Choosing between InboxDollars and MyPoints can feel like picking a side in the ultimate cashback and survey app showdown. Both promise easy money from surveys, shopping cashback, and online offers — but which one actually pays better in 2026?
We spent 30 days testing both apps simultaneously, tracking every dollar earned, minute spent, and offer completed. This isn't a theoretical comparison — it's a real-world earnings test with actual payout data to help you decide where to invest your time.
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📋 Table of Contents
- 1. Quick Verdict: Which App Wins?
- 2. Our 30-Day Testing Methodology
- 3. InboxDollars 2026 Review
- 4. MyPoints 2026 Review
- 5. Side-by-Side Earnings Comparison
- 6. Pros & Cons of Each App
- 7. Time Required vs Earnings
- 8. Payout Experience & Withdrawal
- 9. Final Recommendation: Who Should Use Which?
- 10. Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Verdict: Which App Wins in 2026?
After 30 days of testing both apps with equal time investment:
InboxDollars earned: $78.25 WINNER
MyPoints earned: $61.50
Time invested: 15 minutes daily on each app (7.5 hours total each)
Hourly rate: InboxDollars = $10.43/hour | MyPoints = $8.20/hour
🎯 Key Finding:
InboxDollars pays 27% more per hour than MyPoints in 2026. While both apps are legitimate and pay real money, InboxDollars offers higher-paying surveys and more consistent daily earnings opportunities.
Our 30-Day Testing Methodology
To ensure a fair comparison, we followed these testing parameters:
- Time allocation: 15 minutes daily per app (same time slot each day)
- Activities performed: Surveys, cashback shopping, video watching, game offers
- Devices used: iPhone 15 & Google Pixel 8 (both apps installed on both)
- User profiles: Same demographic information provided to both apps
- Tracking: Screenshot every earnings activity + spreadsheet logging
- Payout verification: Actually cashed out from both apps to verify payment
InboxDollars 2026 Review: The $5 Signup Bonus Pioneer
💰 What We Earned in 30 Days: $78.25
Breakdown of earnings:
- Surveys: $42.75 (Avg: $0.50-$3.00 per survey)
- Cashback Shopping: $18.50 (Walmart, Target, Amazon purchases)
- Video Watching: $9.25 (Background earning)
- Game Offers: $5.75 (Mobile game installs)
- $5 Signup Bonus: Included in total
⏱️ Time Breakdown
- Total time: 7.5 hours (15 minutes × 30 days)
- Most profitable activity: Surveys ($42.75 for ~4 hours = $10.69/hour)
- Passive earnings: Video watching earned $9.25 with minimal interaction
MyPoints 2026 Review: The OG Points & Rewards App
💰 What We Earned in 30 Days: $61.50
Breakdown of earnings (converted from points at 100 points = $1):
- Surveys: 3,450 points = $34.50 (Avg: 50-250 points per survey)
- Cashback Shopping: 1,850 points = $18.50 (Same purchases as InboxDollars)
- Receipt Scanning: 450 points = $4.50 (Grocery receipts)
- Video Watching: 300 points = $3.00
- Search Engine: 100 points = $1.00 (Daily search rewards)
⏱️ Time Breakdown
- Total time: 7.5 hours (15 minutes × 30 days)
- Most profitable activity: Surveys ($34.50 for ~4 hours = $8.63/hour)
- Quick wins: Receipt scanning added $4.50 with minimal effort
Side-by-Side Earnings Comparison
Here's how the two apps stack up across key earning categories:
| Category | InboxDollars | MyPoints | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey Pay Rates | $0.50 - $3.00 per survey | 50 - 250 points ($0.50-$2.50) | InboxDollars |
| Cashback Rates | 1-10% cashback | 1-10 points per $1 (1-10%) | Tie |
| Signup Bonus | $5 instant bonus | 750 points ($7.50) after first activity | MyPoints |
| Minimum Cashout | $30 for check, $15 for gift cards | 1,500 points ($15) for gift cards | MyPoints |
| Payment Speed | 5-10 business days | Instant to 48 hours for gift cards | MyPoints |
| Passive Earning Options | Video watching, game downloads | Search engine, receipt scanning | Tie |
| Mobile App Experience | Smooth, fewer ads | More ads, slower loading | InboxDollars |
Mobile App Quality
InboxDollars has cleaner interface, MyPoints has more ads
Survey Availability
Both have similar survey frequency, but InboxDollars pays more per survey
Cashback Selection
Identical merchants, same cashback rates on both platforms
Reward Options
MyPoints has better gift card selection, InboxDollars offers cash via PayPal
Pros & Cons: The Good, The Bad, The Reality
✅ InboxDollars Pros
- Higher pay per survey (up to $3.00)
- Cleaner mobile app with fewer ads
- Direct cash payments via PayPal
- $5 instant signup bonus
- More transparent earnings display
- Better for passive video earnings
❌ InboxDollars Cons
- Higher minimum cashout ($30 for checks)
- Slower payout processing (5-10 days)
- Fewer gift card options
- Some surveys screen out frequently
- Can feel repetitive after extended use
✅ MyPoints Pros
- Lower minimum cashout ($15 in gift cards)
- Faster gift card delivery (instant to 48 hours)
- Better signup bonus ($7.50 equivalent)
- More gift card options
- Receipt scanning feature adds easy earnings
- Search engine rewards for passive points
❌ MyPoints Cons
- Lower pay per survey (typically $0.50-$2.50)
- App has more ads and popups
- Points system can be confusing
- No direct PayPal cash option
- Interface feels dated
- Lower overall hourly earnings rate
Time Required vs Earnings: Is It Worth It?
Let's be realistic about the time investment and what you can expect to earn:
Estimate how much you could earn based on your time commitment
Monthly Earnings Estimate
InboxDollars: $10.43/hour
MyPoints: $8.20/hour
Based on our 30-day test rates
Payout Experience & Withdrawal Process
"I cashed out $40 from InboxDollars via PayPal. It took 7 business days to arrive, but the payment came through exactly as promised. The process was straightforward - just requested payout and waited."
"MyPoints gift cards arrive instantly. I redeemed a $25 Amazon card and had the code in my email within 2 minutes. The points-to-dollars conversion is simple once you get used to it."
Payout Comparison
| Payment Method | InboxDollars | MyPoints |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Cash | Available ($30 minimum) | Not available |
| Gift Cards | $15 minimum, 5-10 business days | $15 minimum, instant to 48 hours |
| Check by Mail | $30 minimum, 10-14 business days | $15 minimum, 7-10 business days |
| Bank Transfer | Not available | Not available |
| Processing Time | 5-10 business days | Instant to 48 hours (gift cards) |
Final Recommendation: Who Should Use Which App?
🎯 Choose InboxDollars if:
- You want maximum cash earnings per hour
- You prefer direct PayPal payments over gift cards
- You hate intrusive ads in mobile apps
- You're willing to wait longer for higher cash payouts
- You primarily want to do surveys for money
🎯 Choose MyPoints if:
- You want faster reward access (instant gift cards)
- You prefer gift cards over cash
- You want to scan receipts for extra earnings
- You don't mind ads for slightly lower pay rates
- You want a lower minimum cashout ($15 vs $30)
The Verdict: Which is Better for 2026?
Based on our 30-day real-world test, InboxDollars is the clear winner for maximum earnings. The 27% higher hourly rate makes a significant difference over time.
However, MyPoints wins for convenience and faster rewards. If you want gift cards quickly and don't mind slightly lower pay, MyPoints might be better for you.
💡 Pro Tip: Use Both Strategically
Many savvy users actually use both apps: InboxDollars for high-paying surveys and MyPoints for cashback shopping and receipt scanning. This hybrid approach maximizes earnings from both platforms' strengths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it requires consistent effort. Based on our test rates, you'd need about 60-90 minutes daily on InboxDollars to reach $100/month, or 75-110 minutes on MyPoints. Most users earn $50-100 monthly with 15-30 minutes daily.
No, both apps are completely free to use. They make money from advertisers and market research companies, then share a portion with users. Be wary of any "premium" upgrade offers - they're unnecessary to earn money.
Both apps have similar survey availability, but InboxDollars tends to have slightly more high-paying surveys ($2-3 range). MyPoints often has more lower-paying quick surveys (50-100 points). Availability varies by demographic and time of day.
Primarily US and Canada. InboxDollars and MyPoints are most robust in the United States, with limited functionality in Canada and the UK. Users outside these regions will have very few earning opportunities.
Absolutely! In fact, we recommend it for maximum earnings. Use InboxDollars for surveys and MyPoints for cashback shopping and receipt scanning. Just don't try to complete the same offer on both platforms simultaneously.
InboxDollars is better for passive video watching, while MyPoints has the edge with receipt scanning and search engine rewards. For truly passive earnings, expect $10-20/month with minimal interaction on either app.