Is Swagbucks Legit? What to Know Before Signing Up

If you want to try Swagbucks as a way of making money online, you’re probably worried about how legit this app is. This is a valid concern, as there are some scams or apps that don’t pay. But what about Swagbucks? Is it legit? 

In this review, you can find out how legit and safe Swagbucks is, and whether it is even worth your time, so keep reading!

Key takeaways

Here is a short version of what you’ll read in this article:

• With Swagbucks, you can earn money by taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, and shopping online.
• Swagbucks is legit, but you need to be aware of how it uses your data
• There are certain cons to using Swagbucks, such as low SB value and frequent survey disqualifications

• Make sure to explore other apps to make money that similar to Swagbucks, as well as apps for passive income
• Stay away from shady apps and watch out for phishing scams 

Swagbucks: Is it legit?

The Swagbucks app is a place where you can earn extra money. You can do it by taking surveys, playing free games, and scanning receipts to get the cashback deals. And yes, it is legit and safe to use. Brands and market research companies pay Swagbucks to connect them with customers, and in return, Swagbucks shares some of that money with its users. 

Here are some facts that show the legitimacy of Swagbucks:

• The Swagbucks website was launched in 2008, and its track record of almost two decades proves that this is a legit platform
• This platform is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (B+ at the moment of publishing this article)
• The ratings and reviews are mostly positive, with approx 4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot
• The Swagbucks app is free for web browsers, iOS, and Android devices
• The minimum age for using Swagbucks is 13 years, which further shows that this app is responsible
• According to Swagbucks, this platform has cumulatively paid out $695,320,837

Is Swagbucks safe to use?

When it comes to data privacy and safety, here is what you should know:

• Swagbucks collects demographic-related data to show you targeted surveys. However, this data is stripped out of any personalized information before being shared with survey providers to protect your privacy
• You can request data deletion or choose to opt out of the sale of your personal information. Use Swagbucks’ privacy settings to see the data that this app collects.
• Always use the official Swagbucks app and secure connections.
• Be wary of phishing attacks – Swagbucks will never ask for your passwords, credit card details, or upfront payments via email or text.
• Swagbucks is not a get-rich-quick scheme, so avoid any emails or messages that claim to be from Swagbucks, offering you too much money for too little work. 

Swagbucks review: pros and cons 

Before you can choose whether to try Swagbucks or not, you need to know that there are both pros and cons of using this app. 

Pros	Cons
Multiple ways to earn	Frequent survey disqualifications
Low cash-out threshold	Low SB value
Long track record: Swagbucks has existed for almost 20 years, which is	Pending periods on some offers
Free to use	It’s not a job replacement

Pros:

• Multiple ways to earn: You can earn money on Swagbucks by playing games, taking online surveys, earning cashback while in-store or online shopping…
• Low cash-out threshold: Earn only $1, and you’ll be able to redeem earned points (called SB) for selected e-gift cards. 
• Long track record: Swagbucks has existed for almost 2 decades, which is further proof that it is legit. Scams and shady platforms don’t exist for that long. 
• Free to use: The Swagbucks app and browser extension are completely free to download, install, and use. You won’t have any upfront costs to start earning. 

Cons:

• Frequent survey disqualifications: Users often complain that they get disqualified mid-survey.
• Low SB value: 100 SB is approximately $1, which is a relatively low conversion rate.
• Pending periods on some offers: High-paying offers, cashbacks, and sign-up bonuses often take 7-32 days before being added to your account balance.
• It’s not a job replacement: Swagbucks is a great way to earn some extra cash, not a full-time income. 

Is Swagbucks worth it for making money online?

The answer to this question depends on your expectations and how much you want to work for your online earnings. Even though it is among the best GPT sites, this platform has certain limitations. Swagbucks is suitable for people who want to earn money through active tasks, such as completing surveys, playing games, and scanning receipts. 

On the other side, stay realistic about potential monthly earnings. Usually, dedicated Swagbucks users earn around $100 per month. It’s a good pocket change, but it’s not exactly a fortune. You also need to be ready to get kicked out of surveys, and don’t forget the low SB value.

There is a better way to make money online, with almost no effort at all. If you’re looking for a truly passive way to make money, Honeygain could be a good option. This app allows you to earn passive income by simply sharing your unused internet bandwidth. Just install it, turn the sharing option on, and you’ll start earning some extra cash.  

How to get started with Swagbucks

Do you still want to join Swagbucks after reading about all the pros and cons? If yes, here are the steps you should follow:

1. Create your Swagbucks account by email or social login, on the website, or the free app.
2. Verify your email and phone as soon as possible to avoid payout delays. 
3. Complete your profile for better survey matching.
4. Don’t forget that you need to be at least 13 years old. If you’re under 18, you’ll need parental consent to use Swagbucks.
5. Don’t use VPNs and don’t switch devices mid-task, as it can get you banned. Simply use your default search engine, and don’t try to use multiple accounts.
6. Explore the app, complete tasks, and earn Swagbucks rewards. 

How to earn rewards on Swagbucks

So, once you create an account and install the app, how does Swagbucks work? Here are the main ways you can earn SB points:

• Taking online surveys: 
  • How it works: You give your feedback on various products, ads, and brands.
  • Effort/time: Taking these surveys takes a lot of time and effort, and you can even get disqualified.
  • Earning potential: You can earn some moderate earnings, as most surveys pay between 25 and 200 SB ($0.25-$2).
• Playing games:
  • How it works: Download and play featured games and reach the specified in-game milestones (e.g., reaching a certain level or playing for a set period of time).
  • Effort/time: This is a high effort and time-consuming activity, as it can take you several hours to reach certain milestones. 
  • Earning potential: Playing games often pays a lot, ranging from 50SB to 10,000 SB ($0.5-$100).
• Shopping cashback:
  • How it works: You install the Swagbucks browser extension, and it activates rebate offers from partner brands.  
  • Effort/time: Almost no effort, as you earn cashback from the shopping you would do anyway.
  • Earning potential: It depends on how much you shop online, and whether there are promotions and rebates that fit your purchases. Usually, you can get a 1%-10% rebate.
• Scanning receipts:
  • How it works: When you go in-store shopping, you scan receipts with the Swagbucks app to get rebates and other bonuses. 
  • Effort/time: Low effort, as it only takes a few seconds to scan the receipt. 
  • Earning potential: You won’t earn much this way, usually a few cents per scanned receipt, but some special offers may give you more generous rewards. 
• Watching videos:
  • How it works: You watch short video playlists through the Swagbucks video portal. These are mostly promotional videos and news snippets.  
  • Effort/time: Since you can play these videos in the background while doing something else, this is a low-effort method.
  • Earning potential: Watching videos has a low earning potential, usually 1-3SB per streaming session. 
• Other options: You can earn some additional rewards if you redeem Swag codes from Swagbucks social media or if you claim a signup bonus. 

No matter which earning method you choose, it is a supplemental income, not a job replacement. Don’t expect to earn a full-time income with any of these options. Also, keep in mind that different methods have different effort-to-reward ratios. 

For example, playing games and taking surveys have a high effort-to-reward ratio, while watching videos and scanning receipts have lower effort-to-reward ratios. 

How does Swagbucks pay you

As we already explained, by completing various tasks, you earn Swagbucks points. 100SB are roughly worth $1. Here is what you can do with your SB:

• You can redeem them for free gift cards (Amazon, Walmart, and other retailers). In this case, the minimum payout threshold is pretty low, only $1. The payout timing is also pretty short, 1-3 business days. 
• Send your SB to your PayPal account. You’ll need to earn at least $25 to do that, and you’ll have to wait for 2-3 business days.
• Save money by waiting to withdraw your earnings until you earn larger amounts. 

PayPal cash has a much higher payout threshold than the gift card option, and it takes a bit longer to process your payout request. However, the best payout method depends on your preferences and needs. 

Common signs of a scam vs. legitimate free apps

There are many survey sites and apps like Swagbucks that you can try out. Still, you need to stay safe, no matter which app or site you choose. Learn how to distinguish reputable sites from predatory scams. 

The easiest way to spot a predatory scam is if it requires upfront payments. Such platforms claim that you need to pay upfront fees to start earning money, but after you pay that fee, you realize that you won’t earn any money there.

Another telltale sign of a scam is a promise of unrealistically high earnings. There is no free money, and if some app claims to pay too much for too little effort, there is something shady with that app. Finally, if there is no proof that an app actually pays out, don’t use it. 

Swagbucks is completely free and won’t ever ask you to pay upfront fees. Plus, it has a completely transparent payout history. Despite some flaws we have listed here, this is a completely legitimate app that won’t scam you.