Mingle Review: Poor Pay Compared to Better Survey Sites
Online surveys from home can be a solid way to boost your income, but only if you’re using the right sites. Some are genuinely worth your time. Others just dress up poor pay with flashy points systems.
So where does Mingle sit? Is it worth sticking with, or one to quietly move on from?
Mingle review
A site with a decent number of surveys and quick payouts. But that doesn’t excuse the fact the surveys are poorly paid. There are plenty of better options out there.
Pros
- A decent number of surveys available
- Can also earn from the Mingle app
- Earn points when screened out of a survey
Cons
- Pay is very poor
- Limited gift card options
- Not strong enough to be a main earner
Reviewed by Household Money SavingMingle from Respondi
I’ve used survey sites for years and they can genuinely earn you money if you pick the right ones. Most years, I make more than £12,000 from surveys, which paid for a big chunk of our family holiday to Florida.
But that took a lot of trial and error.
Some panels are decent side earners. Others technically pay, but the rewards are so small they barely justify the time.
Mingle sits somewhere in the middle.
It’s a legitimate survey panel with plenty of surveys available. The problem is that the pay per survey is extremely low.
Is Mingle Legit?
Yes, Mingle is a legitimate survey panel run by the market research company Respondi, which is owned by the Bilendi Group. Bilendi is a large European research company that operates multiple research panels and loyalty programmes.
Mingle has been operating since 2005, pays users for completing surveys, and rewards can be redeemed for gift cards or bank transfers.
So Mingle is safe and legitimate.
The real issue isn’t whether it pays — it’s whether the pay is worth your time.
What is Mingle?
Mingle is an online research panel that rewards you with points for sharing your opinion. Build up enough points and you can exchange them for gift cards or cash paid directly into your bank.
It’s simple enough on the surface, but as always with survey sites, the real question is how much your time is actually worth.
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Is Mingle safe?
Yes, Mingle is safe to use.
The panel has existed since 2005 and is run by established market research companies. Payments arrive reliably and there are no reports of users not receiving rewards once they reach the cashout threshold.
I’ve personally used Mingle for several months without any issues with payments or account security.
Like most survey sites, you’ll need to share demographic information so companies can match you with the right surveys. This is standard practice in the market research industry.
So if you’re wondering “is Mingle legit?”, the answer is yes.
But being legitimate doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth your time.
How does Mingle work?
Signing up takes a few minutes. You’ll create an account and provide some basic information such as your age, occupation and household details.
Once you’re registered, surveys will start appearing in your account dashboard. You’ll also receive email notifications when new surveys are available.
There is also a profile section where you can add more detailed information about yourself. Filling this out increases your chances of receiving relevant surveys, although you won’t get paid for completing the profile questions.
In my experience, Mingle sends a reasonable number of surveys. It’s not unusual to receive two or three invitations per day, and sometimes even more.
If you start a survey but get screened out because you don’t fit the target audience, Mingle will give you two points as compensation. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.
There’s also a mobile app, which makes it easier to complete surveys when you have a few spare minutes.
Any downsides?
The biggest problem with Mingle is the pay.
If you’ve read some of my other survey reviews, you’ll know I’m not a fan of point systems. Survey companies often use them because they make earnings look bigger than they really are.
Earning 100 points sounds good. But when you convert it to real money, it might only be worth 60p.
That’s exactly what happens with Mingle.
Outside of surveys themselves, there aren’t many ways to earn extra points. There’s a “question of the week” feature that rewards two points, but that barely moves the needle.
Another downside is that your points expire if your account is inactive for a year.
But the biggest issue is simply how little each survey pays.
What gift cards are on offer?
Apart from a bank transfer, you can withdraw your earnings with the following gift cards:
- Amazon
- Asos
- Marks & Spencers
When you request a payment, it should arrive instantly by email.
Alternatively, there are several charities to which you can donate your points.
How much can you earn?
This is where the maths becomes a bit depressing.
A typical 10-minute survey pays around 50 points.
You need 1,500 points to cash out for a £12 reward.
That means you need to complete roughly 30 surveys to reach the minimum payout.
If each survey takes about 10 minutes, that’s around five hours of work for £12.
That works out at roughly £2.40 per hour.
Even by survey site standards, that’s pretty poor.
Survey length | Typical points | Cash value | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
5 minutes | 20–30 points | ~25p | ~£3/hour |
10 minutes | 50 points | ~40p | ~£2.40/hour |
20 minutes | 80–100 points | ~80p | ~£2.40/hour |
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Refer a friend
You can refer your friends if you want to earn a little extra from Mingle. In your account section, you’ll find your own personal invite code. Send it to friends, and when they earn their first 150 points, you’ll also earn an extra 150 points.
What other people think
Whenever I review a survey site, I like to see what other users think.
On Trustpilot, Mingle has a very impressive 4.5 out of 5 rating from more than 15,000 reviews.
That’s one of the highest scores I’ve seen for a survey panel.
However, something unusual stands out when you look closer at the review timeline. A huge number of the reviews were posted on 15 September 2020.
That doesn’t necessarily mean anything suspicious happened, but it does suggest that users may have been encouraged to leave reviews at the same time.
Make of that what you will.
Is Mingle worth it?
Mingle is legitimate and it does pay.
But the earning rate is simply too low.
You’ll probably receive plenty of survey invitations and the payouts arrive quickly, but the points system hides how little you’re actually earning for your time.
If you just want another survey site to add to your rotation, Mingle might be fine.
But if you’re serious about earning extra money online, there are far better survey panels out there.
For most people, Mingle is one to skip.
Mingle survey FAQ
Is Mingle surveys safe?
Yes, Mingle surveys are safe. The platform is operated by Respondi, a legitimate market research company owned by the Bilendi Group.
Is Mingle Respondi legit?
Yes. Mingle is one of the survey panels operated by Respondi, which runs research communities across Europe and works with major brands conducting market research.
How many Mingle points equal £1?
Based on the standard payout rate, 1,500 points equals £12, meaning 125 points is roughly worth £1.
Does Mingle pay cash?
Yes. Mingle offers both bank transfer payouts and gift cards, including Amazon and Marks & Spencer vouchers.
How long do Mingle payments take?
Gift cards usually arrive instantly by email once requested.
