Survey Junkie Review: Does It Live Up to the Hype?

Do a simple Google search for “paid surveys” and you will inevitably see Survey Junkie on the first page of results, and usually at the top of every “best paid survey sites” list. But is it really all it’s cracked up to be?

I’ll admit I was skeptical. I have tried enough survey sites to know that they aren’t all created equal. Too often, users are required to complete an exorbitant number of surveys to gain any kind of reward, and even then, maybe only a dollar or two, or just entries into a giveaway. I’ve literally spent hours trying to qualify for surveys on those sites, only to be told over and over that I wasn’t a good fit.

Because of that, I didn’t have high hopes when I signed up for Survey Junkie. I was pleasantly surprised, however.

In this review, I’ll walk you through the process of signing up for Survey Junkie and bringing in some extra money on the side.

Survey Junkie Review Summary and Quick Facts

Survey Junkie is a rewards website that matches users with surveys that pay anywhere from 1 to more than 100 points each. This site sticks with the basics, high paying survey opportunities. Earned points can be cashed out via PayPal, gift cards, or direct bank transfers.

Survey Junkie Pros

• Completely free to join and start earning money
• Free app that allows you to complete surveys on the go
• Very generous with points
• Low minimum threshold of $5 to cash out
• Instant rewards
• Points don’t have an expiry date
• You still earn a few points for surveys you don’t qualify for
• There are no processing fees when cashing out

Survey Junkie Cons

• The surveys fill up quickly
• The website and app can be very slow
• The survey topics are not listed

Survey Junkie BBB Rating

• B (some complaints have been filed against the business, although most of the 506 current customer reviews are positive).

Related: 50 International Survey Sites That Pay Worldwide

What is Survey Junkie and How Does It Work?

Survey Junkie is a market research company that polls its users on behalf of companies that are looking to gain insight from customers in their target markets. This means that you are giving your opinion and feedback on real products from real companies that you are already familiar with and use.

Established in 2013, Survey Junkie has made quite the name for itself during the past six years, and is now considered to be one of the top survey sites offering legitimate moneymaking opportunities to its users.

Sign Up for Survey Junkie

It’s quick and easy to create a profile with Survey Junkie. Simply create an account using your email address or Facebook (don’t worry; Survey Junkie doesn’t get permission to post on your page).

Complete Your Profile

As soon as I created my profile, I was immediately prompted to take my first quick survey, which was worth 25 points ($.25). That “survey” turned out to be the rest of my profile. Rewarding users for completing their profiles is a gesture that appears to be completely unique to Survey Junkie, and is a positive way to entice new users right off the bat.

A second, more in-depth personal questionnaire gave me an easy 50 points ($.50) that went straight to my total – for answering just 17 questions that included my marital status, number (and ages) of children, and voting habits.

If you are comfortable doing so, turn on your location services to be matched with location-based surveys and rack up even more points. Go a step further and enable notifications so you’ll never miss a survey (or select “remind me later”). You can always enable notifications at another time. Surveys fill up very quickly, so I’d recommend enabling notifications so you can hop on a survey as soon as it’s released.

Download the App

A free Survey Junkie app is available on iOS and Android platforms. It is easy to log in to your profile there using your email or Facebook account. Although the app does make it even easier to fill out surveys on the go, it looks like the developer is still working out the kinks. For a more streamlined process, use your browser, which offers a less laggy experience overall.

Related: Pinecone Research Review: Is It Legit?

Start Taking Surveys

When you finish your profile, you will be bumped to the site’s home page, which is simply a list of available surveys. This is a refreshing change of pace from other survey sites, which are cluttered with purchase offers, videos, external links, and more. The home page could include just one or two surveys, or dozens, depending on what is available at the time.

While each survey is listed along with its point value and estimated completion time, there is no subject provided, meaning that you won’t know the topic you’re being asked about until you begin the survey. Most of the surveys are worth between 30 and 100 points, except for “Survey Medleys,” which are mini-surveys containing just a handful of questions. These never ask qualifying details and don’t fill up, so you’ll always be able to quickly earn those points (they’re only worth 2 or 3 points each, but that adds up!).

When you are matched with a survey, it is important to answer honestly, as the site keeps track of your answers and will flag your account (and ultimately disqualify you from taking surveys) if you give different answers to objective questions.

I found the surveys I completed to be simple to fill out, as well as more entertaining than other surveys I’ve taken before, because they go beyond mindlessly selecting answers. Many of the surveys require you to watch a video or scroll through a series of web pages before answering questions about what you’ve seen. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be penalized if you don’t remember every detail. Some of the questions deal with ethical matters and even require some soul-searching, which I was not expecting.

Although the survey questions from Survey Junkie can get pretty deep and often ask about personal details, you are never forced to provide more information than you are comfortable with. You can always skip questions of this nature.

You won’t be eligible to complete every survey (according to the site, members qualify for one out of four surveys), but you will always earn a few points for simply answering the prequalifying questions.

Getting Paid

Each point you earn is worth 1 cent, and you can cash out once you’ve earned $5 (500 points). You can choose to be paid via PayPal, free gift cards (which never expire), or a direct bank transfer.

Other Ways to Earn Money With Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is mostly paid surveys, but there are a few other ways to earn some money through the site. When you fill out your profile, you are also prompted to accept or decline participation in a few other activities:

• Product Testing (using free items and then giving your honest opinion about them).
• Online Focus Group (an online meeting with a group of people, sharing opinions about a product or service).
• In-Person Focus Group (an in-person meeting with other Survey Junkie users).
• Phone Survey (a phone interview about a specific product or service).

These additional research activities pay between $5 and $150 and become available once a month, max.

Related: 10 Respondent Jobs Hiring Now

Survey Junkie Q&A

If you have any questions or get hung up on anything, there is a handy FAQ section, as well as two tutorials that further explain the process (these are both worth points!).

Is Survey Junkie Safe?

Survey Junkie is a legitimate and safe site. Its B rating on the Better Business Bureau and high customer satisfaction rate speaks volumes when deciding whether to trust the site.

Related: Swagbucks Review: Is It Safe And Are There Hacks To Earn More?

What Countries is Survey Junkie Available In?

Survey Junkie is available to users living in the United States, Canada, and Australia. If you reside in another country, you can sign up for the waiting list and get notified when surveys become available in your area.

Are There any Survey Junkie Hacks to Earn More Money?

One of the only legal free money hacks to help boost your earnings with Survey Junkie is to be picky when choosing which surveys are worth your time.

Remember, if the company finds that you’ve lied about your demographics to get higher-paying surveys, it will not accept your answers and you will not be paid for your time.

Another general survey hack is to sign up with multiple survey sites so that you can always have a steady stream of surveys to choose from.

Related: 10 Surveys that Pay Cash Instantly

What Should I do With the Survey Junkie Verification Email?

Survey Junkie sends new members a verification email. Make sure to give it your real email address so that you can verify that email. Without verification, Survey Junkie will not be able to give you paid surveys.

Is There a Survey Junkie Referral Program for Members?

There is not currently a refer-a-friend program for Survey Junkie members. There is, however, an affiliate program that content creators can apply for to earn $1.50 per referral. You can apply for its referral program here.

Survey Junkie Final Review

Although filling out surveys for cash won’t make you rich overnight, Survey Junkie does offer a legitimate way to earn extra money for simply sharing your opinions. Your answers could help a company choose the packaging for a new line of feminine products, decide what color to make its next running shoe, or come up with a brand new instant oatmeal flavor.

Survey Junkie offers a simple, streamlined way of making some extra cash. Check it out and start earning money today!