Survey Junkie Review: Can You Make Money with Online Surveys?

Survey Junkie is one of the most popular online survey platforms, offering users an opportunity to earn extra money by sharing their opinions. Founded in 2013, the platform has built a reputation for being a reliable and user-friendly way to make some side income in your free time.

Signing up is free and straightforward, and once you're registered, you can start taking surveys almost immediately. The platform offers various ways to redeem your earnings, whether through PayPal, bank transfers, or gift cards to popular retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Although Survey Junkie won't replace a full-time job, it's a legitimate way to earn some extra cash during your downtime. Whether you're a student, a stay-at-home parent, or just someone looking to monetize your spare time, Survey Junkie provides a hassle-free way to do so.

In this Survey Junkie review, we'll dive into the earning potential in completing surveys, we'll look at Survey Junkie's user experience, and review online ratings and feedback from real members. 

Let's get started.

Executive Summary

The first thing to get out of the way is that Survey Junkie is a legitimate company. You will get paid for completing online surveys.

This is, unfortunately, a concern due to online survey scam sites that have popped up over the years. Fortunately, with the internet, it's getting easier to sniff out the good from the bad, and avoid the less-than-reputable survey sites.

What is Survey Junkie? 

Survey Junkie is an online paid survey site that connects companies and brands of various sizes to the end consumer. These brands want data with which they can better develop their product and offering, and you're helping them to get it.

Having been in operation since 2013, Survey Junkie definitely has built a reputation and background that instills confidence. It has expanded in various ways since first launching. Today, the company boasts more than 20 million lifetime members, over $76 million paid to date, along with over $1.5 million paid monthly.

While these sound like big numbers, the truth is that the earnings are capped at around $100 maximum, perhaps slightly higher, for the majority of users.

The company is up-front about it, with a pretty transparent payout structure that we'll outline.

Is Survey Junkie worth your time?

We'd group those who might enjoy what Survey Junkie brings to the table in two categories. These are:

1.      People who enjoy completing online surveys and might be in a position where they have spare time while doing other activities (lazy day job, commercial breaks during sports, babysitting...)

2.      People who enjoy contributing to a company's development and, in a way, having a say in what products that end up on the market will look like

The second is more of a bonus, but it definitely helps if you enjoy knowing you're shaping some brands and products, big and small.

As for the first category of SurveyJunkie member, one of the reasons people turn to surveys despite their limited earnings is that they don't necessarily require a lot of attention and can be done from anywhere.

As mentioned, paid surveys on an online survey site can be done during a leisure activity or even during a day job that has some downtime. You're given an average time for each survey, that generally ranges between 1 and 20 minutes, so you know how much time is needed before starting a new survey. And since you aren't on a timer, there's plenty of room to work these surveys while doing various activities.

So whether Survey Junkie is a good way to make money online for you depends on the two factors listed and how your routine is. Routine can be an important part, since getting to $100 or more a month can require you to complete three to four surveys a day, needing you to form a habit of sorts.

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How do I sign up for a Survey Junkie account?

While the process of making an account on Survey Junkie is straightforward and there's no great approval process to worry about, you definitely don't want to do things haphazardly here. Actually, making an account and filling it out is one thing that some might overlook but that is very important to maximize your profits.

Once you've opened an account on the website, whether regularly or by connecting it through Facebook, you'll be given a trial to get a handle on how to use Survey Junkie. This will award you your first points. The cynic might say that you earn points to hide that you're being paid out in cents. But to avoid sounding cynical, let's say this is used to streamline the process of making money with Survey Junkie.

As you'll soon notice, the Survey Junkie dashboard is well-designed and has a professional feel. It shouldn't be long before you see that your profile is split into various sections:

Here is a good place to let you know that, if you were hoping for anonymity while taking these surveys, Survey Junkie probably isn't for you. While you can probably skate by on just having the General profile filled out, you should ideally fill out each of them with as much detail as possible. This will mean parting with no small amount of your personal data.

On the flip side, the more details shared for each of these categories, the greater the access to higher paying surveys.

It's also worth mentioning that, because of company preferences, Survey Junkie currently restricts access to only three countries: the U.S., Canada and Australia. Unless you're a resident of these three, you won't be able to sign up for Survey Junkie.

What kinds of surveys are available on Survey Junkie?

Not everything on Survey Junkie is available to all users, and the surveys themselves can vary considerably. There's actually a wide variety in regards to the former. Survey Junkie offers users "qualifying questions" to see whether they're eligible to participate in a survey, meaning the kind of demographic that a company needs.

If you don't qualify to complete a survey, you'll still get between 0.02 and 0.07 cents calculated from points. It's not impossible to go days without qualifying for a survey, which some will undoubtedly find frustrating.

There is no straightforward formula of getting around this besides trying to fill out your profile as intricately and accurately as possible. An average is that users qualify for one out of every five surveys offered, but this can again vary considerably.

The surveys can also vary in subject greatly, but also in how they're administered. For example, you're probably expecting to come across only the standard questionnaire where you select one or more answers presented on consecutive pages.

These are the ones that actually pay the least, however, and if you can qualify for anything in the subsections below, you can get paid more along with some added benefits.

Phone surveys

These can pay up to $100 per survey but, just like their standard counterparts, might not be for everyone. As the name suggests, you'll be called and speak to a researcher who will ask various questions regarding the products and services you used.

This is obviously more time-consuming, which is why it pays more, and is precluded by a qualifying survey as well. Likewise, you aren't likely to get access to more than one of these a month. Given the comparatively higher pay, you probably don't want to pass up on any survey opportunities that are offered in this category. 

Product testing

Another subset of Survey Junkie, this involves you receiving a product, digital or otherwise, and trying it out to then give feedback on it. The feedback is generally more detailed, and these kinds of surveys can therefore pay out up to $50.

Besides the money you've gotten for the product testing, you also get to keep whatever it is you've tested. Depending on what the product is, this can prove even more worthwhile than the payout, possibly making this the most profitable option on the site.

Survey Junkie focus groups

Product testing might have the highest possible payout taking into account you get to keep whatever it is you tested, but focus groups have the highest earning officially, with up to $150 a session available to those who qualify.

These focus groups involve you meeting with several other Survey Junkie users, whether in real life or through webcam, to discuss a product in-depth and therefore provide greater feedback. While this is the most time-consuming of all the offerings, you also aren't likely to get access to these more than once a month.

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What is the difference between the Survey Junkie app and Survey Junkie Pulse?

You might have heard of these two pieces of software. Both are related to Survey Junkie, but they're not the same thing and have some pretty notable differences.

The regular Survey Junkie app is there to provide better access for both you and the website. There isn't much to say about the mobile app besides that it makes completing these surveys easier to do on the phone.

The Survey Junkie Pulse app is quite a bit different, though. It's a browser extension or app plug that collects a considerable amount of data related to your browsing history and things of that nature. While you're reassured that things like your passwords and so on remain private, many will still find it a bit too invasive.

Besides the 100 points you get for having the Pulse app installed for more than 30 days, you can also get access to surveys you might otherwise not have access to, as you'll be part of an additional program. As with anything involving Survey Junkie, you'll have to weigh the benefits against the drawbacks and decide if the Pulse is something you want to participate in.

Survey Junkie reviews

Survey Junkie has its own reviews section on the website, which is a bit promotional but does link to Trustpilot. Besides that, we'll also be focusing on its profile on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) page to get an idea of what customers have to say.

The reason BBB doesn't jump out in your face on the Survey Junkie website might be what looks like a large number of complaints: 139 complaints closed in the last 12 months. However, they still have a rating of 3.74 on the website with 571 reviews, which means that most complaints have to be closed in a satisfactory manner.

We'll get to complaints in a bit along with some tips on how to avoid issues with the site. For now, we can say that the BBB feedback is generally positive, and that the site is accredited with a B score.

Users are much more active on Trustpilot, where the site has 44,783 reviews and a 4.1 average rating. Out of the massive amount of reviews, 65% are 5-star and 19% 4-star. The reviewers mostly say the same thing: the website is trustworthy, but the surveys can be time-consuming.

Like on the BBB page, Survey Junkie replies to virtually every negative review, which definitely adds to the legitimacy of the company.

Survey Junkie complaints - How to avoid issues

A large number of dissatisfied users have had their surveys invalidated because of inaccurate data. Perhaps because surveys can be squeezed into other activities and are sometimes not paid as much attention to, users seem prone to answering questions with discrepancies related to what's in their profile.

If you've stated one thing about, for example, your residence in the profile, but have filled out a survey stating otherwise, there's a good chance that the survey will be invalidated and you won't get paid. So it's important to always keep track of what's in the profile, update it accordingly and make sure that your answers go in line with the data that's on record.

The other complaints have to do with KYC (Know Your Customer) hassle. There's not a whole lot to be said here: KYC tends to be a chore anywhere, with delays almost being expected. You'll be asked to provide documentation before you're paid out, such as I.D. and proof of address, and any issues will obviously delay the process.

Besides these two points, there isn't a whole lot to cover in regards to complaints. Survey Junkie has its own customer support, so we aren't sure if the thousand-some complaints on BBB are the result of impatience or something else.

Survey Junkie pros and cons 

Pros

·        One of the largest and most reputable survey sites with a good reputation, especially compared to some of the competition

·        Different kinds of surveys available that can significantly boost your earnings on the site if you're given access to them

·        Straightforward payout if the KYC went smoothly

Cons

·        As with any survey site, the maximum amount you can earn in a month is limited and not particularly high

·        This can be complicated further if you aren't given access to enough surveys for demographic reasons

·        Limited to only three countries

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Survey Junkie FAQs

How much can I earn on Survey Junkie?

If you complete three surveys a day, you can expect a monthly payout of $100, while four surveys a day will get you a monthly payout of $130. This can be boosted further if you are given access to things like phone surveys and product testing. On the flip side, you could find yourself making quite a bit less if you aren't the kind of consumer that a given company is looking for.

How does Survey Junkie pay out its users?

PayPal transfers, wire transfers and gift cards are all options to get paid by Survey Junkie. Between these three options, you'll probably find something that suits you. Keep in mind that Survey Junkie places a minimum threshold of $10 in your account needed before a payment can be made.

How many surveys will I get each month?

There is no way to answer this question even if we had an idea of your demographic. Some have reported going weeks without qualifying for a survey. Others get multiple surveys a day. You'll have to see for yourself by opening an account and filling out your profile. Once your account is live, you should get a pretty good idea of what you can expect in terms of earnings pretty soon.

Is Survey Junkie legit?

As far as survey sites go, Survey Junkie is legitimate. It spends a lot of time replying to dissatisfied customers and even satisfied ones, and generally doesn't engage in shady practices. Some might find data collection shady, but Survey Junkie is open about that, so you know what to expect when you sign up.

Survey Junkie review - Verdict

Survey Junkie is pretty much as-presented. You're told what the site does and needs and are given pretty straightforward details on what you can expect in terms of earnings. From there, it's up to you to decide whether you like engaging in online surveys or not.

It's worth repeating that everyone's experience on the site will be different based on their personal information and how it relates to the brands. So the best way to find out whether Survey Junkie will be worth your while is to try it yourself.

The website is so well-designed that trying it out shouldn't be a chore. If you don't like it, you can always delete your account and move on. If you do, you could end up having a say in how a variety of products are developed and earn money for your troubles, too.