Survey Junkie Review: Is it worth it for Canadians?

There are cool ways to make some extra cash, especially when you can make it from the comfort of your home. But are online surveys actually worth investing your time into? How much money can you make? Survey Junkie is a popular online survey platform that gives users points for filling out online surveys and providing their opinions on various products and services. These points can then be redeemed for gift cards or cash. 

Like many Canadians, I joined a couple of survey sites and today I share my thoughts on Survey Junkie. You won’t make a living by filling out surveys on Survey Junkie, nor would we even call it a side hustle. But if you find yourself with some downtime, why not add a few dollars to your bank account? In this review, I will be taking an in-depth look at Survey Junkie, how it works and whether or not it’s a worthwhile time investment for Canadians. 

How to create an account on Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the many paid survey sites in Canada. To get started, you need to head to surveyjunkie.com. When creating my account, they asked me to enter my zip code, date of birth, and gender so that the surveys would be tailored to my demographic. Once registered, I automatically received 25 points.

Then, I completed my profile in more depth to further tailor my demographic profile. There are 17 sections to complete, and once that was completed, I got an extra 50 points. This section includes questions like “Do you have pets?” and “How much of your household’s grocery shopping do you do yourself?”

The only strange thing I noticed was a question about my political affiliation, which suggested US parties even though I had previously entered my (Canadian) postal code. It’s a strange experience even though I was able to check off that I lived outside the United States.

You can then earn additional points by completing the 5-point survey tutorial and completing your Technology, Shopping, and Health profiles to earn 10 points each. Unfortunately, a major problem is the site is created for the United States. In these surveys, I was repeatedly asked unrelevant questions about American companies, particularly about my phone and Internet providers and my investment accounts.

How much are points worth?

Each point is worth 1 cent. So just by signing up and completing your profile, you’ll already have over $1 in your account. You won’t be able to redeem any of your points until you reach 500 points, which is $5.00.

You can click on your name in the top right corner and choose the “My Points” option to find out how many points you have. It will then tell you how many points you have and how many you still need before you can redeem them.

How to take surveys

As soon as I entered the site, there were several surveys that I could respond to. However, I don’t like the fact that there was no title or information that would allow me to predict the questions.

You will not qualify for all surveys on the platform. Survey Junkie will also use its algorithm to place surveys you are most likely to be qualified for at the top of the page. On average, 1 in 4 people will qualify for each survey.

Each survey listed will tell you approximately how long it will take to complete and how many points you will receive when you are finished. It usually took me 4-30 minutes to respond.

But just because a survey is available on your dashboard doesn’t mean you’re automatically qualified to answer it. You will be required to answer preliminary questions to determine if you are suitable to complete the survey and you may be disqualified if you do not meet the demographic criteria. That said, if you get disqualified mid-survey, Survey Junkie will still give you some points. This only happened to me once and I got 1 point.

I was lucky and qualified for several surveys right off the bat. On the other hand, I generally had to note my appreciation of a long list of companies, as seen in this image (for Air Transat which was one out of ten companies). The surveys on this site are quite long.

How much can you make per hour on Survey Junkie?

The amount of money you will make per survey on Survey Junkie varies, but you’ll typically earn between 50 to 300 points each. Longer surveys are typically worth more points.

On average, a survey of 10 minutes is worth between 40 and 45 points. That means in 60 minutes you could make around 270 points, or $2.70 an hour. Some surveys may be worth more points, so you could potentially make up to $5 an hour.

That said, there needs to be enough surveys on your dashboard to allow you to keep filling them out in the first place. Some days you may only get one or two new surveys, which means you won’t be able to make as much.

SJ Pulse Extension

Survey Junkie now offers a second way to make money: by letting companies study your online behavior. It’s a passive way to increase your income. Unfortunately, I was unable to download the extension. The two proposed ways, as illustrated by this image, seem erroneous. For example, the “checklist” simply does not exist in my profile and I have not seen any “pop up”.

Redeeming your points for cash

Survey Junkie has only one option for Canadians to redeem their points, and that is via PayPal. Members in the United States can receive funds via bank transfer or a gift card, but these options are not available to Canadians. PayPal also charges a service fee for each transaction.

To redeem your points, click on “My Points” in the navigation menu, or click on your points on the side panel. As long as you’ve reached the minimum number of points, which is 500, you’ll be able to send funds directly to your PayPal account.

Pros and cons of Survey Junkie

Is Survey Junkie worth it for Canadians?

If you’re looking for a get-rich-quick scheme, then Survey Junkie isn’t it. Even their website says you will NOT get rich by taking surveys, and we appreciate the transparency. But if you find yourself with gaps in your day, downtime on your commute, or a few extra hours on the weekend, then even $10 a week might be worth it for you. Be aware, however, that there are other more pleasant and paying survey sites.