Epicollect5 vs Open Data Kit (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Epicollect5 grades higher than Open Data Kit: 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, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
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
Open Data Kit
Open-source mobile and web data collection
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 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
| 3.0GPAEpicollect5Very good | 2.0GPAOpen Data KitFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 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 | AFree outright, with no cap a normal project would reach. | BSelf-hosted ODK is free with no response caps, and you support yourself. It needs a server and technical setup. |
| Features | CForm builder, mobile collection, exports, an API and logic. The docs point to KoboToolbox, ODK or Google Forms for mission-critical work. | 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 | CNo store rating on record. You design each project in the form builder. | DNo store rating on record. Self-hosting means installing and running a server, and forms are written in a spreadsheet format. |
| 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. | CWeb app plus an Android app (Android 5 or above), with Excel, Power BI, Python and R links. No iPhone app. |
| Best for | free field data collection from a university team | 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: Epicollect5 and Open Data Kit. 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. Open Data Kit starts at $199 a month and scores 1.7.
Epicollect5 scores higher and starts $199 a month lower. Of the other form and survey tools on the chart, none scores higher than Epicollect5 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
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Epicollect5 | Open Data Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Free to use without limits, subject to a fair usage policy; as many projects and entries as you want. | 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 | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance | Get ODK Inc. |
| Price read from | docs.epicollect.net | getodk.org |
| 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.
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
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.
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
Epicollect5
Free$0
100% free service with unlimited projects and entries, provided as-is under a fair usage policy.
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
Epicollect5
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, Epicollect5 or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Epicollect5 is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $199 a month for Open Data Kit. Epicollect5 is free, and Open Data Kit starts at $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Epicollect5 or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Epicollect5 and Open Data Kit have a free plan.
Which platforms do Epicollect5 and Open Data Kit run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Epicollect5 lists an iOS app. Both list a web app and an Android 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.