Enketo vs Open Data Kit (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open Data Kit grades higher than Enketo: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Open Data Kit grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Open Data Kit
Open-source mobile and web data collection
Which one is for you
Pick Enketo if
- Fits if you run ODK Central or a similar server and need a form viewer
- Works for developers building XForm tools
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a ready survey tool, as it only renders forms
- Skip it if you have no server and no technical help
- Too light for building forms or storing results, which other tools handle
- Watch out: the site says Enketo has joined KoboToolbox, so check its future as a separate product
Pick Open Data Kit if
- Fits if you can run your own server and want free software
- Works for field teams that all carry Android phones
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have no one to run a server, as the free route is self-hosted
- Not for you if your team uses iPhones, because the Collect app is Android only
- Pricey if you want ODK Cloud: $199 a month on yearly billing for Standard
- Watch out: API access and Entities need Professional at $499 a month
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAEnketoWeak | 2.0GPAOpen Data KitFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. Hosted versions come from other providers. | CThe software is free only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. ODK Cloud starts at $199 a month on yearly billing. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree and open source with no response caps, but you run it yourself or get it inside another tool. | BSelf-hosted ODK is free with no response caps, and you support yourself. It needs a server and technical setup. |
| Features | DIt only renders forms. You need ODK Central, KoboToolbox or similar to build forms and keep data, so it is not useful alone. | CVaried question types, offline use, analysis links and Entities. The Collect app is Android only, and API access and Entities need Professional. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. Running it yourself means installing and configuring a server. | DNo store rating on record. Self-hosting means installing and running a server, and forms are written in a spreadsheet format. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, on any device and offline, with KoboToolbox, ODK Central, OpenSRP and Medic links. | CWeb app plus an Android app (Android 5 or above), with Excel, Power BI, Python and R links. No iPhone app. |
| Best for | showing XForm surveys in a browser | free self-hosted field data collection |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Enketo and Open Data Kit. How we grade
Price against what you get
Enketo has no paid plan and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Open Data Kit starts at $199 a month and scores 1.7.
Open Data Kit scores higher, and starts $199 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other form and survey tools on the chart, none scores higher than Enketo for less, and 105 score higher than Open Data Kit for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Enketo | Open Data Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Enketo is free and open source; you can run it yourself or use a tool that has it built in. | ODK is open-source software you can self-host and support yourself for free; hosted ODK Cloud is paid. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Enketo LLC | Get ODK Inc. |
| Price read from | enketo.org | getodk.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Enketo
- Enketo is a form renderer, not a full survey platform: it is used through other tools or self-hosted.
- Paid hosting comes from other providers, such as ODK Central or KoboToolbox as a service.
- The site announces that Enketo has joined KoboToolbox.
Open Data Kit
- ODK Collect is an Android app; the docs list Android 5 or above as the minimum.
- ODK Cloud limits active projects and monthly submissions; extra capacity is a Basic add-on at $199 a month yearly or $249 monthly.
- API access and Entities need Professional or higher.
- ODK Cloud lists a full refund if you are unhappy within 14 days of payment.
Key features
Enketo
- Offline surveys
- Surveys deployed with Enketo keep working without a connection.
- Skip and validation logic
- Handles skip logic and answer checks in forms written in the OpenRosa XForm format.
- Any device
- Runs in a fairly modern browser on mobile or desktop hardware.
- Themes and widgets
- Forms can use themes such as Grid, plus widgets for Likert scales, drawing, signatures and image maps.
- Printer-friendly forms
- Forms can be printed from the browser.
Open Data Kit
- Forms with rich questions
- Include photos, GPS locations, skip logic, calculations, external datasets and multiple languages.
- Online and offline
- Use the Android app or the web app; data syncs automatically when an internet connection is found.
- Analysis connections
- Download data or connect Excel, Power BI, Python and R to build dashboards and automations.
- Hosted or self-hosted
- Run the open-source software yourself, or pick ODK Cloud with storage in the US, Europe or India.
- Entities
- Entities, on Professional and above, carry data between forms and users for follow-up workflows.
Plans
Enketo
Self-hosted$0
Free open-source software you install and support yourself; paid hosted services come from other providers.
Open Data Kit
Self-hosted ODK$0
Open-source software you install, host and support yourself; the hosted version is ODK Cloud.
Standard$199
per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly)
1 active project, unlimited forms and users, 10K monthly submissions, email support within 3 business days.
Professional$499
per month, billed yearly ($599 billed monthly)
25K monthly submissions, Entities to flow data between forms, API access, email support within 1 business day.
EnterpriseCustom
10+ active projects, 100K+ monthly submissions, single sign-on, custom domain, uptime SLA, phone support.
Ways to pay less
Enketo
No public discounts listed.
Open Data Kit
- Annual discount
Save up to 20% when paying yearly
ODK Cloud's page offers up to 20% off when paying yearly: Standard is $199 a month yearly against $249 monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Enketo or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Enketo is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $199 a month for Open Data Kit. Enketo is free, and Open Data Kit starts at $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Enketo or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Enketo and Open Data Kit have a free plan.
Which platforms do Enketo and Open Data Kit run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Open Data Kit lists an Android app. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.