What Is The Best Survey Site To Make Money Uk

Looking for the top 10 best paid survey sites for UK residents? Well, I have written this handy review of all my favourites so you can stop searching and start earning online. And remember, the more you join, the more you earn.

Surveys for money in the UK – 10 of the best

Branded Surveys
Prolific Academic
Panelbase
PopulusLive
YouGov
OnePoll
Testable Minds
OnePulse
Swagbucks
Qmee

Some of the articles on this blog contain affiliate links. If you click on them, it may mean that I earn a small commission to help cover my running costs. As an Amazon Associate, I will earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect my reviews.

Online surveys that pay cash or in vouchers

I know many of us think about it, but how do you go about earning extra money? Well, one great way is by completing online surveys. Okay so it won't make you rich, but in 2020, they proved a major contributor towards me making an extra £8,500.

Now, what would you do with an extra £8,500? Don't ask me because I spent 2020 sat indoors for obvious reasons. But, my plan is to put this money I earn towards a holiday each year and, rather boringly, towards retirement.

My favourite feature of survey sites is that they don't just restrict you to earning from home. Many now have apps, which means you can earn extra cash during your daily commute or when you're standing outside the school gates.

The best online surveys to make money in the UK

However, after several years of experience, I've learned that some survey sites are far better than others. But how do you know which are the legitimate sites and which are just scams? Well, to save you time from having to look through all my reviews, I have listed my top ten in order of preference.

Please note that I am based in the U.K. However, several of these sites are also available to survey hunters from the U.S.

And also note that, unlike other sites that claim to tell you the best-paid survey sites, mine is genuine. You see, some people only recommend a survey site because they are paid a commission. 4 of the sites I list below will earn me nothing if you join (2, 4, 6, and 8 in case you're wondering).

But a few questions you may have before we get started…

Can you actually make money from surveys?

Yes, you can. You will struggle to make a full-time income, but you can easily earn several hundred pounds per month without too much effort. It's just a case of finding the right survey sites for you. If you take a look at my income reports, you can see that I often make over £500 per month.

How much do the best survey sites pay?

The best sites pay in the region of £10 – £15 per hour, but there's no hard and fast rule. How much you can earn from a survey depends on various factors, such as how long the survey takes, which company is paying you, and how unique your opinion is. For example, a survey looking for answers from females aged 18-60 won't pay as much as a survey looking for female engineers aged 30.

Some sites pay you as little as 10 pence for each survey, which usually takes under a minute. At the other end of the scale, I have been invited to online focus groups after a short survey that pays £100 for 2 hours.

The best paid survey sites

So, without further ado, let's take a look at my top 10 for all serious survey takers. Remember, the more you join, the better the chance you have to earn. But you probably don't want to sign up for all of them straight off because it takes a bit of time, so why not join the first few and bookmark this page to visit at a later date?

1. Branded Surveys

This site makes my top 10 list for a few reasons. There are far more surveys than nearly every other site and they pay quite well. Plus, complete more surveys and you have a chance of being awarded bonus points for finishing top of the leaderboard. Another benefit is that you receive compensation if you are screened out of a survey.

You can withdraw your money through gift cards or you can choose PayPal if you fancy cash. It's important to note that Branded Surveys is a site that pays you in $.

Pros: Plenty of surveys. Chances to earn bonus points as you compete against others.

Cons: Rewards can vary wildly between surveys.

And, use the link below and you'll get 100 points ($1), just for joining!

2. Prolific Academic

Prolific Academic - the best paying survey site

An easy choice for the number 1 spot. Not only is it one of the best paying survey sites, but it's also one of the most interesting. The surveys here are usually created by lecturers and students at universities. The great thing is, they often receive grants to write these surveys. This means that the money they pay to you isn't theirs, which often makes them more generous.

The minimum pay for this site is £5 per hour, but I find that most surveys pay far more than this. Some will even pay you a bonus if you perform well, or extra if you complete a set number of surveys over several weeks. I even had one survey that paid the equivalent of over £80 per hour, although that is quite rare.

The money you make will be paid into your PayPal account. There's a minimum withdrawal limit of £5 and it takes a few days to reach your account if you're a new member. If you're a more established Prolific user, it will reach you instantly.

A couple of things to note; you need to keep an eye out quite often for new surveys, otherwise they fill up quickly. Also, during the holidays, there are fewer surveys. If you're looking to join during July and August, these are the quietest times.

Pros: Well paid surveys and generally very interesting

Cons: You have to be quick. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly

3. Panelbase

Another must-have site. They pay you just for signing up! This survey site will normally give you between 2 or 3 surveys every day. Occasionally, you will strike it lucky and be chosen to test a product and get paid for the privilege! This is usually something like a new kind of cereal or chocolate bar, but it's always interesting to try

I have even been invited to join focus groups. These pay far more than usual surveys and can earn you up to £60 per hour, just for taking part in a video call.

Every time you enter a survey, you are also entered into a prize draw to win prizes. My total winnings stand at £1…

Oh, and you get £3 just for joining by following the link!

Pros: Steady number of surveys each month. Decent pay and a chance to test products.

Cons: You can be screened out of quite a few surveys, even though you've received an invite.

4. PopulusLive

This may seem a little strange, but PopulusLive is 2nd on my list, even though technically it pays more than Prolific. Surveys are easy and quick to complete and pay more than any other site I have used.

In real terms, the pay works out at around £12 per hour and most of the surveys can be completed from your phone or on a computer.

The only thing that keeps PopulusLive from my top spot is that the surveys can be infrequent. Some months, I have made just a few pounds, whilst others I have made well over £30. There is nothing you can do to make sure you receive more surveys, it's just a case of waiting until you meet the correct demographic.

Once you reach £50, you will be paid the following month by bank transfer. You can opt for a cheque, although that is a lot slower.

Pros: Very well paid survey site.

Cons: The number of surveys you receive each month changes dramatically. Difficult to guarantee an income.

5. YouGov

This is a similar site to PopulusLive, although you only get paid around half the amount. But don't let that put you off as the surveys are quite interesting and often used in national papers.

Surveys don't come along as often as I like, but they appear more regularly than PopulusLive. Again, you will be paid by bank transfer once you reach £50, usually within a few days.

I've never received any products to test, but occasionally get paid to watch a TV show, which can be a lot of fun.

Pros: Interesting surveys, with the results used in major publications. A steady stream of surveys each month.

Cons: Doesn't pay as well as some of the other sites

6. OnePoll

Not as well paid as some sites above, but I love OnePoll. Generally, the surveys only pay about between 10-30p. That may sound a little hard going, but some of the surveys take just seconds to complete. This site is great for people who are short on time or those on the constant move as you can complete surveys from your phone too.

You will sometimes be invited to take part in in-person interviews or videos. These are quite short and can pay up to £100. The downside is, a lot of them take place in London, so you need to be willing to travel.

Your earnings are paid straight into your bank account, but can take around a month to arrive.

And, you earn £2.50 just for joining!

Pros: Quick and easy surveys. Can complete from anywhere.

Cons: Will take a while to get to your first payout

7. Testable Minds

Similar to Prolific, the majority of surveys set by Testable come from universities. They pay well but not quite up to the standard of Prolific. Plus, you don't seem to receive quite so many earning opportunities. Spaces on surveys are very limited, so you need to be quick if you want to earn.

Another plus point is that earnings are paid in cold, hard cash. Although, if you withdraw through PayPal, you will need to pay a small fee. I use Revolut instead, which not only gives you a better exchange rate, there is also no charge.

Cons: You can go a long time without receiving any surveys at all.

Pros: Interesting surveys and a good rate of pay.

8. OnePulse

This is only available through an app on your phone. OnePulse offers 2 types of survey, those that pay cash and those that reward you with XP. And as your XP increases, the more cash you receive when you complete a paid survey. Although the pay is relatively low (around 25 pence), surveys only take you a few seconds. This is a good little earner for very little effort.

You can withdraw your earnings to PayPal once you reach $20 (you are actually paid in $). Your money should arrive instantly, but you can only withdraw once per month.

Pros: For the time spent answering questions, probably the best paid survey site out there.

Cons: For mobile only. You have to be very quick to answer as spaces are limited.

If you want to download the app, then Apple users click here

Android users click here

Best paid legit surveys — I am 77th in all-time earners for OnePulse!

9. Swagbucks

Possibly one of the biggest sites out there. There are lots of positive reviews out there, but this is partly because Swagbucks has quite a generous referral scheme and people want you to join so they get paid!

Swagbucks, isn't just a survey site – there are plenty of other ways to earn too. In fact, you need to be selective in the surveys you complete as some pay quite badly. But once you come to terms with the site and take advantage of their special offers and games, you can earn a decent amount. And convince your friends to join and you earn 10% of all their future earnings!

There are lots of gift cards to choose from to withdraw your earnings, or you can choose PayPal. It usually takes around 5 working days before you receive your money/card.

Pros: Plenty of earning opportunities, not just restricted to surveys.

Cons: Surveys are poorly paid compared to the other sites on this list.

10. Qmee

New to my list is Qmee. This is a site where you can earn from your computer or an app on your phone. Pay for each survey varies a lot, so make sure you're picky. However, complete surveys 6 days in a row and you receive 10% extra.

Another site that gives you a choice between gift cards and cash. If you opt for cash, you can withdraw money to your PayPal account at any time.

And, you'll get 50 pence just for joining.

Pros: Always plenty of surveys and there's an app for your phone to use.

Cons: You need to be choosy, as there are some poorly paid surveys there.

A few tips to make more from online paid surveys

Join multiple sites. The best-paying survey providers don't usually have a long list for you to complete, so being able to check different sites gives you better earning potential.

Some of the sites below will send you an email invite to let you know when a new survey is available. Many of them have limited space, so try to complete them as soon as you can.

Keep your profile up-to-date as much as you can. This reduces the chance of you being sent surveys that you won't actually qualify for.

Don't spend ages trawling sites for surveys to complete. If there aren't any decent ones there, you'll end up working for a lot less than you should.

Keep going. Because everybody's profile is different, it will take you a while to find your preferred sites and which ones pay you the most. Don't think that within the first week that you will be earning £100's. But give it some time, and you should be on your way to making a decent extra income.

Are paid surveys safe?

As long as you keep to the established and genuine survey sites you should never have an issue. And remember, it's your information. If you don't feel comfortable with sharing something, don't. I very rarely share my postcode, address or name – only if it's for a long-term project that pays well.

And if in doubt, create a new email account. You can pop over to Outlook and create an email address in a matter of minutes. That way, if you're worried about spam, then it will be kept away from your main account. However, I am a member of all of the sites below and never had any issues.

Do you have to declare the income?

You can make up to £1000 online per year as an extra income without having to declare it to HMRC. Any more than this and you will need to fill out a self-assessment each year.

Don't let your earnings sit in your account though

If you're saving up for something, it's very tempting to leave any money you earn in your survey account. That way, you're less likely spend it. But, there is no protection and if something would happen to the survey company, you would lose all your earnings.

And some survey companies have a habit of freezing accounts if they think you aren't completing their surveys honestly. Fortunately, I've not heard of any problems with the sites below.

Look out for fakes

Fortunately, this isn't a particularly big problem, but something you need to be mindful of. If a survey company asks you for money to join, don't. This is more than likely a scam and there's never a need to pay.

Also, be careful of survey companies that like to move the 'goalposts'. I have heard of instances where people have almost reached the point of cashing out, only to find that they need to earn even more points. If this happens, you need to think carefully whether you should try to reach the new target or to give in.

Well, that's a list of my top 10 best paid survey sites. I'm forever joining new sites, so I will update this page from time to time if I find something better. If you know of any other sites, please let me know below.

My advice would be not to sign-up to just one survey site. The more you belong to, the better chance you have to earn money. And if you think a survey is too long for the amount they pay you… don't do it!

Or, take a look at how I earned over £1000 worth of free Amazon gift cards last year.

Please note that some of the links above are affiliated.

FAQs

How do online surveys pay?

This depends on the survey site. Most pay either through PayPal or by bank transfer. Some will offer the option of gift cards instead.

Are online surveys worth doing?

Yes. They are a great way to boost your income.

Do online surveys actually pay?

Yes, they do. It may seem like a little too good to be true. But you can earn from the comfort of your own home or from your phone when you're out and about.

Do surveys for money work?

They certainly do. As long as you choose the survey sites you work for wisely, you will be able to make a steady income.