Top Online Survey Panels for 2019
Published on January 8, 2019, updated on January 1, 2021
It’s that time of year again! Get ready for the SurveyPolice Top Online Survey Panel Picks of 2019!
If you’ve never taken an online survey before and would like to, this is a great starting point. Simply take a look at the survey sites listed below to see if they’re a match for you. If something caches your eye, become a member for free, and you’ll be invited to complete surveys and other research assignments.
If this sounds confusing, you can learn more about how online survey taking works and how you can become a survey taker, by checking out our Surveys 101 guide, and the FAQ.
For those of you who are experienced survey takers, let us know what you think of our selections in the comments below. We have made these recommendations based on the following criteria: overall reputation, changes in user reviews over the past year, incentives offered, and customer service. Hopefully you agree!
#1 – OneOpinion
OneOpinion is once again our top survey panel pick of the year!
Why we like them: Points for survey disqualifications, good platform, strong support.
What it’s like taking surveys for them: Participate in surveys and receive occasional product testing invitations. Survey inventory is good, and using the platform is generally smooth. A $25 minimum cash out may seem high, but most users seem to be able to achieve this monthly, and receiving rewards is generally without issue. If you get screened out of surveys, points are still awarded, and can add up over time. OneOpinion customer service is proactive and easily reachable by phone. Online support questions can be handled by their bot, ‘Emily’. Although users have mixed experiences with Emily, we like OneOpinion’s efforts in adopting new technology, and applaud them for allowing ‘her’ to credit points to user accounts.
Rewards offered: PayPal payments, Amazon gift cards, virtual Visa debit cards.
#2 – Tellwut
Over 650,000 strong, Tellwut maintains their strong reputation as a solid survey website.
Why we like them: Consistent reputation, daily earning opportunities.
What it’s like taking surveys for them: Create short community surveys/polls and answer other people’s polls on every topic imaginable to earn points. Participate in longer external surveys that carry higher point values to boost your earnings faster. Log in to your account to find daily earning opportunities, and request a gift card when your account reaches a minimum balance of 4,200 points ($10). Although Tellwut has been around for a few years, a cash redemption option such as PayPal is still not available, and membership is limited to those living in the USA and Canada. Lately, some members also report more effort being required to earn rewards. Even so, every member can earn gift cards without having to wait to be e-mailed surveys and this, combined with their dependable customer service, still makes Tellwut a reliable choice.
Rewards offered: Gift cards including Amazon, Visa, Best Buy, Walmart, as well as merchandise.
#3 – PointClub
PointClub made big improvements in 2018 and continues to do so.
Why we like them: $5.00 sign up bonus, commitment to quality market research, points for disqualifications.
What it’s like taking surveys for them: PointClub offers an attractive interface with many online survey opportunities available. Daily points giveaways are offered and winners lists are published on their very active social media accounts. Points are also credited if you get screened out of 5 surveys in a day. New members receive a 5,000 point account bonus (worth $5) if they complete the full registration process, including the short profiler. After you complete surveys, your points will be marked as ‘pending’ and will be available for redemption once ‘approved’ (i.e. when the survey fully closes). Although we wish that points were approved faster, we respect that this helps PointClub maintain data quality. We also recognize that Innovate Market Research (the parent company of PointClub) is very active in the market research industry, and outwardly promotes the fair treatment of survey takers – something that is also reflected in their customer service, which is very good overall.
Rewards offered: 80+ e-gift card options (Amazon, Target, Starbucks, etc.), PayPal payments.
#4 – PaidViewpoint
PaidViewpoint has made our Top 5 List yet again.
Why we like them: Excellent customer service, easy-to-use website, open internationally.
What it’s like taking surveys for them: If you live in the USA, PaidViewpoint is a great survey panel to take surveys with. Even outside the USA, users in English-speaking countries will find success with site and those in non-English speaking countries can still participate in the daily ‘trait survey’, making it possible for them to earn payments as well. PayPal payments are issued very quickly and few users experience problems. Earn a few cents each and every day for completing the very short daily trait survey, and when new studies become available (that carry much higher payouts), you will find them listed on your account dashboard, versus waiting for them to be emailed. If you have a problem with your account, PaidViewpoint’s customer service is truly excellent. The website hasn’t changed much in the last couple of years, but PVP has an interface that works very well, so they seem to subscribe to the old adage, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Rewards offered: Cash paid via PayPal, Amazon gift cards, Walmart gift cards.
#5 – Prolific
Prolific is a brand new addition to our Top 5 List!
Why we like them: Fair pay, straightforward, easy to use interface.
What it’s like taking surveys for them: Although founded in 2014, this website, powered by the University of Oxford, made bigger waves in 2018. Reviews from SurveyPolice users have been very positive, as the website is simple and very straightforward to navigate. On your user dashboard, you can view all available studies which will state the topic of the survey, the time it takes to complete it, as well as the cash reward offered. There is also the option to ‘pause’ a survey if you’re not finished completing it so that you can return to it later. Because the site operates out of the UK, they award cash payments in GBP. With £5 (approx. $6.25 USD) in your account, you can request a PayPal payment, which is typically made within 48 hours. A couple of issues exist with some users wishing there were more studies available, while those from non-Western countries are allowed to sign up but are then notified in their account that the site is not available to them. These hiccups seem relatively minor however, and we think Prolific is a site to watch!
Rewards offered: PayPal payments, donations to charity.
Honorable Mention:
We’re disappointed that Pinecone Research made a number of unfavorable changes to their survey panel in 2018, causing for the first time in many years, a substantial drop in their ranking on SurveyPolice. As such, they did not make our list of the Top 5 Survey Panels of 2019.
Although Pinecone Research generally still appears to be a reasonable choice for most survey takers, Pinecone made substantial changes to their platform and rewards structure. Technical problems with surveys has increased, and disqualifications from surveys has become more common. Member account deactivations has increased, and although customer service appears to be active in rectifying these issues, for the first time in a long time, some users are frustrated and question whether the site is worth their participation.
We still believe that Pinecone Research is a quality panel, so we feel that an honorable mention here is appropriate. We hope that for the sake of their users, many of whom have been with them for a number of years, they regain their former glory and that they sort out their system-wide issues.
