Branded Surveys (formerly MintVine) has quietly become one of the most popular survey platforms, consistently ranking in the top five across review sites. What sets it apart is its tiered loyalty system that rewards consistent survey-takers with bonus earnings. We tested the platform thoroughly to determine exactly how much you can realistically earn and whether the badge system makes a meaningful difference.
What Is Branded Surveys?
Branded Surveys is a market research platform that connects brands and companies with consumers willing to share their opinions. Based in the United States, the platform is available to users in the US, Canada, and the UK who are 16 years or older. Unlike multi-feature platforms like Swagbucks, Branded Surveys focuses primarily on paid surveys, though it does include a few supplementary earning features like polls and daily challenges.
The Badge Level System Explained
The standout feature of Branded Surveys is its three-tier badge system. Your badge level is determined by your activity over a rolling weekly period, and it directly affects how much you earn.
- Bronze: The starting level for all new members. You earn the base rate for surveys and have access to standard features. No weekly activity requirement.
- Silver: Achieved by completing a moderate number of surveys per week (typically 10 or more). Silver members receive bonus points on completed surveys and access to some exclusive survey opportunities.
- Gold: The highest tier, requiring consistent daily activity. Gold members receive the largest bonuses, typically an extra 5 to 15 percent on every survey, plus priority access to the highest-paying surveys. Gold members also receive weekly bonus point awards.
The badge system resets weekly based on your recent activity, so you need to maintain consistent participation to keep your tier. This is both a strength (it rewards loyalty) and a weakness (you lose status if you take a week off).
Pro tip: Aim to reach Gold status in your first week by completing as many surveys as possible. The Gold bonus adds up significantly over time and can increase your monthly earnings by 15 to 20 percent compared to staying at Bronze level.
Survey Availability and Experience
Branded Surveys aggregates surveys from multiple market research partners, which means availability tends to be excellent. During our testing, we consistently saw 5 to 15 surveys available at any given time. The dashboard displays each survey with an estimated time, point value, and difficulty indicator, making it easy to choose the most efficient options.
Most surveys take between 5 and 25 minutes and pay between 50 and 300 points. The points-to-cash ratio is straightforward: 100 points equals $1. One feature we appreciated is the survey router, which automatically matches you with surveys based on your profile. Rather than clicking through individual surveys, the router sends you directly to ones you are most likely to qualify for.
Disqualification rates were comparable to other major platforms at roughly 30 to 35 percent. Unlike some competitors, Branded Surveys does not award points for disqualifications, which can be frustrating when you spend 5 minutes on screener questions only to be turned away.
Earning Potential: Real Numbers
With 30 to 40 minutes of daily use at Gold level, we averaged $45 to $75 per month. Here is a more detailed breakdown:
- Base survey earnings: $35 to $55 per month
- Gold badge bonuses: $5 to $10 per month
- Daily polls and challenges: $2 to $5 per month
- Weekly streak bonuses: $3 to $5 per month
- Total estimated range: $45 to $75 per month
Your mileage will vary based on demographics. Users aged 25 to 54 with above-average household incomes tend to qualify for more surveys and can earn toward the upper end of this range. Students and younger users may see fewer high-paying opportunities.
Payout Options
Branded Surveys offers three main payout methods. PayPal cash is available starting at 500 points ($5), making it very accessible for new users. Bank transfer via Branded Pay is also available at the $5 minimum. Gift cards for retailers like Amazon, Target, and others start at 500 points as well. Payouts typically process within 1 to 2 business days for PayPal and gift cards, with bank transfers taking slightly longer at 3 to 5 business days.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Badge system rewards consistent users with meaningful bonus earnings
- Excellent survey availability with multiple surveys daily
- Low $5 minimum payout for all redemption methods
- Clean, modern dashboard with useful survey information
- Survey router improves qualification rates over time
- Fast payout processing (1-2 business days)
Cons
- No points awarded for survey disqualifications
- Badge level resets weekly, so breaks cost you status
- Limited to surveys with few alternative earning methods
- Only available in US, Canada, and UK
- Some surveys redirect to third-party sites with poor interfaces
How Does Branded Surveys Compare?
Compared to Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys offers higher earning potential thanks to the badge system but lacks the disqualification compensation. Versus Swagbucks, it is more focused on surveys and misses the variety of earning methods. Against Prolific, it has more survey volume but lower per-survey pay rates. Branded Surveys fits best as a primary survey platform for users who are committed to daily participation and want to be rewarded for their consistency.
Final Verdict
Branded Surveys is a strong choice for dedicated survey-takers who plan to participate regularly. The Gold badge bonus system genuinely increases your earnings compared to platforms without loyalty tiers. If you are the type of person who can commit to daily survey-taking, Branded Surveys will reward that consistency better than most competitors. For occasional or casual survey-takers, the weekly badge reset makes it less appealing. Overall, it earns a solid recommendation as a top-five survey platform in 2026.