Swagbucks Review: Legit Way to Make Pocket Money
Review
Updated
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Bottom line: Swagbucks can't take the place of a full-time job, but it can bring in enough to pay for small extras.
| Rewards | Depends on the project |
| iOS app rating | 4.4/5 stars |
| Android app rating | 4.3/5 stars |
| Cost | Free |
Swagbucks is an online program that allows users to earn financial rewards by performing simple tasks, playing games, taking surveys, and recruiting new users. It can easily be accessed via a desktop computer or smartphone. Once rewards are earned, they can be redeemed through PayPal or select Swagbucks-promoted platforms.
Each task, game, or activity is assigned a "SB" value. For example, one task may be worth five SBs, while another is worth 10. Each SB is worth approximately $0.01, so you have to earn 100 to have $1. You know how much an activity is worth before you decide whether to proceed. Once you've earned enough SBs, they can be traded for gift cards from companies like American Express, Walmart, Domino's, Amazon, Apple, and more.
Here are some of the ways users earn SBs:
Swagbucks can be a good way to earn a few extra dollars a month, and it's especially good if you're someone who likes to do two things at once, like ride in a car and play a game, or watch television and search the web. Here are some of the perks associated with Swagbucks.
Say you don't want to actively engage with Swagbucks by doing things like filling out surveys or uploading receipts from retailers. Simply using the Swagbucks search engine to search the internet will passively earn points that can be traded for cash or gift cards.
Swagbucks has a dedicated data protection officer (DPO) who oversees data privacy issues. The platform is also careful about following all global internet regulations and complying with international laws related to the web, so there's little reason to worry about site security.
Because Swagbucks can be accessed online or through your mobile phone as a cash back app, it goes wherever you go. That means no down time. Whether you're sitting in the waiting room of your dentist's office or on the train to work, Swagbucks can help you kill a little time.
Swagbucks is convenient and easy to access. However, that doesn't mean the app is without fault. Here are some of the drawbacks of installing and using Swagbucks.
To give you an example of how Swagbucks assignments pay, let's look at surveys. Surveys are listed on the site each day, and clearly state how long they will take to complete and how many SBs they're worth. Each survey looks for people from a specific demographic, and it's not until you've taken the time to begin the survey that you find out whether you're what they're looking for. In other words, you could waste time getting started, only to learn you're ineligible and won't be able to continue.
If you are eligible for a survey, Swagbucks says you can earn anywhere from 1 to 1,000 SBs. The majority of surveys we found paid between 50 and 100 SBs ($0.50 to $1). For example, one 13-minute survey paid 75 SBs. If it was possible to complete one 13-minute survey after another (with all paying 75 SBs), the payout would be at least 300 SBs after one hour. However, that's not the way it works. There is no way to know if you'll be eligible for a survey on a given day and absolutely no way to count on completing a specific number of surveys.
The "big" Swagbucks points are earned by signing up for free trials and offers. Some of the trial programs offer up to 2,000 SBs for signing up and 1,500 more if you remain a member for an entire month. The problem is, whenever you sign up for one of the free trials, you must enter your credit or debit card number. If you forget to cancel before the promotional period is up, you'll be charged for the subscription.
Another thing to watch out for is Swagbucks games. While some pay you to play, others require you to pay. There's no reason to pay to play a game if the goal is to make extra money using Swagbucks.
Once you earn enough SBs to purchase a gift card through the "Swag Store," it can take up to 10 days to receive the card. The same 10 days applies if you want to trade your SBs for cash deposited into your PayPal account.
Swagbucks offers a sign-up bonus to new users. However, there's a hoop or two to be jumped through first. For example, online commenters have reported needing at least 300 SBs before they're qualified to receive the bonus. From what we've found, Swagbucks recently required new users to spend $25 with Swagbucks Shopping within 30 days of opening their account to receive the bonus.
The point is this: Carefully check the requirements associated with the sign-up bonus before counting on a bonus to hit your account.
Most complaints on Trustpilot (where Swagbucks has a rating of 4.2/5 stars) involve credit or payment glitches. Either a person did not receive SBs for an accomplished task or did not receive the payment they felt they were due.
If you want an app that does surveys better: Survey Junkie is an alternative that allows users to take multiple surveys each day. It also pays you to share your online activity with the company. But you may want to stick with Swagbucks if you want a greater variety of activities.
If you want an app that offers more games: Mistplay is an alternative that pays people to try out new games. It also offers games from multiple genres. But you may want to stick with Swagbucks if you want to play on your iPhone, as Mistplay is currently available only to Android users.
Swagbucks is free to use.
Anyone interested in making a little extra spending money from the comfort of home (or wherever they might be). While Swagbucks does not take the place of a part-time job, it can be a fun, interesting way to earn a few extra dollars each month and improve your personal finance picture.
Probably not. You would have to work back-to-back assignments, and that's not always possible with Swagbucks.
Survey Junkie may be a better option for anyone who enjoys taking surveys.
No, not at all. However, if you want to maximize your income, you'll need to invest time into the app, figuring out a method that allows you to complete the greatest number of assignments.
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