Online surveys are a great way to make some extra cash. While it’s best to treat a survey panelist job as supplemental income, you can still make a good bit of dough to use for extra funds.
You could argue that being a survey panelist is the gold standard for research nerds who are interested in a side hustle.
As a survey panelist, you are essentially a part of market research studies – that is, you are helping a business to cut down on its overhead and avoid pricey mistakes by simply giving your opinions on products, brands, and/or services.
We have written on survey panels quite a bit, but this list will narrow things down to just the panels that offer Paypal payouts as an option (we've listed the other options available for payment, too).
It typically only takes one or two business days to transfer money from Paypal to your bank account, and then there are some online stores where you can pay for your purchases directly with your Paypal account.
Check out the full list of options we found for you below! And they are all FREE to join (as any survey panel that is legitimate should be).
Online Surveys That Pay Via Paypal
YouGov
Over 4 million people around the world take part in YouGov’s online surveys and product testing. It is a “leading research company,” that often conducts political surveys.
Countries They are Open To: United States, UK, international
Payout Options: PayPal, gift cards (Best Buy, iTunes, Target, Walmart), merchandise, retail e-vouchers, movie vouchers, donations to charity, sweepstakes entries
You can sign up for the YouGov panel here.
Branded Surveys
After you reach 1,000 points for taking surveys for Branded Surveys, you can cash out your moola (1,000 points = $10). The surveys don’t take too terribly long to complete, and you can gain 100 points simply by filling out a profile.
Countries They are Open To: United States, Canada, UK
Payout Options: PayPal, gift cards, Dwolla, or an electronic gift card from Tango card and participating retailers.
You can sign up for Branded Surveys here, or read our Branded Surveys review first.
PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel allows panelists to cash out in various forms (see below), in multiple countries, for cash or prizes. We also love the flexibility of being paid via internet currency Bitcoin. They include other ways to earn, like completing tasks and watching videos.
Countries They are Open To: United States, Canada, UK, Australia
Payout Options: PayPal, gift cards, Bitcoin
You can sign up for Prize Rebel here or read our review of PrizeRebel first.
Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research is an awesome panel study, as it has a grade-A reputation, surveys take less than 15 minutes, and they will rarely disqualify their users – which is often a problem among survey-takers.
Countries They are Open To: United States, Canada, UK, Australia
Payout Options: PayPal, checks, gift cards and more
You can sign up for Pinecone Research here. We've also written a little more detail about Pinecone Research if you're interested in researching them first! They're one of our favorites.
PaidViewpoint
A truly international conglomerate, PaidViewpoint is one of the best. You can take mobile surveys, online surveys, and PaidViewpoint has a refer-a-friend program, as many of the best survey panels do.
Countries They are Open To: Czech Republic, Gibraltar, Greece, Croatia, Iceland, Jersey, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Moldova, Malta, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Venezuela + more!
Payout Options: PayPal, Amazon gift cards, Walmart gift cards
You can sign up for Paid Viewpoint here. This is one of the better panels on the list, and you can see why we love it here.
Crowdology
Crowdology users earn between $.40 – $10 per survey. You can get your cash via PayPal when your account reaches $8. You can get your Amazon voucher at $10.
Countries They are Open To: United States
Payout Options: PayPal, Amazon vouchers
You can sign up for Crowdology here.
Forthright
Participate in online research and other types of surveys. Once completed, you will be emailed your reward. Prior to completing a study, you will be available to view the dollar value of the study.
Countries They are Open To: United States
Payout Options: PayPal, gift cards (Amazon, Tango), donations to charity
You can sign up for the Forthright panel here.
Engage in Depth
This “premier market research firm” has two different panels: the consumer and business professional panel, which is geared towards TV viewing, ad effectiveness, automobiles, and other consumer-related categories, and the physicians and medical professionals panel, which focuses on experiences in the healthcare and medical communities. Payouts are usually between $50 – $250.
Countries They are Open To: United States
Payout Options: PayPal, check
You can sign up for the Engage In Depth panel here.
Surveyon
Surveyon is specifically aimed at Asian countries. It has over 3 million users, and is rapidly growing.
Countries They are Open To: Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and other Asian countries
Payout Options: PayPal
You can sign up for the Surveyon panel here.
Surveys On The Go
With cashouts at $10, and each survey paying approximately $1 to complete, this is a well-paid website. You can get your moola in no time flat, and do it all on a mobile app.
Countries They are Open To: United States
Payout Options: PayPal
You can sign up for the Surveys On the Go panel here.
Power of Opinions
The cool thing about Power of Opinions is that they are looking to expand their consumer base in the following categories: moms, children, over 50s, teens, car/business/home and pet owners. Keep in mind that surveys are primarily directed at UK residents, but are available internationally.
Countries They are Open To: UK + international
Payout Options: PayPal, gift cards (Amazon, iTunes, Starbucks), sweepstakes entries
You can sign up for the Power of Opinions panel here.
E-Poll Surveys
The E-Poll website could certainly use an update, but don't be fooled by the appearance. This is a top notch panel with fun, interesting surveys covering entertainment and current events. Online, mobile, and teen surveys are available for users.
Countries They are Open To: United States
Payout Options: PayPal, Gift cards (Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Starbucks, Walmart), charitable donations, sweepstakes entries, retail e-vouchers
You can sign up for the E-Poll Surveys panel here.
A key point to remember prior to signing up to be a survey panelist is what we noted at the beginning of this post – this is purely a side hustle, don’t-quit-your-day-job kind of job.
Being a survey panelist or respondent certainly won’t replace a day job’s regular income – it should be purely used for supplemental purposes.
But supplemental income is still a form of income, and you can use said income to have a relaxing spa day, do some home improvements, or go on a date with your significant other – the possibilities are endless!
Keep in mind, however, that any income is still taxable income, especially when you work as a 1099 contractor, so save a certain percentage accordingly (20% is usually a good guesstimate).
Happy survey-taking!
Anna Jones is a bicoastal writer, editor, and producer currently living in Atlanta, GA. She is the proud owner of Girl.Copy, a freelance copywriting and editing business that specializes in creating stellar content in the fashion, technology, marketing, and design sectors. She has a husband, human baby, and fur baby that are her favorite parts of any day. She enjoys traveling, reading, and a nice cold Diet Coke while taking an uninterrupted shower. If you want to internet stalk her or make a business inquiry, check out her website at: www.girlcopy.org.