it is voluntarily only to the extent of whether to complete a survey or not but them rewarding for a completed survey is not voluntary.

The "SurveyPolice" site (link already posted) rates over 100 survey sites and there are also user reviews for many of the top sites on there


There are also numerous threads in this section on MSE with comments on many different survey sites.

MoonChild91

Does anyone have any experience with Life Points? I've had them recommended to me but can't find much information on MSE. 

mjm3346

MoonChild91 said:

Does anyone have any experience with Life Points? I've had them recommended to me but can't find much information on MSE. 

Recommended by someone you know or just one of many many many many promotional links (many) that have been about for a few months?

They are another incarnation of the old lightspeed panel (Kantar/Lightspeed is a very large group).
I used them years ago but gave up when I cut out several panels as not worth the effort - I did sign up to Life points (to pick up a bonus another site paid if you signed up to LP through their link), but I haven't used them as the rewards are not high enough for me to bother with.

nandrews

I am with LP. Have been since MySurvey and GlobalTestMarket merged into it. It's the same as the majority in my view. You won't get much from them, but you do get the usual amount of time wasting invites (i.e., already closed, ask you again for profile details and reject, or ask many more questions and reject!). If you complain you will be brushed off and if you complain too much for them they'll stop their invites! I think all survey panels are tarred with the same brush!
  

MoonChild91

That's good to know! One of my colleagues uses them, but I was dubious about signing up after my experience with Toluna - the only survey site I've ever used, and I thought it was a complete waste of time. I might not bother if they're nothing special!