Is Survey Junkie legit? Is it worth your time?
This Survey Junkie review will teach you everything you need to know, beginning with the number one question on most people’s minds: how much can you expect to earn?
My Survey Junkie Test Results
To find out how much you can realistically earn on Survey Junkie, I signed up and spent an average of 30 minutes per day completing surveys throughout the week.
As part of my test, I completed all of Survey Junkie’s profile questionnaires. These are short, basic surveys on topics like technology, health and travel, and are recommended so that Survey Junkie can send you more targeted (and higher-paying) surveys.
In addition, I completed the site’s “Survey Medleys,” which have fewer than 10 questions each and also help the company better target you with surveys.
After setting up my profile and answering all the demographic questions, I attempted 20 surveys over the course of a week, of which I qualified for 10.
In total, I earned an average of $3.75 per hour.
My qualification rate improved the more surveys I took. There was a point where I was kicked out of seven straight surveys, but by the end of my test, things improved, and I qualified for four in a row.
Additionally, Survey Junkie now offers users the opportunity to join free product trials, live user groups, and one-on-one phone calls to conduct market research. These opportunities are rare, but they can pay up to $100 each.
In short, Survey Junkie is not meant to provide a full-time income. Instead, it’s best viewed as a way to earn $25 to $40 in extra money per month (which is possible with consistent usage).
You can sign up here, or if you’re interested in learning more, continue reading.
Survey Junkie has a stellar reputation and is widely regarded as one of the best paid survey sites. While it didn't blow us away by any means during our testing, it proved to be both reliable and a steady earner compared to other survey sites.
If you're new to online surveys, its low minimum withdrawal and easy-to-use interface make it an excellent site to start with. Just go in with realistic expectations: you'll earn about $4 per hour, with a rare opportunity to earn more.
Best For:- Regular survey takers who enjoy sharing opinions.
- People wanting a steady stream of survey opportunities.
- Those okay with modest, consistent earnings.
- Users seeking the highest pay per hour.
- People wanting varied ways to earn money online.
- Those hoping to replace part-time job income.
- I qualified for 50% of surveys available.
- Survey opportunities improve with the more time you spend on the site.
- The very low $5 minimum withdrawal that makes it easy to cash out.
- Has a limited selection of cash-out options compared to some other sites.
- Survey Junkie says that on average, you only qualify for 1 out of 5 surveys. (My qualification rate was 50%.)
How Does Survey Junkie Work?
One benefit to Survey Junkie is that no phone number is needed when you sign up. The sign-up process is quick and easy, so you can start earning points quickly.
Once you get to the Survey Junkie homepage, just click on “Join Now.” Then, you’ll get the option to join using Facebook, Google or an email address.
Although Survey Junkie partners with other market research companies, it doesn’t make you sign up for those sites. In that regard, it acts as an aggregator of surveys.
Once logged in, Survey Junkie allows you to view the different surveys offered. Surveys are prioritized by the ones you’re most likely to qualify for.
You still earn a few points (typically 2-3) even if you don’t qualify for a survey, which usually happens after about a minute of answering screening questions.
The specific kinds of survey questions you’ll encounter depends on factors like your age, income and lifestyle. In my case, I’m interested in sports and finance, and I received a lot of surveys centered around those topics.
In some cases, you’ll be asked to answer open-ended questions (meaning you’ll have to provide a short typed response to a prompt).
Survey Junkie Key Facts
| Minimum payout: | 500 points ($5). |
| Payout options: | PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards (options may vary by location and verification status). |
| Gift cards available: | Amazon, iTunes, Sephora, Starbucks, Target, Visa, Walmart, etc. |
| Countries available: | U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK. |
| Age requirement: | Minimum of 18. |
| Point expiration: | Points do not expire for active members. |
| PayPal transfer time: | Typically within a few hours (up to 24 hours). |
| Identity verification: | Various methods include text, email, phone calls, information cross-checks, and photo IDs. |
Survey Junkie Surf to Earn
Survey Junkie Surf to Earn (formerly known as SJ Pulse or Survey Pulse) is available as a free browser extension, desktop app, or mobile app.
You’ll want to install the mobile app if you take surveys on your phone. If you prefer using a computer, install the desktop app.
You’ll earn 100 points for installing the app, whether on your phone or computer, plus an additional 100 points if you install the separate browser extension.
Beyond the bonus, points can be earned simply by installing the app or extension and allowing it to collect data. Unfortunately, Survey Junkie does not offer any insight into how much you’ll earn or how frequently, and user reviews from around the web have been mixed.
Surf to Earn users also have access to an array of paid surveys that are not available on the main Survey Junkie dashboard.
You should be aware that marketing firms (and others) use this information to create wide-ranging (anonymized) profiles that influence the advertisements you see when browsing websites.
In other words, this information may not be directly attributable to you by name, but it does become part of the “big data” picture of you that shapes your internet experience.
At the same time, the consensus seems to be that Surf to Earn does not pay as much as other passive income apps, such as the Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel.
Survey Junkie Surf to Earn Browser Extension
Once you install the Surf to Earn browser extension, it will work in the background to collect data.
Survey Junkie characterizes the data collected by Survey to Earn as:
- Pages you visit.
- Products you shop.
- Ads you see.
Survey Junkie does not collect sensitive personal information such as credit card details or passwords.
Survey Junkie Surf to Earn App
The app works a bit differently. You install it on your desktop computer or mobile device, and it runs constantly, collecting data similar to the browser extension.
I installed the desktop version, which used about 118 MB of memory on my Mac. While this isn’t a large amount, the app constantly uses some of my computer’s resources, which I try to minimize. For this reason, I didn’t keep the desktop app installed.
Survey Junkie Reputation
As of August 28, 2024, Survey Junkie has a 4.1/5 rating on Trustpilot from 44,781 user reviews, which is one of the highest ratings for a major paid survey site.
The site also has a 3.75/5 rating on the BBB’s user review site (from over 900 reviews), with a B accreditation.
Survey Junkie reviews on the iOS and Google Play app stores are as follows:
| iOS Rating | Reviews | Android Rating | Votes |
| 4.5/5 | 76,499 | 4.3/5 | 96,929 |
How Does Survey Junkie Pay You?
You can redeem the points you earn for free gift cards or PayPal cash. If you live in the United States, you also have the option for a direct bank transfer through a third-party service called Dwolla.
To cash in your points for any method of payment, you have to have at least 500 points, which equates to $5 in value (one Survey Junkie point equals 1 cent). This is one of the lowest minimum withdrawal amounts in the paid survey industry.
Survey Junkie vs. Other Top Survey Sites
Survey Junkie is one of our top choices for survey sites, thanks to its user-friendly interface, inventory of surveys, and decent hourly rates. If you plan to invest significant time in taking surveys, it’s one of the best options.
However, in our extensive testing of survey sites, we discovered others that offered significantly higher hourly pay. The drawback with these higher-paying sites was the limited availability of surveys.
Additionally, Survey Junkie competes with reward sites like FreeCash and Swagbucks, which offer not only surveys but also other earning opportunities, such as online shopping and offers. If you aim to increase your earnings beyond what surveys can offer, reward sites are a better fit.
Overall, here’s what we found regarding the best hourly rates among survey, reward, and 1-1 focus group sites. Click the link on each to see our review.
| Brand | Our Rating | Hourly Rate | Type |
| Google Opinion Rewards | 4.5/5 | $22 | Survey Site |
| SurveyMonkey Rewards | 4.5/5 | $13.56 | Survey Site |
| Rakuten Insight | 4.5/5 | $10 | Survey Site |
| Toluna | 3.5/5 | $3.43 | Survey Site |
| Branded Surveys | 3/5 | $2.20 | Survey Site |
| Swagbucks | 4.5/5 | $20.00 | Reward Site |
| InboxDollars | 3/5 | N/A | Reward Site |
| PrizeRebel | 2.5/5 | $1.46 | Reward Site |
| User Interviews | 5/5 | $55 | 1-1 Focus Group |
| Respondent | 4/5 | $31.00 | 1-1 Focus Group |
Survey Junkie Tips
Before you sign up and start filling out surveys without a plan in place, let’s look at how you can maximize your earnings with a few useful Survey Junkie tips.
Tip #1: Take the Demographic Surveys
You should do the demographic surveys right away, because that will enable you to get more targeted surveys (which pay the best rates).
If you’re hesitant about providing personal information, in the video below, I run through the general profile questions for you to see the type of information you’re providing.
Tip #2: Use a Dedicated Email Address
Create an email address that you use only for surveys. While you might be tempted to skip this step, believe me, it’s best not to overload your primary inbox.
This is especially true if you sign up for more than one site. While Survey Junkie tends to only send one email per day, some sites bombard your inbox with a notification for each individual survey opportunity.
Tip #3: Be Sure to Download the Survey Junkie App
While the website is optimized for mobile browsers, the Survey Junkie app has a clean interface and is easy to use on your phone. That really opens up your earning potential, as you can tackle surveys whenever you have a few minutes to kill.
Tip #4: Answer Honestly
Most survey sites have algorithms that can identify people who complete the surveys as fast as possible, without taking time to read the questions and answer honestly. In other words, they know if you’re just clicking buttons and your answers don’t add up.
Survey Junkie will even throw in some random quality control questions to make sure you’re paying attention (and not a robot).
Take the time to mark the correct answer. It’ll pay off in the long run, as you’ll get survey opportunities that allow you to earn more.
Tip #5: Do the QuickStart Checklist Up-Front to Maximize Your Points
You earn 25 points for confirming your email address and 50 points for completing the profile survey. Those are high-value tasks for the time involved.
Tip #6: Accept the Fact That You Won’t Get Rich
Remember, this isn’t meant to be a huge money-maker. Keeping realistic expectations will make this process more fun. This should be viewed as a way to spend a little free time to earn a bit of pocket change or a free gift card here and there – not as a full-time online job that’s going to pay your bills every month.
Tip #7: Opt-In to Product Trials and Focus Groups
By default, you’re not opted-in for the higher paying offers such as product trials and focus groups. I only got the opportunity after I completed all the demographic surveys.
Survey Junkie FAQs
Survey Junkie has some of the best user ratings among paid survey sites. It’s a well-known company that is widely regarded as a leader in the consumer market research field, and we recommend it as a top choice for earning extra money with online surveys. You can refer to the reputation section of this article for an up-to-date summary of Survey Junkie reviews from users of the platform.
If you’re in a desirable demographic and complete three surveys a day you can potentially make up to $40 per month, based on the results of my testing. If you qualify for the product testing or focus group opportunities, you can make between $5 and $100 for each one that you participate in. Unfortunately, focus group opportunities — which pay closer to the high end of that range — are only offered once per month on average.
We’ve found Survey Junkie to be a high-paying online survey site. However, there are a couple of platforms that offer even higher paying surveys if you’re willing to participate in more complicated research.
For example, we tested a platform called User Interviews and earned more than $50 per hour. But while Survey Junkie’s surveys usually take just a few minutes to complete, User Interviews’ typically take 30-60 minutes.
Another high-paying survey company is Prolific, which guarantees that you’ll make at least $6.50 per hour as a survey taker. However, these are academic studies, so the company is selective about who it allows on its survey panel (and there’s usually a waiting list to join).
In order to qualify for the most surveys possible, be sure to fill out your profile questionnaire completely when you create your account. You’ll be asked a series of demographic screening questions (such as age, gender and income level), as well as screening questions about your interests and lifestyle.
The more Survey Junkie knows about you, the more surveys you can qualify for. That’s because companies are often looking for specific subsets of users (e.g., women under the age of 35 who like both gardening and rock climbing). If you fail to provide a full demographic profile, you might miss out on surveys that are targeted to subsets that you’re in.
Additionally, active users are rewarded with more survey opportunities, so it pays to log into the site and take at least one survey as often as you can.
If you decide to delete your Survey Junkie account, click on your profile, click “Edit” and then “Remove My Account.” Provide your password, and the account will be deleted.
Our Survey Junkie Rating Methodology
Survey Junkie’s 4.5/5 overall score is based on the following factors:
| Rating Factor | Weight | Rating | Score |
| Earnings per hour: | 50% | 4.2 | 2.1 |
| Survey availability: | 15% | 4.8 | 0.72 |
| Payout experience: | 15% | 4.8 | 0.72 |
| Trustworthiness: | 10% | 4.5 | 0.45 |
| User experience: | 10% | 4.8 | 0.48 |
| Overall score: | 4.47 |
In summary, Survey Junkie garnered average scores for earnings per hour but stands out as a solid all-around survey site thanks to other rating factors, such as high survey availability (there’s almost always surveys to take), a low-minimum payout ($5 is one of the lowest among survey sites), strong trustworthiness, and a best-in-class user experience.
Additionally, it’s one of the few survey sites that offers cash payments directly to your bank account.
To learn more about our testing and evaluation process, see our survey ranking methodology page.
Final Thoughts: Is Survey Junkie Worth It?
Surveys are a popular side hustle or way to make money from home, but it’s important to go in with expectations. They’re a way to make extra cash in your spare time, not a meaningful way to supplement your income.
Survey Junkie ranks at or near the top of the list of these online survey sites, regardless of the metric. It’s easy to sign up for, has a good inventory of surveys, offers decent pay rates, and has a low minimum cash-out threshold. For these reasons, it’s also one of our top money-making apps.
If you qualify for the product testing opportunities, you might even receive free swag in exchange for participating. Overall, we think it should be one of the first places you turn to for paid surveys.
Survey Junkie isn’t as great as it used to be. Lately there have been a lot of rejected surveys for users. You either get kicked out for not being qualified, you get 1/2 or 3/4 of the way through a survey and then you get kicked out without explanation, or the survey has ‘filled up’, or you get notified that you have broken the rules and have been disqualified. OK, I get it — these things occasionally happen on all survey sites, but they have happened A LOT more frequently lately. In the last 24-48 hours, I have attempted to do various surveys, and of those surveys 75% of them have kicked me out claiming that I have broken the rules and been disqualified. The kicker of it is that there was no information input into the survey prior to being kicked out — it just did it. They admitted a short time back that there was a known problem of users being kicked out without explanation and they were working on it, but seems that the problem has only gotten worse. By this time, I should have had a considerable amount of points (money) but so far, I’ve only been able to collect a fraction of that amount. Their system is broken and they don’t seem to be in any hurry to fix the problem
I, being a father of two and a husband, lost everything due to the events of 2019 and 2020. When I say everything, I mean a four-bedroom house with all the bells and whistles.
Yes, I started from zero and worked my way up from nothing, and it was rather depressing.
I was on social media, and a person had mentioned this app. I was skeptical at first. I signed up, started doing it, went to cash out, and had some issues. Customer service got on it right away and fixed it, and since then, I’ve made about $200 a month; you have to dedicate time, but it just so happens that’s what I have time.
So, although this has some flaws, it was 100% responsible for the joy my children got this year for Christmas.
Although it’s just a company or an entity that will never read this, I am genuinely thankful that I came across this app. If not for this app, we would not have Christmas this year. Thank you, survey Junkie.
You should know that all redemption options now require the user to upload a copy of a government issued ID and a selfie so that facial recognition software can be used to “verify” your account.
I was quite dismayed and very displeased to find that when I went to obtain my first reward gift card, Survey Junkie informed me they would NOT process my gift card unless I submitted a copy, both front and back, of a valid license or other acceptable photo ID! In a time when identity theft is rampant, this raised some very serious red flags for me. I already take surveys on four other survey sites and have successfully earned gift cards from them. Not one of the other survey sites has ever requested such personal, invasive information from me before issuing an earned gift card! I brought this up with Survey Junkie, and to say the least, their response was really bad. They closed my complaint and never issued me the gift card I earned from taking surveys on their site.