Survey Solutions vs ODK

Survey Solutions8.6Visit ODK8.3Visit

Higher score Survey Solutions #4 in Mobile Forms Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Try Survey Solutions

vs

ODK #7 in Mobile Forms Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit ODK

• Survey Solutions fits best

  Survey organizations needing complex mixed modes

• ODK fits best

  Open-source teams using structured survey forms

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Survey Solutions 8.6/10 Visit ↗	ODK 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.6	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Mobile Forms Software	#7 in Mobile Forms Software
Best for	Survey organizations needing complex mixed modes	Open-source teams using structured survey forms
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free	$199/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, Android	Web, Android
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Phone, Community, Docs
Compliance	2FA	SOC 2, GDPR
Integrations	4 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Survey Solutions 0/4 · ODK 0/4
Offline data collection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Signature capture	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Photo capture	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
GPS capture	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Workflow handoffs	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mobile platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports advanced logic, multilingual questionnaires, rosters, and calculated variables Combines Android offline, web, CATI, and mixed-mode collection Adds GPS, sensors, supervision, approvals, APIs, and quality controls	Offline Android collection plus browser-based web forms XLSForm logic, calculations, GPS, photos, and multilingual support APIs, CSV export, self-hosting, and analytics connections
Cons	Its broad feature set may be more than simple form projects need Offline collection is centered on Android tablets Self-hosted deployment requires an organization-managed infrastructure	Standard and Professional each allow only 1 active project Managed hosting starts at $199/month with annual billing Self-hosting may require technical ownership of the deployment
Our verdict	Survey Solutions is open-source survey management and data collection software developed by the World Bank. It is designed for national statistical offices, NGOs, universities, think tanks, and private survey firms running structured… Read the review →	ODK is an open-source data collection platform for researchers, field teams, and other professionals working with structured forms. Teams can author forms through XLSForm using Excel or Google Sheets, collect responses offline with Android… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Survey Solutions — where it wins

  • Supports advanced logic, multilingual questionnaires, rosters, and calculated variables
  • Combines Android offline, web, CATI, and mixed-mode collection
  • Adds GPS, sensors, supervision, approvals, APIs, and quality controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Its broad feature set may be more than simple form projects need
  • Offline collection is centered on Android tablets
  • Self-hosted deployment requires an organization-managed infrastructure

• ODK — where it wins

  • Offline Android collection plus browser-based web forms
  • XLSForm logic, calculations, GPS, photos, and multilingual support
  • APIs, CSV export, self-hosting, and analytics connections

  Where it doesn't

  • Standard and Professional each allow only 1 active project
  • Managed hosting starts at $199/month with annual billing
  • Self-hosting may require technical ownership of the deployment

• Survey Solutions8.6/10 · Free plan

  A broad survey platform for complex mixed-mode research and field operations.

  Try Survey SolutionsFull verdict →
• ODK8.3/10 · Free plan

  A flexible open-source choice for structured, offline-capable field data collection.

  Visit ODKFull verdict →