Epicollect5 vs Ona (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Epicollect5 grades higher than Ona: 3.0 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Epicollect5 grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Epicollect5
Free mobile and web data collection from Oxford University
Which one is for you
Pick Epicollect5 if
- Fits if you need a free tool for a research or survey project
- Works for field teams with phones and GPS
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if the work is mission-critical, as the team says it is provided as-is with no guarantees
- Watch out: a fair usage policy applies, and it is not designed for free media storage
- Too light for case management or in-depth reporting
- Skip it if you need support or a service agreement, as it is not a commercial company
Pick Ona if
- Fits if you run field surveys and want maps and charts from the results
- Works for small projects within 500 submissions, or unfunded groups that qualify for the grant
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, with 500 submissions across 10 forms
- Pricey if you outgrow it: Standard is $199 a month and Pro $299
- Watch out: submission caps are 15,000 on Standard and 30,000 on Pro
- Watch out: local hosting for in-country data laws means contacting Ona
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAEpicollect5Very good | 2.0GPAOnaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with as many projects and entries as you want, under a fair usage policy. Nothing in forms tools costs less, and you need no server. | DStandard is $199 a month, above the dearest tenth ($149) of forms tools, and Pro is $299. Unfunded grassroots groups can apply for free access. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no cap a normal project would reach. | CFree: 1 private project, 10 forms and 500 submissions in total. A real programme passes that quickly. |
| Features | CForm builder, mobile collection, exports, an API and logic. The docs point to KoboToolbox, ODK or Google Forms for mission-critical work. | COffline forms, maps, charts, organisations and integrations. Submission limits are 500, 15,000 and 30,000 by plan, and the listing does not say which plan has which integration. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You design each project in the form builder. | CNo store rating on record. Forms are written in XLSForm or the online builder, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus Android and iOS apps with GPS and media capture, an export API and Google Maps and Earth links. No desktop app. | BWeb, running on phones and desktops, with Tableau, Google Sheets and RapidPro links, an API and webhooks. No native app is listed. |
| Best for | free field data collection from a university team | mobile data collection for field programmes |
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: Epicollect5 and Ona. How we grade
Price against what you get
Epicollect5 has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Ona starts at $159.20 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Epicollect5 starts $159.20 a month lower. Of the other form and survey tools on the chart, none scores higher than Epicollect5 for less, and 38 score higher than Ona 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
- Ona also covers dashboards.
At a glance
| Epicollect5 | Ona | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly |
| Free plan | Free to use without limits, subject to a fair usage policy; as many projects and entries as you want. | 1 private project, 10 forms in total and 500 form submissions. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance | Ona Systems |
| Price read from | docs.epicollect.net | ona.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Epicollect5
- The team says it is not a commercial company and provides the service as-is, with no guarantees.
- For mission-critical projects the docs suggest alternatives such as KoboToolbox, ODK or Google Forms.
- A fair usage policy applies, and Epicollect5 is not designed as free media storage.
Ona
- Submission limits vary by plan: 500 on Free, 15,000 on Standard and 30,000 on Pro.
- The pricing table lists Tableau, Google Sheets and RapidPro integrations, an API and webhooks; check which plans include each.
- Unfunded grassroots organizations can apply for free access through the Impact Grant program.
- Local hosting for in-country data laws is arranged by contacting Ona.
Key features
Epicollect5
- Form builder
- Create projects and multi-form questionnaires in the web app, then download them to a device.
- Mobile collection
- The app runs on Android 10+ and iOS 15.6+, collecting GPS locations and media.
- Central views
- Entries can be viewed on a map, in tables and in charts on the project site.
- Export and API
- Data exports as CSV and JSON, and a developer API is documented.
- Logic
- Jumps, branches, groups and double-entry verification are documented in the form builder.
Ona
- Forms for the field
- Forms capture GPS, validation, logic, repeats, signatures and photos, authored in XLSForm or the online builder.
- Works offline
- Forms run on smartphones and desktops with or without a connection; data uploads when one is found.
- Maps and charts
- Maps browse or filter submissions, summary charts graph the data and XLS Reports build Excel dashboards.
- Organizations
- Organization accounts share projects across a team and manage permissions centrally; filters can hide sensitive fields.
- Integrations
- The pricing table lists Tableau, Google Sheets, RapidPro, an API and webhooks.
Plans
Epicollect5
Free$0
100% free service with unlimited projects and entries, provided as-is under a fair usage policy.
Ona
Free$0
1 private project, 10 private forms, 500 submissions, community support.
Standard$199
per month, or $1,910.40 per year
2 private projects and 15,000 form submissions, with email support.
Pro$299
per month, or $2,870.40 per year
5 private projects and 30,000 form submissions, with 24-hour priority support.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom limits and pricing for multiple countries and projects; sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
Epicollect5
No public discounts listed.
Ona
- Annual discount
20% off with annual billing
Paying annually saves 20% on the monthly price: Standard is $1,910.40 a year versus $199 a month.
- Nonprofit
Impact Grant for grassroots groups
Ona gives free access to unfunded grassroots organizations through its Impact Grant program.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Epicollect5 or Ona?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Epicollect5 is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $159.20 a month when paid by the year for Ona. Epicollect5 is free, and Ona starts at $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly.
Which has a free plan, Epicollect5 or Ona?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Epicollect5 and Ona have a free plan.
Which platforms do Epicollect5 and Ona run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Epicollect5 lists iOS and Android apps. 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.