Best Survey Sites UK: 8 Paid Survey Sites That Actually Pay (2026)

Search for paid surveys UK and you will find lists promising easy money. Most skip the two things that matter: what an hour of your time really earns after screen-outs, and how long the payout threshold takes to reach. This guide fixes both. For the full picture of checked ways to earn, see our Make Money hub.

Best survey sites UK: the comparison table

Paid surveys UK: the sites, one by one

Prolific: the best hourly rate

Prolific runs studies for universities and researchers. Its own pricing page sets a minimum reward of £6 an hour and recommends researchers pay at least £9 an hour. Studies typically pay £1 to £10 and take 10 to 20 minutes, and you cash out to PayPal from a £6 balance. The catches: there is a waitlist, studies are pre-matched to your profile so work is not constant, and active users report roughly £60 to £80 a month rather than a fortune.

Qmee: cash out from 1p

Qmee pays 10p to £1 or more per survey, with no payout threshold at all: earn 1p and you can withdraw it to PayPal straight away. One long-running UK reviewer reports £843 in lifetime cash-outs: proof that spare minutes add up. Surveys can screen you out, so pick only the ones whose pay respects your time.

Branded Surveys: steady volume

Branded Surveys pays in points, with 500 points worth £5, redeemable to PayPal or vouchers. Most surveys pay the equivalent of 50p to £3, and keen users can reach a first payout within days. One warning from user reports: completed surveys are occasionally rejected without a clear reason, so cash out as soon as you hit £5.

Swagbucks: more than surveys

Swagbucks rewards surveys from around 50p, plus a daily poll, videos, search and games, all paid in SB points you swap for PayPal cash or vouchers. Rates are unremarkable, but the variety means something is usually available when pure survey sites go quiet.

YouGov: trusted, but a long road to £50

YouGov is the name behind the opinion polls in the news, and its surveys are short: around five to ten minutes for roughly 50p. The problem is the maths. You cannot cash out until you reach 5,000 points, worth £50, and at typical invite rates many users take one to two years to get there.

OnePoll: two-minute polls for the press

OnePoll runs the light-hearted polls newspapers love. Polls take two to three minutes and pay 20p to 50p, by bank transfer or PayPal once you reach £20. Per minute the rate looks decent; in practice, reaching £20 takes months of small top-ups.

Google Opinion Rewards: money for seconds of effort

Google Opinion Rewards sends very short surveys, often one or two questions taking under 30 seconds, paying 10p to 80p. Android users are paid in Google Play credit with no threshold: handy for apps and films, but not cash. iPhone users get cash via PayPal from £2. Surveys arrive irregularly.

InboxPounds: legitimate, but the slowest grind

InboxPounds is a UK company running since 2011, paying for surveys, paid emails, games and offers, with a £1 joining bonus and cash out at £20 to PayPal or gift cards. Be clear-eyed: its surveys are among the worst paid here, with users reporting long surveys for 20p. Most real money sits in game and sign-up offers, so read their terms first.

How much can you really earn from survey sites that actually pay?

Here is the honest maths most guides skip. A survey advertising £1 for 15 minutes looks like £4 an hour. But if one in three surveys screens you out after five minutes of questions, your real rate drops towards £2 an hour, and some sites pay closer to £1. Prolific stands apart because its minimum rate is enforced.

Realistic totals: forum regulars who stack several sites report around £200 a year, the most dedicated £800. A casual user should expect a few pounds a month. Any page promising more from surveys alone is not being straight with you.

How we ranked these survey sites

We checked each site against the same five tests: free to join, open to UK residents, and paying in cash or widely usable vouchers through a normal method such as PayPal or bank transfer. We then compared pay per survey, payout thresholds and realistic hourly rates after screen-outs, using each platform’s own terms, established UK reviewers and MoneySavingExpert’s guide. Unverifiable sites, and any site charging a joining fee, were left out.

Survey scams: the warning signs

The sites above are legitimate. The wider internet is not:

• Never pay to join. A fee for a list of survey sites, a training course or a starter pack is the oldest scam in this space. Real panels earn from researchers, not from you.
• Never share banking logins. Legitimate sites pay via PayPal, bank transfer or vouchers. None needs your banking password, card PIN or a remote access app.
• Beware impossible promises. £50 per survey or £500 a day is bait. Genuine top rates are Prolific-level: £6 to £9 an hour.
• Cash out early and often. Survey balances are not bank deposits and carry no protection. If a site closes, your balance goes with it, so withdraw as soon as you pass each threshold.

Best survey sites UK: frequently asked questions

What is the best survey site in the UK?

For pay per hour, Prolific: a £6 an hour minimum, cash to PayPal from a £6 balance. For quick access to your money, Qmee, with no minimum cashout. Most people do best joining both.

How much can you earn from paid surveys in the UK?

Realistically, a few pounds a month as a casual user, around £200 a year if you stack several sites consistently, and more only if you qualify for well-paid Prolific studies regularly. Surveys top up income; they never replace it.

Why do survey sites keep screening me out?

Each survey needs a specific mix of people, by age, job and habits. If that quota fills, or your profile does not match, you are screened out. A fully completed profile and honest answers cut the wasted time.

Do I have to pay tax on survey earnings in the UK?

Usually not: the £1,000 trading allowance covers casual side income like surveys. Pass £1,000 of side income in a tax year and you must declare it to HMRC through Self Assessment.

Are paid survey sites a scam?

The established panels are not: they are free, and they pay, slowly. Scams copy their look while charging fees or harvesting bank details. Stay with verified names, never pay to join, and type web addresses yourself instead of following email links.