14 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Browse the Internet (2024)
There are ways you can get paid to browse the internet. We all use the internet for research, learning, live streaming, downloading, etc, and surprisingly, we can earn money by doing all of these.
This post talks about general ways and also apps that will pay you to just use the internet. You can make a few dollars every month by browsing the internet. Literally, there are many ways to make money online, but this is one of the easiest.
So, if you will browse the internet anyway, take advantage of this opportunity to make some cool money.This side hustle is for college students, corporate workers, stay-at-home moms, etc.
Anytime that I’m surfing the web, which I mostly do, I make sure I make money this way. I have been making money by surfing the web for about 8 months now.
Easy Ways To Get Paid To Search The Web
The websites and apps that have been mentioned below will pay you to search the web. Basically, the majority of them pay you to search the web in order to track your internet behavior.
Many brands want to create good products to help consumers, but they don’t know what consumers really want – so with this side hustle, you will share your internet behavior with brands.
These websites and apps don’t track your private activities, so you don’t have to be worried in case you are. So, without further ado, let’s get down to business.
1. Swagbucks
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $50-$100 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: $10.
Swagbucks is one of the best apps you can use to surf the web for money. Since its inception, the app has paid its users thousands of dollars to search the web. You can get your share of the pie if you download this app as your new search engine.
You won’t find any drawbacks in using Swagbucks for your internet surfing because it works like the popular search engines. Besides surfing the web, you can also accomplish other tasks for money with Swagbucks. Some of the tasks available are
- Answering online surveys
- Reading emails
- Playing games
- Watching videos
- Taking parting in focus groups, etc.
Earning with Swagbucks
As soon as you sign up for the app, you shall receive a $10 bonus. After that, you can start earning by surfing, and also taking other tasks.
Swagbucks rewards its users with SBs – these are points that can be converted to real cash at the point of cashing out. The minimum cashout threshold is $1, which equals 100 SBs. Once you have accumulated that amount, you can withdraw via:
- Paypal
- Checks
- Gift Cards to brands like Kroger, Starbucks, Chipotle, Walmart, and eBay.
2. MyPoints
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $50 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: $10.
Another legit way to get paid to browse the internet is to use MyPoints as your search engine. MyPoints is owned by Prodege, which is based in El Segundo, California.
The app is mainly known for shopping for cashback rewards, but it also pays its users to surf the internet. Apart from these two ways, one can earn on MyPoints, you can also answer online surveys.
Earning with MyPoints
MyPoints is available on both Google Play and Apple Stores. New users get a $10 welcome bonus which they can use to redeem an Amazon or Visa gift card. After that, you can browse the internet via MyPoints for cash.
Once you have earned a minimum of $3, you can withdraw as a gift card to brands like Kohl’s, eBay, Walmart, Home Depot, Expedia, and Dunkin’ Donut.
3. Survey Junkie
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $40 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available.
If you join Survey Junkie, you can use it to surf the web and make money in return. Basically, the website is a get-paid-to platform that rewards users to complete several tasks.
Some of the tasks are answering online surveys, testing products, participating in focus groups, and many more. The cool thing about Survey Junkie is that it’s regarded as one of the best sites to make money. All the same, Survey Junkie accepts only people in the United States or Canada.
Earning with Survey Junkie
After signing up for free on Survey Junkie, you can always use the app to search for information on the internet. Expect between $0.25 to $3 any time you complete a task on Survey Junkie.
Moreover, Survey Junkie has a feature called “Pulse” which you can sign up to share your internet behavior. The software will track your activity on the web and sell them to brands as consumer feedback. That’s another way you can make money.
Survey Junkie pays out after you have earned a minimum of $5. This can be cashed out via PayPal, gift cards, or bank transfer.
4. InboxDollars
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $60 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: $5.
Since its launch in 2000, InboxDollars has paid over $80 million to its users. InboxDollars is a survey site that’s available in the United States only. Members who sign up must be 18 years or older.
InboxDollars has an inbuilt search engine that you can use to search the internet when you download it. Other ways that you can make money on the platform are by answering online surveys, reading emails, playing games, watching videos, clipping coupons, and shopping at various retail stores for cashback rewards.
Earning with InboxDollars
Browsing the internet via InboxDollars can fetch you from $0.25 to $5. Also, new members receive a welcome bonus of $5.
While you’re surfing the web with InboxDollars, try taking surveys also because they pay very well – some surveys pay about $20 or more. After you have accumulated $30, you can make a withdrawal via PayPal, and gift cards.
5. Qmee
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $50 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available.
The various ways to earn money on Qmee are by browsing the web, taking online surveys, playing games, shopping online at the app’s partner brands for cashback rewards, completing very special offers, and referring other people to join. You can download Qmee on Google Play or Apple Store. Signing up is free of charge.
Earning with Qmee
You can make a few dollars every month by completing tasks on Qmee. One cool thing about Qmee is that it pays real cash up front, unlike platforms that pay points – that means you don’t have to convert anything.
Another cool thing is that Qmee has no minimum cashable amount – so you can withdraw any amount you earn instantly. The payment options on Qmee are PayPal, gift cards, and donations to charity.
6. Mobile Xpression
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $5.50 per month
- Sign-Up Bonus: $5.
You can make easy money if you install Mobile Xpression on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and other devices. This app monitors your behavior on the internet and pays you money for that.
Once you have installed Mobile Xpression, it will work behind the scenes so all that you’ve to do is to surf the web as you always do.
It’s good to know that the software doesn’t track sensitive activities – it only tracks information such as the websites you visit, the time you spend surfing the web, the number of calls you receive per day, etc. With more than 2 million users making money on Mobile Xpression, you can join to earn too.
Earning with Mobile Xpression
The sign-up bonus is $5 when you join Mobile Xpression. Thereafter, you can earn an average of $5.50 per month by sharing your behavior on the web. This money can be cashed out as PayPal cash or e-gift card.
7. Nielsen Panel
- Availability: Android and iOS
- Earning Potential: $60 per year
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available
Nielsen works just like Mobile Xpression – you download the app on your devices, and you surf the web as you usually do. The app will monitor your behavior on the web, gather the data as consumer feedback and share it with businesses and brands. This data help brands to improve their products, services, and marketing strategies.
Earning with Nielsen
You shall earn $60 per year when you share your internet activities with clients of Nielsen Consumer Panel. That’s about $5 per month. It’s not much money – but because it requires no input, I think it’s worth it.
Moreover, Nielsen Panel also has monthly $10,000 sweepstake entries you can participate in, who knows – you might be the lucky winner. Withdrawals can be made through gift cards to various retail brands.
8. UserTesting
- Availability: Web
- Earning Potential: $10-$120 per test
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available
UserTesting is a platform that pays users to test the websites of brands. You can join UserTesting to start testing websites for money.
After testing the websites, you have to share your thoughts by stating your experience. This helps brands to improve their website speed, designs, etc.
Some of the companies you may test their websites on UserTesting are Lowe’s, Volvo, Canva, Subway, HelloFresh, Zendesk, Burberry, and Kimberly-Clark.
All the same, website testing is not the only thing you can do on UserTesting, some companies can send you physical products for you to try out for money.
Earning with UserTesting
The base pay for testing websites on UserTesting is $10. You can earn up to about $120 per test. So obviously, you can make enough money on this platform. If you want to apply for the UserTesting, you must have a personal computer, webcam, and microphone.
9. iRazoo
- Availability: Web
- Earning Potential: $0.10 – $3
- Sign-Up Bonus: $0.20.
iRazoo is a global app that you can use to surf the web and get paid. Even though iRazoo is used for surfing the web for money, it can also be used to play games, answer online surveys, watch videos, shop online for cashback rewards, and many more.
Earning with iRazoo
Completing tasks on iRazoo including surfing the web shall earn your points. These points can be converted to real cash when you’re making a withdrawal. Expect between 60 and 1800 points for each task you complete. For conversion, 60 points equal $0.10 and 1800 points equal $3.
In addition, new members get a welcome bonus of 100 points. iRazoo also has a referral program that you can join to earn 150 points anytime you refer someone to join the platform. Once you have accumulated a minimum of $12, you can withdraw via PayPal.
10. Microsoft Rewards
- Availability: Web
- Earning Potential: 5 points per search
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available.
Even though Google remains the most used search engine, Bing is also a good search engine that you can use for all your research and other online activities. Microsoft has rewards for those who decide to use Bing as their search engine. This reward program has been around since 2010.
Earning with Microsoft Rewards
To start earning, you just have to sign up for Bing – after that, you can browse for points. Basically, you earn 5 points per search and once you’ve accumulated enough, you can cash out through sweepstakes, gift cards to brands like Xbox and Nintendo, donations to charity, and many more.
11. Appen
- Availability: Web
- Earning Potential: $9-$80+ per hour
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available.
Appen is an Australia-based company that is known for data annotation, data sourcing, and many more. The company pays users to test the websites of its clients.
After every test, users are supposed to give their thoughts as consumer feedback. Some of the big brands that work with Appen are Bloomberg, Oracle, LinkedIn, Google, Being, Amazon, and Microsoft – just to name a few.
Earning with Appen
Appen pays hourly when you pick a project. Expect between $9 and $80 per hour. This is therefore one of the best platforms to make cool money. Even so, Appen has a few requirements you must meet. Appen pays through Payoneer at the end of every month.
12. Ask Wonder
- Availability: Web
- Earning Potential: $15 – $18 per hour
- Sign-Up Bonus: Not Available.
Ask Wonder is looking for researchers to research, craft, and write concise answers for clients who ask questions on the platform. You must be proficient in the English language, and also have an interest in surfing the web in general. Also, you should have a bachelor’s degree and strong maths skills.
Earning with Ask Wonder
As a researcher, you shall earn between $15 and $18 per hour on average. If you enjoy researching, then joining Ask Wonder will be worth it.
Other Ways To Get Paid To Search The Web
13. Become a Website Tester
You can earn money anytime if you become a website tester. It is one of the easiest side hustles you can earn money with. Owners of e-commerce sites, blogs, and other websites always want to make sure their sites are working well – in terms of speed, designs, menus, and more, so they pay people to test their websites.
The feedback shared by the testers will help these owners to enhance their websites for positive user engagement.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Website Tester?
It depends on the company you work for. A company like TryMyUI pays an average of $10 per test. And the good thing is that each test lasts for only 20 minutes.
Nevertheless, there are many platforms that pay more than $10 per hour – how much you’d earn is predicated on your experience. Find out all the sites where you can work as a website tester.
14. Become a Search Engine Evaluator
Google is always trying to provide accurate information to its users, however, that can never be 100 percent faultless. Because of this, Google pays search evaluators to help improve results for queries. Search engine evaluators enjoy so much flexibility, and it’s also location-independent.
Search engine evaluator jobs can be found on platforms like Appen, SYKES, and TELUS International. The only thing you need is a personal computer and a steady internet connection.
How Much Money Do Search Engine Evaluators Make?
According to Zippia, search engine evaluators earn an average hourly pay of $51. Also, the annual salary is from $35,000 to $107,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the questions people ask about ways to get paid to browse the internet:
How much can you earn by searching the internet?
If you decide to only search the internet, you will earn between $15 and $20 per month on average. Some websites pay more than others, so you have to try the websites to see what pays more.
Personally, the site I’ve been using is Branded Surveys – when I complete other tasks on this site in addition to surfing the web, I make about $65 a month.
How can you make more money searching the internet?
Surfing the web regularly can amplify your earnings. Don’t also forget that most of these websites that pay you to surf the internet have other tasks you can complete for extra bucks – such as online surveys, playing games, watching videos, reading emails, and shopping for cashback rewards. Therefore, if you’re able to accomplish some of these tasks, you shall be earning more than $20 per month.
Who is a search engine evaluator?
A search engine evaluator is someone who analyzes search results to make sure that the information is accurate and helpful to consumers or searchers.
So, if you search for information on the internet and you get exactly what you’re looking for – you have to appreciate search engine evaluators. A search engine evaluator makes $45, 208 per year on average – according to Glassdoor.
What other side hustles can I use to make money besides surfing the web?
There are many side hustles you can make money from that pays more than web surfing. Here are some of them:
Final Words
Making money while surfing the web definitely another way to earn passively. Even though you won’t become a millionaire from this side hustle, it’s still worth trying since you lose nothing.
I hope that this post has been helpful and that you start making money just like I do always while surfing the web. I wish you more dollars and freedom!
Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, like Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
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