Earning some side money with paid surveys is a dream to many, but it can backfire if you don’t know the terms and conditions of the platform. Such is the case with Toluna, which has some great surveys in large quantities, but other terms aren’t that favorable.

In this article, we will take a closer look into how this paid survey platform functions and how much you can expect to earn. We’ll end with some recommendations for alternative platforms so you can balance Toluna’s drawbacks.

What is Toluna?

Toluna Influencers (or Toluna, for short) is a paid survey and micro-tasks platform with a promising amount of questionnaires available. It’s rated highly on app stores, Trustpilot, and even on Reddit communities, which are usually quite negative about paid survey sites.

There are many reports that prove people are earning money from Toluna. But surveys are not the only way you can earn money on Toluna. Just completing the sign-up process, for example, will give you some rewards. It’s easy to do since the user interface is very streamlined. 

In fact, it’s the best thing about Toluna. Other paid survey sites are filled with unnecessary functions and pop-ups that distract you. Toluna’s interface goes straight to the point, letting you jump right into the action.

Their survey center includes Flash, Quick, Premium, and Profile surveys. Each option is a few clicks away on the web browser or in the Android or iOS apps. Other functions, like referring friends, are also easy to find and well-promoted, with a bonus of 500 points.

Ways of Earning Money

The first thing to do on Toluna is to complete a profile survey. These are groups of questions that qualify you for surveys. It’s standard practice for paid survey platforms, but it could be rewarded better at Toluna as it still takes time. Then, your options are as follows:

• Flash surveys take only up to five minutes to complete but pay quite low.
• Quick surveys are longer and take up to ten minutes, but they pay better. 
• Premium surveys take around 15 minutes and pay quite handsomely, but in my experience, they are quite rare.

There are also daily sponsored polls that can be answered almost immediately but will only earn you pennies. If you are feeling lucky, you can spin the Toluna Wheel and earn some extra points just for participating.

Other shorter activities can also earn money, such as playing games, filling out your profile, and participating in contests with the community. However, none are as profitable as filling out surveys, so it’s best to judge the platform based on them.

Problems Cashing Out

While getting work on Toluna is possible, getting paid for it might prove to be more complicated. It’s not that Toluna doesn’t pay users (I haven’t found convincing complaints about that). It’s that the payout thresholds seem to be made unattainable on purpose.

Rewards are based on the points system. Short profile quizzes earn you around 100 points, and longer ones can come up to 2000 points. Worth noting these are maximum amounts, not averages.

The value of points is difficult to calculate because it varies based on your payout method. PayPal threshold is $30 (or 90000 points), and gift cards are $10 (30000 points). You might need even more points if you want more valuable rewards. 

Toluna points can also expire if unclaimed for 18 months. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t when you consider how much one survey is valued. One survey averages around 1000 points. If you want to cash out a larger PayPal top-up, you must complete over 100000 surveys.

It might be just my bad luck, but I struggled to get more than three weekly surveys. So, cashing out $30 on PayPal can easily take a year. If you take a break, reaching the 18-month mark for points expiry isn’t that unrealistic.

In effect, the Toluna platform is made so that reaching the payout thresholds is nearly impossible. Many of their competitors have up to six times lower thresholds without complicated point systems. Even if Toluna’s surveys are more interesting, it’s better to look for alternatives to earn extra cash.

Toluna Influencers Alternatives

Since the main drawback of Toluna is its high payout threshold, each Toluna alternative I have picked below has a much lower payout threshold. Knowing your options is crucial if you want to get a steady side income from online platforms.

Pawns.app

Pawns isn’t that well known among paid survey sites, and that’s exactly what makes them the best option right now. Since they don’t have an influx of participants, their surveys are well-paid (at least $1 each), and there are plenty of them to choose from. 

The payout threshold is $5, regardless of whether you choose PayPal, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies. With the amount of valuable surveys they offer, you can expect to reach it once or twice in two weeks.

YouGov

YouGov is one of the oldest and best-known online survey sites. It has plenty of surveys, mainly on consumer spending, and a threshold of just $1, depending on your payout method.

The platform is sure to provide you with many surveys, although not many of them are valued at more than $0.80. Still, with a realistic payout threshold, it’s a better option than Toluna.

Surveys on the Go

Surveys on the Go is a convenient app for earning money wherever you are. The payout threshold is a market standard $5, so it won’t be hard to reach it. Surveys are of varied topics and pay at least $0.50 per survey.

Final Verdict

Toluna is a legitimate platform with good surveys, games, and a referral program. However, the high threshold rate simply ruins it. You must be fully committed to the platform and hope that they will constantly give you surveys. It’s much better to choose three or four Toluna alternatives to stay safe about your extra income.