Forsta vs Qualtrics (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Qualtrics grades higher than Forsta: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Forsta grades higher on value for money and platforms. Qualtrics grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Qualtrics
Survey and experience research platform with a free account
Free plan · from $420/mo
Which one is for you
Pick Forsta if
- Fits if you run large market research studies with a research team
- Works for companies that need survey panels and dashboards in one place
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price on the page, because none is published
- Not for you if you need a free plan or trial, as there isn't one
- Watch out: it is far more platform than a simple contact or sign-up form needs
- Watch out: product names change by use case, such as Decipher for surveys and Research HX for panels
Pick Qualtrics if
- Fits if you are a student or researcher running a small survey
- Works for universities and large companies already licensed
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you outgrow Free, as the one published paid price is $5,040 a year
- Tight if you need more than 500 responses, 3 active surveys or 8 question types
- Watch out: custom look and feel, quotas, dashboards and the workflow engine are not in the free account
- Not for you if you want an easy price check, since other products are quoted through sales
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAForstaFair | 2.2GPAQualtricsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published; buyers are told to talk to an expert. | DStrategic Research is $420 a month billed annually, $5,040 a year, far above the category's $66 dearest-tenth line. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no free trial on record, and the page tells buyers to talk to an expert. | BFree account: 500 responses, 3 active surveys of up to 30 questions and 8 question types with basic logic. A student or one-off project can live on that. |
| Features | BDecipher surveys, AI-assisted setup, panel and sample, dashboards and expert services cover the whole job and then some. | BSurvey builder, templates, distribution, analysis, AI help and connected experience programs cover the whole job. Quotas, dashboards and workflows are not in the free account. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A platform with many modules and product names to sort out. | CNo store rating on record. A large platform with a learning curve for its reports and programs. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with enterprise connections such as Adobe Analytics, Dynamics 365, Brandwatch and Cint. | CWeb only, and the listing names no integrations or apps. |
| Best for | enterprise survey and market research programs | a free survey account for research and students |
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: Forsta and Qualtrics. How we grade
Where they differ
In commonWebAI featuresFormsSurveysReportsDashboards
At a glance
| Forsta | Qualtrics | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $420 per month, billed annually ($5,040 a year) |
| Free plan | None | Free account: 500 responses, 3 active surveys of up to 30 questions each, 8 question types and basic skip, display and branch logic. |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day trial of Strategic Research |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Forsta | Qualtrics |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | qualtrics.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Forsta
- No prices are published and there is no free plan or trial; buyers are directed to talk to an expert.
- It is an enterprise platform with many modules, so it is more than a form or survey builder.
- Product names vary by use case, such as Decipher for surveys and Research HX for panels and dashboards.
- Integration pages list enterprise tools such as Adobe Analytics, Dynamics 365 and Cint rather than small-team apps.
Qualtrics
- The free account stops at 500 responses, 3 active surveys and 8 question types.
- The one published paid price is $5,040 a year; other products are quoted through sales.
- Custom look and feel, quotas, dashboards and the workflow engine are not in the free account.
- Many universities hold a full license; the free-account page offers a check by .edu address.
Key features
Forsta
- Decipher survey platform
- Surveys can be built by drag and drop or in XML and Python, with nested routing, quotas, loops, 85 or more question types and 80 or more languages.
- AI-assisted setup
- Word documents can be imported as surveys with AI, and templates, automatic logic checks and AI summaries of open-ended answers are listed.
- Panel and sample
- A sample marketplace is built in, with panel management for running your own panel.
- Dashboards
- Survey results can be turned into live dashboards and data visualizations through the Research HX product.
- Experience programs
- Separate solutions cover customer, brand and employee experience, including reputation management, review requests and local listings.
- Expert services
- Consulting, data science, onboarding, participant management and technical assistance are offered next to the software.
Qualtrics
- Survey builder and templates
- A drag-and-drop builder with 50+ templates. Paid plans offer 23 question types, branching, quotas and 20+ pre-built research solutions.
- Distribution
- Surveys go out by link, email, SMS, website, QR code or mobile app, and paid plans can draw on Qualtrics' integrated panels.
- Analysis and reporting
- Free accounts get reports; paid plans add dashboards, crosstabs, Stats iQ statistical tools, and text, sentiment and topic analysis.
- AI assistance
- A Research Agent guides study design, with AI-assisted analysis and generative summaries of video feedback on paid plans.
- Video and audio feedback
- Paid plans collect video feedback, audio feedback, video diaries, focus groups and interviews inside surveys.
- Connected experience programs
- Surveys sit in the same system as customer and employee experience data, so results can trigger actions across programs.
Plans
Forsta
Pricing could not be confirmed. See forsta.com.
Qualtrics
Free$0
500 responses, 3 active surveys with up to 30 questions each, 8 question types, 50+ templates and reports.
Strategic Research$420
per month, billed annually ($5,040 a year)
23 question types, quotas, response weighting, dashboards, Stats iQ and text analysis, and a workflow engine.
Enterprise and XM solutionsCustom
Customer, employee and market research products priced by interactions through a sales request.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Forsta or Qualtrics?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Forsta has no price we could confirm, and Qualtrics starts at $420 per month, billed annually ($5,040 a year).
Which has a free plan, Forsta or Qualtrics?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Qualtrics has a free plan. Forsta does not.
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.