48 UK Online Survey Sites That Actually Pay (Tested Over 20 Years)

Looking to make some extra money from home? There are plenty of options, but one of the simplest is taking online surveys. The problem isn’t whether surveys work — it’s knowing which sites are worth your time and which are a complete waste of effort.

After more than 20 years of completing surveys, I’ve joined pretty much every UK survey site going. Some are genuinely excellent. Many are painfully bad. Below is my complete, brutally honest list of UK survey sites that actually pay — and the ones you should avoid.

Aren’t all survey sites the same?

Absolutely not.

Some survey sites pay well, respect your time, and send interesting studies. Others bombard you with low-paid surveys, screen you out constantly, or quietly close your account when you finally reach payout.

Find a good survey site and it can be a solid way to earn extra cash in your spare time. Choose badly and it becomes a frustrating slog that pays pennies.

But other bloggers swear by some of your bad sites

There’s a reason for that.

Some survey companies pay very generous affiliate commissions. Convince someone to join and you can earn £1–£3 per signup — regardless of whether the site is any good.

I don’t review survey sites that way. Everything on this list is based on my own experience, not referral fees. If a site pays badly or wastes time, I say so — even if it costs me commission.

Which are the best survey sites for money?

It depends on what you want.

If you’re chasing high hourly pay, sites like Y Live and Prolific are hard to beat. The downside is limited availability — you won’t always have surveys waiting.

If you want consistent earning, sites like Branded Surveys and Qmee don’t pay quite as much per survey, but there’s usually something available when you sit down.

If you want a shortcut, you can also check out my list of the top 10 highest-paying survey sites.

How to make the most money from surveys

More time helps, but strategy matters more.

Always check the estimated pay and time before starting. If a survey doesn’t tell you how long it takes or what it pays, skip it. That’s rarely a good sign.

Join several survey sites. At least five. When you’ve got options, you can be picky and only complete surveys that are worth your time.

Be realistic with targets. Some days you’ll earn £10–£15 easily. Other days you’ll earn nothing at all. Treat survey money as a bonus, not guaranteed income, and you’ll avoid doing badly paid surveys just to hit an arbitrary goal.

If you prefer earning on the go, you might also want to read my guide to the best survey apps for mobile.

A list of UK survey sites that actually pay

Below is a list of every survey site I have joined, with a brief summary. If you want to find out more, click on the link for my full review. In many cases, there is a sign-up bonus available.

The good (worth joining)

✅ American Consumer Opinion – an average-paying site, but a decent number of surveys.

✅ AttaPoll – plenty of surveys for your mobile. Average rates of pay.

✅ Branded Surveys – decent pay, plenty of surveys and bonus money available.

✅ Bulbshare – a mixture of mystery shopping and surveys, but pays quite well.

✅ Curious Cat – a survey site for your phone. A genuine mixture of good and poor paying surveys. Be picky.

✅ Eureka – an app that pays fairly decently. The minimum cashout is only £4.

✅ Influence – this app pays well, but you need to be willing to speak on camera.

✅ IntelliZoom – not strictly a survey site, but I’m sneaking this in. A great earner.

✅ i-Say – average rates of pay but chances to win prizes and test products.

✅ Maximiles – very average, but still worth considering.

✅ MOBROG – a survey site for your phone. Average paying with a few too many disqualifications.

✅ newvista – a slow earner but pays quite well.

✅ OneOpinion – an average money-maker. Worth joining if you have a bit of spare time.

✅ OnePoll – short surveys but decent pay. Great for busy people.

✅ OnePulse – very short surveys from your phone and very well paid.

✅ Opinion Bureau – well paying, but not too many surveys.

✅ OneOpinion – an average money-maker. Worth joining if you have a bit of spare time.

✅ Opinion Exchange – pays well but there’s limited opportunities to earn.

✅ Opinion Outpost – average pay if you stick to the shorter surveys.

✅ Panel Opinion – average paying site but it does reward you with money when you’re screened out.

✅ Pawns.app – surveys are fairly average, but still worth checking out.

✅ Prime Opinion – this site redirects you to other survey sites, but it actually pays quite well.

✅ Prolific Academic – probably the best survey site out there. Interesting and pays well.

✅ Qmee – earn from your phone or computer. Decent pay and plenty of surveys.

✅ Swagbucks – not exclusively a survey site but can be a decent earner.

✅ Testable Minds – well paid but can be tricky to find surveys.

✅ Valued Opinions – surveys pay well, although you’re charged for claiming gift cards.

✅ YouGov – interesting surveys and decent rates of pay.

✅ YourSayPays – a decent amount paid, but can take a while to reach the minimum threshold.

✅ Y Live – great pay per survey, but the number you receive can be quite sporadic.

✅ ySense – a good rate of pay but it’s a pain finding surveys.

The bad (not worth your time)

❌ CashKarma – one of the worst-paying sites. Ever. Just avoid.

❌ Crowdology – badly paid surveys and very trigger-happy when it comes to cancelling accounts.

❌ InboxPounds – poor-paying surveys and they seem more interested in getting you to sign-up to trials.

❌ LifePoints – a habit of cancelling accounts. Not particularly generous with rewards either.

❌ Maru Voice – plenty of gift cards on offer, but the pay is on the low side.

❌ MindMover Connect – a frustrating site as it can be impossible to know how long a survey takes or pays.

❌ Mingle – this site promised to be quite good, but at £2 per hour, one to avoid.

❌ Nectar Canvass – pays you Nectar points for your opinion. However, pay is incredibly poor.

❌ Norstat Panel – some nice features but pay is too low to make it a good site.

❌ OhMyDosh – doesn’t focus just on surveys… just as well as they pay poorly.

❌ OpinionBar – it’s not always clear how long surveys will take and pay is quite poor.

❌ Paid Product Testing – pay isn’t great and it’s not really a product testing site.

❌ PrizeRebel – average pay and can become a little frustrating as you’re bounced around surveys.

❌ Pureprofile – pays quite poorly, although you can win some big prizes.

❌ SurveyLama – a good number of surveys but pays poorly.

❌ SurveyRewardz – you’ll spend too long looking for surveys. Not worth the time.

❌ The Panel Station – too many things let this survey site down.

❌ Toluna – a former product testing site that now just pays poorly.

Can you make a full-time living from surveys?

Short answer: no.

Long answer: surveys are excellent for topping up your income, paying for treats, or building a small side pot — but they’re not a replacement for a full-time job. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling something.

Used properly, though, survey sites are one of the easiest ways to earn extra money from home with no skills, no commitment, and no risk.

How much can you realistically earn from survey sites?

This is the part most survey sites and bloggers avoid being honest about.

On a slow day, you might earn £2–£5.
On a good day, £10–£15 is achievable.
Some days, you won’t earn anything at all.

Your earnings depend heavily on which sites you’re using, how well your profile matches surveys, and how quickly you respond to invitations. High-paying sites like Prolific and Y Live can skew the average upward, but they don’t always have work available.

Mobile survey apps are best used to fill dead time — waiting around, watching TV, or commuting. Sitting down for hours chasing low-paid surveys usually isn’t worth it.

If anyone claims you can make a full-time income from surveys alone, they’re lying. Survey sites are best used as a flexible side income, not a replacement for a job.