Earning Money by Watching Videos – What Works, What Doesn’t, and Where Not to Waste Time?

Earn money for watching movies! – such slogans attack you from all sides. But before you click another app promising hundreds of zlotys just for looking at the screen, it’s worth asking yourself: does this really work? And if it does, for whom, for how long, for how much, and… is it really worth it?

Because yes, earning money by watching videos online is possible, but not in the way most ‘miracle ads’ show. Real money – although small – is within reach if you know where to click and what to avoid. In this text, we’ll go through the most popular options (including those available in Poland), check where you can actually earn, and show you when it’s better to create than to watch.

Want to earn by watching movies? First, check what works and what sounds too good to be true

If you see an offer like ‘300 PLN a day for watching TikToks’, you have a 99% certainty that it’s clickbait. Most programs promising huge earnings just for watching content are scams, pyramid schemes, or ‘task economy’ with micropayments. Meaning – you will earn 0.02 PLN per action, and the payout will only occur if you complete 10 such tasks a day for 3 weeks and invite 5 friends.

Such programs rely on FOMO and the illusion of passive income, but rarely end with a real payout. Examples?

• “Watch – earn” type apps (often on Google Play) – they give points, but payouts often never arrive.
• “Test platforms” – they commission watching ads but require deposits or engagement.
• Combinations with TikTok and YouTube – ‘content tester’ or ‘viral content watcher’ for pennies.

Real money? It doesn’t come from just watching, but from actions around the content: testing, reviewing, recommending, and sometimes – creating.

Earning by watching videos online – which apps in Poland actually pay

Yes, there are programs that actually pay money for ‘watching’ or interacting with content. But you should look at it as small extra earnings, not a source of livelihood. The most reasonable options available in Poland are below.

• Swagbucks – you can watch video ads, but the rates are low (approx. 0.05–0.10 PLN per session).
• Pawns.app – you share your internet connection and perform simple tasks, including watching.
• BeMyEye / Streetspotr – sometimes have tasks of ‘watching displays’ or ads.
• UserTesting / Testbirds – you watch websites and videos in the context of UX tests, but you need to know English.
• You-Cubez / InboxDollars – options for watching in exchange for points (via VPN – works, but with delays).

Payouts? You can realistically pull out from 10 to 80 PLN per month with regular clicking. Little? Yes. But it’s still more than 90% of apps that don’t pay at all.

Passive vs active – how to watch movies and earn on the side?

There are two ways to earn by watching movies: passive (background, effortless) and active (treating it as a task). Both have their pros and cons, but if you want to do it smart, you must decide, whether it’s about ‘a few PLN per click’ or something bigger.

Passive earning (background, minimal attention):

• watching ads in exchange for points (Swagbucks, ClipClaps),
• sharing network data (Pawns.app, Honeygain),
• playing content with an ad profile set.

Active earning (specific action):

• UX testing and recording opinions on movies (UserTesting),
• Reviewing content or products and linking them on socials (e.g., with RefSpace),
• Own video comments/reposts as a creator, with affiliation.

The passive option is to earn a little extra for coffee. The active one – is a way to build a long-term system. Especially if you link it with something like RefSpace, where for one product opinion you can earn for months – as long as the film keeps circulating.

Combining methods pays off – how to combine 3 different methods to pull out 300 PLN a month?

You won’t earn 300 PLN a month on one app. But by combining several sensible models, you are able to pull out real money – without scams and pyramids. The key is diversity. One app pays for background, another for opinion, yet another for activity. And you… combine it in a way that a once set routine works every week.

An example mix for someone who has 30–60 minutes a day.
• Pawns.app (sharing internet in the background) – approx. 30 PLN/month.
• Swagbucks or ClipClaps (watching content/ads) – up to 20–40 PLN/month.
• UserTesting/Testbirds (2–3 tests per month) – approx. 100–150 PLN
• RefSpace – one product link with a video = potential for 50–100 PLN commission
• BeMyEye – offline tasks (optional) – approx. 20 PLN/month.

In this scenario, there is no magical app. But there is a strategy. And that makes the difference. If you know how to manage your time, don’t click on anything and focus on results – you have a chance to build your own micro-income. Without a company. Without risk. Without deception.

Earning by watching videos is not everything – create once, earn longer

Simply watching videos is a nice option to start – but if you want more, you have to step to the other side of the screen. Creating your own content (even very simple!) allows not only to earn more, but also to build a system that works independently of your time.

Sounds like a higher level? Maybe, but… you don’t have to be an influencer, you don’t have to speak to the camera, you don’t need equipment. Just:

• find a product you know or recommend (e.g., from RefSpace),
• record a simple video (review, test, advice),
• upload it to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels,
• add an affiliate link in the bio/comment/profile description.

That’s it. And then – anyone who clicks and buys generates you a commission. Even if you’re on a walk. This is not “earning from watching” but earning from recommending, which works in the background.

Watch less, earn more – which methods are worth your time?

Time is a currency. If you want to earn by watching, you need to answer the question: how much are you willing to sacrifice – and will it pay off? Many apps look tempting, but when you calculate the hourly rate, it turns out that you’re earning less than filling surveys from 10 years ago.

Here’s what the efficiency of the most common methods looks like:

• ClipClaps, Swagbucks (ads, videos) – ~1–2 PLN/h, lots of clicking,
• UserTesting/Testbirds (UX tests with video watching) – 30–50 PLN/h, but a limited number of tasks,
• Pawns.app, Honeygain (in the background) – automatic profit, but low: 1–2 PLN daily,
• RefSpace (content + link) – no ceiling, even 100 PLN for 1 video with a good product.

If you want to act smartly, don’t click on every app blindly. Do a test: turn on a timer, check how much you earn per hour and whether the payout really comes. And if you’re looking for scaling – go for content + affiliation. That’s where the real money is.

FAQ

Is it really possible to earn money by watching movies online?

Yes, but not as much as the ads promise. Realistically, you can make a few dozen PLN per month if you combine several apps (e.g., Swagbucks, UserTesting, Pawns.app). It’s more of a side income than a source of livelihood.

Which apps for watching movies really pay out?

In Poland, the following operate:

• Swagbucks – points for watching, later exchangeable for cards/cash
• Pawns.app / Honeygain – earnings for sharing the internet, sometimes with tasks
• UserTesting / Testbirds – paid UX tests, also with video materials
• ClipClaps / InboxDollars – works through VPN, low rates, but payable

How much can you earn just from watching?

With regular use of several apps, you can earn from 10 to 80 PLN per month. With more advanced tests (e.g., UserTesting) – even 100–200 PLN. But you need to know English and have some time.

Do you have to be 18 to use these apps?

Most legal platforms require you to be at least 18 years old. Some (e.g., Swagbucks) allow registration from the age of 13 – but with parental consent.

Is this legal? Do you need a business?

Yes, it’s legal. You don’t need to have a business. If you withdraw funds, for example, via PayPal or a gift card, you report it as income (if it exceeds a certain annual limit – in that case, it’s worth consulting an accountant).

What instead of watching? Can you earn more without sitting in front of a screen?

Yes – for example, by creating content with product links (RefSpace), doing reposts with descriptions, or reviewing products. This requires more involvement, but it can yield much better results (up to several hundred PLN monthly from a single video).