Sharing opinions online in exchange for cash can be beneficial, not only for you but also for the company that requires feedback or perspectives. However, finding a worthwhile, reputable paid survey platform can be difficult, especially with the industry growing continuously.
Potential users should consider several aspects before deciding which platform is the best for them. These include the variety of surveys available, how rewards are redeemed, and whether the customer support team is responsive to user issues, just to name a few.
Swagbucks and Branded Surveys are two of the most commonly used paid survey platforms. With both having positive reputations, knowing which is the best to use is not an easy decision. Thankfully, I have analyzed both platforms to help you choose the best – Swagbucks vs Branded Surveys?
What is Swagbucks?
Launched in 2008, Swagbucks is a Get-Paid-To (GPT) platform with various opportunities for users to earn points, known as SBs. It allows users to earn points for completing questionnaires. Users can save SBs to reach the minimum payout before exchanging points for gift cards or PayPal cash. This process is why Swagbucks has been named “one of the most extensive shopping rewards programs on the internet.”
The website states that users have cashed out over £300,000,000 at the moment, which equates to almost $400,000,000, and this number is only increasing. Downloading the app is completely free, meaning users can earn excellent profits; however, this is also an opportunity to purchase items from the Swagbucks shop on the app and site.
Swagbucks is available on Android and Apple devices, and it has received an average rating of 4.4 stars on both download platforms. Most reviews are positive, with users happy regarding the ease of using the GPT app, although some people do find the range of available surveys lacking. Complaints have also included that some surveys kick users out before points can be confirmed.
What is Branded Surveys?
Branded Surveys benefits both companies and individuals. For example, companies who want to release new products or services run paid surveys on Branded Surveys to gain feedback. This allows users to participate in surveys and receive points for doing so. These points can later be exchanged for rewards, with over $58,000,000 already paid out.
Branded Research founded the paid survey platform in 2012. It is also available as an app on the App Store, with an average rating of 4.6, and on Google Play, where it has achieved an average rating of 4.3 stars. Some reviewers on Google Play have stated that it is common to be rejected after spending ten minutes or more on one survey.
Range of Available Surveys
What activities users must complete to earn points should be the primary consideration when choosing between these two platforms. Both Branded Surveys and Swagbucks allow users to participate in surveys, although Swagbucks also offers the chance to play games and watch videos for points. However, as this article focuses on which is the best survey app, only the available surveys will be analyzed. You can learn more about the other earning opportunities on Swagbucks here.
The surveys that can be answered on both platforms have been added by companies that wish to receive honest feedback. This is an effective method of market research. Most surveys on both apps will be selected for users based on their age, location, and interests, all of which will be collected when setting up a profile on the chosen GPT platform. Some surveys will begin with a few qualifying questions to ensure the user meets the criteria specified by the company.
On Swagbucks, participants can earn a few cents to dollars from each survey, depending on the time spent on each one. The points awarded to users are linked to the length of the questionnaire; most will range from a couple of minutes to 30 minutes.
As not all surveys suit all participants, there will be times when Swagbucks rejects users because they do not match the target audience. Disqualifications can also occur if too many participants attempt to join the survey, leading to rejection. There may also be times when no surveys are available due to the user’s interests, which this person experienced. Thankfully, if this happens often, users can earn SBs by completing alternative activities.
Branded Surveys, on the other hand, only offers surveys. When participants meet the specified requirements, the surveys will appear on their homepage. Unfortunately, there are no other ways to earn points on this platform, although polls are regularly presented at the bottom of the survey list; users can earn five points by voting on the listed poll daily or completing profile surveys.
Each survey offered on Branded Surveys shows the points users can earn and the amount of time it takes to complete. This allows participants to select the highest-earning survey or the one that requires less time, which is great if users want to be more efficient on the platform. They should endeavor to answer questions to the best of their ability, as unclean open-ended answers and answering questions too quickly can result in rejection.
Although this is rare, there are instances when fewer surveys are shown; in these cases, Branded Surveys encourages users to update their profiles to receive new questionnaires. It also allows participants to answer questions in Survey Circuit, which sees users “answer a series of rapid-fire questions to unlock a survey.”
Redemption Options
Another aspect to consider when deciding between Swagbucks and Branded Surveys is how you can receive your rewards. Both platforms offer their users gift cards and PayPal cash rewards, which ensures individuals can use their rewards once they have been withdrawn.
Branded Surveys offers gift cards from Apple, Deliveroo, Expedia, Ikea, Starbucks, and many more. Participants can also purchase PayPal cash when they earn 500 points or more. The paid survey platform has three different tiers of its Branded Elite program: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. With Silver and Gold, users’ payouts are instantly approved, while Bronze users receive their payouts after staff reviews their requests.
Swagbucks provides gift cards that can be used on Amazon, Caffe Nero, John Lewis, and some other retailers. However, there are fewer popular retailers than those offered by Branded Surveys. Numerous charities, such as Direct Relief and Wounded Warrior Project, are listed, meaning users can decide to donate their rewards to charity instead. Although some gift cards only require $3.00 to redeem, others and PayPal need at least $5.00.
Deciding which platform offers the best options to redeem points will depend on what the user wants as a reward. Both offer PayPal cash. If you want a gift card, then Branded Surveys is probably the best choice; however, if you would like to give to charity, Swagbucks should be chosen.
Rewards Expiration
No one wants to put all their time and effort into answering questions on a GPT platform only to lose earned points due to a hidden expiration date. Potential users should consider this if they cannot log in regularly.
Thankfully, points do not expire on Branded Surveys or Swagbucks. Yet, they will be lost if users close their accounts.
Platform Availability
Users of Swagbucks and/or Branded Surveys can access their accounts on Android, iOS, and desktop platforms. This allows them to earn points by completing surveys at home and away, which is a common consideration for those who have spare time throughout the work or school day.
Minimum Age Requirement
One other aspect to consider before choosing which app to use is whether you are old enough to create an account. GPT apps like Swagbucks and Branded Surveys sometimes have an age restriction to keep users safe. With surveys, this is to prevent younger users from encountering sensitive topics.
The minimum age allowed on Branded Surveys is 16, while Swagbucks allows younger participants who are at least 13.
Ease of Contacting Customer Support
If problems occur when using one of these apps, users should be able to contact customer support to resolve the issue. How easy this is will affect the likelihood of someone using the GPT app. Before choosing between Swagbucks and Branded Surveys, users should look at how helpful and responsive the customer support teams are on both platforms.
The Swagbucks support team appears to be lacking if this review is anything to go by. Users must submit tickets if they experience issues, but the response time is slow, and the process must be tracked by the users to ensure they receive the required assistance. Several other people, like this person on Reddit, have raised concerns with this platform’s customer support.
Branded Surveys’ customer support team has also received bad reviews; one member on this Reddit thread experienced poor customer service after using the platform for years. However, it does have a clear option to report an issue, which is accessed through the “My Points” section; this is where users can notify the team of technical issues and more.
Which App is Better for Surveys – Branded Surveys vs Swagbucks?
If you enjoy taking surveys and sharing your opinion on topics of interest, then Branded Surveys and Swagbucks could be good side hustles for you. Before downloading the apps or opening the web browser, you should consider a few factors. One of the most important considerations for users is the redemption options; although both platforms offer PayPal cash and gift cards, Branded Surveys has the largest selection of gift cards.
Similarly, if potential participants are still of school age, Swagbucks might be the best platform to choose; it accepts users who are 13 years or older. This is significantly lower than Branded Surveys, which has a minimum age of 16 years old.
Although both platforms have their benefits and drawbacks, which means choosing between the two is subjective to the user, Branded Surveys is solely surveys. This means all earnings will be from sharing your experiences and views, and this is a relatively easy way to earn a passive income.