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If you’re looking to earn extra income in South Africa, there are paid survey sites that provide a variety of offers. These sites pay in cash, rewards, and some even pay out bitcoins.
While you may not become a millionaire taking paid South African surveys, you can earn legitimate money to help make ends meet.
To earn money answering survey questions, you need to have a computer and a reliable Internet connection. Some of the paid survey sites also offer apps for your smartphone.
Many companies offer surveys via a daily or weekly email, and most don’t guarantee how many surveys you can take in a day.
As you research which survey companies you’d like to register with, make sure to read through their section of Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about how the individual company operates.
You want to understand how much money you need to earn before the cash can be withdrawn from your account. Some companies distribute money through PayPal, while others mail you a company check.
Not all companies offer only cash for your participation. With some, you can expect to receive your rewards points in the form of gift cards or vouchers for other products.
Some companies also offer opportunities to test products before they are released to the general public. These products are often yours to keep and may be the only compensation you receive.
Many marketing and research companies offer referral bonuses if you can encourage your friends and family to sign up as well. You can also earn bonus rewards with some companies just for your initial registration.
With that said, let’s get started. Here’s a list of the 20 best survey sites in South Africa.
Table of Contents
1. LifePoints
When it comes to survey sites in South Africa, LifePoints is one of the best-paying and friendliest when it comes to user interface. If you don’t want to use their online interface, you can also download their app for both Android and iOS devices.
Most of the time you should be able to cash out within the first week of joining due to the large amount of surveys available. On average, expect each survey to take 10 minutes or less.
The best part? If for whatever reason you don’t qualify for a survey, you’re automatically entered into a sweepstakes drawing for free. This is one survey site in South Africa that you shouldn’t pass by.
Read Our Full LifePoints Review
2. Panel Station
Panel Station is a worldwide consumer community that offers paid surveys and opportunities to review products and services. The site also offers a convenient mobile app for your smartphone and registration is free.
Upon your initial registration, you earn 250 points. Additional points are earned for every completed survey, with most surveys worth 500-5000 Panel Reward points.
Points can be redeemed for a variety of gift vouchers from popular companies. You can also increase your chances to win sweepstakes prizes through the site.
3. Global Test Market
Global Test Market is a known online market research firm that offers paid survey opportunities all over the world. Membership is free and you must register, answering questions about you and your family to determine which surveys are most relevant to your household.
You earn rewards called MarketPoints that you can covert to cash. Depending on the nature of the survey, you can earn 50-200 MarketPoints. When your account reaches 1000 points, you can redeem it for cash, which equals $50. The company mails a check to your directly.
4. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel allows you to take surveys online that earn you points. These points can be redeemed for gift cards from Amazon, PayPal, and iTunes. Bitcoins and cash options are also available.
Registration is free, and you can begin taking surveys right away. If you choose to take the cash, your money is deposited directly to your bank or through PayPal.
5. SurveySavvy
SurveySavvy is an online research firm that offers paid surveys. You can cash out your account with as little as $1. You make money completing surveys and referring your friends to do the same.
Your personal profile dictates how many surveys you get each week. The more information you provide, the more earning potential you have.
The company also focuses on their SavvyConnect app, a tool that helps market research companies to view your Internet browsing habits when you’re online. The tool also offers additional surveys exclusive to users.
6. Toluna South Africa
Toluna offers you points for every survey completed. You can also participate in consumer discussions, product tests, and polls. If you refer friends and family, you can also earn rewards. Registration on the site is free and there are also no fees for membership.
Surveys take about 15 minutes and payments vary based on the length and difficulty of the survey. Points can be redeemed for cash, gift vouchers, and entries into sweepstakes. The company also offers weekly lotteries. Cash payments are paid out through PayPal.
7. Cinchbucks
Cinchbucks offers paid surveys you can complete for CB reward points. You can earn cash, your choice of over 100 gift certificates, and bitcoins for every completed survey. The more information you provide in your Cinchbucks profile, the more earning potential you have.
The company also offers additional rewards for referring friends and family that complete surveys. You can also earn CBs by participating in other offers, including signing up for other websites. The website also advertises cash back rewards for shopping through Cinchbuck affiliates.
8. Paid Viewpoint
Paid Viewpoint is a survey panel company that offers rewards for completing online surveys. You must provide them with true information about your household, buying habits, and demographic data to earn a TraitScore, an assessment program the company uses to assess members.
You can only maintain one Paid Viewpoint account and must validate your account with your phone number at registration and again when you first cash out your rewards. This protects your account from someone else taking your earnings.
Higher TraitScores can earn you more money for each completed survey. Payment varies on the survey taken and the member’s TraitScore. You can cash out your cash rewards when you account reaches $15. All payments are paid through PayPal.
9. Brand Institute
Brand Institute is a leading market research company offering paid surveys in the field of healthcare. The surveys your complete help the company in the naming and the research of healthcare products, including new medications.
While anyone can join, nurses, doctors, and pharmacists have the most earning potential. Survey pay ranges from $5 to $15. Payments are paid out by PayPal or through a company check.
For PayPal deposits, your money is automatically credited to your account within 4-8 weeks after you complete the online survey.
10. E-Research-Global
E-Research-Global offers surveys to people from all countries for any 16 years old and up. The site is based on a membership but doesn’t require fees for membership or registration.
You participate in online surveys that include questionnaires, focus groups, and testing new products. If you wish to refer others to the site, you can earn cash through a personal referral link.
Cash rewards for completed surveys varies and depends on the time and difficulty of each survey. Cash rewards can be deemed after reaching a balance of $2.00. The company pays using PayPal. For those who don’t have PayPal access in their country, Payza.com accounts are used.
11. Ipanel South Africa
Ipanel is an online marketing research company that offer money for survey completion. You earn points in your membership account for participating in surveys about a number of topics.
When your account balance reaches 2000 points, you can cash it out for cash or other prizes.
12. iPoll
iPoll is a survey company that offers simple surveys for cash. They offer the convenience of a mobile app so you can take surveys on the go. For new registrations, you can earn your first $5 just for signing up.
When your account earns $50, you can get your cash. The company also offers quarterly drawings to earn additional cash prizes.
13. MindSwarms
MindSwarms is a unique survey site that pays you cash for completing video-based surveys. Most surveys take about 20 minutes and include a list of seven questions that you must answer on camera.
Each completed survey earns you $50 that is paid within 24 hours through PayPal. You can expect to answer questions about products, advertising concepts, apps, and variety of other survey-related questions.
14. Myiyo
Myiyo is a paid survey site, open to participants in South African. There are no registration or membership fees to join. The company name translates to ‘in your opinion’ and is based in Germany. The site boasts a worldwide community of members.
You receive invitations via email for surveys. For each completed survey, you earn cash rewards. When your account reaches 20 euro, money is distributed to your PayPal account.
15. Spidermetrix
Spidermetrix is an Australia-based company that offers paid surveys to people all over the world. Members, who are known as Spiders, answer single-question surveys on the website to earn one spiderPoint.
spiderPoints can be redeemed for cash paid out by PayPal, Amazon vouchers, auctions where points can be used to bid, and donations to World Vision Australia that supports children in poverty-stricken areas.
16. SurveyNow
SurveyNow offers registered members access to thousands of online surveys that earn you money and free vouchers.
Once registered, you will receive weekly newsletters that explain the available surveys. Survey lengths differ, with many short surveys only taking 1-2 minutes to complete. Longer surveys may offer higher rewards benefits.
Through a dashboard feature on your online account, you can track your completed surveys and rewards earnings. Rewards vary based on each survey and you will learn about the reward before you take the survey.
17. American Consumer Opinion Panel
American Consumer Opinion Panel is a reputable marketing firm that pays cash for completed online surveys. Rewards are earned through a point system, with each point equally 1-cent.
Surveys can earn you anywhere from $4.00 to $25.00 and you can receive your money via a check or gift certificates from American Express.
The site requires a membership, which is free. In addition to answering survey questions, you can also evaluate new product ideas, packaging designs, and test new products.
18. Triaba
Triaba is an online survey company, paying 50-cents to $5.50 for each completed survey. To register your account, you must complete a short signup profile You can begin completing surveys after your registration is confirmed.
You receive survey invitations via email. The price varies for each completed survey, depending on the length and focus of the survey questions. Cash rewards are tracked on your panel account and are paid out through PayPal.
If you have been inactive on your Triaba account for a certain period of time, your points will also become inactive. Points can be reactivated by reaching out to the site support team.
19. Valued Opinions
Valued Opinions is an online community offering paid online surveys. Membership is free and you earn a credit for each survey your complete. You must complete a profile and will get matched to relevant surveys.
Rewards can redeem rewards for a variety of gift vouchers for name-brand products, like Yuppiechef and Zando. You also have the opportunity to test products and services before they are released publicly.
20. VoicesAfrica
VoicesAfrica offers paid online surveys for registered panel members. You earn 500 bonus points for completing your initial registration and 1,000-5,000 points for completing surveys. 1,000 points equates to $1US.
When your account reaches 5,000, you can redeem your cash rewards via a company check or electronic transfer of money.
21. SurveyWell
SurveyWell helps marketing and research companies evaluate products and other information through paid surveys. You can redeem earned rewards points in cash, gifts, or prizes.
Gift vouchers are for the biggest online stores in South Africa. You can also take part in product testing opportunities where you get to keep the products.
You don’t have to provide information like your banking details or pay any registration fees as a panel member.
Getting Paid
Because all of these companies distribute their payments differently, it is important to track the amount of surveys you complete.
Some companies offer a panel through your account that tracks completed surveys and your earnings but its advisable that you also make sure you are getting paid correctly.
If the company you register with uses PayPal to distribute payment, South African users can sign up for a PayPal account.
PayPal maintains a relationship with FBB to process payments in South Africa. However, the South African Exchange Control does limit the activities you can perform on your account.
For instance, funds deposited into your account can’t be transferred or sent to other PayPal users. You also can’t use PayPal to pay for purchases.
All funds in your Paypal account must be withdrawn from your account and deposited into a South African bank account within 30 days of receipt. For more information on FNB-PayPal transactions, view their terms and conditions.
Avoiding the Scams
There are many marketing companies on the up and up that do pay good money for taking surveys, as part of their focus groups. If you consider the general rule of thumb that ‘if anything sounds too good to be true, it probably is’, you can likely avoid fake sites and scam artists.
One red flag you should be looking out for is sites that charge fees for the privilege of taking these paid surveys.
Fees may be described as membership fees or listed in surveys as required purchases. Some sites may operate as a pyramid scheme, requiring you to recruit other survey takers in order to get paid.
Another caveat to taking paid surveys concerns your privacy. Most sites proclaim to never share your personal information with others and legitimate marketing companies will uphold this.
However, if you are working with less than reputable site owners, your information may be spread far and wide, leaving you open to unsolicited phone calls, emails, and direct mail.
If you enjoy providing feedback and opinions are variety of products and surveys, it can be worthwhile to research different survey companies in South Africa where you can make a few bucks safely.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the 20 best paid survey sites in South Africa. See one that’s not on the list and should be? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy frugaling!
