Keen to make your web searches a little more rewarding? By switching to Microsoft Bing, you could be earning Microsoft Rewards points every time you’re seeking information on the Internet. Accumulate enough points and you can transform them into rewards with travel providers, retailers and more.
Sure, saying ‘you should Bing that’ doesn’t have the same ring as ‘you should Google that’. But then again, Google is the dominant player – it doesn’t need to add extra incentives for people to use its service. Bing, on the other hand, tempts keyboard warriors with points. Who doesn’t love something for free?
How do I join Microsoft Rewards?
Microsoft Rewards is free to join. Just head to the Bing website and get started.
Chances are, you probably already have a Microsoft account. Especially if you’ve ever signed up for Outlook, Hotmail, Office 365, activated Windows or use an Xbox. If so, you can simply activate Microsoft Rewards within that account. Alternatively, you can create a new Microsoft account – and with it, sign up for Microsoft Rewards.
Best of all, you don’t need a Microsoft device. Points are primarily earned through searching via web browsers. Whether or not that’s running on a Windows operating system is entirely your call.
What are the membership tiers?
There are three tiers or ‘levels’ within Microsoft Rewards. Essentially, there’s a beginner tier, where everybody starts. Then, there’s an intermediate tier, which captures most others. The highest tier largely mirrors the requirements of that intermediate tier, except that it also requires a paid gaming membership.
- Level 1: This is where you’ll start upon signing up.
- Level 2: For members earning at least 500 points per month. This provides higher earning potential and unlocks some better value redemptions.
- ‘Level 2 + Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’: What it says on the tin. For members who meet the requirements of Level 2 while also maintaining an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Yes, that third tier probably could have just been called Level 3! For simplicity, we’ll refer to it as ‘Level 2+’ going forward.
How do I earn points via Microsoft Rewards?
There are two main ways to earn points with Microsoft Rewards. One is to use Bing as your search engine. The other is when shopping online at the Microsoft Store. This is also where your tier level comes into play.
Earning points via Bing search:
- Via desktop: Earn three points per search.
- Capped at 30 points per day (Level 1) or 90 points per day (Level 2/2+).
- Via mobile: Only for Level 2/2+, earn three points per search.
- Limited to 60 points per day.
- General bonus: For each day you search with Bing in Microsoft Edge, get a bonus on top.
- That’s three points per day for Level 1, or 12 points per day for Level 2/2+.
Note that the earning options via desktop and mobile are cumulative each day. This means a Level 2 member could earn up to 150 points from search queries each day across their devices.
Shop online at the Microsoft Store:
- Earn points for all eligible Microsoft Store purchases.
- Level 1: Earn one point per $1 spent.
- Level 2: Earn 10 points per $1 spent.
- Level 2+: Earn 20 points per $1 spent.
If you’re planning to make a big purchase from the Microsoft Store, it pays to be strategic. By using Bing to earn points, you could ascend from Level 1 to Level 2 in a relatively short space of time. Even just a few weeks of web searches could get you over the line. By doing so, you’d then be primed to be rewarded on a much larger purchase.
Let’s say you were planning to buy a $2,000 gadget via the Microsoft Store. Make that purchase as a Level 1 member and you’d get 2,000 points with Microsoft Rewards. But making the same buy as a Level 2 member would unlock ten times the number of points: that’s 20,000 points from the same spend.
Tips to accelerate your points earning
This is one of those times where a ‘set and forget’ approach works best. Simply configure your browser’s default search engine as Microsoft Bing, log into your Microsoft account and you’ll be all set.
Speaking from experience, for the most part, the search results on Bing are quite usable. It’s rare that the first page of results won’t have what I was hoping to find. Here’s the kicker, though. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can just type “Google” into Bing. As long as you’re within your daily earning cap, you’ll still earn three points and can quickly click through to Google anyway.
Back on Bing, you’ll even earn points when seeking general data from Bing itself. For instance, by using the search box as a calculator (e.g. “380 / 4”), or seeking a foreign currency estimate (e.g. “$787 AUD to USD”). You can even pull share price data from searches like “ASX:QAN” for Qantas. All these searches earn points with Microsoft Rewards.
Further, you can also double dip on points when shopping with the Microsoft Store online. You could click through Qantas Shopping or the Velocity e-Store to earn a serving of frequent flyer points. Then, by being a Microsoft Rewards member, you’d earn a separate serve of Microsoft Rewards points. In fact, pay with a points-earning credit card and purchases from Microsoft become triple dip.
How to redeem Microsoft Rewards points
Microsoft Rewards operates in a number of different countries. Earning and redemption rates – and redemption options – vary between countries. In all cases, we’ve used figures for the Australian version of the program.
We’ll be blunt: the redemption rates don’t jump off the page. This isn’t one of those programs where members would actively chase points as a hobby to generate outsized rewards in return. Instead, it’s more of a passive approach. But why not earn free points from something you’re already doing, like searching online?
With a Level 2 membership, accumulate 3,950 points and you’ll have enough for a $5 Microsoft Store gift card. Or bank 7,900 points for a $10 Skype credit. You could also trade 9,250 points for one month’s subscription to PC Game Pass. Or use 14,000 points for a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. The same redemptions are available for Level 1 members but may require additional points. It’s another incentive to use Bing regularly.
In practical terms, redeeming Microsoft Rewards points with Microsoft gives a value of roughly 0.126 cents per point. Given you can earn three points per search, that’s around 1.13 cents in savings from every three eligible web searches. Over the course of a year, you might bank enough points for a noticeable saving.
For instance, based on the daily earning limits, Level 2 Microsoft Rewards members could earn around 54,750 points per year from searches alone. That translates into a future saving of around $69 on Microsoft products. That’s a pretty small fry in the scheme of things, but it’s still something.
Redeeming points for everyday purchases
Microsoft Rewards aptly assigns the most generous redemption rates for its members’ spending points with Microsoft itself. But you can also spend points in other ways. You can turn rewards into free groceries, for example, or use them to offset your travel expenses.
While the redemption value isn’t as strong, it’s certainly a more practical way to go. You’ll get exactly 0.0973 cents per Microsoft Rewards point through this approach. Different businesses use various denominations when issuing gift cards, but here are some of your redemption options:
- 5,135 points = $5 gift card with Amazon Australia, Apple, Coles, Dan Murphy’s, Target and Uber. (Yes, we do see the irony in being able to spend Microsoft Rewards points with Apple!)
- 10,270 points = $10 gift card with The Good Guys.
- 25,675 points = $25 gift card for Airbnb or DoorDash.
- 51,350 points = $50 Expedia Group Global Hotel Card.
Many brands also allow the redemption of higher-value gift cards than listed above. However, the value remains the same. Those with lots of points to burn could simply redeem for multiple gift cards to suit their needs.
Again, these redemption rates aren’t anything to go crazy about. But for people who do a lot of web searches, ~$50 per year towards the cost of living is a nice little kick for minimal effort.
Gamers can also turn 1,500 Microsoft Rewards points into 100 Robux for use on the Roblox platform.
How do I contact Microsoft Rewards
Being a tech company, contacting Microsoft Rewards is easiest to achieve online.
Just visit the Bing website and complete the Rewards Support form if you have any enquiries.
Microsoft says that you should expect a reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Microsoft Rewards is the loyalty program of Microsoft and Bing. You can earn points by searching the Internet, completing a quiz or buying products from the Microsoft Store online.
All Microsoft Rewards members start at Level 1. It’s easy to move to Level 2 by using Bing as your search engine, and this offers greater rewards. Membership at the highest tier requires an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Yes, there’s no cost to participate in Microsoft Rewards, other than the value of any purchases you choose to make from Microsoft. It’s possible to earn and spend points without spending a cent.
Also read: How airlines are using ‘connected’ aircraft for more than just passenger Wi-Fi
Feature image courtesy of Microsoft.
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