SurveySavvy Review

URL: surveysavvy.com

SurveySavvy is one of the many sites that compensates you to take consumer research surveys, but it's a little unique in that it ONLY pays in cash. No points, no gift cards, each survey is worth a certain dollar amount and that's what you get in actual money.

NATURE OF WORK AND PAYMENT

After signing up for the site, you'll see a bar of available surveys to the right on the main page of your account. Simply click on one to initiate. They're all fairly standard surveys from market research companies, I've yet to see any academic surveys on this particular site. I've also seen pay range from 0.50 to $10 USD, but a more common expectation is $1 to $2.50 for a survey that takes around 10 to 15 minutes.

In addition to the meat-and-potatoes surveys, there's an optional SurveyConnect program you can opt into. I haven't done it myself but this appears to be the standard deal where you're basically being paid to give up your online privacy and have your browsing habits tracked with installed software or cookies. If you're a US resident they hand you $5 just for signing up for this, and then they pay an additional $5 per month for keeping it installed. Seems like a low price for privacy-invading malware to me, but you'll also see a separate bar of surveys with the name "Project (Animal Name)" pop up periodically. These are separate tracking-based projects from clients of SurveySavvy that pay $25 to $75 for several weeks of participation. It seems like a pretty lucrative sideline, though you have to be cool with basically no privacy on whatever device or computer you use for it.

As mentioned, the only payment option is cash. That's unusual for survey sites, but what's even more unusual is that you can only request a check by mail -- no PayPal! You can request payment at any time with at least $1 in your account, however.

One downside is that you aren't paid anything for screen-outs. They do tend to happen quickly, however, and each one gives you an entry in a monthy drawing for 50 $10 Visa gift cards.

SITE HISTORY / LEGITIMACY

SurveySavvy is a divison of Luth Research, a U.S.-based company located in San Diego. This company has been in the market research business since 1999. They appear to have been doing the SurveyConnect aspect since 2009.

I've been doing surveys with the company for over a year now and have had two successful payouts. I can verify they do pay on request, although both times it took a follow-up email to actually prompt them to mail out the check.

INTERNATIONAL ACCESS

I don't see anything in the terms of service that explicitly prevents those outside the United States from participating. Having to have a check mailed out to you may be an issue, however. And since they are paying only by check, they may require tax information if you earn over $600 in a year.

STARTING OUT

Simple as can be. There's no ongoing progression of any sort with your account, there's simply some small optional personal profile surveys you can take here and there that may help to qualify you for more paying surveys.

PROBLEMS WITH SURVEYSAVVY

Aside from the issue with having to prompt them by email for payment mentioned earlier, payment for surveys can be a lot slower than usual to hit your account. I've seen some payments take two or three weeks to post.

FINAL VERDICT - WORTH IT

Though the process of getting your money in hand can be slow, SurveySavvy does pay reliably, and also pays more per survey than just about any other site out there. Even if you opt not to go for all the stuff that involves personal tracking, $20-50 per month is a reasonable expectation for taking surveys here and there.


Our review of the new SavvyShares option


URL: surveysavvy.com