Are you trying to figure out how to make money on Survey Junkie without wasting hours for pennies?
This guide shows exactly how to turn surveys into cash—using real user data, expert tips, and hidden hacks.
After reading, you’ll know how to consistently earn up to $50/month (or more) with little effort.
Key Takeaways
- Easy and Fast Signup Process
Create your account, complete your profile, and start earning in under 10 minutes. - Real Earning Potential: Up to $50/month
With consistency, some users earn $1–3 per survey and maximize income using SJ Pulse. - Boost Earnings with Passive Tools
Enable SJ Pulse and product testing to multiply your income without extra work. - Avoid Common Pitfalls
Learn how to avoid survey disqualifications, account bans, and low-paying tasks.
Is it Easy to Make Money on Survey Junkie?
Yes, but it’s not passive riches—it’s structured, effort-based income.
Survey Junkie is one of the highest-rated survey sites due to its transparency, low payout thresholds, and fair points system. Surveys usually take 2–20 minutes and pay anywhere from $0.35 to $3.00, with occasional product tests or focus groups offering up to $150.
However, the platform isn’t a get-rich-quick model. Realistic earnings fall between $10 and $50 per month if used regularly. Success depends on matching surveys, staying active, and using available features like SJ Pulse for passive data earnings.
What do you need to get started?
To get started, you need a valid email, a smartphone or computer, and internet access. Create a free account on Survey Junkie, verify your email, and complete your profile surveys to unlock higher-paying opportunities. For bonus earning options, enable SJ Pulse (a browser extension or mobile app feature). Surveys are available in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and you must be 18+.
How much money can you make on Survey Junkie?
Most users earn $1–3 per day, depending on available surveys and effort. This translates to $30–90/month, though some only reach $10–20. You’ll earn points (100 = $1), and you can cash out at just $5 (500 points) via PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards.
For example, one user on Millennial Money reported making $45/month just by completing 2–3 surveys daily and enabling SJ Pulse. Another user on Whop.com noted earning $12/hour by carefully choosing only high-value surveys. Passive earnings from SJ Pulse can add $5–10/month alone.
1. Paid Surveys
Paid surveys are the backbone of Survey Junkie. After creating an account and completing your profile, you gain access to a rotating list of survey opportunities. These are typically based on your demographics, behaviors, or recent purchases. Most surveys take between 5 and 20 minutes, paying anywhere from 35 to 200 points ($0.35 to $2.00). Occasionally, longer surveys offer up to 300 points or more.
To get the best-paying surveys, it’s crucial to keep your profile updated and answer questions consistently. The more accurate your answers, the better your match rate. Even if you’re disqualified from a survey, Survey Junkie often rewards you with a few points (usually 2–3), which adds up over time.
Surveys are available daily, and some users report earning up to $45/month just by completing a few every day.
Unique Requirements: U.S., Canada, or Australia residency and a completed profile.
How to Make Money with Paid Surveys?
- Sign up and verify your Survey Junkie account.
- Complete all profile questions to unlock more surveys.
- Check your dashboard for available surveys each day.
- Prioritize surveys based on time and point value.
- Answer questions honestly and consistently.
- Avoid skipping questions or rushing—this can lead to disqualifications.
- Keep your browser notifications or email alerts on for new survey invites.
- Track how long surveys take to improve your effective hourly rate.
Quick Tip: Always complete your profile first—it unlocks higher-paying surveys and increases your daily opportunities.
2. SJ Pulse (Passive Earnings)

SJ Pulse is Survey Junkie’s passive earning feature. By installing a browser extension or app, you allow Survey Junkie to anonymously track your digital behaviors—like websites visited, app usage, and shopping activity. In return, you receive monthly point payouts and access to exclusive, higher-paying surveys.
Unlike traditional surveys, you don’t need to do anything actively. Once SJ Pulse is installed and connected, you earn passively. Users typically earn $0.50–$2/month, plus $1–3 bonuses for activating or syncing devices.
It also qualifies you for bonus research programs, which may offer $5–$25 per study. Over time, this adds up significantly for little to no effort.
Unique Requirements: Must install SJ Pulse on browser or mobile app and enable data tracking.
How to Make Money with SJ Pulse?
- Open Survey Junkie on desktop or mobile.
- Navigate to “SJ Pulse” in your dashboard or profile menu.
- Choose your device type (browser or mobile app).
- Follow prompts to install the extension or app.
- Grant permission to allow data tracking and usage behavior.
- Sync at least one active device for monthly earnings.
- Keep the extension/app active and running in the background.
- Check your Pulse activity report each month to track progress.
Quick Tip: Maximize earnings by installing SJ Pulse on both your phone and desktop for full coverage.
3. Profile Surveys
Profile surveys are short, one-time questionnaires that help Survey Junkie match you with higher-paying opportunities. Completing them doesn’t just unlock more surveys—it often pays a small bonus, usually 5 to 25 points per section.
These include categories like health, tech use, pets, travel, and financial habits. The more data Survey Junkie has, the more precise your survey matches will be, leading to less disqualification and higher rewards.
Once complete, they also keep you eligible for product tests and Pulse studies.
Unique Requirements: None, but must be completed manually from your profile tab.
How to Make Money with Profile Surveys?
- Log in to your Survey Junkie dashboard.
- Click on “Profile” or “My Preferences.”
- Complete all available profile categories (up to 10).
- Be honest and thorough in your responses.
- Revisit every few months to update lifestyle or purchase changes.
- Finish all niche profile quizzes (health, shopping, media habits, etc.).
- Accept bonus point offers when prompted during profile completion.
- Check your email for follow-up surveys based on these answers.
Quick Tip: Fully completed profiles unlock 50% more surveys and reduce disqualification rates significantly.
4. Product Testing
Occasionally, Survey Junkie offers product testing gigs. These are invite-only and sent via email or dashboard alerts. You may receive household items, cosmetics, or tech gear to test at home and provide feedback.
These tests often pay more—anywhere from $10 to $150, depending on the complexity and duration. You may be required to write a review, answer follow-up surveys, or participate in short phone interviews.
Although infrequent, product testing can dramatically boost your monthly income when available.
Unique Requirements: Active SJ Pulse user and full profile completion to qualify.
How to Make Money with Product Testing?
- Keep your profile and Pulse activity updated regularly.
- Watch your email for “product test invite” messages.
- Accept any relevant opportunities quickly—slots are limited.
- Provide your shipping address for product delivery.
- Use the product as instructed over a few days or weeks.
- Submit your feedback via survey, written review, or photo upload.
- Answer any follow-up surveys or emails if requested.
- Collect your payment once the review is submitted.
Quick Tip: Product testing offers go fast—respond within 24 hours to secure your spot.
5. Focus Groups

Focus groups are another high-paying opportunity on Survey Junkie, with potential payouts from $25 to $150 for 30–90 minute sessions. These often involve discussions on products, brands, or user habits via Zoom, phone, or in-person panels.
They’re limited and typically sent to highly active or long-term users. You’ll usually fill out a screener form to qualify, and if selected, you’ll get details and payment instructions.
Unique Requirements: Must qualify via screener survey and sometimes have SJ Pulse enabled.
How to Make Money with Focus Groups?
- Regularly complete surveys and profile updates.
- Watch your dashboard and email for screener surveys.
- Fill out qualification surveys with detailed, honest responses.
- Wait for an invite if you’re selected.
- Participate in the online or phone-based group at the scheduled time.
- Provide detailed, conversational responses during the session.
- Complete any final documentation or confirmations.
- Receive your payment (usually via gift card or PayPal).
Quick Tip: Boost your chances by qualifying for more screeners through regular Pulse usage and survey activity.
6. Daily Check-ins
Survey Junkie occasionally offers bonus points for logging in and engaging regularly—similar to a daily streak or check-in reward system. While not always visible, these offers appear through pop-ups or emails during bonus periods.
These bonuses range from 5 to 10 points per day, and often accumulate toward weekly streak rewards. It’s an easy passive booster, especially when paired with short surveys.
Unique Requirements: Must log in and engage daily.
How to Make Money with Daily Check-ins?
- Log in every day—even if you don’t take a survey.
- Engage with one survey daily to trigger streak bonuses.
- Accept any bonus point offer pop-ups or emails.
- Track your streak via dashboard notifications.
- Complete the full streak (usually 7 days) for maximum bonus.
- Repeat weekly to stack consistent points.
Quick Tip: Set a daily reminder on your phone to never miss a login bonus.
7. Email Survey Invites

Survey Junkie regularly sends personalized survey invites via email. These often have better pay or time ratios than dashboard offers and are sometimes exclusive. You may also get early access to high-paying Pulse studies or focus group screeners this way.
Opening and responding to these quickly increases your acceptance chances, since spots are limited.
Unique Requirements: Enable email notifications in settings.
How to Make Money with Email Survey Invites?
- Go to “Settings” in your Survey Junkie account.
- Enable “Email Notifications” for new surveys.
- Check your inbox 2–3 times daily (especially mornings).
- Prioritize these over dashboard surveys—they often pay more.
- Respond quickly before the survey fills up.
- Complete the survey and earn your points as usual.
Quick Tip: Morning emails usually include the day’s highest-paying surveys—check early.
8. Referral Affiliate Program

Survey Junkie doesn’t have a built-in referral system for casual users but offers an affiliate program for bloggers, influencers, and site owners. Affiliates earn $1.50–$2.00 per signup, depending on traffic source and agreement.
You’ll need to apply via an affiliate network like CJ Affiliate or Impact, get approved, and generate unique referral links.
Unique Requirements: Must own a blog, YouTube channel, or email list with active traffic.
How to Make Money with Survey Junkie Referrals?
- Join CJ Affiliate or Impact and apply to Survey Junkie’s program.
- Wait for approval and access your custom tracking links.
- Add your links to blog posts, emails, or YouTube videos.
- Promote Survey Junkie with your unique messaging.
- Track clicks and conversions in your affiliate dashboard.
- Get paid per verified user who signs up and becomes active.
Quick Tip: Include your referral link in a high-ranking blog like how to make money online from home.
Step by Step Guide to Make Money on Survey Junkie
Making money on Survey Junkie isn’t complicated — but following the right order will save you hours and help you earn more in less time. Here’s your complete beginner roadmap:
Step 1: Create a Free Account
Go to surveyjunkie.com and sign up using your email, Facebook, or Google account. Make sure to use accurate information—Survey Junkie uses this to match you with paid surveys.
Step 2: Complete Your Profile (All Sections)
Once logged in, head to your profile tab and fill out all demographic surveys. This includes your age, shopping habits, job, health, and more. Fully completed profiles unlock 50% more survey opportunities and earn small bonus points (5–25 per section).
Step 3: Turn On SJ Pulse for Passive Income
Activate SJ Pulse from your dashboard. Install the browser extension or mobile app and allow permission to track your online activity. This earns you passive points and helps unlock higher-paying surveys and rare studies
Step 4: Take Daily Paid Surveys (Smartly)
Log in each day and take 3–5 of the best-paying surveys available. Sort by payout and time, and avoid low-reward or long surveys unless you’re aiming for bonuses. Be consistent — regular usage earns users up to $50/month.
Step 5: Check Email for Exclusive Survey Invites
Enable email alerts in your settings and check your inbox frequently. Survey Junkie sends high-conversion surveys and invite-only focus groups through email first, which often pay $2–$10.
Step 6: Watch for Product Tests and Focus Group Invites
Check your dashboard for occasional invites to product testing and group discussions. These are rare but pay well — between $10 and $150 — and usually require Pulse and profile completion.
Step 7: Set Weekly Income Goals
Set realistic earnings goals like $15/week or $50/month. This keeps you motivated and makes it easier to plan how many surveys to take per day.
Step 8: Redeem Rewards Consistently
Once you hit 500 points ($5), cash out using PayPal, bank transfer (U.S. only), or gift cards. Survey Junkie pays fast — often within 24 hours. Redeeming regularly prevents account issues or expired points.
Step 9: Stay Active to Keep Surveys Flowing
Inactive accounts receive fewer invites. Even logging in once a day and taking a 3-minute survey helps you stay in the system and maintain your match rate.
Step 10: Track Your Progress & Adjust
Use a spreadsheet or notes app to log survey times and payouts. Skip low-earning surveys and focus on those with high point-per-minute ratios.
Tips to Increase Your Survey Junkie Revenue
Survey Junkie may not make you rich, but the right tactics can significantly increase your monthly earnings. First, complete all profile sections—users with 100% profile completion are eligible for 2x more survey invites and premium campaigns. That alone can double your monthly income.
Second, activate SJ Pulse and keep it running on both desktop and mobile. This unlocks bonus studies and earns you passive points (up to $2/month), especially when combined with product testing or browser-based studies.
Next, check your inbox every morning. Early email invites tend to offer the highest-paying surveys before they fill up. And finally, prioritize high point-per-minute ratios—track time spent on each survey and avoid ones under 1 point per minute.
Best AI Tools for Making Money on Survey Junkie
While Survey Junkie doesn’t allow automation bots (which can lead to bans), you can still use ethical AI tools to stay organized, productive, and efficient.
Use Notion AI or Google Sheets with GPT-powered formulas to track survey names, point totals, and time taken. This helps you identify the best-performing surveys for your schedule. You can also use ChatGPT to calculate estimated hourly rates based on historical survey data.
Another smart use: install Zapier to automate reminders, such as sending a push notification to your phone every morning when new surveys drop.
Lastly, AI-based email sorting tools (like Superhuman or Hey.com) can tag Survey Junkie emails so you never miss an invite to a focus group or product test.
Best Affiliate Platforms for Survey Bloggers
If you’re promoting Survey Junkie via a blog, newsletter, or YouTube channel, signing up for its affiliate program can boost your passive income. The program typically pays $1.50 to $2.00 per signup, with high conversion rates.
The best place to join is CJ Affiliate or Impact.com, where Survey Junkie runs its official affiliate campaigns. Once approved, you’ll get unique tracking links and access to analytics. Promote it through content like “best survey apps,” comparison posts, or personal earnings reviews.
Use tools like Pretty Links to track click-through rates and optimize placements. And for higher commissions, consider diversifying to similar platforms like InboxDollars or Swagbucks, then rank them together.
Best Marketing Tools for Monetizing Survey Traffic
To get consistent affiliate revenue from Survey Junkie promotions, you’ll need traffic—and that means marketing. Start by using Pinterest + Canva to make vertical pins linking to your blog reviews. SEO-optimize your blog with RankMath or Yoast to target longtail keywords like “best surveys for moms.”
If you’re on YouTube, use TubeBuddy to discover high-volume, low-competition tags like “Survey Junkie payment proof” or “Survey Junkie product test unboxing.” For social media, schedule posts with Buffer or Later, ensuring you share survey success stories every week.
Capture emails with a simple ConvertKit form and set up a 3-email welcome sequence showing your audience how to sign up and earn. This builds trust and boosts conversions.
Conclusion
Survey Junkie isn’t just another spammy survey site — it’s one of the most transparent, reliable ways to earn small but steady income from home. Whether you’re looking to cover your coffee budget or build a passive income stream using SJ Pulse, the potential is real.
By following this guide, you can earn anywhere from $10 to $50/month with little risk and zero upfront cost. With tools, timing, and a clear strategy, you can turn quick surveys into real, trackable cash flow.
So what are you waiting for? Start your Survey Junkie side hustle today—and make your spare time worth something.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Survey Junkie legit or a scam?
Survey Junkie is 100% legitimate. It’s been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2017 and pays users via PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards. Thousands of positive reviews confirm its reliability.
How much can I realistically earn per month?
Most users earn between $10 and $50/month, depending on consistency and usage of tools like SJ Pulse. Some earn more through rare focus groups and product tests.
Why do I get disqualified from some surveys?
Disqualifications happen when your profile doesn’t match a client’s target. To reduce this, keep your profile updated, answer honestly, and enable SJ Pulse to improve matching.
Can I use Survey Junkie on my phone?
Yes, Survey Junkie has a mobile-friendly site and app. You can take surveys, manage your profile, and install SJ Pulse on mobile for passive income.
What’s the minimum cash-out amount?
You can cash out once you reach 500 points ($5). Payouts are fast—usually within 24 hours for PayPal, a few days for bank transfers or gift cards.
Is SJ Pulse safe to use?
Yes. SJ Pulse tracks anonymized digital behavior and is optional. It’s secure and compliant with privacy standards. Many users report no issues and enjoy the passive earnings.
How do I get invited to product testing or focus groups?
These are usually offered to active users with fully completed profiles and SJ Pulse enabled. Watch your email for screener invites to qualify.
Can I use multiple Survey Junkie accounts?
No. Survey Junkie strictly prohibits multiple accounts. Doing so can result in disqualification or permanent ban from the platform.