Warning: SproutGigs suspended my account, and I no longer recommend it
SproutGigs terminated my account after I shared my honest opinion about it. Some jobs on it are what I would call unethical, and it keeps 18% of every withdrawal. I do not recommend you join it.
I used SproutGigs (formerly Picoworkers) for a long time and was paid several times. Then it suspended my account. Below is how it works, what it charges, what happened to me, and which sites I recommend instead.
It pays, but I do not recommend it
Plenty of small jobs, but they pay cents, withdrawals cost an 18% fee, and it suspended my account.
On this page
The short answer
SproutGigs pays you to complete small jobs, and it has paid me several times. It is the same platform as Picoworkers, with a new name. There are plenty of jobs every day.
But the jobs pay only cents, and it charges an 18% processing fee every time you withdraw. I have tested hundreds of sites and have never seen fees this high. Many jobs are unethical. It also suspended my account, first when I questioned a request for my photo ID, and later permanently after I shared my honest opinion. I do not recommend it.
- Good payout options
- Plenty of available jobs
- Low payout threshold of $5
- Available in all countries
- Low rewards per job
- High transaction fee per withdrawal: 18%
- The joining bonus cannot be withdrawn
- Many unethical jobs
- The support is not always good
- They suspended my account
My experience with SproutGigs
I was a SproutGigs member for a long time, back when it was still called Picoworkers. This is what I did myself, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- February 2020Review first published Feb 27, 2020
- Latest update
- Checked: fees, payout options, reader reports
- Paid out
- Several timesBefore my account was suspended
- Account status
- Suspended permanentlyAfter I shared my honest opinion about the platform
- Small jobs, including submitting proof
- Cashouts, several times
- Asking support for help, several times
- The site on a mobile phone
- Posting a job myself, which is the only way to use the joining bonus.
- Using SproutGigs today. My account is suspended, so I cannot log in to check the site from the inside.
Payment proof and what happened to my account
SproutGigs has paid me several times. But the last time I tried to make a larger cashout, I was told I could not cash out and had to contact support. Support said I was suspected of using a VPN and had to send a photo of myself with a government ID. I did not use a VPN.
I said I did not mind verifying in some way, but I did not feel comfortable sharing my government ID with them. I asked for a proper reason and to talk to a manager. Then they terminated my account and took all my earnings.
Later, I could log in again and withdraw my earnings for a while. But after I shared my honest opinion about the platform, they suspended my account permanently, “for terms of service violations related to misrepresenting SproutGigs”. Nobody reached out to talk about it.
I am not saying the same will happen to you. But you might suddenly be asked for personal documents, and it might not happen until you are about to withdraw. In the video below, I share my current opinion about SproutGigs.
Screenshots from my account
SproutGigs pays cents per job and keeps 18% of every withdrawal. These sites pay better for your time.
See the best sites in your countrySproutGigs at a glance
| What it is | Micro-task site that pays you for small jobs posted by other members. Formerly called Picoworkers. |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Joining bonus | $0.50 for verifying your email. You cannot withdraw it; you can only use it to post a job. |
| Ways to earn | Small jobs, referral program |
| Pay per job | Cents. You seldom find a job that pays more than $0.50. |
| Minimum cashout | $5 |
| Payout methods | PayPal, crypto (most often Ethereum and Litecoin), AirTM, Uphold, Skrill |
| Fees | 18% processing fee on every withdrawal, the same for all methods |
| ID check | Can ask for a photo of you with a government ID, sometimes only when you try to withdraw |
| Apps | No app. The website is optimized for mobile. |
| Where you can join | All countries. Many jobs are international; some are for certain countries only. |
| Support | FAQ page and support tickets. They say they answer within 24 hours. |
Is SproutGigs legit and safe?
SproutGigs does pay, and I have been paid by it several times. But I had bad experiences with it, and there are some very important details to know before you join.
- An 18% fee on every withdrawal
All payout methods have the same 18% processing fee, so you never get the full amount. They used to also withhold VAT, and the total then often came close to 20%. Many people will not notice how high the fee is until they are ready to cash out.
- You may have to send a photo ID before you can cash out
When I tried to cash out, I was suddenly asked for a photo of myself with a government ID, because they suspected a VPN. I did not use one. Readers report the same request.
- Accounts get suspended
SproutGigs terminated my account and took my earnings when I asked why they needed my ID. I could later log in and withdraw again for a while. Then it suspended my account permanently after I shared my honest opinion. Readers also report accounts blocked for a VPN or multiple accounts.
- Many jobs are unethical
In my experience, many jobs on SproutGigs are unethical, and the admin team does not filter them well. Some jobs can even get you into trouble. Be very picky.
- No proof, no pay
You must submit clean, correct proof for every job, and the person who posted it must approve it. If they do not approve it, you are not paid.
My takeSproutGigs offers plenty of jobs and a low payout threshold. But it does not pay you well, and it charges an extremely high fee when you cash out. It also closed my account because I shared my opinion about its pros and cons. For these reasons, SproutGigs is a platform I do not recommend. There are many better sites that let you earn more.
How you earn on SproutGigs
There are 2 ways to earn, plus a joining bonus you cannot withdraw. Small jobs are the main one. Tap one to read more.
Small jobsCents per job
Log in to see all available micro jobs. Each job shows exactly what you get for completing it, which helps you choose. It also shows which countries the job is for. “INT” means anyone can do it, and luckily many jobs are international.
Most jobs are simple: visit a website, like a Facebook or Instagram page, or sign up for a site and do some searches. For every job, you must submit proof. Only submit exactly what is asked. Answers like “done” are not proof. If the person who posted the job does not approve your proof, you are not paid.
Be very picky. In my experience, many unethical jobs are posted, and the admin team does not filter them well.
Referral program5%
When someone signs up through your referral link, you earn 5% of every job they complete. If they deposit money to post jobs, you also earn 5% of the deposit.
It is a decent form of passive income, but 5% is quite low compared to many other referral programs.
Joining bonus$0.50, not withdrawable
You get a $0.50 joining bonus for verifying your email. But you cannot withdraw it. You can only use it to post a job on the site yourself. If you do not plan to post jobs, the bonus is useless.
See the Top Survey and GPT Sites in Your Country
How much can you make?
There are usually more jobs than you can complete, so you will not run out of things to do. But the jobs pay badly. You earn cents for each one.
That is because the jobs come from other members, not from companies. They have usually found offers they promote for a commission, and you get a cut of what they earn. You seldom find a job that pays more than $0.50, and most pay less.
If you choose fair, ethical jobs, you can earn some extra cash. But remember the 18% fee when you withdraw. Overall, there are better options to spend your time on, in my opinion.
Payout methods, minimum and fees
| Method | Minimum | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | $5 | 18% |
| Crypto: most often Ethereum and Litecoin | $5 | 18% |
| AirTM | $5 | 18% |
| Uphold | $5 | 18% |
| Skrill | $5 | 18% |
The payout threshold used to be $5.75; now it is $5. Each method used to have its own fee. Now all of them have the same 18% processing fee. SproutGigs says it charges this fee to support its operations. In my opinion, that does not make sense for workers who already get very low pay.
Which cryptocurrencies you can choose varies from time to time. If you want sites with a low cashout threshold and no fees, see the fastest paying sites.
Who can join SproutGigs?
SproutGigs is available globally. Anyone who is at least 18 can join. Fill out the registration form and click the activation link in the email you receive. Then you can log in and start doing jobs. If you signed up when it was called Picoworkers, your old login still works.
There is no app, but the website is now optimized for mobile, so you can complete jobs on your phone quite easily. Because of the kind of jobs, a desktop or laptop works best, in my opinion.
For help, check the FAQ page first. Otherwise, click the Support tab in the upper right corner of the dashboard and create a new ticket. They say they answer within 24 hours, and they always did when I contacted them. But as I explain above, the support is not always good in my experience.
What 90 readers told me
This review has 90 comments since 2020: 47 from readers and 43 replies from me. These are the five things readers write about most.
Readers report accounts blocked for a VPN they say they did not use, or for multiple accounts, often around the time they wanted to withdraw. Some got no reply from support.
Readers point out the fee they paid at cashout. One reader says the fee breakdown is shown before you confirm a withdrawal.
Sign-up forms that do not go through, a location that does not match, or an account that will not log in. Only SproutGigs support can solve these.
Readers ask if some job types break Google’s terms, or say the employer rejected their proof. Every job must be approved before you are paid.
Readers who say they withdrew several times or like the site.
“So apparently they blocked my account saying I used VPN I have tried contacting them serveral time’s and they just won’t respond”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences. I also had this issue at some point, as I explain in the article above. The support is not great in a case like that.
“Do you think its still a legit website and is it safe to do their verification to get our money withdrawed”
Mikael: Personally, I do not like they keep asking for more and more private info no other similar platform is asking for. And be aware they also charge a huge fee when you withdraw.
“As for the withdrawal fees, yes, there are fees depending on the withdrawal method, but the breakdown is usually shown before confirming the withdrawal request.”
Mikael: But when it comes to Sproutgigs, they do not show all the fees until you actually try to withdraw. And no matter what, there is no excuse for charging this high fees, especially considering how low pay you get for the tasks.
SproutGigs alternatives I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swagbucks | Many daily ways to earn, one of the biggest GPT sites | About $5 PayPal; gift cards from 100 SB | 4.3 / 5 |
| Freecash | Highest pay for offers and games | $5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| TimeBucks | Ways to earn in almost every country | $3 | 3.9 / 5 |
| JumpTask | Earning crypto for free with small tasks | $0.50 | 3.4 / 5 |
Want to earn more efficiently? See the top GPT sites. You will find sites you can join wherever you live. For more micro-task sites, see the top micro job websites.
How I scored SproutGigs
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. Platform Information.
SproutGigs scores 30 out of 100. I recommend these sites before SproutGigs.
See the best sites in your countrySproutGigs FAQ
Is SproutGigs a scam?
It does pay. I have been paid several times. But it charges an 18% fee on every withdrawal, has many unethical jobs, and it suspended my account. I do not recommend it.
Are SproutGigs and Picoworkers the same?
Yes. Picoworkers changed its name to SproutGigs. Not much else changed, and you can still use your old Picoworkers login.
What is the minimum payout?
$5. It used to be $5.75.
How high are the SproutGigs fees?
18% on every withdrawal, the same for all payout methods. I have never seen a site charge fees this high.
Can I withdraw the joining bonus?
No. The $0.50 joining bonus can only be used to post a job on the site yourself.
Does SproutGigs ask for ID?
It can. I was asked for a photo of myself with a government ID when I tried to cash out, and readers report the same.
Who can join SproutGigs?
Anyone who is at least 18, in any country. Some jobs are only for certain countries.
Is there a SproutGigs app?
No. But the website is optimized for mobile, so you can do jobs on your phone.
Who tested SproutGigs for this review
If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with SproutGigs or Picoworkers yourself, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
I understand why some users feel that way, but honestly, based on my own experience, I wasn’t asked for too much private information. As long as your documents and account details are accurate and clear, the verification process can actually be quick and smooth.
I think it may also depend on whether the platform detects suspicious activity or inconsistencies in the account. Many platforms today are becoming stricter with verification for security and fraud prevention reasons.
As for the withdrawal fees, yes, there are fees depending on the withdrawal method, but the breakdown is usually shown before confirming the withdrawal request.
At the end of the day, everyone will have different experiences, but personally, I think submitting correct information and following the guidelines properly makes a big difference.
I agree that following guidelines and the terms is important. But when it comes to Sproutgigs, they do not show all the fees until you actually try to withdraw. And no matter what, there is no excuse for charging this high fees, especially considering how low pay you get for the tasks. I have tested hundreds of online earning methods and I have never seen any other platform charge this high fees.
In addition to that, they have terrible support in my experience. And they banned my account for sharing my honest experiences and opinions about them. Overall, just a platform I would never recommend anyone using as there are many better and more transparent options.
I have been using sproutgigs for around a month now. Do you think its still a legit website and is it safe to do their verification to get our money withdrawed and also did you end up still receiving money through tasks after the issue you faced. I would want to continue to work on this site since the tasks are pretty easy but I did want some info about this from you.
At the top of the review above, I have a new video where I share my current opinion about it.
Personally, I do not like they keep asking for more and more private info no other similar platform is asking for. And be aware they also charge a huge fee when you withdraw. I explain all the details in the review above, and then you can make your own decision based on that. For me it is not worth it anymore, but you have to make your own decision about that.
I’m trying to register but it keeps telling me that my IP address does not match the selected country/location. Finally I was told that it does not accept registrations with VPN and I wasn’t using any VPN.
You need to contact their support about this.
hi
Hello
Hi
Hello
I have also same experience. They blocked my account saying that i used vpn. They are great scammers.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
So apparently they blocked my account saying I used VPN I have tried contacting them serveral time’s and they just won’t respond ?
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I also had this issue at some point, as I explain in the article above. The support is not great in a case like that. Hope you hear back from them at some point. Keep me updated.
Thanks for answering my question
You are welcome.
Thanks for your response sir, I didn’t know you have replied my initial question that’s why I asked same question again. I appreciate
you are welcome.
Good day Mike, please can one work on micro task job in both sproutgigs and Timebucks at same time or will it be termed as multiple account. You know Timebucks has micro task same as sproutgigs
They are two different platforms and the tasks are different so you can use both platforms.
Good day @Mike, I red your experience about sproutgigs, suspending your account for questioning them on ID request. That was horrible experience.
People are complaining account baning as a result of multiple accounts.
Please sir, I don’t get this multiple accounts issue, for instance, I have timebucks account which offers micro task job same as sproutgigs,. Could working on both at same time termed multiple accounts, one of my friend’s account was suspended citing multiple accounts as results of what I just explain. help me and answer the question please
Thanks
Those two platforms are not related at all and the tasks are also not, so that should not lead to an account being banned. It must be another reason – or maybe Sproutgigs’ system just falsely flags certain accounts as it was the case with me. In that case, only their support can help, but they will not always be helpful, in my experience.
Thanks for your response sir, I didn’t know you have replied my initial question that’s why I asked same question again. I appreciate
My account is cloesd i want to recover my account please help me.
You need to contact their support about this.
How to contact them?
I explain that in the review above in the section called “Can you get support”.
Please let me know where I can get help.
i need a part-time job am from camerooon
You can check out this list of the best international sites which are the ones you should go for.
I need a part time job
I’m from Sri lanka
You can check out this list of the best international sites which are the ones you should go for.
I just opened an account and I did a task
It says I should download bible and open and get paid 2cents
So I did that and I even read the bible but then on going back to my sproutgigs account the money had not dropped….
You need to send proof the task has been done and the task needs to be approved first. I explain exactly how this works in the review above.
It was an offer on “offetoro” that instructed me to download bible and open,which I did,I even read some bible pages and went back and didn’t get the 2cent reward
How can I get the location of proof on this site or company to prove to you
Please understand that I am not their support and you do not need to prove anything to me. I am just explaining how it works. If you have technical problems, you need to contact their support.
Is the “SEO + Promote Content + Search + Engage” job really unethical? Is there a possibility that they did not violate the google ads? I’m really considering whether to commit to it, as it is the only a good choice for my part time income source.
Many of the tasks like that are unethical, in my opinion. But no matter what, it will not be able to give you a big income, as I also explain in the review above.
I,want to do part time mini jobs
I,m living in hongkong
I want to earn money
You can check out the best sites in Hong Kong here.
Hi please remove me from your website. I am not interested in doing surveys, blogs or whatever else is here. I signed up to watch ads. Thanks
I have nothing to do with Sproutgigs but just have a review of them. You need to contact them directly if you want them to delete your account.
Sir are you earning from ads so please tell me I want to earn please ?
why can’t I sign up. I fill all the information and then press sign up and then nothing happens. It stays still at the same page forever and nothing happens except that the sign up sign turn gray and that’s all.
You need to contact their support about this.
They have a Category that is “SEO + Promote Content + Search + Engage” but isn’t that just a clicking job? Isn’t that against the terms of condition of the platform itself and google ads? Why do they still allow it?
Yes, it goes against Google’s terms to do things like that. Why they still allow it is likely just because they do not care about this as long as they can earn from it.
Should I still do the job?
That is up to you to decide. Personally, I never do any jobs I find unethical.
Is The task different country to country I mean can I earn equal to a person who work from USA or Canada if from Ethiopia
Some tasks are only for certain countries, as I explain in the review above.
why is it that sign in is too hard
If you have any technical problems like this, you need to contact their support.
Any other money making apps which can work in Zambia am from Zambia
You can check out this list of the best international sites which are the ones you should go for.
Are there alternatives you can suggest that pay higher
Which country do you live in?
Dear Mikael,
It looks like you have not totally reviewed this website and tried for couple of months. This picoworker website is a scam. After earning 30$ when I try to withdraw they temporarily suspended my account they said that I have multiple accounts even thought I did not create another one. I mean what is the purpose of creating a second account if I’m already stressing my self and frustrated trying to earn money from my 1 and only 1 account. Also after checking reddit and checking other website reviews. I discovered that I was not only the one who did no get paid. I also read on reddit that picoworkers created bots to create positive fake comments.
I have definitely tested it myself and have been a member for a long time. I have also been paid by it several times, as you can see in one of the videos in the review above. However, as I also clearly explain in the video above, it has some disadvantages and you need to do it with the right expectations and know what you are getting into.
As for them not paying you, then I am sorry to hear that and thanks for sharing it here so others can see other experiences also.
This is a legit website, I’m withdrawal many times im skrill and litecoin wallet … Also you can add cpa offers for members and earn more with cpa companies
this is a nice website
Thanks for sharing. Glad you like it.
Please help me with my account it has been suspended am very good at my job I did not know that you can not log in with some one device so I try logging in and my account got suspended please help me
You need to contact their support about this. I cannot help getting your account unlocked as I do not have anything to do with Picoworkers but have just reviewed it.
Picoworker is a scammer,fee withdraw 20% wtf picoworker? dont works at here.
I agree the fee is crazy as I also explain in the review above.
Hello,
I did a task perfectly. I submitted all proofs that is asked by the employer. But the employer not satisfied my task and in reply he said “dont cheat”.
Are you kidding me dear employer? You can’t even explain the reason! That’s so sad how unqualified you’re in the online business.
Then I submitted a support ticket to Picoworkers. As always they said they working on it and suggested to to check employers success rate before doing a task.
Actually this post is not about money, this about Picoworkers and my realization about it.
Picoworkers doesn’t really care about workers. Their goal is to serve their employers the best and keep the workers in so many rules and regulations when almost all of them are illogical and unnecessary.
Let’s talk about their levelling system of workers. Why can’t a starter level worker see employers success rate? Is there any logical reason? Let me answer. Because there’s so many scammers/employers post job in Picoworkers. Their success rate is below 60%. If all workers can see their success rate, no worker will do those tasks. So Picoworkers will lost that scammers/employers from their site. To keep that scammers money in this marketplace, Picoworkers don’t let the starter level worker to see success rate, they can’t even see employers name before submitting proofs. That’s why scammers/employers are huge in numbers in Picoworkers rather than other micro job sites. Also other sites don’t have this feature/illogical rule.
Picoworkers has a strict rule against using vpn or proxy or multiple accounts. So many users lost their accounts for this. But Picoworkers won’t ban your account before you withdraw. But when you will submit a withdrawal request, they will ban your account and won’t give you money. Now my question is why not in the beginning? Because they will use you to serve their employers for free.
There’s a lot of features/illogical rules to slow down a worker or stop them. But tell me one feature/rule that will stop a scammer/employer from posting jobs. Picoworkers just send some message to the employers and tells the workers to be patient. But why? You guys are making money because of the workers not the employers. Remember that.
Picoworkers is one of the most racist and unprofessional freelancing sites I’ve ever seen. They used to ban a whole country for some individuals, when Picoworkers couldn’t even maintain their own security. They forced their workers to contact those scammers/employers. But in this case why they spoke against those employers? Because those employers were cutting their money by doing credit card fraud. So they had to ban a whole country for this. This is so sad that how unqualified and unprofessional they are to be a freelancing site.
That’s it for today. I think my post won’t be approved. If approved, I want to say one thing to all the workers that, open your eyes.
Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinion.
High peace cutting why what problems i work 25 usdt and peace cut 6 usdt no logic why are you high peace cutting
I explain all about the high fees in the review above. It is definitely one of the biggest disadvantages of the platform.
Hi, I’m an employer on this site, but it’s been less than a month since the site added the feature section, so you have to pay a fee for 24 hours to get your job to the front page. It made me think of using another site, because it costs about $ 10 for 24 hours of work in the middle of the page and is not seen much, please mention the names of other similar sites, thank you
You can consider a site like Timebucks.
Picoworkers does pay.I have made 40 dollars in three months.But I saw someone in the comments say the deposited money and didn’t get it back.The only way you can you can get that money out is by creating a job on the site and paying someone so that the can withdraw the money in your place.
Thanks for sharing your experiences about this.
why is my temporary success stat low and why , what’s summit tasks interval 280 seconds.
You need to ask their support about this.
Lo que pasa es que seguro que tu tasa de éxito es inferior a 75%. Eso se calcula tasa de éxito= (tareas sastisfecha/tareas realizadas)*100 y si has realizado muchas tareas, pero no te las han calificado es probable que tu tasa de éxito sea baja. Por Ej si has realizado 60 tareas y te han calificado 30 tareas, entonces :
tasa de éxito= (30/60)*100 =50%
Cuando tu tasa es baja, debes esperar un tiempo para que califiquen las tareas que has realizado, y así tu tasa vaya aumentando. Es algo que nos pasa a todos cuando estamos empezando.
Por lo general, la tasa de éxito baja afecta mucho cuando estas empezando y no has realizado muchas tareas, pero ya cuando hallas realizado alrededor de 300 tareas, es poco probable que la tasa de éxito afecte.
Thanks for sharing your experiences about this.
Hi members am new here but I tried to login to my account unable, but I have done all that I require to set up my account ,they send me the email I confirm it, then I to login unable to access my account. Thanks I need someone to help.
You need to contact Picoworkers support about this.
Esta es una página muy confiable, que paga rápido y las tareas no son tan dificiles. Pero, como todo tiene un problema, y son sus “COMISIONES QUE SON ALTISIMAS” ya que quitan casi 25%
Yes, their fees are definitely extremely high.
Dear Mikael, what is the most reliable among the microworkers platforms, from the customer’s side? Rosy’s comment makes me wonder whether Pico is really OK.
There are many reliable ones and Picoworkers is one of them. I cannot say if there are also fake comments about it makeíng it look better than it is, but it does pay so if you do it with the right expectations, it can be a way to earn a bit extra.
I also have a list of the best micro job websites here, if you are interested in more sites.
Picoworkers is the one of best way that I have found recently to earn extra money. Workers in this site do not need any skills, no matter how broke you are you will surely earn some free cash from this site.
Thanks for sharing your experiences about this.
But just be aware that it is, of course, not allowed to share your referral link here as you did so that link has been blocked. If you want to get referrals, it is not a good approach to just spam it on other websites. You can read here how to get referrals in a long-term and non-spammy way.
You have mentioned picoworkers have tasks that are not from companies and businesses but from other members. Can you suggest some top sites where I can find tasks from companies/business? Similar to Amazon Turk.
You can check out this list of the best data entry sites.
I put a deposit on this site and i wanted to get a refund of the rest of my deposit and i asked how much time it will takes they said more than 30 days and when i asked a few questions in a polite way. They blocked me for harassing (which i didn’t do for sure, i was very polite just questioning for information) and they are not replying to my emails at all. Which means they scammed me and stole my money. DO NOT WORK ON THIS SITE WORST SITE EVERRR
sorry to hear that. But thanks for sharing your experiences.
Did you use VPN on the site or anything like that?