Ipsos iSay is a survey site that could help you make an extra bit of cash in your spare time. But is it any good? Is it trustworthy, does it pay out, and how? We’ve tried and tested it ourselves here at Wallet Savvy, to bring you all the answers in this honest Ipsos iSay review.
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Michael Barton
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Who couldn’t benefit from making a few extra quid in their spare time? This is one reason for the ballooning popularity of paid survey sites in the UK.
Okay, so survey sites aren’t going to make you rich; but I’ve found that they can help you make more profitable use of downtime – you know, those minutes and hours that we tend to waste each day.
Ipsos iSay is one of the most popular survey sites worldwide. Is it right for you? How much can you really earn on the site? How can you maximise your iSay earning potential?
I’ve put iSay under the magnifying glass to answer these questions and more.
Ipsos iSay – Quick Verdict
Ipsos iSay is a world leader among paid survey sites.
You’ll relish in the ease of earning from completing surveys during your downtime, and the rewards – available as vouchers, gift cards, or cash – outweigh the occasional vetting frustrations.
The key to maximising the earning potential of iSay is to take a strategic approach, including daily checks and diversifying survey sources.
If you’re pondering diving into the survey world, Ipsos iSay is a worthwhile starting point, and an app you may wish to use as the foundation of a surveying side hustle.
What Is Ipsos iSay?
Ipsos is a global market research firm. It’s been helping businesses with customer insights since 1975, and now employs more than 15,000 people in more than 80 countries around the world.
iSay is one way that the company collects the experiences and opinions of consumers. The platform is open to anyone over the age of 16, and free to join.
Once you have created your account, you can start taking surveys and earning rewards straight away. You can do this on the iSay website or on the iSay app – perfect for those times when you’re on a train or bus, sitting in a coffee shop, waiting in a doctor’s surgery or A&E, and so on.
If you have a regular commute (like I used to have) or take regular breaks during your daily routine (like I do), iSay could be a fun way to spend your time more productively than staring out of the window.
Getting Started On iSay
Signing up takes less than five minutes, and couldn’t be easier. Simply go to the Ipsos iSay website, where you’ll see a screen like the following:
Fill in the details requested on the sign-up screen – email address, date of birth, gender, etc. – confirm you have read and accept the terms and conditions, and click the ‘Sign up’ button. You’ll need to verify your email address by clicking on a link sent to you in an email from iSay. At this point, you must enter your mobile phone number, then:
- Enter the verification code sent to your mobile
- Enter your postcode
- Tell iSay why you want to become part of the iSay community
Now, click on the ‘Complete profile’ button, and follow the instructions. Once you have completed your profile, you’ve earned your first 100 points!
(Tip: Fill in the profile questions honestly. iSay uses the information you provide to determine which surveys to send to you.)
You’re now ready to complete surveys and earn rewards.
How Do You Earn Points On iSay?
You’ll receive invites to surveys via email or in your account dashboard – and you are likely to receive a few survey invitations each week or month, depending on your profile.
One of the key differences between iSay and many other similar sites is that iSay is completely focused on opinions. You won’t be able to earn points to play games, download apps, surf the web, or shop online. Rather, you’ll earn points (and remember, points make prizes) for taking surveys.
Occasionally, you may be asked to test a product – sometimes after taking a survey about that product, or with a survey to complete after testing. It can be fun to receive a free product and be ‘paid’ to let the manufacturer or retailer know what you think by answering a few questions about the product. The type of products you might be asked to review include fruit drinks, confectionary, and even alcohol!
How Much Can You Earn?
The number of points you earn depends upon the surveys you take. One thing I like about iSay is that it gives a good estimate of how long a survey will take to complete as well as how many points it will pay. This lets you judge your approximate earning potential.
You should expect to earn around 500 points per hour of survey. This is approximately equivalent to £5, with points exchangeable for vouchers or gift cards, including:
- Global gift cards to use at a large range of retailers (488 points for £5 / 975 points for £10)
- Prepaid Mastercard (490 points per £5)
- Ipsos iSay Market (choose from thousands of rewards starting from 539 points from retailers such as Harvester, Primark, New Look, iTunes, and more)
- Argos card (960 points for £10)
You also have the option to redeem your points for Amazon vouchers, or to convert them to charitable donations.
There’s something else I should mention here. On many paid survey sites, you get asked a few vetting questions before you take a survey to which you’ve been invited. If you don’t pass this vetting process, you get kicked out of the survey, and earn no points. It’s a little different with iSay.
You may get kicked out of a survey, but you will still earn some points for your time – usually around 10 to 20. Not as good as completing the survey, but ‘better than a kick in the teeth’, as my dad would have said!
The iSay Referral Scheme
You can also earn points for referring friends to iSay. Should the referral complete their profile and one survey, you’ll receive 100 points. However, you should bear in mind that you’ll be limited to five rewarded referrals per month.
Can I Get Paid In Cash?
The answer is yes! If you would rather receive cash, then you can exchange your points into cash by transferring to a PayPal account.
The Bad Bits
Like all sites that offer you the opportunity to earn rewards in your spare time or work from home, you should also be prepared for a few frustrations:
- First, you may only receive a handful of survey invites per week or month.
- Second, you may get kicked out of surveys quite regularly. The few points you earn for being vetted out may be more than you’d receive elsewhere, but they don’t really make up for the frustration of not being allowed to complete the survey and earn full points.
- Another frustration is that not all rewards are equal. What I mean by this is that you’ll need more points to exchange for some gift cards than you do for others. (Tip: Ignore the few points differences between card exchanges. Instead focus on the gift card you want, rather than the one you consider to be of ‘best value’.)
- You may also be invited to surveys without points rewards. These offer entry into a prize draw, with little chance of winning. (Tip: Ignore these types of survey. Your time is better spent on completing surveys with a guaranteed payout.)
- Finally, you’ll need to keep your account ‘live’. If you don’t make any panel activity for six months, you could find your account is deleted. Should this happen, you’ll lose any points you have accumulated – though you will have 30 days to redeem them.
What Others Say About iSay
I always pay attention to what the crowd say about apps like iSay, with Trustpilot being a reliable source.
Reading the reviews there, you’ll find that more than 6 in 10 users rated iSay as 5/5 stars. Overall, users appear to be happy with the numbers of surveys they receive, the level of rewards earned, and the payout methods available.
Negative reviews tend to centre around account deactivation after a period of inactivity.
Tips To Boost Your Earnings From iSay
Taking online surveys may seem straightforward, but you’ll need to have a strategy to maximise your earning potential. From understanding the app’s nuances to implementing tried and tested tactics, we’ve compiled these nine tips to help you boost your iSay rewards.
Complete Your Profile
There are two reasons for this.
First, a complete and accurate profile is crucial to being matched with surveys that are relevant to you. This helps to avoid being vetted out of too many surveys – and the more surveys you qualify for and complete, the more points you’ll earn.
Second, it’s the easiest 100 points you’ll earn, and a great bonus for signing up.
Check For Surveys Every Day
Make checking your emails and the iSay app for survey invites a part of your morning routine, and more often if possible. Survey invites can come at any time, and may be limited in how many respondents they need – so if you’re on the ball, you can get in quick.
Do Install The iSay App
Having the app on your phone makes it easier to take surveys during downtime and natural lulls in a busy day.
Answer Surveys Honestly
Answer surveys honestly, with genuine responses. iSay monitors responses, and can spot a fake from a mile away. Dishonesty could get you disqualified, and your account deleted.
Refer Friends Strategically
With ‘free’ points on offer, you’ll surely want to refer friends to the platform. However, don’t forget the 5-friends-a-month limit. Decide who you will invite, and refer them strategically to gain the most points without wasting referrals.
Have A Cash-Out Strategy
Be wary of how many points you need to cash out, and decide if you will cash out every time you hit a minimum or wait to exchange for a more valuable voucher or token.
Stay Active
Don’t lose your points because of inactivity. Which you won’t if you make iSay a daily ritual for you!
Diversify Your Survey-Taking Options
Just as you wouldn’t when investing, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If you like the idea of taking online surveys to earn a little extra money, consider registering with a few paid survey sites. When one site is slow to provide you with survey opportunities, other sites will take up the slack to keep your rewards and earnings turning over.
Remain Realistic
Finally, paid survey sites can be fun and relatively easy. They can help you make a few extra quid in your spare time. However, they won’t be enough to replace full-time income. If you want to increase your earning potential further, you might also consider investing a little time and effort to develop a side hustle.
The Bottom Line
In the world of paid survey sites, Ipsos iSay does more than hold its own. It’s one of the world’s most prominent market research businesses, with a global reach.
Like all similar platforms, the iSay app has good and bad points. The allure of converting down time to rewarding moments is compelling, but it can also be frustrating in practice. This said, feedback from other users is largely positive, and, combined with the tips we’ve included in this article, you should now have a roadmap to enjoy a rewarding iSay journey.