How Online Surveys Changed My Life (And Earned Me £20,000)

There’s a lazy assumption that online surveys are a waste of time and pay peanuts. That only holds true if you join the wrong sites. Pick the right ones and surveys can become a genuinely reliable side income. Between the platforms below, I’ve earned more than £20,000 without leaving the house.

A few years back, things weren’t great. I’d built up credit card debt, our household income dropped, and we had three kids under four. Money was tight and stress levels were high. I needed something flexible that I could fit around shifts and family life, so I started looking for ways to make money online. Surveys were one of them.

At first, it was grim. I still remember sitting on a night shift break, spending 30 minutes on a survey only to earn 20p. That’s the moment most people quit. Instead, it told me one thing: better-paying sites had to exist.

So I stuck with it. Over the last 10 years, I’ve tested dozens of survey and research platforms. Some were awful, some were average, and a handful were genuinely excellent. Those are the ones below. Thanks to them, I’ve cleared my debt, paid off a chunk of our mortgage and, yes, even had the heating on all day in December without worrying about the bill.

The barrier to entry couldn’t be lower. You don’t need qualifications, experience or even much spare time. If you’ve got a phone or laptop and an internet connection, you’re good to go.

Below are the best survey sites I use, plus how much they’ve actually paid me.

I’ve also talked publicly about this before, including appearing on BBC Morning Live to discuss my earnings from surveys and online interviews.

Prolific

Prolific is hands down my biggest earner. This isn’t your typical “tick boxes about shampoo” survey site. Most studies are run by universities and researchers, and they often involve short tasks, experiments or memory tests. They’re far more interesting than average surveys and, crucially, they pay properly.

I’m closing in on £10,000 from Prolific alone.

The downside? Because it’s so popular, there’s often a waiting list. Still, it’s absolutely worth joining and waiting it out.

In fact, I’m such a big fan, I roped my wife into taking part. She’s slacking a little bit, but has managed close to £7,000.

Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is another solid performer. It doesn’t show lifetime earnings, which is annoying, but based on withdrawals, I’ve easily made over $5,000. Yes, it pays in dollars, but everything converts neatly into pounds when you cash out.

Surveys are regular, payouts are consistent and it’s one of the better mainstream survey sites around.

YouGov

YouGov is slow and steady rather than spectacular. I’ve earned over £1,000 here, but not just from standard surveys. A decent chunk came from YouGov Finance (now closed), sharing streaming data and using YouGov Plus.

It’s not a fast earner, but it’s reliable and trustworthy, which counts for a lot.

Qmee

Qmee is one I keep coming back to because it’s so easy to use. There’s a desktop site and a genuinely good app, which is perfect when you’re killing time on your phone. I’ve earned over £1,350 from surveys, cashback, games and the odd search reward.

It’s not the highest paying per survey, but the flexibility makes up for it.

Testable Minds

Testable Minds is very similar to Prolific. Studies tend to focus on psychology and decision-making rather than opinions on brands. The problem is volume. There just aren’t as many studies available.

Even so, I’ve earned just over $1,000, which isn’t bad at all for something I dip into occasionally.

Ipsos iSay

Ipsos iSay isn’t my top earner, but it is one of the most fun. The big perk here is product testing. Over the years, I’ve been sent everything from toilet paper and chocolate to alcohol.

Cash earnings are modest compared to others (around £750 by my estimate), but the freebies and variety keep it interesting.

OnePulse

OnePulse is a great example of how surveys don’t have to be dull. You answer short “pulses”, usually three quick multiple-choice questions. Each Money Pulse pays at least 30p, and the more XP you earn, the higher your payouts become.

I’ve earned over $1,500 from this app alone, mostly in small bursts throughout the day.

Eureka

Eureka Surveys is the newest addition to my list. It’s app-only and ideal for earning on the move. I’ve only made just over £100 so far, but that’s down to limited use rather than lack of potential.

Which sites should you join?

Blunt answer: all of them. Surveys are a numbers game. The more platforms you’re signed up to, the more opportunities you’ll see. Your age, job, location and lifestyle will make you more valuable to some sites than others, so spreading your bets is the smart move.

And now the bad news

Survey income isn’t “free money” as far as HMRC is concerned. If you earn more than £1,000 per year from side income, you’ll need to declare it via self-assessment. It’s nowhere near as painful as people make out, but it is something you need to be aware of. Still, paying tax is a nice problem to have when the alternative is being skint.