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Getting paid to surf or to read emails - European Telework Online's review of Internet payment-for-use services This free of charge service is made possible by our sponsors: Recent months have seen an explosion of Web sites urging people to "get paid to surf" or "get paid to read emails". Is there any value in such schemes? How do they work? Can anyone join? Are they limited to the USA or North America or can people in Europe, Asia and other regions get value from such programmes? What are the risks? European Telework Online has examined many of these programmes and searched beneath the surface hype to find out and report how these services apply for our users in Europe, North America and the rest of the world. We have tested those programmes that look realistic and worthwhile. Where the information provided openly in incomplete or unclear, we have asked the operators of the scheme searching questions. Getting paid to surf and Getting paid to read mail List of sites Getting paid to surf Getting paid to read mail     Selected programmes Return to FAQs Home page We have selected some programmes that we believe do work and which we understand will make payments to Internet users in many countries. If you join and use one of our "tested and selected" programmes you will be helping to sustain and further develop the European Telework Online services. Click here for a summary of our selected programmes. We also provide an Introduction to Get paid to surf schemes and an Introduction to Get paid to read email schemes. Below are the links and commentaries on all the programmes we have looked at. If you have direct experience of any programme listed, please add your views by providing a review. This is not a complete list - if you know of other programmes that you would like us to review, click here to provide the details, or write to eto-info@eto.org.uk. Get paid to surf and Get paid to read emails: Links and summaries Ad4Me Site is difficult to access, too many pop up windows Service "will be available in about four months". Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme AddBonus A get paid to read emails service, but with relatively little detail at the site so not possible for us to comment in depth. Based on points and on share of advertising revenue and it does say "Anyone, Anywhere" may participate. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme AllAdvantage.Com Sadly, this - one of the few such schemes we felt able to recommend, having actually received payments from it - appears to have died. We'd welcome any background comments from participants? Last reviewed 25 March 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme AllCommunity Their "get paid to surf" programme is not yet active (January 2000), although their home page says "You can now get paid to surf the web". The current offers are "get paid to read emails" and "get paid to use a particular ISP" (in some countries - no list found). Claims to pay anywhere in the world, but minimum payment is $100, so first payment may be slow to come. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme AllPaidFor.com A get paid to surf programme based on a search engine and rewards for visiting "sites that we recommend". Reward based on points and gift certificates not cash. There is a multi-layer referral programme. There is no FAQ at the site but we assume it is USA only. It doesn't seem possible to check out the search facility without registering - comments from users please! Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme BePaid.com Get paid to surf programme that says it will pay (by US $ check) in US, Canada, EU countries, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. "Up to $2 per check deducted for bank fees". "More countries later this year". Facility available from "tentative date February 2000". User selects Ads to view, ads visible 5-30 seconds, selected Ads pay from £20 per hour. We will test this service if/when it becomes live. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme BigReferral A Get paid to refer others programme, plus cashback for purchasing. The site carries a "pre launch" graphic but the rest of the material implies the service is already running. We are investigating further. Last reviewed 16 February 2000 Add your own comments about this programme BlueTree.net Get paid to surf site, not yet operational ("expected launch March 2000). Plan to pay in US first, then Canada. Last reviewed 1 February 2000 Add your own comments about this programme ca$hfiesta A Get Paid to Surf programme that appears similar to AllAdvantage - a downloaded banner occupies part of your PC display and you are rewarded for time on line while it is showing advertisements (this may not be continuous). The pay rate is variable ("based on how many hours everyone surfed and our advertising revenues") and there is a threshold for payments of $30. Their example suggests $3 per thousand ads. Payment is in $US but participation is world wide. Reviews invited from people who have received payments from the service? Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme CashSurfers Current service is standard "paid to surf" but site promises additional options, "not available yet". Rates variable according to their advertising revenues, couldn't find current/recent rates at site. Claims to be "available all over the world". We have raised some questions about this. Had system problems during December 1999. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Ciao.com Rather a different kind of site, you earn money by posting your opinion on a product, service etc. The programme was launched in Germany and now has sites in several countries, including UK, Spain, France. Payments are made quarterly subject to a minimum (in the UK) of ten pounds sterling. In the UK, each opinion earns £0.30p, and for each person that reads that opinion (excluding yourself) you earn £0.05p. There is a joining bonus of £1. For referrals you get 30% of their earning, or 10% for people who join through your website. To earn £10 in a quarter you would need to generate 34 opinions if no-one ever reads one of your opinions. If you post one opinion and 200 people read it in a quarter that would be another way to generate £10. So its not likely to generate big money, but unlike all the passive programmes you actually do something and many people might well find it fun. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme ClickBank This site provides a range of e-commerce enabling services, including referral programmes that pay a commission when someone you refer buys something from any of the online services using ClickBank. There are also commission arrangements for referring people who set up merchant (credit card) accounts with ClickBank. The referral fees here are substantially higher than the usual "get paid to surf" programmes, but to make it work you need a website that has appropriate kinds of users. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme ClickDough Site seems very slow. Basic payment is said to 50% of advertising revenue but reading between the lines the advertising revenue has been disappointing. You are urged instead to follow through on "Member Offers", eg "Sign up with Amex Blue Card and earn $20". Some of these offers are probably inaccessible outside of the USA. No FAQs visible and generally little detail. To understand the system you have to plough through "Founder's letters". We find it difficult to understand why there isn't an explanatory set of FAQs, but maybe the system changes too frequently? Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme ClickMail An unusual Get paid to surf site. Their description of how it works and how payments are determined is difficult to penetrate! Last reviewed 1 February 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Crew-Design A Get paid to surf programme. Not yet operational, promised for February 2000. Payments promised to be by bank transfer (SWIFT) or check drawn on a Dutch bank in US dollars (but with an admin charge of $7.50. $50 minimum payment. Higher than usual pay rate of $1.25 per hour. Their "What's new" page wishes us a Merry Christmas (February 2000). Last reviewed 1 February 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Desktop Horizon Not yet operational (January 2000). Online since mid-1999. Available "shortly". Payment is in credits (DHCDs) not in cash. "Will not be redeemable in cash during first few months". Last reviewed 28 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme DesktopDollars.com This facility is active but not yet paying - "You will begin accruing time for regular payment on February 15, 1999". Earnings are credited to a "ClixCard" that can be used at "ATM machines around the world and withdraw money in your local currency"- a good idea, but only "when it becomes available" and it will then cost $1.50 deducted from any credits. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme DotAd.com We think this one failed to get off the ground. In January 2000 they said "you will be advised when Harry (their banner) is ready for download . . . in seven weeks time". Now we get no response from their url (September 2000). Any news please use the "Add your comments" link below. Last reviewed 20 September 2000 Add your own comments about this programme eformoney.com A "get paid to read email" service. Geographic focus is not mentioned and there are no FAQs, but payment is quoted in £ sterling so we assume this is a UK-based, UK-focused service. This is confirmed by the subscription form which asks for "County" but not for "country". Payment basis is 10 pence (£0.10) for each email received plus 10 pence when the subscriber replies asking the sending company for more information. There is no data about the numbers of emails thatthe system is generating . . . Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme E-pilot A "get paid to surf" programme with a different approach to payments. First, it offers to pay a $2 finders fee for each new referral who joins and uses the service. Second, the "pay for use" scheme relates to "click throughs". ePilot acts as a search engine, the payment (of $0.03) is triggered when you click on a result of a search. There is no apparent geographical restriction, but payments appear to be in $US only, trigger level $20, so banking charges for a non-US user could take a signficant part of the payment. There are no FAQs. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme ePIPO New site, with their "surf window" currently on "restricted availability" (January 2000). Planned deployment is USA then Canada then UK then ??? Proposed basic rate is $0.60 per hour online. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Extra $alary A Europe-based facility, with information in French, German, Italian, Spanish as well as English. Original language of site appears to be Italian? Position about payment in countries not clear, "At present we are determining the optimal quotes and limits to apply in each country." Also not clear whether it is genuinely operational - "When the bar is ready you will receive a communication by e-mail". We have asked for clarification. Offers a paid to receive email service as well as paid to surf. Payment is every three months with a minimum of $100. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Free2net.com A "get paid to surf" programme - currently (June 2000) USA only. The site lacks a FAQ section so you have to search around for the details. Payment is in "Ad$ points" per hour for up to five hours a day. Hour 1 = $0.30, hours 2 through 4 = $0.20, hour 5 = $0.10 (average = $0.20). Referrals are unusual at $2.00 per referral one time commission. Minimum payout is $30 in a "PayPal" account (see separate report). Or you can wait and get $50 by check. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme FriendsFromHome.com This site also features in our "Getting work" lists, because its main content is a membership (subscription) service for home-based working. We list it here because it offers a substantial ($25) referral fee for referring new members. This operates through ClickBank - see separate listing. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme GetPaid4 Appears now to be operational (April 2000), but there appear to be some technical issues, since the "GetPaid4 bar" is being updated very frequently. Minimum payment is $15. One novelty is that there is an "administration fee" deducted from earnings ($2 a month). If in any month you earn less than or equal to $2 your earnings are cancelled off. FAQs say that they will send US dollar cheques anywhere in the world. Payment rates not fixed, but dependent on their income from advertisers - information needed please from anyone who has actually clocked up any earnings from GetPaid4??? Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme GoToWorld.com This one presents national flags for available countries across its home page and presents national sites. Listed are N America, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, UK. However, the FAQ says "We are only able to pay US and Canada residents at this time". We are checking this out as there is some inconsistency in the impressions given at the site. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme HotYello98.com A "Get paid to refer new participants" programme. You sign up for a "free website", and you website carries a banner offering free website and other services. If someone joins through your site you get commission. If they or people who join through them buy products or services through HotYellow98.com you get further commission. Sounds good. But when you sign up the "validation process" takes you through a long, hard sell that attempts to get you signed up to the "executive programme" - in other words to "send money". We are testing out the "free" service. USA-based - no indication of geographic or other focus or limitations, but their forms only work if you claim to live in a US state. Last reviewed 28 February 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme HTMail ** Provisionally recommended by European Telework Online ** A UK-based pay-to-read-email programme. One of the few such programmes that declares the name and address of the owner. Payment is US $ 0.08 (or UK £0.05) for reading a message and double this amount when you visit an advertised site. For each message you have to visit either the home site or the advertiser to earn money. As with other email programmes their referral offer is one layer only, see our FAQ: "Getting paid to read emails - does it work?" We are testing this service but it is provisionally recommended. Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme ignifuge A site that pays users on the basis of visits to the site. US and Canada only, "we plan to make ignifuge.com available all around the world". Not clear whether the programme has really started ("We are still in negotiation with advertising agencies to get the highest rates"). Last reviewed 1 February 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme InboxDollars.com Get paid to read emails - their payment basis is $0.05 per email message that your respond to. "It would be rare for you to receive more than one email a day", so that a reasonable monthly ceiling appears to be 30 x 0.05 = $1.50! You could well reach the payment threshold ($30) in a couple of years. However if you agree to be paid via PayPal (currently USA only, but see entry in resources database) the threshold is $10 and could be reached in a few months. You get $0.02 per mail message read by referrals, so actively promoting referrals seems to be the only way to really earn. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme InfoPol A pay-to-read-mail programme with two unusual characteristics. (1) It is based in Finland; and (2) their website shows a list of the countries with number of subscribers in each country. At mid-January 2000, there were 6727 total, with half of them being in Russia. The English language pages are rather messy and lacking in information, perhaps the Russian ones are more attractive, or perhaps this is the only such site with pages in Russian? Last reviewed 28 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme itadsUp Not yet operational, the ads server was released in beta form 8 January 2000. First advertising contract signed December 1999. Claims to pay by US check "to most locations" (subject to legal restrictions?). Last reviewed 28 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Jotter Jotter is an unusual kind of "get paid to surf" offering, in that it has a number of user functions as well as running advertisements. Otherwise the programme appears similar to AllAdvantage. We have asked about geographic limitations, which are not mentioned in the jotter site. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme moneyformail.com Pays a good rate for receiving and looking at emails (between $.20 - $2.50 they say), requests (but no longer requires) USA social security ID for validation check. Non-USA residents can join but the company confirms that they are not yet paying outside US and "not actively seeking International (meaning non-US_ advertisers. Referral programme is only one layer (See our FAQ: Getting paid to read emails - does it work?). Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme multiKredits Refreshingly, a get paid to surf programme that provides a company address in the UK and contact phone numbers and email addresses in several countries - Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico. The site is in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Based on points ("Kredits") not cash, which you earn by visiting participating sites, or responding to email messages or various other activities. Some of the qualifying sites are those you might well use anyway, such as the Ask Jeeves, GoTo and About search engines. You can get cash at a rate of 1000 Kredits for $1.00, or you can exchange points for goods. With a minimum first time cash redemption of $200 - the highest such threshold we have seen - and "50-100" Kredits for visiting a site, this looks like 4000 activities before you see their money. However there are some activities with higher earning potential. There is a multi-layer referral scheme. There appear to be no geographical restrictions - most countries are listed in the registration form. We are testing this one with a view to a possible recommendation. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme mValue Get paid to surf programme paying $0.50 per hour, effective start date was 24 January 2000. Payments only to USA residents. They also provide an "mPrivacy" facility that they say enables users to selectively prevent visited web sites from collecting information about the user. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme MyPointsEurope European parent company/site for the MyPoints programme, see MyPointsUK. A roll out to "other European countries" is promised but no dates are mentioned (October 2000). Linked with the original MyPoints programme in USA. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme MyPointsUK A get paid to surf programme linked with a number of household name national consumer/retailing companies and brands. This is akin to Air Miles - points may be redeemed for goods or vouchers or donated to charity; there is no cash payments scheme. UK launch September 2000 based on a formula established in the US during 1997-2000. As at late October 2000 the sign up process is messy, it took us seven attempts to find an unused username, the system provided no suggestions. Another stage had inconsistent validity checks. Also the sign up site was unacceptably slow. Worth joining if you do or plan to regularly buy products or services online, but currently the range of linkied sites is fairly small. If you sign up with this and want to credit European Telework Online please quote the user name "jonorfan" when prompted in the sign-up process. This also helps us to track the effectiveness of sites. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme NetFlip NetFlip promises cash rewards for visiting websites or when you sign up for items such as email newsletters, or bid at auctions, bu products online etc. The amounts vary according to the activity, typically from about $0.40 for free items through to around $4.00 when you actually buy something. Payment threshold is $20. Currently USA and Canada only but others can sign up pending extension to other countries. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Outsource 2000 OutSource2000 is a subscription service for teleworkers and other home-based workers, where you can also buy a range of CD-ROMs and other products. Affiliates receive 20% commission on orders placed by people they refer to the site. Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme PayBar Get paid to surf programme, currently paying only in the USA. $0.60 for viewing 1000 ads, maximum 15000 ads per month, ie $9.00. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme PaysU.com A Get paid to surf site. Not yet operational ("We will keep you posted on the exact date"). Payments promised in US$ or Sterling (UK £) or Euros (EU, Norway, Switzerland). Some novel ideas, for example credits for visiting the service's home page. ?UK based? (company details not obvious from site). Last reviewed 1 February 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Perpetual income This is a "Downline club" - see other FAQs for definition. Nothing happens until . . . Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme prizewindow.com A get paid to surf service based in Ontario, Canada and currently with active availability in US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Payment is logged in "prizepoints" that are then converted into money ($ US) at a variable rate dependent on how much advertising revenue has been received and how many total prizepoints were gained. One user's experience suggests the rate may be rather low (see review). Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme Rainbow Light This is an "affiliate marketing" programme - you earn commission on sales of their products (food supplements), using the Internet by referring people to their website. Available only to people who have a USA "mailing address" (as at February 2000). Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme SearchCactus.com A search engine with a Get Paid to Surf aspect. Some of the sites found in a search carry a special symbol and a visit to such sites earns $0.02, for up to 20 sites per day (ie up to $0.40 per day or $12.00 for a 30 day month if you work at it!). There is of course a referrals programme - you get 25% of what your referrals generate. So another four people each generating $8 per month would net you a further £8, enough to take your month's earnings to the minimum $20 threshold for a cheque to be generated. To make this work you have to log in to the searchcactus site and stay logged in while searching and visiting sites. Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme sendmoreinfo.com ** Provisionally Selected by European Telework Online** A pay-to-read-email system. You have to open the mail and click on a link to drive the counter. Payment monthly, minimum $10 (at 0.05c per message, by US dollar cheque (you can change this if $10 is an unattractive amount because of local banking charges). Referrals system is one level - this seems common in email programmes - see our FAQ: "Getting paid to receive emails - does it work?" We are still testing this service but it is provisionally recommended. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme sharkhunt UK-based Get paid to surf programme, payments currently made only to UK residents. Rate is £0.25 per hour. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme SPEDIA A get paid to surf programme that pays so long as users visit "at least on new url per minute" (typical European Telework Online users visit the site for an average of 12-14 minutes and stay on a page for 1-3 minutes}. We have asked what is meant by "new url"! There is no fixed payment basis, it is "a percentage of advertising revenue". The most recent rate declared as at February 2000 was the October 1999 rate, equivalent to $0.47 per hour. Payment is in US $ to users "anywhere". Last reviewed What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme surf2web.com Australia-based Get paid to surf site. Payment programme promised start is 10 February 2000. Payments in Australian dollars, minimum 40 (=$25 US) "mailed to anywhere in the world". Variable rate, target being AUD 0.60 per hour. Claims 90 advertisers. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Surfing2Cash The FAQs say (for USA) "it will be a couple of weeks before you are able to download your Cash Console and get paid to surf" and for others: "hopes to have the Cash Console available to Canadian, Russian and UK members in early February" and "will be available to over 50 country’s in the near future" (all as at January 2000). Pay rate for USA is $0.60 per hour. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Surfola.com A get paid to surf programme that "upgrades your browser" with add on features. The effect is that while you are online you are working through the Surfola site and allowing it to collect information and suggest sites. Some of the features may be useful, we await comments from users please? The rewards programme is based on points not money. "The details of our point disbursements are highly secretive"! But only available to US residents (as at October 2000). Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme TeknoSurf This is another name used by GetPaid4. Not yet operational. Last reviewed 1 February 2000 Add your own comments about this programme Total e-mail A pay-to-read-email programme. Not yet operational (? but their FAQ said "should all be finished by January 1, 2000" - at mid January!) Open to members in "any country that supports the English language, so long as their laws permit it". However, "Details on payment options, such as minimum balance before you receive a check for members in countries other than the USA are still being worked out". We have asked about this and the timetable. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme UniversalScience.com [This site appears to be in suspension as at September 2000. Any news please use the "Add your comments" link below] A Get paid to surf programme. No set payment rates ("members will be paid thirty percent(30%) of all the profit of the program"). Payments quarterly. Lots of (very) small print. FAQs link actually goes to a sign up page. Not clear whether any payment has actually been made. Nor the geographic spread. Last reviewed 20 September 2000 What others have said | Add your own comments about this programme urge2net Not yet operational (January 2000), "In the coming weeks . . . ". Will pay in "$urfDollar$" that can be redeemed for cash in US and Canada (but not Quebec!) (at January 2000). Payment rates variable. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme UtopiAD Get paid to surf and Get paid to read mail programmes. Accepts non-USA members but only USA members get paid. Dowload of facility is restricted. (January 2000) Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme ValuePay Claims to be the largest payment-for-time facility. Confusion about non-USA availability, one FAQ says "Yes, all are welcome", another says "it will be released in countries outside USA a few weeks later". We have asked for clarification. Payment rate variable. Ads delivered can be targeted to individual user. Monthly payment, minimum $50. Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme ViewDot.com A Get paid to surf site. Not yet operational (promised for "mid-February 2000"). Pay rates US $0.55 per hour. "Anyone if the world can join". We have asked about this. Last reviewed 1 February 2000 Add your own comments about this programme VIPBenefits.com New and not yet operational, but pages slow to load (poor html design). "Available in a few short weeks" at mid January 2000. Proposed $0.60 payment rate. "International rollout will begin in a couple of months". Last reviewed 29 January 2000 Add your own comments about this programme yellowbubble A "get paid to surf" site, new in June 2000 and initially will pay only in UK and Ireland. The "adbox" "will be ready for use shortly" (June 2000). Payment rate is 10 pence (£0.10) per pound and minimum payout is £20. If you refer more than four people the payment rate increases to £0.40 per hour - though there is some confusion in the way this is expressed, and the "income calculator" is "under construction". Last reviewed Add your own comments about this programme