Swagbucks is a rewards website where you can earn points from things such as surveys, mobile games, shopping and online offers, then exchange those points for cash or gift cards.
We’ve used Swagbucks ourselves, although not for several years.
When we used it regularly, we earned real rewards and at one point saved more than £100 in Amazon vouchers towards Christmas shopping.
So, in September 2026, I logged back into our old account to see what Swagbucks looks like now and whether I would still recommend it.
The short answer is that Swagbucks is legit, but I wouldn’t treat it as a serious source of income.
Our quick verdict
Swagbucks could be worth trying if you enjoy paid surveys, mobile games or earning cashback on purchases you were already planning to make.
It’s free to join and there are several different ways to earn SB, which can then be exchanged for rewards.
The downside is that some activities offer far better value than others. Surveys can screen you out, bigger gaming rewards can take time to unlock and offers that involve spending money need to be treated carefully.
I wouldn’t try to complete everything Swagbucks throws at you.
I’d pick the things that make sense and ignore the rest.
Want to try Swagbucks?
Create a free Swagbucks account and see which surveys, games and offers are available to you.
New members can also get a Swagbucks sign-up bonus, subject to the current offer terms.
Our experience with Swagbucks
We’ve had a Swagbucks account for years.
When we used it regularly, I would often earn around £10 to £20 a month in Amazon vouchers, and over one year we saved more than £100 towards Christmas shopping.
Those are our historical results rather than a promise of what someone joining today will earn.
We eventually stopped using Swagbucks regularly and hadn’t properly looked at the account for several years.
Rather than simply updating our old review from information on the Swagbucks website, I logged back into our original account in September 2026.
It was still active and had 124 SB sitting in it.
Quite a lot had changed.
Games are far more prominent than I remember, there are plenty of UK rewards available and surveys are still a major part of the site.
What do other Swagbucks users think?
We asked Skint Dad readers who have used Swagbucks what they think of it now. The responses were mixed, although several said they still find parts of Swagbucks worthwhile.
One reader who uses the daily poll and quizzes said it can take months to build enough SB to cash out, but described it as “free money for little commitment”.
Another told us Swagbucks isn’t as good as it used to be, but said she still finds it “well worth doing”.
One reader said she had made around £150 from playing some of the game offers, although she warned that some stages can be difficult to complete without spending money.
There were frustrations too, particularly around survey screening and the amount of time some surveys take for the reward offered.
That matches our own view. Swagbucks probably works best when you pick the offers that suit you rather than trying to earn from everything on the site.
How does Swagbucks work?
Swagbucks has its own rewards currency called SB.
You earn SB by completing eligible activities and then exchange them for rewards.
Swagbucks currently lists ways to earn, including surveys and polls, mobile games, shopping, Magic Receipts, Discover offers and web searches.
You don’t need to use all of them.
For me, the important question is which activities give you a reasonable return for the time involved.
Ways to earn with Swagbucks
Paid surveys
Surveys are one of the easiest places to start because you don’t need to buy anything.
When I checked our account in September 2026, the surveys available varied considerably.
For example, I could see:
- 7 SB for around four minutes
- 20 SB for around five minutes
- 75 SB for around 13 minutes
- 125 SB for around 19 minutes
- 250 SB for around 22 minutes
I’d look at the estimated time as well as the number of SB.
A survey paying more isn’t automatically better value if it takes three times as long.
You can also find that you don’t qualify for a particular survey, so I wouldn’t expect every one you start to result in a payout.
Playing mobile games
This was probably the biggest change I noticed after returning to Swagbucks.
Our account was full of mobile gaming offers.
These included Monopoly GO!, Monopoly Bingo, Coin Master Board Adventure, Rise of Kingdoms and plenty of others.
Some advertised very large potential SB rewards.
The important words here are “earn up to”.
Seeing a game advertising thousands of SB doesn’t mean you receive that amount just for downloading it. When I checked a Monopoly GO offer in our account, the reward was split across multiple milestones, with extra bonuses for reaching certain boards within a set number of days.
Check the individual milestones, how long you have to complete them and exactly what you need to do before starting.
And don’t start spending money inside a game simply because you’re chasing a reward without first working out whether it makes financial sense.
Cashback shopping
You can earn SB when making eligible purchases through participating retailers.
Swagbucks says the amount you earn can differ by retailer, purchase type and offer terms.
This is most useful when you’re buying something you planned to purchase anyway.
Buying something you don’t need purely to earn a few SB isn’t saving or making money.
Receipts, search and other offers
Swagbucks also currently rewards activities including uploading eligible receipts, Discover offers and web searches.
I’d treat these as additional ways to collect SB rather than feeling you need to use every feature.
How much money can you make with Swagbucks?
There isn’t a single honest monthly figure I can give you.
When we used Swagbucks regularly years ago, we often earned around £10 to £20 a month in rewards.
Some of the larger game and promotional offers advertise considerably higher potential rewards.
Someone who occasionally answers a survey might earn very little.
That’s why I think the better question is:
How much time or money does this reward require?
Earning £5 for something you were going to do anyway might be worthwhile.
Earning £5 after hours of doing something you don’t enjoy might not be.
Want to see what’s available?
Games, surveys and offers change, so have a look at what’s available and decide whether any of them are worth your time.
How do you get paid by Swagbucks?
Once you’ve earned enough SB, you can exchange them for rewards.
When I logged into our UK account in September 2026, rewards included:
- Amazon
- Tesco
- Marks & Spencer
- PayPal
- Apple
- John Lewis
- Caffè Nero
Several £5 gift cards were showing at 650 SB.
A £5 PayPal reward was showing at 680 SB.
That means I wouldn’t simply tell you that a fixed number of SB always equals a particular amount in pounds.
Check the reward you actually want.
Swagbucks continues to support PayPal redemptions, although your Swagbucks and PayPal details need to meet its verification requirements.
What are the downsides of Swagbucks?
Swagbucks being legitimate doesn’t mean everything available is worth doing.
Surveys can waste your time
Survey screening can be frustrating.
Check both the reward and estimated completion time before you start.
Gaming rewards can look easier than they are
Some of the maximum rewards are huge.
Don’t judge an offer purely by the headline figure.
Check what each milestone requires.
Spending money can defeat the point
If an offer requires you to spend far more than the reward is worth, think carefully about why you’re doing it.
A reward shouldn’t become an excuse to spend money you otherwise wouldn’t have spent.
Offers need to track
Swagbucks itself advises checking the Activity Ledger because rewards depend on the activity being tracked correctly.
I’d keep evidence when completing any offer worth a meaningful amount.
Your time has value
This is probably the biggest drawback.
There will always be another survey, game or offer available.
You don’t need to do all of them.
Is Swagbucks legit?
Yes.
We’ve personally received rewards from Swagbucks in the past, and our original account was still active when we returned in September 2026.
Swagbucks also currently lists the UK as an eligible country, with members required to be at least 13 years old.
But there is an important distinction:
Something can be legitimate without necessarily being a good use of your time.
That’s why I’d judge each activity individually.
Is Swagbucks worth it in the UK?
For me, it can be — if you’re selective.
I’d consider using Swagbucks for:
- a survey when I’ve got some spare time;
- a game I actually want to play;
- cashback on something I’m already buying;
- an offer where the reward clearly justifies the effort.
I wouldn’t spend hours trying to squeeze every possible SB from the site.
And I definitely wouldn’t treat Swagbucks as dependable income.
If you’re trying to build a meaningful side income, there are better ways to spend several hours.
But for earning occasional cash and gift cards from things you might already be doing, I think Swagbucks can still be useful.
Try Swagbucks yourself
You can create an account and see what’s available before deciding whether Swagbucks is worth your time.
New members can also get a sign-up bonus, subject to the offer available when you join.
Swagbucks FAQs
Is Swagbucks free?
Yes. Swagbucks says membership is free.
Some individual offers may involve purchases, but you don’t need to pay a membership fee to create an account.
Can you make £100 a month with Swagbucks?
It’s possible for earnings to vary significantly depending on the offers you use.
I wouldn’t join expecting a guaranteed £100 every month.
Treat anything you earn as extra money rather than dependable income.
Does Swagbucks actually pay?
Yes.
We’ve personally redeemed rewards from Swagbucks in the past, and its current reward options still include PayPal and gift cards.
