Is InboxDollars Legit? Everything You Need to Know (2026 Update)

Sites that pay you for taking online surveys, playing games or searching the web are appealing, right?

You’re mindlessly making money — or at least more mindlessly than at your 9-to-5 gig.

But finding legitimate reward and cash-back sites is easier said than done. You’re either plagued with pop-up ads, bombarded with emails, or, even worse, caught up in a scam.

So I signed up for InboxDollars and gave it a spin. Can people make money on the site? I documented my experience with the company in our InboxDollars review. Spoiler alert: InboxDollars is legit, and yes, it really pays cash.

Quick verdict: InboxDollars is legit, free to use and a decent way to get small payouts. However, earnings are slow and some features have changed recently.
Best for: Casual users who want to earn a few extra dollars here and there with low effort.
Not best for: Anyone looking for a lot of money — like enough to become a full side hustle.

What Is InboxDollars?

InboxDollars is a free rewards website that pays users cash for completing simple online activities like surveys, offers, games and receipt uploads. Instead of points, InboxDollars shows earnings in dollars, which makes it easier to understand how much you’re actually making.

The company was founded in 2000 by the computer science student Darren Cotter, and it was acquired by the consumer rewards platform Prodege in 2019. It also runs InboxPounds (U.K.) and DailyRewards (Canada).

Anyone can sign up, and you can rack up extra money in your free time by using the site on your desktop, laptop or smartphone.

It’s one of several survey sites that pay real money. In fact, we have a list of our favorites.

InboxDollars is owned by Prodege, which is a legit company.

Prodege is a consumer insights and marketing company. It’s the same company behind Swagbucks and several other long-running rewards platforms. Prodege has a long track record of paying users and working with major advertisers.

Is InboxDollars Legit or a Scam?

InboxDollars is 100% a legitimate way to make extra money online. It’s been around for over 20 years, and the company says it’s paid members more than $80 million since 2000.

Like most survey sites, InboxDollars looks a little overwhelming at first, but it’s a pretty simple way to boost your bank account and earn some easy cash. An important thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t make you that much money. As long as you’re expecting even just a few dollars out of it, you’ll probably have a much better experience. 

So, simply put: Is Inbox Dollars legit? It absolutely is. But to put your mind at ease, here are some more details on how it all works. 

InboxDollars makes money from advertisers, not from charging users.

InboxDollars is a free online rewards platform that never requires payment to access its core earning features. So, no, you don’t have to pay anything to start earning. InboxDollars is free to join and offers access to a wide range of online rewards club features without charging a fee. Many users begin earning cash rewards immediately by taking surveys, playing games, or using the InboxDollars search engine.

InboxDollars earns revenue when users complete surveys, sign up for offers or interact with partner promotions. Advertisers pay InboxDollars for access to user feedback and signups, and InboxDollars shares a portion of that revenue with users.

Common complaints include disqualifications, tracking issues and slow support.

It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Some users report being screened out of surveys after answering several questions or having offers fail to track. Support responses can also be slow during busy periods. These issues happen with other rewards sites, so even though it’s frustrating, it’s not a sign you’re being scammed.

As far as reviews go, many InboxDollars reviews on platforms like Trustpilot and the Google Play Store confirm that users do receive payouts. In fact, as of 2026, InboxDollars holds a 4/5 rating on Trustpilot, a 4.5/5 rating on iOS with over 222,000 reviews, and a 4.1/5 rating on Google Play with more than 163,000 reviews.

How InboxDollars Pays You (Cash-Out, Minimums, Timing)

You can get paid through PayPal, ePayment (loaded to a prepaid Visa card), Amazon gift cards, or other gift cards. It usually takes about three to five business days, but some forms of payment could be closer to 20.

The minimum cash-out is $15 for your first payout and $10 after that.

Your first cash out needs to hit a minimum of $15. From there the minimum is $10. The higher first threshold can make earnings feel slow at the beginning.

Payment options include PayPal, virtual gift cards, and prepaid Visa cards.

Most users choose to cash out through PayPal. It’s often easier, and you’re getting cash. InboxDollars also offers several digital gift cards and prepaid Visa options. InboxDollars itself does not charge cash-out fees, though PayPal may apply fees depending on your account.

Most payouts are processed within about three business days.

After you request a payout, InboxDollars typically processes payments within a few business days. Processing times can be longer during holidays or high-volume periods.

How Much Can You Make on InboxDollars? (Realistic Earnings)

Offers on the site generally pay just a few cents each, but surveys pay between 25 cents and $5 apiece. You’ll see how much you can earn before completing a task, so you can decide whether it’s worth your time.

Our test earned $7.63 in about a day of casual use.

During our test, we focused on surveys and a couple of partner offers and earned $7.63 in roughly 24 hours of on-and-off use. Higher-paying offers required more time and personal information, while quick surveys paid less.

Typical earnings range from a few dollars a week to $20–$50 over several weeks.

Most users report earning small amounts even with consistent use. The payouts can get bigger with specific offers, but these might be more time consuming. How much you earn will also depend on where you live, your demographics and which offers you choose/are offered.

Best Ways to Earn on InboxDollars (Ranked)

InboxDollars offers several earning methods, but some are far more worthwhile than others.

Partner offers usually pay the most but require careful tracking.

Offers like free trials or signups often pay the highest amounts, sometimes $10 or more. These offers require attention to deadlines and terms, and you should always cancel trials you don’t want to keep.

Surveys are the most consistent option but often disqualify users.

InboxDollars connects you with survey providers to take paid market research surveys. Brands pay a survey company to connect with consumers and get opinions on products and services to help with marketing and product development.

InboxDollars passes some of that money directly to you.

In your account, you’ll see available surveys under the “Surveys” tab at the top of the webpage.

There, you’ll find your notification dashboard, which aggregates surveys you might qualify for (based on a profile survey you fill out when you sign up).

Surveys list their estimated completion time, as well as how much you can earn. Some surveys even list a specific topic, like “media and entertainment” or “entertainment (movies, music, TV, etc.).”

Many of the survey offers I’ve seen vary. You’ll find that some pay 25 cents for a 22-minute survey, $2.25 for a 10-minute survey, or $1 for a 19-minute survey. It varies across the board, and the available surveys are updated regularly.

As you complete surveys, you’ll also work toward earning free scratch-off tickets, which is another opportunity to earn cash.

There is a chance you get screened out of a survey partway through. If you don’t qualify for a survey, don’t worry — InboxDollars will attempt to match you with surveys that are a better fit. This process ensures you don’t waste time and increases your chances of earning money with future online surveys. You’ll often earn a scratch-off ticket for your attempt, which could lead to cash prizes.

Games can pay bonuses but should be treated cautiously.

Some game offers pay for reaching certain levels, but they may take significant time or encourage in-app spending. There’s no guarantee you’ll earn more than you spend. Only do these offers if you’re OK with the risk you’re taking. 

Receipts, emails, referrals and other tasks provide small add-on earnings.

These options don’t earn as much on their own. But they can help you build up earnings. 

• Printing coupons: Double-win! Find free printable coupons on the site, and get paid for printing them. Earn more for redeeming them when you shop.
• Shopping online: Earn cash back when you shop for major brands through InboxDollars.
• Reading emails: Through the site’s flagship PaidEmail feature, you’ll receive emails from advertisers and get paid just for opening them. You can earn more by completing additional actions, like signing up for email newsletters or joining a loyalty program.
• Referring friends: Share your referral link and earn when your friends sign up and start earning.
• Participating in daily polls: Earn a few cents a day simply by answering one-question polls.
• Uploading receipts: Some promotions allow users to upload grocery receipts for a few dollars in rewards.
• Downloading apps: Earn cash by trying new apps, games, or services through the site.

What Changed Recently on InboxDollars?

InboxDollars has removed or reduced some features that longtime users remember.

Search & Earn has ended for most users.

InboxDollars previously paid small amounts for using its search tool, but this feature has been discontinued because of partner changes.

The “Watch” video feature ended in 2022.

InboxDollars officially ended its Watch video program in June 2022. Any remaining video-style activities are limited promotions and not a core earning method.

Feature availability can vary by account and location.

InboxDollars regularly tests and rotates features, so not every user sees the same options. Always check your own dashboard for what’s currently available.

Pros and Cons of InboxDollars

Although InboxDollars won’t replace your income, it’s a fun way to poke around the internet and waste some time taking surveys or performing other simple activities. I’m sure you already do plenty of that — why not get paid for it? Here are some pros and cons to think about.

Pros

• Easy to navigate: Overall, InboxDollars is very easy to navigate. I’ve tried other consumer survey sites and can end up overwhelmed. It also does a nice job of breaking down the offers by categories.
• Watch your earnings grow: You’ll always see the amount of money you’ve earned in your account at the top of your window. On similar sites, it always looks like you’ve racked up so many points. But when you cash out, you get, say, a $10 Amazon card. Here, you know exactly what you’re getting while you play.
• Earn money, not points: I love that the site rewards you in dollars — not points, whose value can change at any time.
• Fun and entertaining: The site entertained me. I even found myself growing a bit addicted. I kept checking for new surveys, looking for scratch-off tickets — which actually helped me earn money.

Cons

• Low earnings: Once again, InboxDollars isn’t going to bring you big bucks. I tested the site for about 24 hours, and I earned $7.63, which includes the $5 sign-up bonus.
• No pay for qualifying surveys: You have to answer questions to determine whether you actually qualify for a survey suggested in your dashboard, and InboxDollars doesn’t pay you for answering those questions, unlike some competitors. I’d answer up to 10 questions before being told that I can’t take a survey.
• Sometimes time consuming: I admittedly had little patience with some surveys and at times grew a bit frustrated. Also, surveys sometimes took longer than the estimated time.

InboxDollars vs. Swagbucks

InboxDollars and Swagbucks are similar platforms owned by the same company, but they appeal to slightly different users. InboxDollars shows earnings in cash, while Swagbucks uses points that convert to cash or gift cards. Swagbucks generally offers more earning options and lower cash-out thresholds. InboxDollars feels simpler for beginners who prefer seeing dollar amounts.

How to Sign Up for InboxDollars

Signing up to be an InboxDollars member is easy. To get started:

1. Click over to the sign-up page for a free $5 sign-up bonus.
2. Enter your email address and create a password. You’ll receive a confirmation email. Once you confirm your account, you’ll earn that $5 bonus.
3. Fill out a profile survey: Race, income, degree, marital status, kids (or not) and medical history. There are 30 questions in total, and you’ll get an extra 50 cents for completing them.

The types of questions in the profile survey seemed on par with all other survey sites I’ve visited. And although there were a generous number of questions, they went quickly. Plus, you’ll get a couple of breaks to do some scratch-off tickets, potentially giving you ways to earn even more (I got an additional 2 cents).

I got distracted a few times, but I suspect the account setup process didn’t take more than about 15 minutes.

Pro Tips to Earn More on InboxDollars

As I played with InboxDollars, I stumbled across a few tips that could help you earn more money and enjoy using the site more.

• Before you cash out: Your first payout requires $15, but all future cash-outs only require $10. Payments are processed in about three business days (up to 10 for PayPal). The old $3 check fee has been removed, though some users now report a small $0.30 PayPal processing fee.
• Get PaidEmail on the site: When you sign up, you’ll opt-in for up to four “PaidEmail” opportunities a day, which pop into your email’s inbox. But you can also get these sent to your InboxDollars inbox (the little mail icon in the top right corner), so I opted out and just viewed them on the site.
• Control your email preferences: If you want to change your email preferences, just go to your account settings in InboxDollars and scroll down to your email subscriptions. This will help you manage how many email notifications you receive.
• Set up a separate email address: To keep your main inbox totally clean, create a special email address just for survey sites. You can create a free email account through Gmail. Just don’t forget to check it, so you can get paid for your PaidEmails!
• Perks for Gold Members: Once you receive your first payment, you automatically become a Gold Member, with perks such as faster payouts.
• Follow InboxDollars: Keep an eye on InboxDollars’ social media channels. There, the company posts WinIt codes. Copy and paste codes into the WinIt box on your dashboard to win sweepstakes entries, a cash prize, or a contest entry.

FAQs about InboxDollars

Alternatives to InboxDollars

The bottom line on InboxDollars: Is it legit? Very much so. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the only money-making app you should research. To that point, if you’re looking for other opportunities to make money online, here are a few other survey sites and apps that pay real money:

• Solitaire Cash: This mobile app lets users make real money by playing mobile games in skill-based tournaments. Earnings vary depending on your performance.
• Swagbucks: Earn more money by completing simple tasks like watching videos, shopping, and completing surveys.
• KashKick: A survey and rewards platform with a lower payout threshold and plenty of opportunities to earn rewards.
• Freecash: This app allows users to complete surveys and offers for cash rewards, with high ratings from users seeking fast payouts.

If InboxDollars feels too slow, there are other options worth considering. Check out our list of other survey sites we like. 

Final Verdict

We know online surveys and cash-back sites won’t help you quit your day job — or even amount to a worthy side hustle. But they let you get paid for mindlessly scrolling through your phone!

If you’re already doing that (and we know you are), you might as well earn some extra cash… right?

If you want to give the site a try, sign up for that $5 bonus here.

Carson Kohler is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.