The Smartphone Side Hustle: A Realistic Guide to Making Extra Cash with Online Surveys

Let’s be honest right from the start: making money with online surveys is not an effortless get-rich-quick scheme. While the surveys themselves are easy to complete, managing your time can be a constraint. How much you earn heavily depends on the specific survey platforms you choose to use.

I only take surveys when I have a bit of spare downtime. However, if you stick with them consistently over a month, you can easily make enough to cover one of your household utility bills. Much like bank switching, it is a genuine, accessible way to bring in extra pennies away from your main work salary.

If you are spending two to three hours a day mindlessly scrolling through your phone doing nothing, you might as well use that dead time to join a couple of survey platforms, grab their introductory sign-up bonuses, and make a few quid.

Here is my honest, commission-free review of the only two survey platforms I personally use and recommend.

1. Prolific: The Gold Standard for High-Quality Online Surveys

Prolific is consistently one of the top-performing online surveys platforms I use.

• The Downside: Survey availability isn’t incredibly high, meaning you won’t see an endless wall of studies waiting for you at all hours.
• The Upside: The studies they do offer are exceptionally high quality.

If you have used standard survey sites before, you know the frustration: you spend 15 minutes answering questions, only to be hit with a “timed out” message or told you are “not qualified” at the very last second, leaving you with absolutely zero reward for your time.

Prolific cuts that out by screening their surveys properly. Once you are matched with a study, you are guaranteed to be able to complete it. The payouts are very generous—frequently ranging from £1 or £2 up to £15 for more detailed studies, such as video reviews or product testing where you record your thoughts on different items.

2. Branded Surveys: High Availability but Smaller Rewards

The second platform in my rotation is Branded Surveys, which features a highly intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app.

• The Upside: They have a massive, continuous supply of surveys available. There is almost always something to do when you log in.
• The Downside: The individual payouts are much smaller, and the platform can be quite temperamental.

Because their screening algorithms are incredibly exacting, you will experience a lot of “screen-outs” where you don’t match what the researchers are looking for. You have to be very precise and patient with what you type to ensure the payout lands.

Realistic Earnings: What Can You Actually Make?

You see people on social media claiming you can make £100 a week or £300 a month taking online surveys on your phone. That is simply not going to happen.

A realistic expectation for the average person using their spare time is about £10 to £15 a week, scaling up to £20 a week if you have a bit more time to invest. It won’t buy you a new car, but it will stack up over a month to give you a helpful buffer for your family budget.

Top Tips for Maximising Your Survey Earnings

If you want to try online surveys as a low-effort side hustle, keep these two vital rules in mind:

• Never Rush Your Answers: Take your time and actually read the questions. Many survey platforms plant intentional “trick questions” to test your attention. If you ignore the prompt and click the wrong option, the survey will instantly close down, and you will lose your progress.
• Protect Your Main Inbox: [Optional Tip: Set up a free, dedicated Gmail account just for your survey sign-ups so your personal email doesn’t get flooded with alerts.]

I don’t earn a single penny of commission from either of these platforms; they are simply the two that have worked reliably for me.

What about you? Have you found any other genuine survey platforms that actually pay out? Comment below and let me know what is working for you!