LifePoints Review – The Definitive Australian Guide

Updated 22 July 2023

We reveal how much you can earn from working for LifePoints’ platform, who they’re looking for and what’s involved.

Our review covers the following:

• What is Lifepoints, and is it Legitimate?
• Earning and Redeeming Rewards
• Must-Know Facts
• Pros and Cons
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

What is LifePoints, and is it Legitimate?

• LifePoints is a popular and widely used online survey rewards platform. LifePoints is run by Lightspeed, a Kantar Group company, one of the world’s largest custom research and analysis provider.
• LifePoints has operated since 1946, and has been online for 20+ years taking surveys and paying rewards. LifePoints’ umbrella company has an office in Sydney and rewards are Australian-specific.
• Thousands of Australians sign up to LifePoints every year, and its members participate in online surveys on various topics and receive ‘LifePoints’ for the time and effort invested. This is the standard process with any legitimate survey site, and LifePoints is no exception.
• However, it’s not without its risks – as we outline below in our Pros and Cons section, many Australians continue to complain about the LifePoints closing down their account as they approach an award threshold. While we can’t substantiate or confirm these reviews, they do consistently report a similar story and it’s important to consider them before signing up.

How Do I Sign Up?

Signing up for LifePoints is a straightforward process:

1. Visit the LifePoints website and click on the “Sign Up” button.
2. You’ll be prompted to provide some basic information, such as your name, email address, and date of birth.
3. You’ll be paid a small amount of LifePoints when you sign up, which are added to your balance.
4. Next, you’ll fill out a foundation survey to fill out your profile (where you’ll be awarded 4-5 LifePoints). This survey collects demographic information that LifePoints uses to match you with relevant surveys. It’s important to provide accurate and complete information here to increase your chances of qualifying for surveys.
5. You must verify your email address once you’ve completed the profile survey. Click on the verification link sent to your email, and you’re all set to start taking surveys and earning LifePoints.

MoneyHub Head of Research Christopher Walsh walks through LifePoints’ sign-up process in the video below:

Earning and Redeeming Rewards

The currency of LifePoints is, as the name suggests, LifePoints. Each survey on LifePoints has an associated point value, which can vary depending on the survey’s length and complexity. After completing a survey, LifePoints are added to your account. As an example, one survey may pay 40 LifePoints and take around 6 minutes.

Know This: Some survey sites can be sluggish or even elusive when crediting LifePoints to your account. Our research suggests LifePoints is a no-nonsense operator who credits promptly and accurately within 15 minutes. If you have any comments on this matter (or anything else to do with the platform), please contact our research team.

What Can I Earn?

• Once you’ve accumulated enough LifePoints, you can redeem them for various rewards. LifePoints, as an organisation, is upfront with what you’ll earning, estimating it will be around $3 to $5 an hour assuming you continuously complete surveys.
• The rewards catalogue on LifePoints includes various options, such as gift cards for popular retailers, cash payouts via PayPal, and more. The transactions are instant, and Australian users receive their rewards almost immediately.
• Keep in mind that each reward option requires a different minimum point threshold, as outlined below (where 550 LifePoints buys a $5 Coles eGift card). 
• You can also redeem LifePoints for sweepstakes, charity donations and competitions, but our view is that Coles is a rewarding option.
• In general, 1 LifePoint = 1 cent, and each survey will take around 5-30 minutes to complete, roughly earning 5-7 LifePoints for every minute (based on LifePoints’ transparent platform).

Must-Know Facts

Before signing up, be aware of the following:

1. Your demographic profile determines your survey eligibility. Therefore, updating your profile regularly can help you qualify for more surveys. However, if you’re over a certain age and single, it’s realistic you’ll be less ‘in demand’ for surveys than someone with young children aged between 25 and 45. This is because LifePoints, like any survey company, is paid to do research for brands that mass consumers buy. If you’re not spending regularly, you’ll be less relevant to LifePoints (and arguably many other survey sites). 
2. LifePoints is committed to data privacy and security. They follow strict procedures to ensure that your personal information is secure and used appropriately for research purposes and publish a comprehensive privacy policy on their website. While every question you answer is recorded, the integrity of LifePoints’s business relies on privacy, and your details are carefully guarded. 
3. LifePoints’ rewards system is straightforward. We estimate it will take 1-2 hours of continuous surveys to earn a $5 Coles eGift voucher. As with every survey website, how many surveys you do will depend on how much you earn.

Pros and Cons

LifePoints is a popular survey site across Australia, but before signing up it’s important to understand its limitations alongside its benefits:

Pros:

• Global trust: The platform is operated by a Kantar, a globally recognised and reputable market research firm which has operated LifePoints since 1946 and has decades of experience in Australia.  
• Continuous opportunities: There are a wide variety of surveys on different topics, with numerous surveys appearing weekly. 
• Variety of reward options: PayPal transfers, and vouchers which can be used at EB Games, eBay, iTunes, JB Hi-Fi, Myer, Priceline Pharmacy and charities such as Plant a Tree.
• Clear and straightforward points system: There are no tricks or complexity; every time you complete a survey, your LifePoints are promptly credited within 15 minutes.

Cons:

• You need to be ‘transactional’ to be surveyed: The number and type of surveys can be limited based on demographic profile; the more you spend and behave like a typical consumer, the more you’ll be invited to surveys.
• The rewards can take some time to earn: The minimum reward is around $5, which requires 550 LifePoints. This will take 1-2 hours of continuous surveys, but, as is the case with many survey sites, the hourly wage is around $3 to $5.

User Testimonials

Over 85% of LifePoints’ online feedback is positive or neutral, but this represents the international site, However, in Australia, things appear to be problematic, as outlined in this ProductReview.com.au listing. For this reason, we discount the international reviews and focus on local issues. Some common themes and issues are mentioned by almost all of the reviews are:

1. Account Cancellations and Lost Rewards: Many users report that LifePoints abruptly cancelled their memberships and forfeited their accumulated rewards without a clear reason or evidence of a violation. They felt this was unjust, as they had spent significant time completing surveys. The company’s refusal to disclose the investigation process or the reasons behind account suspensions has frustrated users who feel they’ve been falsely accused of violating terms.
2. Poor Customer Service: Users were dissatisfied with the customer service response when they tried to address their issues. Complaints were perceived to be ignored or met with generic responses that didn’t resolve the problem.
3. Payment and Reward Issues: Users have reported not receiving their rewards or payments after redeeming LifePoints; the system allegedly stops offering surveys when users approach the payout threshold.
4. Low Payouts for Time Spent: Some users felt that the effort and time they invested in completing surveys were not adequately rewarded. For instance, one user mentioned spending 1.5 hours to earn only $5. Our research team confirms that the hourly rate will average around $3 to $6.
5. Untrustworthy: The recurring theme of account cancellations, non-payment of rewards, and poor customer service response led many users to label the site as a scam and advise potential users to read reviews before signing up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often can I take surveys?

The number of surveys you can take depends on your demographic profile and the current research needs of LifePoints. It’s a good idea to check the platform regularly for new survey opportunities and promptly respond to email invitations. 

How long does it take to redeem rewards? 

The processing time for rewards can vary. Generally, e-gift cards and PayPal rewards can take a few days to a week to process.

What happens if I don’t qualify for a survey?

If you start a survey but don’t qualify to complete it, you’ll usually receive a small number of LifePoints to compensate you for your time. Always provide accurate and consistent responses to improve your chances of qualifying for future surveys – survey sites actively use fraud prevention and look for inconsistencies to ensure their data has integrity, so always be truthful. 

What types of surveys can I expect on LifePoints?

LifePoints offers a wide variety of surveys spanning various subjects. These can range from product and brand opinions to advertising effectiveness, political polling, and more. The types of surveys you receive will largely depend on your demographic profile.

How long does each survey typically take to complete?

This can vary widely; between 10 to 20 minutes is the average. Longer and more complex surveys typically offer more LifePoints.

How many LifePoints do I earn per survey?

The number of LifePoints you earn per survey depends on the survey’s length and complexity. While specific point allocations may vary, each survey’s point value is clearly stated upfront, so you’ll know how many LifePoints you’ll earn before you start. Each point roughly equates to A$0.01 (or 1 cent), so if a survey states you’ll earn 40 LifePoints, that’s worth around 40 cents.

Can I participate in surveys on mobile devices?

Yes – LifePoints is accessible on multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets. This means you can take surveys at your convenience, whether at home or on the go.

I signed up and haven’t received any survey invitations. What’s going on?

The number of survey invitations you receive can depend on various factors, including your demographic profile and the current needs of LifePoints’ clients. If you’re not receiving many survey invites, consider updating your profile to ensure it’s accurate and complete.

How long do my LifePoints stay valid?

• Per their website, LifePoints expire only if you’re “inactive for 30 days from the day you sign up, or within any 90 day period”. To keep your account ‘active’, you need to participate in surveys or any other activities in your account”. This means you’ll need to log in at least once every three months to avoid LifePoints expiring. We believe this is a harsh approach and it’s vague as to whether “or any other activities” includes logging in and out.
• Considering the Australian-specific reviews, we believe LifePoints may be problematic when it comes to redeeming rewards if you don’t complete a survey every three months.

Conclusion

• LifePoints is a legitimate survey site that allows you to earn rewards for sharing your opinions and insights. However, it continues to receive negative user feedback about the redemptions options. 
• In essence, it seems very easy to complete a survey but problematic to redeem a reward, as per user testimonials on review websites.
• If you do have success in redemptions, you’ll earn around $3 to $6 an hour, depending on how many surveys you can complete.
• As with any survey site, it has pros and cons, and success requires understanding how the system works.
• LifePoints won’t be for everyone, and the unsubstantiated user reviews are alarming, so we would suggest alternatives before signing up.