9 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Search the Web in 2025

But it’s legit!

There are websites and apps that actually reward you for using their search engines or letting them track your searches.

Let me explain why.

So Why Would Companies Pay You to Search?

You might wonder, “Why would anyone pay me to search the web?”

The answer is simple: data.

Data is hugely important to companies. In fact, some etch companies can only make money using our data, social media sites like Instagram and TikTok are prime examples of that.

Companies are always looking for ways to understand what we (as consumers) are interested in, what we search for, and how we behave online.

So by paying us to track our searches and how we use internet, they gain valuable insights into trends and preferences.

This helps them improve their products, services, and advertising strategies.

So basically getting paid to search is a win-win. You earn rewards, and companies get the data they need to grow. Simple, right?

Best Sites That Pay You to Search the Web

Ready to make money while searching the web?

Here are the best websites and apps that pay you to search or track your search data.

1. Swagbucks

• How much you can earn: From $20 to $100 per month
• How you get paid: Gift cards, PayPal, prepaid Visa cards

Swagbucks (owned by Prodege, LLC) is one of the biggest and most trusted rewards sites online that has been around since 2008.

When you search for “how to make money online” Swagbucks is one of the names that consistently shows up on lists of ways to earn money.

How to earn money with Swagbucks search

With Swagbucks you earn points called SB for using their search engine.

Simply log into your account, use their search bar, and start earning. The more you search, the more points you can rack up. It’s that easy!

You can also set Sawbucks as your default search engine on your browser of choice and do your searches as you would normally.

Other ways to make money with Swagbucks

What I especially like about Swagbucks is that searching the web is just one way to earn with Swagbucks.

You can also:

• Take surveys.
• Watch videos.
• Play games.
• Shop online and earn cashback.
• Complete daily tasks and challenges.

Read my comprehensive review of Swagbucks for more detail and tips for making more money.

Swagbucks is a great way to turn your daily searches into actual rewards and cash. It’s user-friendly, versatile, and a great way to earn a little extra cash in your spare time.

2. Qmee

• How much you can earn: Varies depending on search activity and surveys, but potential for consistent earnings
• How you get paid: PayPal, Gift cards

The next platform that pays you for searching is Qmee, a site lunched in 2012 that’s very popular because of its instant payouts and no minimum cash-out requirement.

How to earn with Qmee searches

With Qmee, you don’t have to change your search engine or anything else. Simply install Qmee’s free browser extension and do your searches as usual. But now, there will be a few sponsored links in your search results. To earn rewards, you need to click one of those sponsored links. Simple as that!

You can also earn by taking surveys which is a great way to boost your earning.

The best feature of Qmee is that you can cash out anytime, whether you’ve earned $1 or $50, And you are paid instantly!

3. Microsoft Rewards

• How much you can earn: From $5 to $10 per month
• How you get paid: Gift cards, subscriptions, Xbox games

Microsoft Rewards is a reward program from Microsoft. Microsoft started this program in 2010 in hopes of increasing Bing’s users (Bing search has a very small portion of the global search volume (compared to more than 90% that Google enjoys).

Note: Since the Microsoft search engine is called Bing, the program used to be known as “Bing Rewards.” However, since Microsoft has expanded the program to include other ways to earn rewards, they changed the name to Microsoft Rewards.

How to earn with Microsoft rewards

To start earning, sign up for a free Microsoft Rewards account. Then do your searches through Bing. For every search you perform, you earn points that can be redeemed for rewards like gift cards, sweepstakes entries, nonprofit donations, and more.

You can also earn points by taking quizzes and completing daily challenges.

4. Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel

• How much you can earn: $60 and a chance to win up to $500 monthly
• How you get paid: Gift cards, PayPal and sweepstakes entries

Yes, this is a reward program from the Nielsen company, the company behind the famous Nielsen TV rating!

With Nielsen TV they help TV channels gather data about the popularity of various shows. With this program, they gather data to help companies understand how people use the internet and mobile apps.

How to earn money with Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel

This is the easiest of the bunch. Essentially, you only have to install an app and do nothing else to earn your rewards!

To get started with Nielsen, simply install their free app on your computer or mobile device.

Once installed, the app runs in the background, collecting data about how you use the internet and various apps. And yes, the data is gathered anonymously, meaning they won’t share your name, address, or any identifiable information with companies.

You don’t have to do anything else. This is as passive as it gets, lol!

Now if you want to earn more, you can also participate in their online surveys and research studies.

You can use your earnings to either cash out via PayPal, redeem for gift cards, or even buy entries to sweepstakes with prizes of up to $500.

5. MobileXpression

• How much you can earn: $5.28 per month and $63.36 per year
• How you get paid: Gift cards, sweepstakes entries

MobileXpression is very similar to Nielsen. But it mainly focuses son collecting data about mobile internet usage. They then share this data with companies to help them improve their mobile services and apps.

How to earn with MobileXpression

Same as with Nielsen, simply install the MobileXpression app on your smartphone. The app runs in the background, tracking your mobile internet activity.

The good thing is the app works in the background without interrupting your normal phone usage, so you don’t need to change anything about how you use your phone. You won’t even notice the app!

So basically you’re paid to use your phone and search the internet as you normally would.

And the more you keep the app installed on your phone, the more you earn.

6. SavvyConnect

• How much you can earn: $3 per device per month!
• How you get paid: Check

If you have been taking online surveys to make extra money, you know the name Savvy Research, the company behind the popular paid survey site SurveySavvy. This is a program from the same company.

They collect data on how we use the internet to help companies improve their websites, apps, and other online services.

And yes, you guessed it, no personal information is collected—just anonymous data.

How to make money with SavvyConnect

To get started with SavvyConnect, just install their software on your computer, tablet, and smartphone. The app runs in the background, tracking how you use the internet on your various devices.

One of the coolest things about SavvyConnect is that the more devices you install their app on, the more money you earn.

By the way, you don’t have to do anything else beyond initially installing their app on your device. As long as you keep it installed, you earn rewards each month!

You earn $3 per device. So if you install the app on your phone, laptop, and computer, you can earn an easy $9 per month without doing anything!

Not to mention, as a member, you will have access to high-paying research studies that can help you earn even more cash!

7. CrowdGen by Appen

• How much you can earn: Approximately $12 to $20 per hour depending on the project
• How you get paid: PayPal, Payoneer, Airtm and Direct Deposit.

Appen is one of the oldest companies that started offering legitimate remote work-from-home jobs nearly 15 years ago.

It’s an artificial intelligence and data collection company that connects businesses with freelancers to improve search engines, online services, and AI systems.

How to make money with CrowdGen by Appen

With CrowdGen, you get paid to do tasks like fact-checking videos, pictures, and posts on social media, evaluating text-to-speech audio, assessing search results on entertainment sites, and other similar tasks.

You will need to apply for individual projects, and once accepted, you’ll receive training for the tasks, making it easier for you to complete them correctly.

As for pay, you are paid based on the number of tasks you complete or the hours you work. Depending on the tasks and your skills, you can earn up to $20 per hour.

8. Brave Browser

• How much you can earn: Up to $5 to $10 worth of BAT tokens per month, depending on browsing activity
• How you get paid: Cryptocurrency (BAT tokens)

If you are worried about privacy and the way search engines track your every move, you’ve probably heard of Brave.

It works like any other browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.), but with one major difference: it blocks ads and trackers. So your search activities are not logged.

How do you earn rewards with Brave Browser

It is also great for our purpose of getting paid to search online. You can earn rewards by using the Brave browser and viewing what they call “privacy-respecting ads.”

And no, you do not need to click on ads to earn. Just do your usual searching and browsing activities as normal.

Yeah, it really is that easy!

As a reward, you earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT).

You earn BATs based on the number of ads you view and the time spent browsing. You can then exchange your BATs for other cryptocurrencies or cash via crypto exchanges.

9. Get Paid as a Search Engine Evaluator

As you can see, these sites are great for you to use to earn extra money without working an actual job.

But they can’t replace your 9-5 job. So if you are looking for something that can help you earn consistently, you may want to look into Search Engine Evaluator jobs.

You know it’s incredible the way search engines work, giving you results from the billions of web pages that are available.

To stay on top of it, search companies have to continually improve, trying to give the user the best possible results so that they are happy to use that particular search engine.

This is where you, as a Search Engine Evaluator, come in.

You will basically do various tasks (like rating the search results for certain queries) to test the search engines and provide feedback for improvements.

It’s a legitimate work at home job that pays well. You can earn anywhere from $12 and $15 per hour.

To find legit search engine evaluator jobs use job search sites like Indeed and FlexJobs.

Can You Get Paid to Search on Google?

Unfortunately, no!

Google does not pay for googling as it doesn’t have any reward programs like the one Microsoft has. Although there are many ways to make money with Google, like legit Google work at home jobs.

FAQs: Get Paid to Search the Web

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions and their answers about sites that pay you to search.

Can I Make Money Searching the Web?

Yes, you can make money by searching the web! Many platforms, like Swagbucks, Qmee, and Microsoft Rewards, reward users for everyday online activities like web searches. These programs often pay in gift cards, PayPal cash, or even cryptocurrency.

Where Can I Get Paid to Search the Web?

Some of the top platforms where you can earn money searching the web include Swagbucks, Qmee, Microsoft Rewards and Brave Browser.

How Can I Get Paid to Search the Web?

Sign up for any of the platforms you are interested in, complete tasks to earn rewards, then redeem your earnings for cash, gift cards or other payment options.

How Much Money Can I Make Searching the Web?

It really depends on the platform and your activity level. Generally, you can expect to make an extra $20 to $100 a month, especially if you use multiple websites. But you can earn much more with remote jobs like search engine elevator jobs that you can get via companies like Appen.

Do I Have to Pay Taxes on My Earnings?

Yes, if you earn money through web searches or related activities, it’s considered taxable income. If you make more than $600 a year from a single company, they may send you a 1099 form. Otherwise, it is up to you to declare that earning and pay taxes on it!

Wrapping up!

As you can see, there are a few legit and fun ways you can earn money by simply searching and surfing the web.

Whether you’re browsing for fun or looking for answers, remember that your searches can now lead to earnings. So be sure to join a few of these sites or install a few of these apps and browser extensions so you can always get paid for searching, no matter how, when, where and on what device you “Google it“!