Whether it’s to learn a new skill or to find information, everyone has a reason to watch videos. What if you could actually get paid for it, too? As surprising as it may sound, there are ways to ways to make money on your phone or computer by watching videos online. There are, in fact, millions of users who get paid to watch videos in their spare time. If you want to make money watching videos, here’s a guide.
Can you make money watching videos?
In the digital age, it’s no surprise that many companies are finding creative ways to engage with users. One of these strategies involves paying individuals to watch online videos. This serves dual purposes: companies gain valuable feedback and audience engagement, while individuals have the opportunity to earn rewards.
There are several ways in which individuals can earn from watching online videos:
- Ads and Promotional Videos: Companies often pay viewers to watch their ads or promotional videos. This helps to increase their reach and impressions, while also providing them with valuable feedback on the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.
- Surveys and Reviews: Some companies will pay you to watch a video and then complete a survey or write a review about it. This can provide them with a wealth of information about how their content is perceived and how they can improve it in the future.
- Testing New Platforms or Features: Sometimes, companies will pay users to test new video platforms or features. This can provide them with real-time feedback on any technical issues or usability problems, which can be incredibly useful during the development process.
- Rewards Programs: There are many companies that have rewards programs where you can earn points by watching videos. These points can then be redeemed for cash or gift cards. Examples of these companies include Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and MyPoints.
Here’s an explanation of how the process typically works:
- Users sign up on the website or app that offers paid video-watching opportunities.
- After creating an account, users can start watching videos that are listed on the platform.
- These videos can range from ads, movie trailers, music videos, news, product reviews to user-generated content.
- For every video watched, users can earn a certain amount of points or direct cash, depending on the platform’s reward system.
- Users might also have the opportunity to earn extra rewards by completing related tasks like surveys, quizzes, or writing reviews about the videos.
- Once a certain threshold is reached (each platform will have its own minimum cash-out amount), users can redeem their earnings. This could be through PayPal, direct bank transfer, or in the form of various gift cards.
This approach to online engagement not only helps businesses but also provides an interesting and flexible way for individuals to earn some extra income or rewards.
Our Methodology: Get Paid to Watch Videos
For those looking to earn money by watching videos, we’ve assessed various websites that offer this unique opportunity. Each criterion is rated on a scale from 10 (most important) to 1 (least important), aiming to provide recommendations that cater to users seeking a legitimate and profitable experience.
- Legitimacy and Reputation: Importance 10/10
- Verification of the website’s legitimacy and track record.
- Positive reviews and testimonials from users.
- Transparency in business practices and affiliations.
- Earning Potential: Importance 9/10
- Clarity on how much users can earn for watching videos.
- Comparison of pay rates with other similar websites.
- Availability of regular and consistent earning opportunities.
- Variety and Quality of Video Content: Importance 8/10
- Diversity in types of videos available to watch (entertainment, ads, surveys).
- Quality and relevance of video content.
- Options to choose preferred video categories.
- Payment Methods and Thresholds: Importance 7/10
- Variety and reliability of payment methods (PayPal, gift cards, bank transfer).
- Reasonable minimum payout thresholds.
- Clarity and timeliness in the payment process.
- User Experience and Interface: Importance 6/10
- Ease of navigation and use of the website.
- Minimal technical issues or glitches.
- Availability of customer support for users.
- Security and Privacy: Importance 6/10
- Measures to protect user data and privacy.
- Policies regarding data sharing and advertising.
- Compliance with relevant data protection laws.
- Additional Earning Opportunities: Importance 5/10
- Availability of other tasks or activities for earning money (surveys, games).
- Integration of these additional tasks with video watching.
- Balance between video watching and other earning methods.
- Accessibility and Requirements: Importance 5/10
- Accessibility of the website across different devices and regions.
- Minimum age or other requirements for users.
- Limitations or restrictions on user participation.
Top Brands That Pay Users to Watch Videos Online and in Apps
Different brands reward users for watching videos for different reasons. Research companies typically require users to also complete online surveys. The data is then used for research papers, studies and more. Some companies pay users for other tasks such as reviewing app trailers. These reviews are then shared with the app developers who use the opinions to further improve their product.
If you’re looking for hobbies that make money, watching videos may be worth exploring. Let’s look at some legit money making apps that pay users for watching videos online and in apps.
| Service | Year Founded | Earnings Source | Signup Bonus | Referral Earnings | Payment Minimum | Special Features | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swagbucks | 2004 | Watching videos, completing surveys | $5 | Unknown | Unknown | Multiple playlists to choose from, daily gift cards given | None specified |
| Slicethepie | 2007 | Writing reviews | None | 10% of referred friend’s earnings for a year | $0.01 – $0.20 per review | Bonus reviews for extra pay, changes regularly | Income dependent on review quality |
| Netflix Tagger | N/A (Netflix founded 1997) | Tagging Netflix shows and movies | None | None | Unknown | Full-time job, various categories to tag | Job availability may vary |
| InboxDollars | 2000 | Watching videos | $5 | Unknown | Unknown | Various categories to choose from | None specified |
| Nielsen Computer | 1923 (for Nielsen) | Watching anything online | None | None | $50 a year | Participate in monthly sweepstakes | Must agree to send browsing data, operates in more than 100 countries |
| Kashkick | N/A | Watching ads and short videos, paid surveys | $1 for completing profile survey | 25% of referred friend’s earnings | $0.25 to a few dollars per video | Mainly focused on surveys | Lower earning potential for watching videos |
| SuccessBux | N/A | Watching videos, listening to radio, completing surveys | None | Unknown | $1 | No limit on earnings | Must have a PayPal or similar account |
| Earnably | N/A | Watching videos and ads | None | 10% of referred friend’s earnings | Unknown | Partner site Hideout.tv | Must ensure accounts are linked |
| MyPoints | 1996 | Watching videos | $10 Visa or Amazon gift card after registration | Unknown | Points can be converted to cash, gift cards, or travel points | Cap on points per day (500) | None specified |
| FusionCash | 2005 | Various | $5 for signing up | Unknown | Unknown | Multiple payment options | Only open to US residents |
| iRazoo | 2016 | Watching videos, playing games, taking surveys, trying apps | None | Unknown | $5 (3,000 points) | Over 50 channels of video content | Points expire after 30 days |
1. Swagbucks
Founded in 2004, Swagbucks is a well-known rewards site. The company provides points for various activities, from watching videos to completing legit paid surveys for money. To give you an idea about its scale, it gives out 7,000 gift cards every day.
There are different playlists to choose from, and some of these include fashion, food and lifestyle. It’s also worth noting that the video lengths differ.
What’s more, there’s a $5 sign-up bonus for every new user.
2. Slicethepie
Slicethepie pays you for reviews. You can get paid for writing music reviews, advert reviews, or fashion reviews. Your income is dependent on the quality of your reviews. You can expect to make anywhere between $0.01 – $0.20 per review.
They also have bonus reviews that pay extra. The classification of bonus reviews changes regularly, though. Another interesting thing about Slicethepie is its referral system. Every time your referred friends post a review, you get a 10% cut for an entire year.
3. Netflix Tagger
It may come as a surprise, but Netflix has job openings for people interested in watching videos as a full-time thing. Their job title is Netflix Tagger and their role involves watching shows and movies on the platform and assigning descriptive metadata. In other words, adding relevant information such as cast members and subjective descriptions to attract an audience.
4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars was founded in 2000, so the established company has a solid reputation. Since then, the company has paid more than $59 million dollars to its members. The business model is fairly straightforward. You get paid to watch videos from various categories. These may include product demonstrations, movie trailers and more.
You also get a $5 reward for signing up.
5. Nielsen Computer
Nielsen is a well-known, reputable research company that provides TV ratings. It pays you $50 a year to watch anything you like online. To get started, you need to download the Nielsen Computer app on your phone, sign up and provide some basic information about yourself.
By signing up, you agree to send some of your browsing data to Nielsen. This includes information about the websites you visit and the amount of time you spend on them. Another way to make some extra money on Nielsen is by participating in monthly sweepstakes. Nielsen gives away a $10,000 split between 400 winners.
It’s worth noting that Nielsen operates in more than 100 countries. So it’s more open to users both inside and outside the United States.
6. Kashkick
Kashkick is designed mainly for those interested in paid surveys. But you can also get paid by watching ads and short videos. Since the company is focused on surveys, the earning potential for watching videos is less.
When you sign up on the site, you will need to complete a profile survey. On completing this step, you will earn $1. In case you qualify for video offers, you will find them in the Offers tab. The reward amount for such videos is typically in the range of $0.25 to a few dollars.
Another way to earn money on Kashkick is by referring friends. For every new person you refer, you can earn 25% of what they make.
7. SuccessBux
There are more than 170,000 members registered on SuccessBux today. These members get paid to watch videos. They are also paid for listening to the radio, completing surveys and referring friends. The minimum payout is $1.
The best part is there’s no limit on how much you can earn as free money. To receive payment, you must have a PayPal account or another account on any of the popular payment platforms.
8. Earnably
Another popular site to check for making money watching videos is Earnably. To make money on it, you need to watch videos and set a number of ads, earn credits and redeem them for cash or gift cards. It’s worth noting that Earnably has a partner site called Hideout.tv. You need to watch videos on this channel to make money in your spare time.
To get paid to watch videos, you must ensure your Hideout.tv and Earnably accounts are linked. This happens automatically when you sign up on both sites. You can make more money by simply referring friends and family. If they sign up, you will receive 10% of whatever they make.
9. MyPoints
MyPoints is a reputable research company that has been around since 1996. On MyPoints, you earn cash by watching videos on your desktop or on its mobile app. You just need to select a playlist and watch all videos in that list. Once you do so, you earn points. These points can be converted into cash, gift cards, or travel points.
It’s worth noting that there’s a cap on points you can make in a day. In other words, you can only make up to 500 points per day. The sign-up process is straightforward, and you can earn a $10 Visa or Amazon gift card as soon as you complete registration.
10. FusionCash
Over 12 years, FusionCash has given out more than $3 million in rewards to its users. What stands out about FusionCash is the greater number of payment options it offers. You can collect payments via PayPal cash, direct deposit in your bank account or checks.
FusionCash offers a $5 bonus for just signing up on the site. By becoming an active contributor, you can make an extra $3 every month.
Important to note that FusionCash is open only to US residents.
11. iRazoo
iRazoo was set up in 2016. In essence, it’s a rewards program that rewards users for playing games, watching video ads, taking surveys and trying different apps. The platform provides over 50 channels of video content, which makes it interesting for a wide range of users.
To make money watching videos on this platform, you need to amass 3,000 points. Once you do so, you will be able to earn a $5 gift card or $5 in PayPal money. You will have 30 days to use your reward points.
Top Tips for Maximizing Earnings While Watching Videos Online
Anyone looking to make extra cash in their free time can watch online videos. As listed, there are a number of legitimate sites that pay good money and rewards in the form of free gift cards to users. To maximize your earnings though, you should follow a few tips.
- Do more than just browse videos: Did you know you can make money adding subtitles? Sites like Fiverr provide freelance opportunities to people who want to write subtitles to make money online. You can also consider other online opportunities and make money listening to music or taking surveys.
- Improve your reviewer skills: Companies pay excellent money for good reviews. As simple as it may sound, writing reviews is not always simple. So the better you write, the more you get to make.
- Participate in psychological studies: These days, researchers look for participants online. If eligible, you will be required to complete surveys, participate in interviews and share your views on specific subjects. By taking surveys, you can earn free money.
- Refer friends and family: Most sites and apps will pay you extra for referring friends and family.
Is Getting Paid to Watch Videos Worth Your Time?
In today’s digital age, the promise of making money from the comfort of one’s home has never been more alluring. One increasingly popular method to achieve this is through platforms that offer to pay users to watch videos. But the question remains: is it genuinely worth your time to get paid to watch videos?
- Monetary Returns: Most platforms that allow you to make money watching videos offer relatively small amounts of cash or points for each video viewed. Typically, you might need to watch numerous videos or ads to accumulate enough points for a tangible payout. Thus, if your primary motivation is to earn a significant income, this method might fall short of expectations.
- Time Commitment: The time spent watching videos can add up. To earn a noteworthy amount, you might find yourself dedicating several hours a week. When you compare the hours invested to the potential earnings, the hourly rate might be below other online money-making opportunities.
- Platform Credibility: Not all platforms that claim to pay for watching videos are legitimate. Before dedicating time, it’s essential to ensure that the platform is reputable, with positive reviews and transparent payout processes.
- Entertainment vs. Earnings: Some individuals might find that they enjoy the content they’re viewing, making the process more than just a way to earn money. If you find pleasure in the videos and consider the payment a bonus, then it might be worth the time invested.
- Opportunity Cost: It’s essential to consider what else you could be doing with the time spent watching videos. If there are other more profitable or fulfilling opportunities available, dedicating hours to earn a few dollars might not be the best use of your time.
The decision to get paid to watch videos depends on individual preferences and priorities. While it might not be a significant revenue source, some might find value in the entertainment aspect or the little extra cash it offers. However, always be cautious, do thorough research, and weigh the opportunity costs before diving in.
FAQs
How much money can you make by watching videos?
Your earning potential depends on the number of videos you are able to watch. An active user watching online videos can make anywhere between $100-$200 dollars in a year.
Can you get paid to watch YouTube videos?
It is possible to get paid for watching YouTube videos. A number of legitimate sites pay users in cash and rewards for watching these videos.
Can you get paid for watching Netflix?
Yes. Netflix pays full-time users, also known as Netflix taggers, for watching their content.
Which apps pay real money to watch videos?
Some apps that pay real money to users watching videos include Swagbucks, InboxDollars, Nielsen and MyPoints.
What site pays the most for watching videos?
Swagbucks pays the most for watching videos.
Image: Envato Elements
This article, “Get Paid to Watch Videos: The 10 Best Ways Make Money in 2023” was first published on Small Business Trends