Table of Contents
Do you want to earn money online by doing one simple task? You can watch ads for money.
While this may sound like a typical online scam, there are many sites that pay for watching ads or watching, reviewing, or rating various videos.
However, I have a disclaimer: While some sites and apps allow you to watch ads for money, you won’t generate enough passive income to quit your day job. Think of the gig as a way to simultaneously kill time and cash in a few bucks.
In this post, I’ll share the top websites and apps to watch ads for money. I’ll also discuss the pros and cons of this side hustle and the tell-tale signs to watch out for to avoid scammers.
Let’s begin.
The 10 Best and Legit Websites To Watch Ads for Money
Check out my list of 10 websites and apps where you can earn cash to watch ads. Some platforms I’ll mention also pay users for completing online surveys and other activities.
MyPoints
MyPoints is among the first and most popular cashback and rewards-based shopping portals. As a member, you can save money and enjoy up to 40% cashback when you shop at participating retailers like Target and Amazon.
How To Earn
To earn rewards when you purchase from a participating retailer (like Target.com), visit the website through your MyPoints account.
Here’s how to review or redeem your points.
Click All Rewards in the pull-down menu.
Filter rewards by Gift Cards or eGift cards.
Another option is to select Sort by, which allows you to alphabetically sort points and participating retailers.
The available rewards are in black, while the unavailable ones are gray. Click the reward option you want to redeem and tap the Get Rewarded button to redeem your points.
If you choose eGift Cards, you’ll receive them within three business days. Sometimes, you may need to wait as long as ten days.
MyPoints also allows you to redeem your points as cash via PayPal and exchange these for United MileagePlus frequent flier miles.
The minimum cash-out for PayPal is $25.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| It’s free to join. | You can only sign up if you live in the US or Canada. |
| The site does not require sensitive information like credit card details. | It lacks a solid system that tracks the points from answering surveys. |
| You can get your money or redeem points in less than a week. | The earnings from some methods (e.g., coupons) may take longer to show up in your account. |
| Its mobile app is very functional. | |
| The site rewards you with $10 for just signing up. You can redeem it for an Amazon or Visa gift card. | |
| There are multiple ways to increase your points and earn cash. |
How To Get Started
Signing up is relatively easy and fast. You only need to provide basic details like your email address, birth date, and ZIP code. Next, wait for the email confirmation that lets you set up your account password.
Swagbucks
If you’re serious about watching videos for money, MyPoint’s sister site, Swagbucks, offers better options. The website also offers other ways to earn extra cash, like playing games and completing online activities (e.g., surveys).
How To Earn
Swagbucks tells you how much you can earn watching videos, allowing you to plan and maximize your spare time by making money.
However, the site only gives a few points, usually a few pennies. This side hustle is ideal only if you don’t have other worthwhile (or lucrative) things to do.
You can redeem the rewards you earn in gift cards or PayPal cash. Also, you’ll get a cash welcome bonus of $10 when you sign up.
You can redeem your gift cards for as low as $3, while the minimum payout for cash withdrawals is 2,500 points or $25.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| The site is functional and easy to use. | You must put in much work and time to earn points. |
| The browser extension is an excellent feature. | It’s not a lucrative side gig. |
| It offers multiple ways to earn and increase points. | Some users have complained about taking a long time to get their cash payout. |
| The cashback options are excellent. | |
| It offers a payout option. | |
| It offers a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up. |
How To Get Started
You must be at least 13 to sign up and earn money watching videos. The site recommends minors seek their parents or guardians’ permission before registering.
To sign up for Swagbucks, visit its website, enter your email, and select a password. Alternatively, you can use your existing Google or Facebook account to sign up.
InboxDollars
InboxDollars is a cash reward and online survey site that offers gift cards and PayPal payment for watching video ads (like movie trailers).
You can also get rewards for completing paid online surveys and trying out games.
How To Earn
After you watch videos, you get scratchcards containing anything between $0.05 and $30. You can redeem points in various ways, such as PayPal and e-gift cards from participating retailers. Alternatively, you can send donations to your favorite charities.
To cash out on InboxDollars, you must accumulate at least $15.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| It offers several cashout options (e.g., PayPal, Prepaid Visa, and charity donation). | It offers low earnings. |
| You won’t receive spam emails from third parties. | You won’t make money by completing surveys you don’t qualify for. |
| The website and mobile app are functional and easy to use. |
How To Get Started
You must be 18 to sign up and earn extra money from this platform. Creating your InboxDollars account is quick and easy. Visit the website, enter your email, and create a unique account password.
After signing up, you’ll receive a $5 welcome bonus.
PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel is a legitimate website that pays users to watch videos. Unlike many rewards sites with a high minimum withdrawal, you can redeem your points for as low as $2.
How To Earn
The site offers hundreds of e-gift card options and supports PayPal, Amazon, Visa, and Google Pay.
With this platform, you can earn by watching ads, playing games, and joining daily challenges, which you can see on the left side of the screen.
PrizeRebel also offers a weekly raffle with gift card prizes between $5 and $10. However, you need to buy a ticket that costs 10 cents.
Redeeming gift cards only takes a few minutes.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| The site offers an extensive number of paid surveys. | You can only enjoy PayPal withdrawals if you have obtained the “silver” status. |
| It supports numerous cashout options. | It has a high disqualification rate, resulting in low pay-per-hour earnings. |
| The PayPal option lets you select a custom amount to collect your earnings to the last cent. | The recommended “best” surveys are not always the most lucrative options based on actual testing. |
How to Get Started
The sign-up process is quick and does not require too much personal information. However, you must be 18 to create an account and earn money watching ads.
You can sign up with your email address or via your Facebook account.
Ibotta
Ibotta is a bit different from the other sites and apps on the list. While you can cash in a few bucks watching ads on this app, a better way to make more money is through cashback. The rate can be as high as 30% with every online purchase from participating retailers.
How To Earn
Ibotta is arguably the best app to enjoy reward points if you like shopping online. To use this platform, upload a photo of your receipt from your in-store purchase. Some participating retailers also allow you to connect your loyalty card to this website.
Ibotta also shows store-specific offers, which you can click and add to your clipped offers list. Each offer also contains these details:
Expiration date
Product exclusions
Additional bonuses
The number of times you can use an offer
Additionally, you can earn cashback on gift card purchases.
How much rewards you’ll earn depends on the offers you redeem. The reward rates vary significantly, from 10 cents to $3. But on rare occasions, you’ll get paid $10 to click ads.
You can cash out your earnings, which should reach at least $20, through these options:
PayPal
Bank account
Venmo
You can find over 120 retailers within the app.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| Earn $5 by referring friends. | The offers are store-limited. |
| The app and browser extension are functional and easy to use. | There are pop-up ads. |
| Enjoy up to 30% cashback on purchases from over 1,500 participating stores. | You must make online purchases through the app to earn cashback and other rewards. |
| You can earn up to a $20 welcome bonus after signing up for free. | You have to add offers before shopping. |
| The site and app are functional and user-friendly. |
How To Get Started
Although the website is functional and intuitive, I highly recommend using the mobile app because it’s easier to see and sort the offers.
To start with Ibotta, you only need a mobile phone (or computer) and an email address.
QuickRewards
QuickRewards is a website that offers over 50 ways to redeem your points, including in-store gift cards, PayPal cash, and Amazon gift cards. It’s a huge advantage if you want to try incentive-based activities other than watching videos online.
How To Earn
With QuickRewards, you can earn money by watching ads and doing the following activities.
Read emails.
Perform online activities.
Shop online.
Join paid surveys.
If you like informational and entertaining videos, QuickRewards is an excellent platform because of its content variety. Video categories on the site include pop culture, lifestyle, and news,
The minimum payout is 1 cent when you choose PayPal to cash out your rewards.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| Membership is free. | Only residents of the US and Canada can participate in QuickRewards. |
| Signing up is quick and easy. | You cannot log in using a VPN. |
| You can sign up for unlimited offers daily. | You need an SSN to redeem rewards over $600. |
| You must sign in at least every 90 days. |
How To Get Started
You must be at least 18 to sign up for QuickRewards. To set up your account, visit the website and complete your profile, which includes your demographics and interests.
Earnably
With Earnably, you can get paid to watch ads and earn points when you complete microtasks. You can redeem points for wallet codes or gift cards.
To get paid to watch ads on your phone or browser, you have different options to convert your points:
PayPal
Prepaid Visa cards
Electronic gift cards from various retailers
Cryptocurrency
Earnably estimates how long it takes to complete a task and how many points you can earn. Thus, you can decide whether the rewards are worth your time.
The minimum payout is only $1.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| There are multiple ways to earn points. | The income potential is significantly low. |
| It has a low cashout requirement; you only need 125 points to withdraw $1. | It’s hard to qualify for many surveys, lowering the chances of your earning points. |
| Membership is free. | |
| You can convert your points into cash, gift cards, Bitcoin, and Steam credit. | |
| The website’s interface is functional. |
How To Get Started
Getting paid to watch commercials on Earnably is easy. You only need 18 to sign in with your email, Google, Facebook, or PayPal account.
Once you sign up, you’ll get a unique referral link to invite your friends and family. If you get them to sign up, you’ll earn 10% of the points they accumulate for the lifetime of your account.
KashKick
KashKick only pays you money for watching videos. It does not offer other payment options like electronic gift cards or reward points. It’s an excellent platform if you don’t want to worry about point conversions.
How To Earn
Although Kashkick gives you cash to watch videos online, you can maximize your earning potential by referring friends or family to this platform. If you get them to sign up, you’ll earn a 25% commission on their total earnings for life.
Aside from watching online videos, KashKick rewards you when you take surveys and play games.
Once you earn at least $10 in your account, you can withdraw cash through PayPal.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| It offers a decent number of surveys that pay out via PayPal. | The support is poor at times. |
| You’ll receive PayPal cash after a few hours of making a request. | The site has a notably high disqualification and error rate (around 66%). |
| It offers a generous referral program that pays you a 25% commission on your referrals’ lifetime earnings. | You cannot sort or filter surveys. |
| The average per-hour pay is very low (around $1.43). |
How To Get Started
Signing up for Kashkick is easy and free. You only need to visit their website, complete your profile, and confirm your email.
Slidejoy
Slidejoy is a popular incentive-based app that rents your device’s lock screen for cash rewards. You can also watch ads for gift cards and donate your earnings to your favorite charity.
How To Earn
Slidejoy loads your phone’s home screen with news stories and quick ads that pay and are relevant to your interests. Swipe left to check them out, or swipe right to ignore them. No matter which way you slide, you’ll earn points in the form of carats.
When you accumulate at least 2,000 carats, or $2, you can convert them into gift cards from participating retailers and brands. You can also cash out through PayPal or donate your earnings to a charity.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| The app is intuitive and easy to use. | The app is only available to Android users. |
| The app is free to download. | It’s only available in the US, UK, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area. |
| You can use other screen lock apps simultaneously to increase your earnings. | PayPal is the only way to cash out your rewards. |
| The average daily earnings are low, averaging around 20 cents a day. | |
| There is a privacy issue. |
How To Get Started
You need to use this app in the US, UK, Switzerland, or any country in the European Area.
Currently, it does not support IOS smartphones and only works on Android devices.
Nielsen Family
The Nielsen Family app works differently from other sites on this list. You can only join the program if the company sends you an exclusive invitation.
How To Earn
Besides watching videos, you can also earn rewards by joining games and allowing the app to track how and when you use your device. It does not collect sensitive information (e.g., passwords, user IDs, bank details, and more).
The app only collects data to help companies get a bigger picture of consumer behavior and market trends, valuable details when creating effective marketing strategies.
Pros and Cons
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| You get a cash bonus ranging from $10 to $50. | You can only join the rewards program if you receive an invitation from the company. |
| There is a privacy issue. |
How To Get Started
You can only join Nielsen’s reward program if you receive an invite from the company. If you accept the invitation, you must download the app or software to your device.
How To Protect Yourself From Scams Online
Before making money online, protecting yourself from scams and data breaches is essential. Here are a few ways to stay safe while watching videos for money.
Research and Verify the Platform’s Legitimacy.
Simple online research will reveal a lot about a site or app. Pay attention to customer reviews and how proactive they are when responding to users.
You can also use the Better Business Burea database to learn more about the reputation of a company or website.
Read User Reviews.
Reading honest reviews can help you decide if a reward program is worth your time and effort.
Review the Terms and Conditions.
A few sites and apps on the list raise privacy issues, especially those that track your online activities. Thus, carefully review the terms and conditions before signing up for rewards-giving programs.
Beware of Unrealistically High Earnings.
Even if you’re highly committed, you can only expect to earn a few dollars (around $5) daily from watching video playlists. In short, this side hustle won’t replace your nine-to-five.
Avoid Upfront Payments.
No legitimate website or company will ever ask you to pay in advance. Any website that does is likely a scam.
Protect Your Personal Information.
Always watch out for links and attachments. Check to see if the site is secure by looking into these things:
The website’s privacy policy
Contact information
Lock symbol
URL that begins with HTTPS
Verified secure seal
Use Secure Payment Methods.
Secure payment methods use sophisticated encryption technology to protect payment information and customer data.
Use gift cards and secure payment apps when making money online because these options offer high data protection.
Here are some popular payment methods known for their strong data encryption:
PayPal
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are There Legit Websites That Pay You To Watch Ads?
Yes. MyPoints, Swagbucks, and PrizeRebel are legit platforms that pay you to watch videos, answer surveys, play games, etc.
All the sites and apps I mentioned on the list are legit incentive-based programs.
What Are Apps That Pay You for Watching Ads?
Nielsen Family is an app-only reward program that pays you to watch ads and TV shows. You can also try the mobile versions of these rewards-giving sites.
MyPoints
InboxDollars
Ibotta
Slidejoy
How Much Do I Get Paid To Watch Ads?
You can make between 5 cents and $5 per day watching video ads. The potential earnings depend on where you live, your platform, and what additional tasks you perform.
How Can I Earn Money by Watching Ads?
You must be at least 18 to join most reward-giving sites and apps. You also need a computer or smartphone to sign up and watch video ads.
Most sites and apps will require you to have a PayPal account to cash out your rewards.
Where Can I Watch Ads for Money to Quit My Day Job?
Unfortunately, no incentive-based program will give enough cash rewards to let you quit your nine-to-five job. Even if you’re highly committed, you’ll likely earn just a few dollars daily with these sites and apps.
Should I Watch Ads for Cash?
Yes. However, you should only watch ads and videos if you don’t mind the low payout.
The side hustle is also ideal if you’re a big Netflix fan. Some sites pay you to watch shows from this popular streaming service.
Swagbucks
InboxDollars
Kashkick
Edubirdie
How To Make Money Watching Ads?
You must sign up for a reputable reward-giving site or download its app using your email (or Facebook and Google account, if applicable).
Next, create your profile and set up your payment methods. Most likely, the platform will require you to have a PayPal account to withdraw cash.
The Bottom Line
Some legit websites and apps pay money and give gift cards when you watch their ads. However, you must protect yourself from scams whenever you make money online.
Another thing you need to realize is that watching ads for money is not a profitable gig. To earn decent cash online and enjoy flexibility simultaneously, consider websites or platforms that pay users to type or perform simple online tasks.
