Straight to the point. I joined Swagbucks last week, have played around with it and concluded it may be worth it if you often shop online. In this Swagbucks review, I'll show you what it is, what I like about, and how it can be beneficial for you by joining Swagbucks.
Please note I reside in the UK therefore the prices shown in this page are in GBP Sterling. I'll put USD equivalent where applicable.
What Is Swagbucks?
Swagbucks.com offers rewards to members in exchange of answering surveys (no, no again!?), watching video ads and playing easy games. It has a point system ("Swagbuck" or "SB"), and when you've earned enough points, you can redeem by giftcards such as Amazon gift certificate.
It also offers a "cashback" on online shopping. Partnered with hundreds of high-street shops and supermarkets. By accessing these stores via Swagbucks website, you'll receive 3-6 SB's for every $1 or £1 spent, which works out as 2-4% cashback.
Swagbucks operates in 6 different countries; USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, India, but its headquarters is in El Segundo, California.
What's The Redemption Arrangement?
So you can redeem your points in exchange of a gift voucher. It does not offer a cash back to your bank account, but instead you can receive a Paypal gift voucher, or a Visa reward card (prepaid card with some money in it). The following should give you a rough idea;
- Typically earn 15-30 SB (Swagbucks) by answering a 10 minute survey. But that's if you're lucky. You spend an hour to may not receive as much as 10 SB.
- It gives you a daily goal to achieve in your dashboard (shown as 40 SB in the image above)
- You need about 850 SB to receive £5 ($6.5-7) gift certificate.
- You need about 1,000 SB to receive £5 Paypal voucher.
It really depends on your luck. Spend up to an hour a day and, to earn $5-$10, it could only take you 2-3 weeks if lucky, a few months in reality.
Joining Swagbucks and Installing a Swag Button
Signing up with Swagbucks doesn't take you a minute. Confirm your email address and you're a member. You will be given 20 SB instantly for free, which is very persuasive in the beginning. It also suggests that you should install "Swag Button" on your browser to receive 50 SB instantly.
The Swag Button is a small icon in the toolbar. It is available on Chrome (PC & Mac), Firefox (PC & Mac) and IE 7+ (PC) only.
It's useful if you're determined to earn some "bucks" on a daily basis - it will take you to the Swagbucks page just by clicking it.
Friendly Interface
ClixSense also offers rewards in its own "currency" Clixcents with surveys. Comparing these two, Swagbucks has much more friendly interface than ClixSense's. Easy to navigate and easier to get into it for the first time. While ClixSense has an outdated design and the navigation can be confusing. Swagbucks I think is definitely more "inviting".
Search Bar (Search The Web & Earn)
The Swag's search bar is generated by Yahoo and I personally find it useful. Just as anyone - Google is set as my default search engine, but I do also check my web page ranking positions in Yahoo periodically.
As the name "Search The Web & Earn" suggests, there is a chance to earn (win) SB's daily by using the Swag search bar. But that's hardly a killing two birds with one stone. With a normal search I wouldn't win anything and, ended up typing in some current affairs such as "Donald Trump" "Coldplay" "Police Shooting" "Brexit"...until I win something. One day I won 20 SB, another day 9 SB.
You can default your search engine to Swagbucks.com, optionally.
Surveys
Like any other survey programs, answering a survey takes up a lot of your precious time. Surveys are often targeted towards specific group of people. Unless you are overweight, single mother of 8 children, dismissed by employer because your husband is a murderer, you're often "not the right person" for the survey. Spending the first 10 minutes answering your status only to be told you're disqualified to proceed, is quite soul-destroying.
Upon completing the survey, you'll receive around 5-20 SB (more if lucky), large surveys could offer over 100 SB. Each survey tells you approximate time taking like the image above, but it never tells you what it's about. Big ones are often time-wasters - I'm a normal, healthy person and unlikely to be qualified.
It gives you 1SB if you're disqualified by the way!
Cash-Back on Shopping
If you think "every little helps", then it may be worth checking Swagbucks site before making an online purchase - your favourite stores may be partnered with them, offering (typically 2%) cash-back. (But not Amazon).
It's not a reduction of the purchase price. But by accessing the store via Swagbucks site, you will earn some SB's upon purchasing, which works out as equivalent to a percentage of "cash-back".
Walmart (US) currently offers 7% - 7 SB per $1 spent. You spend $100 on grocery and receive 700 SB, which doesn't sound too bad.
Big Bucks Offers
There are some big special offers, typically by signing up with an online casino or betting agent.
By signing up with a casino to receive 3,000 SB, that's equivalent to £15 ($20) Paypal voucher. See my ClixSense Review - the same betting shop Ladbrokes popping up here again, but the offer is not as good as in ClixSense. I've decided not to proceed a trial on any of these this time. It may be worth giving it a try, but with caution!
Referral Program
Refer someone to Swagbucks and you'll receive 10% of whatever they earn. You can refer your friends by sending an email from your dashboard, or you'll have your own referring link which you can send to anyone....like I'm doing now!
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is there for you to save a little money on online shopping and provides an opportunity to earn a gift voucher (most notably Paypal and Amazon) every now and again.
You web search on a regular basis, right? I use search engines daily, if not hourly. I Google by words and phrases at least 100 times a day. For that reason I've started using the Swagbucks search bar (=Yahoo generated) in conjunction with Google. If I win some SB's, lucky. Then I'll see how long it will take to earn my first £5 Amazon voucher. I'll let you know in this space.
How I "Finally" Make Over $6,000 Monthly Income
"The most valuable thing I've ever done!"
Hi Ray,
I read both of your reviews on SFI and Swagbucks. You seem to be very honest with both reviews in a cool way. I think it would be remarkable if you could also make a review on clubshop.store/rewards.
It’s also a MLM platform with online cash back rewards program in partnership with mega online stores like Amazon.
I really like your reviews.
Hi Kemos, thanks for checking my pages. I just took a look at “Clubshop” site and immediately noticed the scammy invitation technique, often used by MLM’s… It talks a lot, but doesn’t tell you anything, you see what I mean? Too many ‘wasted expressions’ (e.g. “open-minded, with a broad interest for the internet, e-commerce, and the world we live in”, “serving Consumers and Companies from all over the world”) All you can tell is that you’ll be working online, but it doesn’t give you any idea what kind of work. But it’s good to know it’s about cash-back rewards, now that you’ve told me. Thanks for the info, I appreciate your comment. I wish you all the best!
you want learn how to earn cash, using Swagbucks is a good way.
You only make a small amount of money. I’ve been on it on and off for 3 years I barely made any money with it. I have about 200 sbs that I don’t know what to do with.
Hi Joan, yes I totally see your point. Looks like Swagbucks users generally rather enjoy the experience and not primarily look to make income. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for the post. I have heard about Swagbucks and I know a lot of people talk about it but I didn’t know until I saw your post what it actually offers. It’s good to know what it does and how it wors. Especially you talk about how to get yourself registered. This is a good start for me. Thank you.
Thanks Phydolla, I appreciate your comment. I wish you all the best!
No it is not worth joining. I spent so much time for very few points. I need to make money in more faster speed but swagbucks is too slow because you have to spend some money sometimes to make money.
I would like to know something more efficient please. Thank you for your advice.
Hi Samal, thanks for your feedback. Like you say, sites like Swagbucks are not really designed to let you earn a full-time income, but they offer great ways to earn extra cash. If you’re interested in the way I make money, check my homepage. I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for your comment!
Hi Ray, thank you for the review. I have never tried Swagbucks. I have been trying but cannot seem to log in. Maybe the site is down but I’ll keep trying. I know surveys for cash don’t pay much but other stuff like shopping discounts etc. I would like to receive some benefits to make some extra income online.
Are there any others that you can recommend? Then if you could please advise I would appreciate it.
Thanks ray,
Hi Tomasz, Swagbucks is not available worldwide, it depends where you live? If that’s the case it is possible for you to access via VPN, but no point because the shopping deals won’t apply to you. Any questions don’t hesitate to get back to me. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Ray, I’ve been on Swagbucks for about 2-3 years now. I think it offers great discounts and point system. Although I haven’t cashed even once. Because it’s country specific all the advertisements are relevant and all the products that are shown are relatable.
Comparing to other survey sites, some of them are like scams, I can’t trust them.
I think Swagbucks offers the best, fun platform. I’m hoping to make a little money. Maybe in the next 2-3 years!!!!!!!!
Hi Zak, thanks for sharing your experience with Swagbucks. Yes it has the largest number of members and the platform’s always been stable too, I think it’s the one you can trust like you say. I wish you the best of luck with cashing it out in the near future!
There’s too much time to spend for too little money. I tried about 10 surveys and couldn’t even get them started. Every time I was told I was not qualified. In theory you can earn a few dollars here and there but only if you are qualified and you are never. I gave up.
Hi Sean, yes that’s the most ridiculous disadvantage of trying online surveys for money. Each survey is targeted to a particular group of people and the selection process is pretty lengthy unfortunately. It’s good they offer a small amount of money, but at the other end, people answer surveys purely for money… Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it.
I rarely use Swagbucks but I have quite a few referrals which I can get paid from time to time. I recommend it to any newbie online hopefuls who want to make their first $10 (or more). It’s pretty easy in you can be constantly at it.
Hi Benjamin, yes it’s quite easy to make small money yourself by answering surveys etc. But the more you refer to others, the greater possibility to make more money. Thanks for your comment. I wish you the best of luck with continuing success!
Swagbucks is my favorite because I can make money little by little.
I don’t make too much with Swagbucks but I use every day because I want to
make bigger total in the end of every month.
I like because it’s easy to open and easy for me to understand.
Thank you.
Alex
Hi Alex, thanks for your comment. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying Swagbucks and make constant income from it. Best of luck to you with continuing success!
I have been using Swagbucks for god know how many years and earned over $10k easy. If you are at it continuously and refer as many people as you can then it is possible to make money like I do. It’s worth joining.
Hi Erik, thanks for your sharing your experience with Swagbucks. It’s great to know that you’ve had such a success with it. Keep going & good luck!
My first mission of each day is to make however small money from swagbucks.’ It’s a good way to build up your points slowly for emergencies.
Hi Gilnard, thanks for your comment. Sounds good that you’re building a wealth with Swagbucks everyday – I am a great believer of persistence with whatever I do, so best of luck to you with continuing success!
I don’t really believe in survey or cashback on shopping as a way to make a living online because it’s such an effort with not so much of enjoyment and for such a small return. But I guess referral programme can get you somewhere if you know many people to network. I haven’t joined Swagbucks yet but I might try when I have my own website.
Hi Jean Paul, I see your point. One of the goals for online marketing is to receive passive income / recurring income, so any referral programs can give you a potential to work less for more money in the future. Swagbucks offers the option too, so we cannot underestimate it. I hope you’ll give it a try.
Hi Ray,
Thank you so much for your swagbucks review. This sounds like a very nice scheme and I want to join but I cannot seem to log in. I cannot even see the site and wonder if the site has been down for a while. Can you please tell me whats happening and is there another link I can try?
Thank you very much.
Bob
Hi Bob, Swagbucks is only available in the following 5 countries: USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland. So if you live outside these countries, unfortunately the site is not available. You may be able to view if you use a VPN service but the actual content such as shopping would not be useful to you and surveys would not be relevant either. Any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Hi Ray, I think “every little helps” and I like using Swagbucks in my free time. Answering surveys can be mind-boggling sometimes, finding out about myself. I’ve received a couple of Walmart vouchers in the past. I would recommend it to anyone. Thank you for your reivew. Tara
Hi Tara, good to know you’re enjoying Swagbucks, and also have made some money from it. Swagbucks is something that anyone can try without previous experience, and there should be something that anyone can enjoy such as shopping. Thanks for sharing!
From time to time I get a notice from Swagbucks to earn some points, I think its an Ok way to earn money with your participation in certain advertisement. I enjoy taking survey and I have many friends that earn some extra cash by taking survey. Great job on explaining swagbucks.
Hi Anthony, thanks for your comment. I wish I could enjoy answering surveys, but unfortunately they agitate me quite a bit…
I tried Swagbucks but to be honest, I had a bad experience. I’m not saying their not legit or a scam but to me, completing the surveys are just not worth the time that I put in. Sometimes, after spending 10 minutes on a survey, coming to the last few questions, I would get kicked out of the survey and i’m told I no longer qualify. Well, to me, that’s 10 wasted minutes that I invested and that I will never get compensated for. My opinion, is just to try other ways to make money online. Steer away from Swagbucks.
Hi Reyhana, yes that’s exactly what it is. You will get compensated for though… 1SB! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Swagbucks is not as good as it used to be. I got SB easily everytime I used the search bar. I think the cashback rates were better also. I never claimed anything back. It seemed to take forever to earn anything to me and I just gave up.
Thanks Seb for your comment, I think I’ve read another review from 2014-2015 that you could earn more SB’s by using the Swagbuck search bar. Now you’re only winning a few points. Good to know that the cash-back rates are not as good as they used to be – thanks for your input again, I appreciate it.