Short task sites like Swagbucks provide some of the best options to earn money fast online.
If you’re short on time and need to earn money on demand, completing short tasks like watching videos, reading emails, or answering survey questions can really pay off.
You may not earn thousands per month, but you’ll make enough to supplement some of your household expenses whether it’s a bill or some key essentials.
It is one of the top sites to get started with, but there are possibly sites better than Swagbucks.
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What is Swagbucks?
Swagbucks is a popular rewards site that gives you free gift cards and cash for doing everyday things you already do online.
Swagbucks provides a lot of easy ways to earn points by completing tasks, whether it’s taking surveys, trying out offers, playing games, or searching online.
You can also shop at your favorite retailers and earn cash back through Swagbucks. Each time you complete a task, you’ll earn points.
These points can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers. Or, you can redeem a PayPal gift card to get cash.
You’ll get a $10 bonus when you sign up for the first time. Around 2,500 Swagbucks will get you a $25 gift card.
Try Swagbucks Today!Related: Swagbucks Review
13 Swagbucks Alternatives that Pay
Swagbucks offers so many easy and unique ways to earn extra cash. While this site is very popular, there are several alternatives to Swagbucks that you might want to try as well.
You don’t have to just stick with one rewards site. In fact, you can probably earn a lot more if you use a few rewards sites and odd job apps to earn extra money during your spare time.
Here are 13 Swagbucks alternatives to start using and how they work.
1. MyPoints
MyPoints helps you earn rewards for shopping at your favorite stores online. Most of us are shopping online in some capacity. Why not use MyPoints to earn cash back on your purchases.
MyPoints is one of the top sites like Swagbucks but better because they pay you more cash back for your purchases.
Members get up to 40% back with each purchase at over 2,000 top retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot and Amazon.
Meanwhile, Swagbucks offers a ton of ways to earn but their cash back program for online shopping does not pay nearly as much on average.
To get started, you just need to sign up for MyPoints and use their shopping links when you’re ready to browse or make a purchase.
It’s important to be signed in when you’re shopping so you can get credited with cash back for your purchase.
MyPoints will also pay users to take surveys online for major brands and retailers. You’ll get a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up.
Try MyPoints Today!Related: 20 Best Paid Survey Sites
2. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is one of the best Swagbucks alternatives because you can perform similar easy tasks for cash. Earn money for taking surveys, watching videos and shopping online.
Another way to earn money is by redeeming free food and grocery coupons and reading emails.
Since 2000, Inbox Dollars has paid over $59 million in cash rewards to its members. The tasks you complete help include future products and services for their market research partners.
So while the tasks you do may seem easy, they’re making a big difference in terms of what kind of products brands release.
Try InboxDollars Today!3. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie helps you earn rewards by taking surveys online. They partner with hundreds of brands to match you with relevant survey opportunities that utilize your experience and preferences.
It’s important to fill out your profile as much as you can so you can be matched with survey opportunities that you actually qualify for.
Most online survey takers don’t want to waste time taking pre-qualification surveys that won’t pay anything.
Survey Junkie aims to eliminate the time spent doing tedious tasks to see if you qualify for a survey. That way you can find quality surveys quicker and earn more money.
Try Survey Junkie Today!4. Pinecone Research
If you’re in it for the surveys, Pinecone Research is another site like Swagbucks but better. Pinecone Research is a leading survey company where your input is needed to help brands create better products and services.
When you sign up and complete your profile, you’ll get invited to take surveys. Earn points for each survey you take and then cash them in for gift cards to your favorite retailers.
If you want to get paid for your opinion and help influence new products that have yet to be released to the market, Pinecone Research is one of the best sites like Swagbucks to consider for consistent opportunities.
Surveys can range from a few minutes to 30 minutes or more.
Try Pinecone Research Today!5. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys works with some of the most respected research firms in the industry like Harris Poll, Nielsen, and JD Power.
Similar to other websites like swagbucks, you’ll sign up for Branded surveys, complete your profile, and earn points that can be turned into gift cards.
However, Branded Surveys offers a few more flexible ways to redeem your earnings.
After earning 1,000 survey points, you’ll have enough to redeem a $10 gift card. If you’re in the U.S., you can also donate your earnings to a charity or get them via direct deposit by connecting your bank.
If you’re in Canada, you can enjoy similar flexible redemption options and even redeem your points for a Canada Airlines gift card. For UK members, you can redeem your rewards via dozens of gift card options.
Once you complete surveys your responses will need to be approved by the client. This is not to grade your answers but to verify that you submitted real responses and didn’t just skim through the questions or fail to read them at all.
When your answers are approved, your points are rewarded, and you’ve earned at least 1,000 points, you can choose your redemption method.
Just keep in mind that it may take up to 2 business days to distribute your e-gift card if you choose that option.
BrandedSurveys has expanded in recent years allowing members to earn more points by doing things like completing daily challenges, taking polls, and trying out new product and service offerings.
Try Branded Surveys Today!6. Vindale Research
Vindale Research is one of the best survey sites around because they tend to have higher-paying survey opportunities. Surveys on Vindale Research pay up to $50 and instead of earning points you’ll earn cash.
Get started by sharing specific demographic information about yourself. That way, you’ll be matched with relevant surveys that coincide with your interests and experience.
You can also browse through current available surveys on the website to see if you qualify. Hundreds of surveys are available each day and you can complete surveys on any device.
There are a few other ways to earn money with Vindale Research as well. You can earn money by reading emails and watching videos.
Opt into their ‘Reward Mail’ program in your email preferences and you’ll get paid to open and view promotional messages.
Take video surveys for money as well. Just click on the ‘Videos’ tab when you log in and see if there are any video survey opportunities available that match your interest.
Vindale Research does have a higher payment threshold requirement before you can receive your earnings. You must have a balance of at least $50 before you can request cash via PayPal.
The good news is that Vindale tends to pay some of the highest rates for surveys so if you’re consistent, you can get to that account balance threshold in no time.
Try Vindale Research Today!Related: Vindale Research Sign-up: Is It Worth It?
7. Opinion Outpost
Opinion Outpost is another website similar to swagbucks that will pay you for your opinion and send your feedback to popular brands.
They offer surveys on several different topics and provide a few other ways to earn too. The average survey pays 10 points but can be worth as much as 250 points.
Once you have enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards to popular retailers and restaurants. Just to give some perspective, around 100 points through Opinion Outpost will earn you a $10 Amazon gift card.
If you prefer to redeem your points for cash, there’s the option to get a PayPal gift card or a Visa prepaid card.
Another way to earn with Opinion Outpost is by testing out upcoming products, watching ads, and taking part in real world missions in your neighborhood in accordance with their company partnerships.
There are also different membership levels to consider if you’re looking to maximize your earnings.
Silver Level Members:
- Complete their first survey
- Complete 25% of their survey profile
- Take one survey in the last week
Platinum Level Members:
- Complete 75% of their survey profile
- Take a survey on three consecutive weeks
- Complete 25 surveys
Diamond Level Members:
- Complete 100% of their survey profile
- Take a survey on four consecutive weeks
- Complete 50 surveys
8. Panda Research
Panda Research has paid out over $2 million to users for completing short tasks since the company launched.
Sign up for free and earn money by successfully completing paid surveys and offers. Receive coupons, discounts and giveaways well when you take surveys. As with most survey sites, you can refer others and earn additional income.
Another way to earn is by reading emails. You can earn a maximum of $25 per pay period by just reading emails. Panda Research pays users by the 1st and 15th of the month via PayPal.
Try Panda Research Today!9. YouGov
YouGov is a consumer research panel that is available to users in several countries.
They present polls, articles, data and other information that then get used by companies, brands, media outlets and more.
YouGov is trusted by brands and the media to measure public opinion. The results of their surveys often get featured in the news or get used by organizations.
Joining the community to share your opinion is free and you’ll get paid for your input too.
Whenever you complete a survey or take a poll you’ll earn points. You’ll be invited to take a survey through the app.
Longer surveys will pay more points. You can redeem those points with a variety of rewards and new reward options are added all the time.
Try YouGov Today!Related: 50 Best International Paid Survey Sites
10. Prize Rebel
PrizeRebel has paid out over $22 million to members since 2007. You can sign up for free and give your opinion on market research surveys to earn points.
The process is pretty fast and surveys only take 5 to 15 minutes on average so you’ll be earning money pretty quickly.
When you sign up it’s important to fill out the questionnaire completely so PrizeRebel can match you with opportunities that meet your demographics.
The information you share in the questionnaire will be private and only used to match you with relevant survey opportunities.
Be sure to answer the questions truthfully because giving false answers could lead you to be disqualified for paid survey opportunities in the future.
If any information changes like your job or household size for example, you can always update your PrizeRebel profile every 30 days to reflect this.
You’ll earn points after completing each paid survey and you can redeem the points for gift cards with over 500 different retailers, stores and restaurants. Some of the gift card options include Amazon, Best Buy, PlayStation network and PayPal.
11. Prolific
Prolific is an online survey company that pays participants hourly. Surveys are provided by top universities and companies and pay $6.50 per hour on average. Prolific pays users in cash via PayPal and survey options vary.
You may be asked to take general surveys or participate in games or studies about scientific research.
No experience is required of course, so long as you’re willing and able to share your opinion on products, services and other topics.
Another unique aspect of Prolific is that you may be paid to participate in multi-part studies that last over longer periods. Or, you may have a study that only lasts a few minutes.
Prolific is more of a market research firm so the type of surveys you get paid to take heavily depends on their clients’ varying needs. However, your hourly pay is guaranteed so you don’t have to worry about surveys.
12. YSense
YSense is an online community that provides multiple flexible earning options. YSense may not be as well known as Swagbucks but it’s a great alternative because they offer a lot of the same earning opportunities.
In addition to taking surveys online, you can earn money by trying out new offers and completing short tasks. You’ll get paid to try out new products and services that you might have tried anyway.
This may include signing up for websites, watching videos, or downloading a new app. All opportunities are safe and legitimate and to earn cash, you’ll just have to follow the specific directions.
Another way to earn money with YSense is by completing short tasks. If you don’t have a lot of time but want to earn money online, short tasks are the way to go.
YSense uses Appen to provide different opportunities like categorizing images or researching on Google. Each task will pay a certain amount once you complete it.
Some tasks may even allow you to complete them multiple times while others will have limitations. There may also be prior training required before working on specific tasks.
Once you earn $50 total for completing tasks YSense will give you a $5 bonus. You can also participate in weekly contests for a chance to win $50 each week.
YSense allows you to redeem your cash earnings with gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, CVS, Kohls and more. They also offer a wide variety of restaurant gift cards as well.
13. Fusion Cash
If you’re looking for one of the best alternatives to Swagbucks, FusionCash is a strong contender and may even be at the top of the list.
FusionCash gives users $5 just for signing up. This rewards site will pay you for taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, and more.
Fusion Cash is currently only available to people who live in Canada or the United States. Referring people to fusion cash will get you $1 for each person and $5 every time they cash out money.
When it comes to redeeming your earnings with FusionCash, you’ll have to have a minimum balance of at least $25 and $15 of that amount must be from non-referral earnings on the site. You can get paid by check, direct deposit to your bank account or with PayPal.
Bonus: Rakuten
Rakuten is a cash back rewards site that you definitely want to consider using if you shop online.
Rakuten partners with thousands of retailers, online stores and other services to offer cash back and coupon deals to shoppers.
It’s free to sign up for Rakuten and you’ll want to download their browser extension for Google Chrome. That way, whenever you visit a website that has a Rakuten cash back offer, you can activate it.
Once you’ve activated the offer, just do your shopping as you normally would and Rakuten will crest your account with the rebate in just a few days.
Each quarter, you can redeem your cash back earnings from Rakuten so long as your PayPal account.
Rakuten works very similarly to Swagbucks’ ‘Shop’ feature but they also offer much higher cash back percentages so you’ll want to compare options to see where you can get the best deal.
For example, Swagbucks may offer 2% cash back when you shop on Walmart.com while Rakuten might offer 10% so always make sure you check to see which offer is better.
Try Rakuten Today!Related: Rakuten Review and How to Get Started
Tips for Making the Most Out of these Sites Like Swagbucks
Short-task sites like Swagbucks are fun and easy to use but they may not pay a lot. Still, some users have a specific strategy that allows them to earn a few hundred dollars per month. Here are some tips to help you do the same.
Tip 1: Sign up for multiple websites
Don’t just stick to Swagbucks or one of the other sites on this list if you want to maximize your earnings.
All these sites are legitimate and free and easy to use. If you use a few of these websites, you’ll have more opportunities to take surveys and complete short tasks for cash.
Tip 2: Have a separate email address for your survey and reward sites
Many of the sites on this list may send you email notifications about offers and opportunities. You don’t want to miss those emails in your regular inbox where other messages could bury them.
Consider creating a separate email address when you sign up for some of these sites and keep it open during the day so your inbox will be clutter-free and you’ll see notifications early on.
Tip 3: Set a time to consistently log into these sites
Signing up for some of these sites like Swagbucks is one thing, but in order to make money, you’ll have to log in regularly, take surveys and complete micro-tasks.
The best way to stay consistent with this is to set a time daily to log on and make money.
This can be just a 20-minute window where you’re able to get on your phone or laptop and complete a task or take a survey.
Doing so likely won’t disrupt your schedule for the rest of the day and your earnings and points will add up over time.
There are Plenty of Legitimate Alternatives to Swagbucks
Online rewards and survey sites like Swagbucks make it easy to make money during your spare time and without a ton of effort.
Feel free to check out some of the sites from this list and join or download the app versions so you can make extra money on the go.