Having a home may be the epitome of the American Dream, but so is having savings! Saving up can be challenging, especially if you’re building a family or just starting your career. The good thing is that there are ways to earn extra cash in your free time by sharing your opinions.
Many success stories exist of people earning a good amount of money from surveys, especially from the Opinion Outpost. But you may also have heard that many sites are not worth it for what they pay.
Is the Opinion Outpost truly reliable? We heard about it too and wanted to know more. Then we searched through official Opinion Outpost sources and independent sites. We reviewed dozens of feedback from real users to gather insights.
We’ve discovered a unique tip for making the most money on the app, so don’t miss out on a potential income stream.
Opinion Outpost: Can you earn from your opinions?
If you’re wondering, “How do I get paid for my opinions?” The answer lies in survey websites like Opinion Outpost.
Opinion Outpost operates under Dynata, a U.S.-based market research company previously known as Survey Sampling International, LLC. It offers multiple platforms designed for different companies, but its main website contains the income stream users rely on.
We’ve found that Opinion Outpost has been operating since 1977, making it a legit survey site. It works with various businesses, helping them access valuable marketing and product insights.
And to gain these insights, it relies on its members. It offers surveys, polls, and focus group discussions on gathering information on products and services.
You get rewards in return, which you can encash through PayPal, Visa, Amazon, and gift cards from numerous brands.
Survey topics vary but can range from something as trivial as the soap you use at home to heavier stuff like politics. You receive invitations through email and can easily access surveys on your mobile phone through its mobile-optimized website.
Opinion Outpost doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app, but it’s accessible on any device with a browser.
Who can join Opinion Outpost? Membership is available in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the U.S., and the platform is completely free to join.
According to the membership terms on the website, individuals aged 17 and above can join the platform. However, minors have to get parental consent to participate in surveys.
How can you make money on Opinion Outpost?
There is only one way to make money on Opinion Outpost—surveys. We’ve also discovered a little bit of information about charity donations, however.
Here’s a quick rundown of each:
1. Paid surveys
Many users say that Opinion Outpost’s website is easy to navigate. Since surveys are the only way users can earn money on the site, the site is straightforward.
All you have to do is sign up, and once approved, you can immediately start answering surveys. You only need to check your emails to see if there are available surveys, and you no longer need to visit the website frequently.
However, you must remember that the amount and type of survey you receive depends heavily on where you live. Thankfully, most users report that the United States enjoys the most survey opportunities, which sounds promising for many Americans.
2. Referral bonuses
One great way to earn quick money from the platform is by inviting your friends to join. Opinion Outpost has a referral program wherein you can get $1 each time you get someone to sign up and use the website.
You can find the “refer a friend” menu when you log in on Opinion Outpost. The platform will generate a unique link, and you’ll get the bonus when your friends use it to sign up for the site.
The downside to this is that you can only earn up to $5 with this method. Still, earning some quick cash by inviting your friends and family can help you reach the site’s $10 cash-out threshold much more quickly.
It’s best not to create multiple accounts for yourself, as the terms indicate that the platform only allows one account per person. If it detects that you may have multiple accounts, it might suspend them.
3. Charity donations
Although not a way to earn, it’s also worth mentioning that as a member, you get to be part of Opinion Outpost’s mission of donating $10,000 to the American Red Cross monthly. According to its website, this is an honor dedicated to its users, as you spend the time and effort to take surveys.
You don’t have to donate any portion of your earnings to be part of the $10,000. It takes from its pool of earnings; as a member, you donate by extension and help contribute to a good cause.
How much money can you make from Opinion Outpost?
Let’s get one thing clear—you won’t earn much from paid survey sites. You’ll earn a few bucks, but you can’t make a living out of completing surveys.
With Opinion Outpost, it’s pretty much the same, but your compensation depends on two factors: your personal profile and the survey length.
Does Opinion Outpost actually pay? The answer is yes. Depending on the survey you’re assigned, you can earn between $0.50 and $5. And for every point you earn, you earn $0.10.
If you finish a 6-point survey, for example, you’ll earn $0.60, which depends heavily on the survey’s length.
It’s also important to know that surveys can take up to 30 minutes to complete, but you’ll mostly access shorter ones. If you can answer four surveys in an hour worth 5 points each, that’s an easy $2.
Survey details will only be accessible through email, so you don’t have to click through the main site regularly.
How do you get paid?
Much like other paid survey sites, Opinion Outpost offers various payment methods, including the following:
- PayPal
- Prepaid MasterCard
- Amazon gift cards
- Other gift cards
You must remember that the rewards you can enjoy will depend on your country, but PayPal remains accessible to everyone.
Payout thresholds also exist, so if you want an Amazon gift card, you need to earn at least $5. However, if you want to get paid through PayPal, you need to earn at least $10.
How do you sign up for Opinion Outpost?
As mentioned, joining Opinion Outpost is easy. You only need to allocate 15 minutes of your time for signing up, and you can begin answering surveys. Here’s what you need to know:
Step 1
Visit the website and create your account for free. You can use your email, Facebook, and even LinkedIn account. After this, you can begin setting up your account. We highly suggest using a separate email for survey sites to prevent clogging your primary email with surveys.
Step 2
Once signed up, you must activate your account through email. Click on the link to finish setting up your account.
Step 3
After your successful registration, provide your name and address for your Opinion Outpost account.
Step 4
You’ll start by building your profile by answering questions called The Welcome Survey, designed to understand your behavior, demographics, and anything that will help the platform connect you to relevant surveys. You’ll receive 5 points.
Step 5
You’re now ready to start answering surveys!
Reaching success on Opinion Outpost: Some tips and tricks
If you’re using Opinion Outpost, you want to ensure that you’re making the most of the platform. Like many other survey websites, you’ll have to use the right strategies to earn more money while you avoid wasting your precious time.
Here are some of the Opinion Outpost hacks we’ve gathered:
- It’s crucial to complete your profile and provide as much relevant information as possible. Doing so will help you qualify for more surveys. In turn, this will let you earn more out of the platform.
- You may want to accomplish daily pop rewards surveys. These quick questionnaires can provide a small boost to your earnings in a short amount of time.
Pro Tip: Cash out frequently. Many users suggest that you withdraw your earnings as soon as you reach the $10 cash-out threshold. Doing so will prevent you from losing everything you’ve earned if the platform suddenly suspends your account.
Some pros and cons of Opinion Outpost
Although it seems promising, Opinion Outpost is not without its flaws.
Here are the aspects that many users like about Opinion Outpost:
- It’s free to sign up for Opinion Outpost, and its user-friendly interface can be a nice bonus if you’re not too tech-savvy.
- The platform has various modes of payment, and unlike other survey sites that only pay via gift cards, Opinion Outpost can pay in cash.
- Although gift cards may take three to five business days to process, you can get your PayPal credits immediately.
- The website offers a referral bonus.
- You’ll receive survey invitations via email, so you don’t need to download a separate app.
Here are the things Opinion Outpost can improve on:
- There’s a limit as to how many surveys you can take per day, which is nine.
- You may waste time answering some surveys and not qualify for them.
- Because the platform doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app, you have to go to the website if you want to check your profile and adjust your settings.
- There are not a lot of earning opportunities.
Opinion Outpost: User reviews and complaints
Is Opinion Outpost safe to use? Fortunately, we’ve found that the website is legitimate, and it actually pays its users.
However, just because it’s safe doesn’t mean it’s worth using. Let’s look at what real users have to say about the website.
Opinion Outpost’s Trustpilot page shows an average user rating of 3.7 over 5, with a mix of positive and negative reviews.
Many users like the easy-to-use platform and the accessibility of getting survey invites via email. Some of them also commend the friendly customer support staff they’ve encountered.
Unfortunately, we’ve found that users report low earning opportunities. Many people complain that the time required to complete the survey isn’t proportional to the points you can earn.
Some users also complain that they received no new surveys from Opinion Outpost after the first few weeks.
Opinion Outpost alternatives
If you feel like Opinion Outpost isn’t for you, we’ve gathered some alternatives for you to try. Here are two of our recommendations:
Based on its website, Branded Surveys claims to be one of the top market research communities worldwide. It works with members to gain insights for Fortune 500 companies and reports to have paid out $18 million worth of rewards.
As a member, you’ll mostly be asked to take surveys and earn points for each completed one. You can redeem points for cash via PayPal or gift cards you can use in various restaurants and retailers.
We also often hear of Swagbucks, which many users consider another good website. Its website claims to have paid members more than $470 million in rewards. Apart from answering paid surveys, Swagbucks also pays you to surf the web, play games, shop, and watch videos.
Users can then redeem points as cash through PayPal, but you’ll also have the option to enjoy gift cards you can use on Amazon, Walmart, and other trailers. According to their website, they provide over 7,000 gift cards per day.
Like Swagbucks, InboxDollars pays users by watching videos, taking surveys, shopping at retail partners, playing games, and even reading emails. You earn cash for each action you accomplish, but most of your points will come from surveys.
Surveys available on InboxDollars can pay anywhere between $0.50 and $5, but if you’re lucky, InboxDollars users report that you can earn as high as $10 to $20. You can earn rewards via cash on PayPal or gift cards from various retailers.
Final verdict
From what we can gather from our extensive research and countless reviewed insights, we can say that Opinion Outpost is worth looking into. It pays decently and would make a good extra income source, especially as you build your savings.
However, it’s important to remember that it shouldn’t be used as an alternative source of full-time income. It still pays low, and users often report that surveys can end up being scarce—so you’ll have to go through periods without earning points. In general, however, we do think it’s worth trying!
Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.
