Fulcrum vs KoboToolbox (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Fulcrum if

• Fits if you run a field crew of 5 or more and need map-based forms
• Works for teams already on ArcGIS or Power Automate

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you are small: 5 users at $43 each is the floor, $2,580 a year
• Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is none
• Watch out: APIs, webhooks, SSO and the AI features need Elite at $55 a user
• Watch out: the trial's length isn't stated, and annual billing is required

Pick KoboToolbox if

• Fits if you're a nonprofit, UN agency or researcher collecting data in the field
• Works for survey teams collecting offline on Android phones and tablets with long, spreadsheet-built questionnaires

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you're a company or individual hoping for free, as the free plan is for nonprofits, schools and government
• Skip it if your team is on iPhones and wants an app, since KoboCollect is Android only
• Pricey if you're a business past 1,000 submissions a month, where the next plan is $88 billed yearly, and there's no trial
• Watch out: going over a submission or storage limit blocks new submissions until the quota resets or you upgrade
• Watch out: these prices come from a July 5, 2026 archive copy, because the live pricing page could not be loaded

Fulcrum

• All plans require an annual subscription and a minimum of five users, so the lowest cost is about $2,580 a year.
• APIs, webhooks, SSO, SCIM, audit logging and the AI-based Audio FastFill and Insights features are on Elite or above.
• The pricing page does not state the length of the free trial, and there is no free plan.
• The pages read do not name the operating systems the mobile apps run on, so only web is listed as a platform.

KoboToolbox

• The free Community plan is limited to nonprofits, government agencies, UN organizations and educational institutions; others pay.
• Going over a plan's submission or storage limit blocks new submissions until the quota resets or the plan is upgraded.
• KoboCollect is an Android app; iPhones and iPads collect data through web forms in a browser.
• Prices here come from a July 5, 2026 archive copy of the pricing page, because the live page could not be loaded.

Fulcrum

Offline data capture

Records are saved on the device without a connection and sync when it reconnects, according to the vendor's FAQ.

Form builder with logic

A drag-and-drop builder with calculated fields, required and visibility rules, repeatable parent-child records and linked records.

Media and scanning

Fields for photos with timestamps, audio, video, barcodes, QR codes and signatures, plus AI-powered face blurring on the Professional plan.

Geospatial capture

Automatic geotagging, line and polygon capture, offline basemaps and layers, and integration with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise.

AI form builder

Turns a plain-language description into a form with its logic, automation and reports; the vendor also lists a Fulcrum MCP server and AI toolkit.

Dispatch and administration

Record assignment and dispatch, projects, custom security roles, full record history and an activity feed.

KoboToolbox

Formbuilder and XLSForm

Build forms in a visual Formbuilder or as XLSForm spreadsheets, with skip logic, validation, calculations, cascading selects and translations.

Offline data collection

Web forms and the KoboCollect Android app both store submissions on the device without a connection and upload them once it returns.

GPS and multimedia questions

Forms can capture GPS locations, photos, audio and video, and the KoboCollect app adds device features such as barcode scanning.

Audio transcription and translation

Audio responses can be transcribed and translated automatically within a monthly quota: 10 minutes on Community and 120 on Professional.

Reports, data tables and exports

Custom reports, table views and bulk editing are built in, and data exports work with Excel, Google Sheets, Power BI, Tableau, ArcGIS and Stata.

API

The API downloads data as JSON, CSV or XLSX, submits or edits records, creates and deploys projects, and manages users and permissions.

Fulcrum

• Professional$43

  per user license / month, billed annually (minimum five users)

  Offline capture, drag-and-drop builder, logic, repeatables, geospatial tools, data import/export and reports, with 100 GB storage and 10 data shares.

• Elite$55

  per user license / month, billed annually (minimum five users)

  Adds AI Audio FastFill and Insights, ArcGIS Enterprise link, APIs, webhooks, audit logging, SSO and SCIM, with 500 GB storage and 50 data shares.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Everything in Elite under a tailored enterprise license agreement, with unlimited users and data shares, storage as needed and a customer success manager.

KoboToolbox

• Community (nonprofit)$0

  For nonprofits, government agencies, UN organizations and educational institutions: unlimited projects, 5,000 submissions a month and 1 GB of storage.

• Starter$21

  per month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly)

  For companies and personal use only: unlimited projects and data collectors, 1,000 submissions a month and 1 GB of file storage.

• Community (other)$88

  per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly)

  The Community plan as sold to companies and individuals outside the nonprofit category: 5,000 submissions a month and 1 GB of storage.

• Professional$129

  per month, billed annually ($159 monthly); nonprofit rate

  25,000 submissions a month and unlimited file storage. Organizations outside the nonprofit category pay $166 billed annually or $199 monthly.

• Teams$249

  per month, billed annually ($289 monthly); nonprofit rate

  50,000 submissions a month, unlimited storage and 1 team with member roles. Other organizations pay $309 billed annually or $359 monthly.

• Enterprise SolutionsCustom

  Unlimited submissions and 10 teams, with single sign-on included and hosting in a choice of 28 countries or on your own infrastructure.

Fulcrum

No public discounts listed.

KoboToolbox

• Nonprofit

  Free Community plan and lower rates for nonprofits

  Nonprofits, government agencies and UN organizations get the Community plan free and pay less for Professional and Teams than other organizations do.

• Education

  Nonprofit pricing for educational institutions

  The pricing page counts educational institutions in its nonprofit category, which includes the free Community plan and the lower paid rates.

• Annual discount

  Lower monthly rate with annual billing

  Billed annually, Starter is $21 instead of $25 per month, and the nonprofit rates are $129 instead of $159 for Professional and $249 instead of $289 for Teams.