Want to get apps, games, movies, TV shows, and books for free on Google Play? Then it's time to use the Google Opinion Rewards app, a mobile survey tool that rewards you with cash in your Google account every time you complete a brief survey.

With over 50 million installs, this is a popular app among both Android and iOS users. But are you using it to its full potential? Could you be making more money with Google Opinion Rewards?

How Does Google Opinion Rewards Work?

Before we look at how to get more Google Opinion Rewards surveys and tempt Google into giving you more money, we need to look at just how Google Opinion Rewards works. Perhaps you've never used it, or maybe you've used it once and forgot all about it.

Google Opinion Rewards isn't limited to Android users. If you own an iPhone, you can also install it, and benefit from the same paid surveys. Note that if you're on iPhone, your PayPal account is credited, whereas Android users will have the rewards credited to their Google account.

Download: Google Opinion Rewards for Android | iPhone (Free)

Once launched, Google Opinion Rewards requires you to sign in to your usual Google account. You should then receive a preliminary "test" survey, partially to make sure you understand your part in this mutually beneficial relationship, and partially to establish your demographic.

Google Opinion Rewards typically surveys you based on recent shopping experiences. If you have been shopping, you should be able to provide an answer.

Surveys take around 10 seconds to complete and usually end up with a few cents being added to your account. Over the course of a few weeks, you can end up with enough Google survey rewards credit to spend in the Play Store.

Click Buy when you're ready, ensuring that your Google Play balance is selected as the payment source.

Now that we know how it works, let's look at how to get more surveys in Google Opinion Rewards and make more money.

How to Enable Location Services for More Google Opinion Rewards

While you might get questions concerning online purchases, many surveys from Google Opinion Rewards relate to your recent journeys. With location services enabled in Android, you get a better chance of receiving surveys that ask you about where you went.

But why the interest?

In most cases, the information is gathered to help improve Google Maps. The instructions differ slightly on each phone, but on stock Android, you can ensure the correct Location setting is selected by opening Settings > Location and toggling on Location.

Then go to Location Services and confirm Google Location Accuracy is also set to On.

You'll also be prompted to turn on Location History when you first sign up with the app.

This uses GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile networks to establish your location, and is the best option if you're hoping to generate some cash with Google Opinion Rewards. Note that it's also a privacy minefield.

What Is the Best Location for Google Opinion Rewards?

This is a tricky question to answer as it largely depends on other aspects of your activity.

However, you're going to get more Google rewards surveys living in a city and being active than living in the countryside. There is more to do in and around a city, with more locations for your phone to check in with. Consequently, an active work, social, and shopping life in a metropolitan setting is how you get more surveys in Google Opinion Rewards.

As you know, more surveys means more income potential.

Keep the Google Opinion Rewards App Updated

As well as having location services enabled, you'll need to ensure that the app is up-to-date.

Changes to the survey collection system may not be compatible with older versions of Google Opinion Rewards, so having the most recent version of the app installed is a major advantage.

Although this should happen automatically by default, you can update apps manually on the Play Store, and update your apps on the App Store too.

How to Get More Surveys on Google Opinion Rewards

It would be great to get a load of surveys every day, but this isn't going to happen. However, there are certain things that you can do to ensure that you get to answer as many surveys as possible.

• Check the app daily and ensure you have enabled notifications for Google Opinion Rewards.
• Responding to surveys promptly will get you more Google rewards surveys.
• Be female: it seems that high spending, regularly shopping women get more opportunities for generating rewards with the Google Reward Opinions.
• Take regular shopping trips to well-known stores: sitting around at home is not the way to generate surveys from Google.
• Tell the truth: the app serves the occasional "fake" survey to filter out bad answers. Trick questions might ask if you went to a location you didn't visit or took part in an activity you didn't. The fake questions are easy to spot but answering deceitfully will earn you less money in the long run.

Getting out and about is profitable for your Google Play balance, so remember to check the app, and answer truthfully, and promptly!

Get Google Opinion Rewards for Christmas

It shouldn't really come as a surprise, but it's worth mentioning: you'll make more from Google Opinion Rewards in the final quarter of the year (September to December) as this is when you are typically shopping for the Christmas period.

Companies that contract Google to survey their users want to know about your shopping habits, so it makes sense that they'll be trying to pull in this information—thanks to Google's "instant gratification" surveys—in the period when you do the most shopping.

So, if you want to generate credits for the Play Store with Google Opinion Rewards, make sure you have it installed, updated, and regularly checked in the run-up to Christmas.

Get More Google Opinion Rewards by Watching Videos

Another way Google finds opinions is by sending videos to you to watch and rate. This means that you'll need to be ready to watch the videos when they're sent.

Typically, these are YouTube clips that Google uses to gauge your interest. They're almost always about finding recommendations for you, rather than adverts (although this sometimes happens).

All you need to do is watch the video, confirm that it played correctly, then give it a rating.

Once you've done this, your reward will be added to your balance.

Complete a Google Rewards Survey to Improve Video Recommendations

In addition, Google might check if you’ve watched a particular video already, and use the information you provide to better tailor YouTube videos to your interests.

Such a survey will start with the question “Have you had this video recommended to you before on YouTube?” and then prompts you to respond accordingly. Follow-up questions assess how confident you are of your initial answer, and whether you would like to see such a recommendation in the future.

Such a question could pay out around 30c into your Google Rewards account, so it is worth completing.

Don't Let Your Rewards Run Out!

It's a nice feeling to see the balance in your Play Store account rising. Each time you complete a survey, your updated balance will be displayed.

Google Opinion Rewards credit expires after 12 months, so you need to keep using the app and spending the credits. If you don't, you'll have wasted your time and effort.

A good way to stop this from happening is to keep a list of apps and games that you want to buy. You can do this by marking them for later, by clicking the Add to wishlist button. Wishlist items can be viewed by clicking My wishlist in Google Play.

5 Ways to Spend Your Google Opinion Rewards

There are lots of ways to spend your Google Opinion rewards. Want some ideas? With your credit, you can:

• Pay for an education app subscription
• Buy a movie or book
• Stump up for some high-end games
• Upgrade an app from ad-supported to premium
• Fund a Google One subscription

In short, Google Opinion Rewards can pay for most of your Google Play Store purchases. You won't earn big bucks, and won't make enough to rent (or buy) a movie every week. But it's still a good deal.

Make Google Opinion Rewards Work for You

Easy to set up, free to use, and with some simple ways to get more surveys and earn more money, Google Opinion Rewards is an app that everyone should use.

By earning credit for just going places, media purchases are essentially free on Android. The deal is arguably even better if you're an iPhone user as your money is credited to PayPal instead, ready for you to spend as you see fit.