What you’ll learn
Bottom line: Swagbucks is the better pick for most people because you can earn from a lot more than surveys and it works in 11 countries. Survey Junkie is the better pick if all you want is surveys and you’d like your money in PayPal or your bank.
Swagbucks and Survey Junkie are two of the oldest names in paid surveys, so it makes sense people want to know which one is worth their time. They aren’t really the same kind of app, though.
Pick Swagbucks if you want more than surveys. You can also earn from shopping, games, app offers and searching the web, and it works in 11 countries. Pick Survey Junkie if you only want surveys, you want a simple app, and you want to cash out to PayPal or your bank. Both are free, so plenty of people run both.
Swagbucks vs Survey Junkie side by side
| Feature | Swagbucks | Survey Junkie |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up | Get Swagbucks | Get Survey Junkie |
| How you earn | Surveys, cash back on shopping, games, app and trial offers, web search | Surveys, focus groups and its Surf to Earn browser add-on |
| Cash out to | PayPal or gift cards (Amazon, Walmart, Target and more) | PayPal, bank transfer or gift cards (Amazon, Target, Walmart, Visa and more) |
| Lowest cash out | As few as 300 SB, which is $3 (100 SB = $1) | $5 (500 points) |
| Payout speed | PayPal in 2 to 5 business days, gift cards in minutes to 5 business days | Says you can redeem points instantly |
| Sign-up bonus | Its welcome offer is tied to shopping, not just signing up | None listed on its site |
| Who can join | Age 13+ in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and India | Age 18+ in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the UK |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Cash out and country details are as of October 2026 and come from each company’s own site and help center. They change, so check the sign-up page before you start.
Swagbucks: way more than surveys
Swagbucks pays you in points called SB, and 100 SB is worth $1. Surveys are only one way in. You also earn cash back when you shop online through it, plus SB for playing games, trying apps and offers, and searching the web with its search tool.
That mix is the main reason to pick it.
Cashing out is pretty easy. Swagbucks says you can redeem with as few as 300 SB, so $3. You can take PayPal or gift cards to stores like Amazon, Walmart and Target. PayPal takes 2 to 5 business days and gift cards land anywhere from a few minutes to 5 business days.
One catch: don’t sign up for a big bonus. Its welcome offer is tied to a shopping purchase, so it isn’t free money for joining.
Why Survey Junkie is the simpler app
Survey Junkie is about as simple as these apps get. You fill out a profile, take surveys and earn points. It also runs focus groups, and there’s an add-on called Surf to Earn. You install the browser extension or opt in on the app, stay active, and it pays an automatic bonus after a month.
The cash out is the best part. You can redeem from $5, which is 500 points, and take it as PayPal cash, a bank transfer or gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Walmart and Visa. Survey Junkie says you can redeem your points instantly.
What’s the catch? It’s surveys, so you won’t qualify for all of them, and it only takes members 18+ in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the UK.
I’ve used Survey Junkie on and off for years. It’s worth signing up for. I check what’s good when I have off time.
Survey Junkie vs Swagbucks, which pays more?
Neither one publishes an hourly rate, so anyone who gives you one is guessing. What you can compare is how fast you get to a payout and how you get paid.
Swagbucks lets you cash out sooner, from $3 in SB. Survey Junkie starts at $5 but can send it straight to your bank. And if you shop online, Swagbucks has a way to earn that Survey Junkie doesn’t have at all.
Bottom line: Swagbucks if you want the most ways to earn, Survey Junkie if you just want surveys and a bank or PayPal payout.
Swagbucks vs InboxDollars
InboxDollars is the other app that comes up next to Swagbucks. It pays you in actual dollars, not points, for surveys, reading emails, offers, games and shopping online.
The big differences are where it works and when you can cash out. InboxDollars is for people in the U.S. only, 18 and older. You need $30 in your account before you can request a payment, and then you can take PayPal or gift cards. PayPal can take up to 10 business days.
Swagbucks lets you cash out from $3 in SB and works in 11 countries. So if you’re outside the U.S. or want your first payout fast, go with Swagbucks. If you’re in the U.S. and like seeing a dollar balance, InboxDollars is worth a look.
So which one should you sign up for?
Pick Swagbucks if you shop online, you want more than surveys, or you live outside the U.S., Canada, Australia and the UK.
Go with Survey Junkie if you only want surveys and you’d like the money in PayPal or your bank.
InboxDollars makes sense if you’re in the U.S. and don’t mind waiting for a $30 balance.
Not sure? They’re all free!
Other survey apps worth a look
Want more options? Check out the best survey apps, the highest paying survey sites, these sites like Swagbucks and sites like InboxDollars. If you’d rather play games for cash, here’s Mistplay vs Freecash.
Frequently asked questions
For most people Swagbucks, because you can earn from surveys, shopping cash back, games and offers, and it works in 11 countries. Survey Junkie is better if you only want surveys and want to cash out to PayPal or your bank.
Survey Junkie lets you cash out from $5, which is 500 points. You can take PayPal, a bank transfer or gift cards.
Swagbucks says you can redeem with as few as 300 SB, which is $3. 100 SB is worth $1, and you can take PayPal or gift cards.
Yes. You can redeem SB for PayPal cash, which takes 2 to 5 business days, or for gift cards to stores like Amazon, Walmart and Target.
Only if you’re in the U.S. and like earning in dollars instead of points. InboxDollars is U.S. only and needs $30 before you can cash out. Swagbucks lets you cash out from $3 and works in 11 countries.
You have to be 18 or older and live in the U.S., Canada, Australia or the UK.
