Last reviewed: October 5, 2026
Hi, I am Mikael. I started PaidFromSurveys in 2016, and I am still the founder and lead tester. On YouTube and my social profiles, I am known as EarnWithMike.
I started looking for ways to make extra money online in 2015. Paid surveys were one of the first things I tried. At first, I only tested sites for myself. I created accounts, tried the earning methods, kept track of what I earned, and checked if the promises matched the experience. Some sites paid and were worth the time. Others were not.
Most of the information I found back then was too promotional or too vague to help me decide which sites were worth it. So I made PaidFromSurveys to show what these platforms look like from the inside, what you can realistically expect, and which drawbacks you should know about before you join.
Watch my short intro
Read the transcript
Hi, I’m Mikael, and I’m the founder of this website and the YouTube channel, EarnWithMike.
I started looking for ways to earn extra money online back in 2015, and paid surveys were one of the first things I tried. Back then, most of the information I found was just too promotional or too vague. So in 2016, I started PaidFromSurveys.com to show what these sites look like from the inside and to help people get honest information about them.
By now, I have tested hundreds of ways to earn some extra money on the side online, like paid surveys, GPT sites, user testing, focus groups, AI training tasks, and more. When I test a site, I usually sign up like a normal user, I complete the tasks, and I try to reach the payout threshold. I only say a site pays when I have actually received the money myself or seen clear proof from other people. In my reviews, I will let you know both the pros and the cons that I spot when I test a platform.
As for what you can realistically expect, these sites are usually a way to earn some extra money on the side. They are not a way to become rich, and not a way to make a living. How much you can earn depends a lot on your country and on how much time you put in, and you might not get the same results as me. But most of the sites I test and talk about on my website and YouTube channel are free to join and use, and I will always let you know what is legit and what is not.
So now you know who is behind the reviews and how I test the different platforms. If you ever have any questions or want to share your own experiences, just leave a comment below one of my reviews. Thanks for watching, and good luck with earning some extra money on the side online.
What I do today
I still work on PaidFromSurveys almost every day. I decide which topics we cover and which pages need an update. A virtual assistant helps me with research, many of the first website tests, drafts, and setting up articles. I review every article, question anything that is unclear or unsupported, give feedback, check the finished page, and make the final decision to publish.
I personally test the platforms you see in my EarnWithMike videos. For website articles, the test may be done by me or by my virtual assistant. Updated reviews say who did the test. My name is only shown as the tester when I did the test myself.
I also reply to comments, talk with platform partners, and decide which commercial relationships are worth considering. The affiliate disclosure explains how those relationships work.
My hands-on experience
Since 2016, I have tested paid survey and GPT sites and followed many of the platforms I recommend for months or years. I also have direct experience with user testing, focus groups, cashback sites, product testing, paid games, paid video offers, PTC sites, some freelancing, free crypto earning methods, affiliate marketing, and running a website and a YouTube channel.
After years of testing, I have also seen many scam patterns and warning signs. That experience helps, but it does not make every judgment perfect. Platforms change, and what you can earn depends on your country and profile.
My timeline
- 2015: I start looking for ways to earn extra money online and try my first paid surveys.
- 2016: I start PaidFromSurveys.
- 2017: I start the EarnWithMike YouTube channel.
- September 2025: the channel passes 500,000 subscribers.
- July 2026: the channel passes 550,000 subscribers.
What I do not claim
If you want to get rich quick or make a full-time income online, paid surveys and free earning platforms are not the way. They can give you some extra money, but the tasks, qualification rates, rewards, and payout options are different for everyone.
I am not an investing or trading expert, so I do not give advice in those areas.
Some freelance, remote-job, gig, data-entry, and AI-training platforms are difficult to test through a full work and payout cycle. When we cannot complete important steps, the review is labelled “Partially Tested” or “Research Only” and explains what we could not check.
How our reviews are made
Our testing and rating methodology explains what we check, what each test label means, and how we separate personal use from research. Our editorial policy explains who writes, tests, and checks the content.
A useful review tells you what was tested, what was not tested, and what could change the verdict. It also shows the drawbacks, including when PaidFromSurveys has an affiliate relationship with the platform.
Examples of my platform tests
These reviews include videos that show the platform from the inside, how to withdraw, and payment proof:
Some of my payouts
Here are a few PayPal payments I received from survey sites I tested. I removed my last name from the screenshots.
You can find all my articles on my author page. I also made a free 5-day email course about earning with surveys and other free methods.
If you, instead, are interested in potentially making a full-time income online, then you can check out my information about how to build a full-time income online here. This is something I created as I have now reached a level where I am making a good living online myself, and many have asked me about how to take their earnings to the next level.
EarnWithMike on YouTube
I started my EarnWithMike YouTube channel in 2017. It has more than 550,000 subscribers (October 2026) and more than 2,000 videos. I publish inside looks, tutorials, payout examples, warnings, and updates about free ways to earn online.
A video can support a claim when it shows the logged-in platform, the steps I completed, or a payout I received. It cannot prove something it does not show, and an older video may no longer match the platform as it is today. That is why reviews show the date of the test or video.
Official profiles
These are my official public profiles. An account that is not listed here is not an official PaidFromSurveys or EarnWithMike profile.
Questions, corrections, and contact
If you have a general question about an earning platform, please leave a comment on the relevant article or video, so other readers can see the answer too. I cannot give private account support for the platforms I review.
For a factual correction, a complaint, or a business matter, follow the guidelines on the contact page. I read civil criticism and update content when the evidence shows that a claim or verdict is wrong. Spam, abuse, and requests to bypass platform rules may be removed or left unanswered.
Cheers,
Mikael