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Saturday, August 20th
Inbox Dollars calls itself "the online rewards club that pays" - and they really have, for more than 20 years in operation. It's one of three paid survey platforms in our review that fall under the parent company Prodege, so don't be surprised if you see some similarities among them.
Confirm your account to get $5
When you sign up for an Inbox Dollars account, you'll get a $5 sign-up bonus right away. Just be aware that you'll have to confirm your account to get the credit, so don't use a fake email address. Also, if you're planning on cashing out your rewards via PayPal, your Inbox Dollars email should match the one you use on the payment platform.
Many ways to earn money
There are lots of ways to make money here. Naturally, surveys are a big part of that, typically ranging from 3 to 25 minutes to complete and paying anywhere from $0.50 to $5 - but if you fit the demographic they're looking for, some surveys pay $10+. You can also get paid for reading emails, playing games like Solitaire or Candy Jam, shopping online and scanning grocery receipts. Another way to earn money on Inbox Dollars is by referring friends and family. You could get 30% of their lifetime earnings, plus a $1 cash bonus for each qualified referral.
Surveys may not be your big money-maker here
You may make more money with non-survey opportunities on this platform. At the time we signed up, there was only one survey available and it paid a fairly paltry $0.50. Be sure to check out everything in the links at the top of your dashboard, from Scratch & Win to games. We weren't so impressed with the games; a few worked as expected, at least one didn't seem to work at all, and there wasn't anything that made it obvious how they could be used to earn points. Magic Receipt offers were much more appealing: get $1 back for buying eggs of any brand at any store, ditto that for bread and milk, and so on. If you're already making those purchases, why not get some cash too?
"A-" from the BBB despite 2,000+ complaints
Inbox Dollars has an "A-" and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, but you'll find that under the name of its parent company, Prodege. Having more than 2,000 complaints filed there in the last three years isn't awesome, but the BBB's rating and accreditation can be taken as a reassurance that there are no patterns of sketchy behavior and that issues are resolved appropriately across all three survey companies.
Almost 21,000 five-star ratings from platform members
Looking at feedback from Inbox Dollars' members, we found close to 21,000 five-star ratings. In fact, nearly 80% of their reviews were four or five stars. It was great to see that people have used this paid survey company for years and haven't experienced any declines in available point opportunities, payouts, or overall client support. People are particularly grateful for the change since our last review that allows members to cash out via PayPal instead of waiting for a paper check.
A paid survey platform that's worth the effort
Overall, Inbox Dollars is a fantastic option for paid surveys. There are plenty of ways to earn, and you get to decide which ones you like the most. Payouts happen quickly and reliably, and you've got options for gift cards or good old cash via PayPal. While there were a few little things that didn't impress us (like broken games), this is still a paid survey company that will be worth your time.
It's no secret that businesses want to know what consumers think. Focus groups have been around for decades, and you may even remember taking a survey at the mall way back when. But, as the world went digital, so did market research - and that's good news for you if you'd like to do paid surveys from home (or from anywhere that you have an internet connection).
How does it work? That depends on the survey company you choose. Some just give you basic surveys that match your profile. Others, however, take it to another level and have you watch video clips of ads, give you points back when you use their link to shop online, or even reward you for playing games.
What you can earn by doing paid surveys also depends on the platform. One of the most common payment methods is PayPal: today's way of getting good old-fashioned cash... but digitally. Or, you may get more for your rewards by choosing to redeem them for a gift card or towards a big discount on something you've been wanting to buy.
You should be realistic, though: you're not going to replace your full-time income by doing paid surveys. They often pay out at a rate that's less than a few dollars per hour, and sometimes you'll get almost finished with a survey only to find out you've been rejected (because one of your answers didn't fit the demographic they were looking for). However, if you can tolerate a bit of frustration, paid survey platforms can be a fun way to get some gift cards or money in your free time. After all, when has Netflix ever paid you for spending time online?
There are lots of websites offering paid surveys, and you might get overwhelmed trying to choose one (or several). What should you look for? Here are some criteria to get you started:
So that you don't waste time with a survey company that won't deliver, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular options out there. Check out our highest-ranked sites and start earning gift cards, merchandise, and cash today!
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