In today’s digital age, there are numerous opportunities to earn money online. Two popular platforms that offer such opportunities are Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and Branded Surveys. These platforms connect individuals with various online tasks and surveys, allowing them to earn money from the comfort of their homes. In this blog post, we will compare Amazon MTurk and Branded Surveys, highlighting their pros and cons to help you make an informed decision about which platform might be the right fit for you.

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk):

Amazon Mechanical Turk, commonly known as MTurk, is a crowdsourcing marketplace that enables individuals or businesses to outsource tasks(jobs) to a distributed workforce(you). Here are some pros and cons of using MTurk to make money online:

Pros:

1. Task Variety: MTurk offers a wide range of tasks, including data entry, content moderation, surveys, and more. This variety allows users to choose tasks that align with their skills and interests.

2. Flexibility: MTurk allows users to work at their own pace and select tasks based on their availability. You can work whenever you want, making it a great option for individuals with unpredictable schedules.

3. Global Reach: MTurk has a large international user base, which means there is a constant demand for tasks. This offers a higher likelihood of finding work opportunities compared to other platforms.

4. Payment Options: MTurk provides multiple payment options, including direct bank deposit, Amazon gift cards, and more. This flexibility allows users to choose the method that suits them best.

Cons:

1. Low Pay Rates: While MTurk offers a variety of tasks, the pay rates for many tasks can be relatively low. Some tasks may not compensate adequately for the time and effort invested.

2. Lack of Quality Control: As a crowdsourcing platform, MTurk may have a varying quality of tasks. It’s essential to research the requesters and read reviews before accepting a task to ensure fair compensation for your work.

3. Limited Eligibility: MTurk is available primarily to users in the United States. Users from other countries may have limited access to tasks, reducing their earning potential.

4. Competitive Environment: Due to the large user base, certain high-paying tasks can be highly competitive, making it challenging to secure them.

5. Finding add-ons and tricks to get notified of high-paying opportunities can be tricky or cost money.

6. No app. You need to use your browser on your phone to access MTurk.

Branded Surveys:

Branded Surveys is an online platform that rewards users for completing surveys and participating in market research. Let’s examine the pros and cons of using Branded Surveys to make money online:

Pros:

1. User-Friendly Interface: Branded Surveys provides a user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and find surveys that match your profile. This saves time and enhances the overall user experience.

2. Higher Pay Rates: Compared to some other survey platforms, Branded Surveys tends to offer relatively higher pay rates for completed surveys, providing better compensation for your time and effort.

3. Reward Options: Branded Surveys offers various redemption options, including cash via PayPal, gift cards, and charitable donations. The flexibility in reward choices allows users to find options that align with their preferences.

4. Loyalty Program: Branded Surveys has a loyalty program that rewards users with additional benefits, such as bonus points and increased survey opportunities. This encourages users to stay active and earn more rewards over time.

5. An App to access: Branded Surveys have an app that is easy to use and works great!

Cons:

1. Limited Availability: Branded Surveys may not be available in all countries, reducing the earning potential for users outside the supported regions.

2. Survey Screening: Users may spend time answering initial screening questions only to find out that they don’t qualify for a particular survey. This can be frustrating and time-consuming.

3. Survey Frequency

Which stay at home opportunity is best?

Since diving in and using both myself for a few months now, I have my opinion…well somewhat. Both MTurk and Branded Surveys are simple to use. I found that with MTurk, you did have to dig for what you are eligible for and find what ones have a good payout besides $0.01. Branded Surveys, I found that the survey would say 5 minutes, but by the time you did the pre-questioning, you could be 30 minutes in and still working on the survey. Do they both pay out? Yes, MTurk went right into my bank account every week. I do believe I set MTurk up to pay out at $0.50. Branded Survey, yes, the pay was there, but you need to link an account and then go in and submit that you want your money or gift card. However, it is 1 point for $1! I made a huge $7.89! Way more than I did with MTurk. I also found that if you didn’t keep up with Branded Surveys, you would lose your “standings”, and would need to rework your way to a specific rank. I had to do 12 survey’s a week, but you had to qualify for them. If you did not qualify, the survey did not count. And, these two opportunities may not replace your current wage. But, they are fun!

Final Thoughts!

If you are sitting at home and want to make a few extra dollars, this is great. Is it going to make you rich? No, maybe over time, I mean, one survey said I did so well for them, they sent me an extra $0.64! I loved being able to find out what transcribing was all about and learning about some research projects going on. I will probably keep playing around with both stay at home opportunities and play around some more. But, for now, I will continue to work on finding my perfect “work from home, for passive income,” adventure!