Earning money by answering online surveys sounds easy, right? Survey Junkie is one of the most popular platforms in this space. But is it really worth investing your time there, or is it an energy drain for small returns? In this article, we’ll examine how Survey Junkie works, its benefits and limits, and what realistic earnings you can expect. Is it an interesting opportunity or just an illusion? Let’s find out the truth together.
What is Survey Junkie?
Survey Junkie is a free online platform that pays its users for answering surveys. The goal of this community is to connect users’ opinions with major brands. Companies pay Survey Junkie to research their target audience and test product ideas, helping them avoid spending money on products that could fail. In exchange for your participation, Survey Junkie pays you.
Is Survey Junkie legit?
A legitimate survey site should have a positive reputation, offer real ways to earn, and avoid questionable practices. Founded in 2011 in Glendale, California, Survey Junkie is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), an organization that rates companies based on ethics and customer service. The company has a B rating, partly due to over 1,070 customer complaints—most of which have been resolved.
Survey Junkie also has a 4.2-star rating on Trustpilot with more than 44,400 reviews. Their website clearly states: “You won’t get rich by taking surveys,” but many users confirm they earn real money.
How much does Survey Junkie pay?
Surveys on Survey Junkie typically pay between $0.20 and $4.00 per survey. The site states that members who complete three surveys daily can earn up to $40 per month.
By taking part in product tests or focus groups, you could additionally earn $5 to $150 per session. However, it’s hard to predict how many surveys you’ll complete or how much you’ll ultimately earn, as this depends on your demographics, partner companies, and the products or services being tested.
How does Survey Junkie work?
Among the most user-friendly platforms, creating an account and starting surveys can take five minutes or less.
Create an account
Users can create a Survey Junkie account with their existing Facebook or Google account, or manually enter their email address and set a password. After creating the account, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Once confirmed, you can sign in and start earning points.
Users who complete the signup form and confirm their email receive 50 free points, equal to $0.50.
Users who sign up, confirm their email, and fill out the available profile questions receive a total of 170 points, which equals a $1.70 welcome bonus.
Ways to earn points
Survey Junkie offers seven different ways to earn rewards: completing your profile, taking paid surveys, participating in phone surveys, testing products, winning promotions, or joining online and offline focus groups.
The estimated potential earnings below are based on various factors, including our own experience, stated possible earnings, and other users’ experiences. Actual earnings may vary.
Take paid surveys
Earning potential: 20 to 400 points per survey
One of the most common ways to earn rewards on Survey Junkie is by taking paid surveys. As soon as you log in, a list of available surveys appears on your dashboard. Each survey shows the number of points it’s worth and the estimated time to complete.
When you select a survey from your dashboard, you’re redirected to an external platform, which varies in look and question style depending on the client.
At the start, there are screening questions to check whether your profile matches the criteria sought. If you qualify, you’ll receive an invitation to participate.
If you don’t qualify, you still receive a few points for your answers. You’ll also get a small reward if the survey has already reached enough participants.
When a new survey becomes available, Survey Junkie notifies you by email. The message shows the estimated duration and points, so you don’t need to visit the site to assess a survey’s value.
Answer phone surveys
Earning potential: $5 to $100
Phone surveys work similarly to online surveys but take place over the phone with a researcher.
First, you fill out a brief online questionnaire. Then a specialist calls you to gather your opinion about a product or service.
These opportunities are rare and typically occur once a month or less.
Test products
Earning potential: $5 to $50
Product tests are offered about once a month, depending on your eligibility for ongoing studies. If selected, you first complete a short online survey.
After confirmation, you receive a free product by mail to test and keep. After the testing phase, Survey Junkie asks you to complete a detailed survey about your experience.
Join focus groups
Earning potential: $25 – $150
Focus groups take place both online and in person. As with other options, you first complete a short survey. If you qualify, you’ll receive an invitation to participate.
Online group discussions may require a webcam. You schedule a set time and then join a conversation about the product or service with other participants.
These focus groups—at most once a month—offer the highest earning potential on Survey Junkie.
Install the Survey Junkie Pulse browser extension
You can easily earn points by installing the Survey Junkie Pulse browser extension and leaving it active for at least 30 days.
This extension automatically analyzes your online activity, including:
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Your searches
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Websites you visit
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Apps you use
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Products you purchase
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Ads you view
Over time, SJ Pulse tailors its recommendations and offers you surveys that fit your profile.
Survey Junkie and SJ Pulse operate independently. By installing the extension or using the mobile app, you gain access to exclusive surveys not available to regular Survey Junkie users.
Use the Survey Junkie app
Earning potential: 100 points
The Survey Junkie app makes it easier to access the platform, but it doesn’t offer additional features compared to the browser version.
Survey Junkie provides mobile and desktop apps. Users receive 100 free points if they keep the app installed for 30 days.
Reviews of the Survey Junkie mobile app
The Survey Junkie app is rated well by users:
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Google Play (Android): 4.4 out of 5 stars (over 88,000 reviews)
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Apple App Store (iOS): 4.5 out of 5 stars (over 69,000 reviews)
The navigation interface is identical on mobile and allows access to surveys, viewing collected points, watching tutorials, reading FAQs, and updating profile questionnaires—all directly through the app.
Bonus point promotions
Earning potential: 10,000 points or more
Members can earn bonus points through monthly promotions by completing a certain number of surveys each day within a set period.
These challenges are a great way to boost income while taking on a fun goal.
How do you redeem points?
Your accumulated points are visible on the left side of your account. By clicking “Lifetime Points,” you can view your earnings history and see how many points you still need for a Survey Junkie reward.
Before redeeming your points, you must verify your identity. This quick and easy process usually takes no longer than ten minutes.
To verify your identity, you must:
- Take a photo of the front and back of your driver’s license or government ID.
- Take a selfie to confirm the ID belongs to you.
Every 500 points you earn with Survey Junkie equals $5. Once you reach 500 points, you can choose between a PayPal payout, digital gift cards, or a bank transfer.
Please note that bank transfers and digital gift cards are only available to users in the United States.
If you choose a digital gift card, you can redeem your rewards only in $5 increments. For a PayPal payout or bank transfer, you must withdraw the full amount since partial withdrawals aren’t possible.
Gift cards have no expiration date, so you can use them anytime. Some users prefer to cash out their earnings via PayPal as soon as their balance exceeds $5 to play it safe.
Survey Junkie review: Is it worth your time and energy?
Many users feel the time spent on online surveys isn’t always profitable. It really depends on the number of surveys available, your goals, and your view of your time’s value.
If your goal is to quickly earn a larger amount or several hundred dollars per month, this method isn’t the most effective. However, if you’re looking for an easy way to make a little extra money—for example, while watching TV or during a lunch break—Survey Junkie could be an interesting option.
Survey Junkie offers a simple and accessible way to earn money through surveys. With a clear, user-friendly interface, anyone can participate without special knowledge. Email notifications are handy and ensure you don’t miss opportunities. Plus, the ability to cash out via PayPal or digital gift cards makes the platform flexible for users.
However, Survey Junkie also has some downsides. Frequent disqualifications can be frustrating, as can repetitive questions. In addition, the earning potential is limited, which may disappoint those hoping for higher income. As for the question “Is Survey Junkie worth it?”—that depends on your goals. If you just want to earn a little extra money, it’s an interesting option. To discover another platform, read our article on the trustworthiness of Surveyworld, which also offers paid surveys.
