When they first came out, survey sites seemed too good to be true. Companies and businesses have questions about their products and services, and you’ve got opinions about them. Said companies and businesses need your opinions, and so are willing to pay you (in cash or in kind) just to share it with them. Sounds like a dream job, right?
But survey sites have become a dime a dozen now so it’s really up to you to be extra-discerning if they are legit or a complete waste of time. You might have your own criteria for good survey sites based on your own experience, or, as with the case of blogs, forums, and social media, based on other users’ experiences and feedback.
To add another insightful layer to survey site reviews, we chose to compare and contrast two sites – GrabPoints and Branded Surveys – to see how they measure up against many users’ common criteria for legitimacy.
First Impressions First
How long have they been around?
Branded Surveys is quite new. It was only launched in 2017, though it’s actually a reincarnation of an older survey site called MintVine. This rebranding has resulted in a sleek, uncluttered website with all pertinent information laid out right there in the home page. Scrolling down the page already gives you an idea of how their platform works, what rewards they offer, their user feedback and ratings, research partners, and of course, how to join.
GrabPoints is also new-ish, having been around since 2014. It’s also a current incarnation of what used to be ZoomBucks, a GPT site. The site is pretty navigable, informative, and pleasing to the eyes, as well.
Is registration free and are they open to everyone?
Registration is free for both GrabPoints and Branded Surveys. They are open for signing up to practically anyone with an Internet connection, is 13 years old or over, and who meets their Terms of Service.
How big is their membership at the moment?
Around 4 million users are currently active members of GrabPoints. And while there are no hard stats on how many current users are signed up with Branded Surveys, the site does state that thousands of users sign up and earn rewards with them every week.
What You Can Expect As A Member
What methods do they offer to earn?
Those who get easily bored with answering surveys would be glad to know that GrabPoints offers different ways to earn. You can choose to watch videos, download apps, play games, complete offers, use promo codes found in different social media platforms…and even make money from people you have referred to the site (more on this later)!
With Branded Surveys, there are also various ways to earn points for cash. On their menu are taking surveys, answering daily polls, completing offers, and also taking advantage of their referral system.
How much do they pay per task?
At GrabPoints, a thousand points equal a dollar. There is no fixed point system because earnings vary with each task you take on. Some users get lucky and right away receive hundreds of points on a single survey. It all depends on different factors per survey: which company needs the feedback or opinion, the length of the survey, your personal demographics, etc.
As for the videos, users can earn around two points for each completed video they have watched. Downloading apps is an activity that can earn you more points, but there are strict rules to follow in order to see up to 500 points credited to the user’s account.
With Branded Surveys, there are also surveys of varying lengths and complexity which in turn influence their points value. Earnings will also depend on a member’s Brand Elite status (from Bronze, Silver, to Gold – depending on the number of surveys or offers one completes). There is a claim in the website that earning 300 points on a single survey is possible, though I can’t personally vouch for this yet. However, even disqualification earns you points on this site, though it really still depends on the survey being taken.
What are the payment methods and rewards involved?
Both GrabPoints and Branded Surveys use PayPal for users to send out cash earnings, which makes cashing out safe and easier. Both also offer gift cards from different retailers to choose from. You can get Amazon, Target, and Walmart gift cards from GrabPoints. Meanwhile, Branded Surveys offers even more gift cards from even more shops and businesses – iTunes, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Home Depot, and many more GCs from restaurants and entertainment platforms!
How much is needed to cash out/redeem?
Once you reach the equivalent of $3 at GrabPoints (that’s around 3000 points), you can cash out right away via PayPal. Most of the gift cards on their menu can be redeemed once a $10 minimum redemption requirement is reached. The really great thing about this site, apart from the low and achievable payout thresholds, is how quickly they process payments. Cash and gift cards can be redeemed and processed in as little as 48 business hours!
With Branded Surveys, redeeming rewards can also take between three to five business days. In order to redeem, you only need to earn a minimum of 1000 points with them. Gift cards are also sent out in $10 increments. You will know when you are eligible to redeem your rewards once a redemption button appears in the points section of your account.
Is there a referral system?
Now here’s one of my favorite features of a GPT site – the referral system. It’s why it earned its own sub-topic in most (if not all) of my reviews on this blog. Aside from the menu of different ways to earn points on a survey site, it’s great to be able to spread the word about effective rewards platforms while earning from it. A referral program is a perfect demonstration of this, so I’m glad for the passive income and advertising it encourages.
At any rate, yes, both GrabPoints and Branded Surveys have it. You can use your referral link from Branded Surveys on your personal site, social media accounts, or even via email to encourage other people to sign up. Once they do and start earning via the site, you can get a percentage of their earnings (anywhere between 50 to 200 points, depending on the activities they take on). Earnings via their referral system also depend on one’s current Brand Elite status.
The GrabPoints referral system is pretty straightforward, though there is also a tier system that depends on the country where the user is being referred.
Have There Been Compliments/Complaints About The Sites?
Most of the compliments for Branded Surveys and GrabPoints have something to do with how fast their payouts are, and how easy it is to earn points towards redeeming their choice of rewards. The presence of PayPal for both sites also gets positive feedback from users. Plus, there is the above-mentioned referral system, which is always a good way to earn some extra passive income.
As for the complaints? Yes, there are some for both GPT sites. With GrabPoints, the most common I hear is about how there don’t seem to be enough videos to watch to completion, and videos seem to be a favorite activity among those offered up in the site.
With Branded Surveys, the complaints have something to do with how things seem to have gone downhill when the site was rebranded from the former MintVine. Users are talking about getting constantly screened out for surveys, and since there are little to no other options to earn, that could get disappointing pretty fast. Points seem to have also decreased with some of the surveys and polls, thus decreasing the possibility of earning faster and more.
So Who Gets Your Vote?
I think I have mentioned in previous reviews how, if certain GPT and survey sites actually work and don’t waste your time and efforts, then there’s really no reason to disregard one in favor of the other.
Generally, both GrabPoints and Branded Surveys meet the general practical requirements of most survey and GPT site users: low redemption threshold, a referral system, free to use, and with a good choice of rewards up for selection. As always, it all boils down to the user experience. If both sites offer you a good experience, why choose one over the other, right?
