Is SurveyWorld Legit? Up to $300 a Month Taking Online Surveys?

SurveyWorld promotes itself as a place where you can take surveys and get rewarded.

But can you really earn $300 a month, like the homepage says?

In this review, I’ll cover:

• how SurveyWorld works
• how much money you can get from it
• alternatives to consider based on reviews and my own experience with the site

Ready? Let’s do it!

What is SurveyWorld?

SurveyWorld is an online platform that connects users with paid survey opportunities ranging from $0.50 to $12.00 per survey.

One important note is that SurveyWorld doesn’t actually conduct any surveys itself.

Instead, it provides a directory of surveys from other companies.

SurveyWorld is owned by Syno International, a Lithuania-based company. The company was founded in 2016 by a group of market research professionals.

Is SurveyWorld Legit?

SurveyWorld is a legit way to make a few dollars on the side. Don’t expect any big payday, but it can provide you a small amount of extra cash — in the form of gift cards.

The most frequent complaints about SurveyWorld are from people who got a targeted ad on social media, filled out a bunch of personal information, but ultimately didn’t qualify for the paid survey that was advertised.

It’s actually pretty common to get “screened out” of surveys, but the perceived “deception” has led to a 2.4-star rating on Trustpilot at press time.

We recommend going to the site directly to fill out your profile. Users who did this reviewed SurveyWorld much more favorably.

How SurveyWorld Works

To get started with SurveyWorld:

1. Go to SurveyWorld.me
2. Create an account

SurveyWorld will “match” you with other survey companies and encourage you to sign up with those other sites directly. (As an affiliate partner, they get paid for every one you join.)

Soon, you’ll receive emails to activate your accounts with the companies you’ve selected.

Next, it will bring you to your Survey Dashboard, where you’ll see:

• the surveys that you qualify for
• how long they’ll take
• how much you can earn

As a third party, each time you click on a survey, SurveyWorld sends you to their partner site to complete the survey there.

The effective hourly rates for these surveys aren’t great — generally between $2-6 per hour.

To qualify for the best-fit surveys, make sure to complete your SurveyWorld profile.

This sections allows you to share about your:

• household
• company
• hobbies
• region
• electronics
• and other topics

By filling out this information, the site will theoretically be better able to connect you with surveys.

How to Make Money with SurveyWorld

You make money on SurveyWold by completing surveys!

Each survey on their site lists how long it should take and how much you’ll make.

The survey may ask for a few initial questions to confirm your eligibility. The more you put into your profile, the more likely you are to breeze through the qualification questions and begin the survey itself.

Once you complete a survey, you can go to the “Transactions” tab to see the reward for each survey you take.

Once you’re ready to cash out, go to the “Rewards” tab to request a gift card.

Your options include:

• AMC
• Apple
• Uber Eats
• Best Buy
• Starbucks
• and more

The minimum you can cash out depends on the gift card. For example, you can cash out an Apple gift card for as low as $2, but you can’t cash out an UberEats gift card until you’ve earned at least $15.

How Much Can You Make on SurveyWorld?

Most surveys on SurveyWorld pay between $0.50 to $3.00.

Occasionally, you may find higher-paying surveys, but they’re less common and may have stricter eligibility criteria.

On average, each survey takes 10 to 30 minutes to complete. This translates to a rough hourly rate of $2 to $8, but it’s often on the lower end due to the (unpaid) time filling out qualifying questions.

For someone putting in 2-5 hours a week, a realistic earning potential is $20 to $50 per month.

If you’re very active and have high survey availability, earnings could reach $100+ per month.

Based on my experience, it would be extremely difficult to reach the $300/month amount mentioned on the SurveyWorld homepage.

To do so, you’d have to:

• Put in 60 hours at an average of $5 an hour
• Qualify for enough surveys to fill 60 hours

While SurveyWorld can provide you with side income, it’s unlikely to be a major source of revenue due to its:

• lower pay-per-survey rates
• limitations on survey qualifications
• limited high-paying survey options available

It’s best seen as a casual side hustle for small rewards rather than a reliable income stream.

How to Maximize Your SurveyWorld Earnings

To maximize your earnings on the platform, you need to increase the number of available surveys and your qualification rate.

Here are some best practices.

Complete Your Profile Thoroughly

Ensure your profile information is up-to-date and complete.

This helps the platform match you with surveys that suit your demographic, increasing your odds of qualifying for surveys.

Check For New Surveys Frequently

Survey invites fill up quickly, especially higher-paying ones.

Check the platform regularly, as new surveys are often added throughout the day.

Sign Up For Multiple Survey Platforms

When you sign up for SurveyWorld, it’ll match you with a few survey platforms it thinks you’ll be a good fit for.

As a survey aggregator, SurveyWorld encourages you to sign up with other survey sites like LifePoints and Branded Surveys.

How Does SurveyWorld Make Money?

SurveyWorld is primarily an affiliate business. That means they make money referring users to other, larger survey apps and platforms. 

What We Like and Dislike About SurveyWorld

SurveyWorld, like many survey sites, offers both advantages and drawbacks.

Here’s a breakdown of the main pros and cons:

Pros

• Wide range of survey options: SurveyWorld connects you to a variety of surveys and survey providers, allowing access to multiple survey opportunities from a single platform.
• Ease of access and free to use: Signing up is straightforward, and there’s no cost involved. Anyone can join and start looking for surveys without any upfront investment.
• Flexible side income: You can complete surveys anytime and anywhere, making it convenient for those looking to earn money or rewards in their spare time.
• No specialized skills needed: Surveys don’t require special skills or knowledge, which makes them accessible to most people.

Cons

• Limited earning potential: Surveys in my dashboard ranged from $0.50 to $2.00 per completed survey. Earning a substantial amount requires significant time investment.
• Qualifying for surveys can be difficult: You may get disqualified after answering initial questions, which can be frustrating and a waste of time. Often when I clicked on a survey that was offered to me, it would immediately say I wasn’t qualified, leaving me frustrated.
• SurveyWorld doesn’t host surveys directly: SurveyWorld redirects you to third-party survey sites. This means you may need to create accounts for the other platforms, which can be cumbersome. 
• Privacy and spam concerns: SurveyWorld may share your information with third-party survey providers, which could increase spam emails. Additionally, some users have privacy concerns about sharing demographic information.
• Earnings vary by location: Survey opportunities and payouts can vary significantly depending on your country or demographics. Users in certain regions may see fewer surveys or lower-paying ones, reducing earning potential.

Is SurveyWorld Worth It?

In my experience, I would say SurveyWorld is not worth your time.

While I was able to fill out one initial survey — and make $0.50! — I struggled to find another one I qualified for.

Instead of spending time earning money from surveys, I was spending time simply trying to find a survey I could complete.

While experiences with the platform may vary, I wouldn’t recommend SurveyWorld as a reliable source of extra cash.

SurveyWorld Alternatives

There are no shortage of survey sites promising to pay you for your opinion. But which ones really deliver?

Here are some of Side Hustle Nation’s top picks.

1. User Interviews

User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.

I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.

Click here to join User Interviews.

Or check out our full User Interviews review.

2. Respondent

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour!

Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares:

• the type of person the company is looking to connect with
• the expected time commitment
• pay rate

While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals—up to $750 an hour!

The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far!)

Click here to join Respondent.

Read our full Respondent.io review here.

3. Rare Patient Voice

A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays patients and caregivers $120 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.

If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look.

The site is open to residents of:

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Spain
• France
• Germany
• Australia,
• New Zealand

4. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a recognized leader in the online survey space. The long-running app has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to users over the years.

You can earn rewards for shopping online, answering surveys, playing games, and watching videos (read: ads). Cash out for gift cards from major retailers.

Sign up through my referral link for a $10 bonus.

Or, check out our full Swagbucks review to learn more.

5. Survey Junkie

Most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, but you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.

These are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.

Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie.

6. Prolific

Prolific specializes in “world changing” academic research.

Studies range from quick 5-10 minute surveys to more in-depth questionnaires taking around 30 minutes.

Their academic nature makes hourly rates higher than many survey sites.

Jackie Mitchell reported earning $10-$30 a day on Prolific when there were open studies matching her demographics.

Note: The sign-up process may involve a waitlist, as researchers want a balanced pool of participants.

• Minimum payout: $6
• Required age: 18+
• Where it’s available: Many countries around the world

Check out our full Prolific review to learn more.

Serious About Making Extra Money?

• Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares hundreds of side hustle ideas to make extra money.
• Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
• Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.