Ona vs Open Data Kit (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ona and Open Data Kit share a 2.0 GPA, both have a free plan, and Ona starts cheaper, at $159.20 a month when paid by the year against $199 a month.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Ona grades higher on ease of use and platforms. Open Data Kit grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features.
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 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
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
| 2.0GPAOnaFair | 2.0GPAOpen Data KitFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | 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 | CFree: 1 private project, 10 forms and 500 submissions in total. A real programme passes that quickly. | BSelf-hosted ODK is free with no response caps, and you support yourself. It needs a server and technical setup. |
| Features | 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. | 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. Forms are written in XLSForm or the online builder, so there is a learning curve. | 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, running on phones and desktops, with Tableau, Google Sheets and RapidPro links, an API and webhooks. No native app is listed. | CWeb app plus an Android app (Android 5 or above), with Excel, Power BI, Python and R links. No iPhone app. |
| Best for | mobile data collection for field programmes | 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: Ona and Open Data Kit. How we grade
Price against what you get
Ona starts at $159.20 a month when paid by the year 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.
Ona scores higher and starts $39.80 a month lower. Of the other form and survey tools on the chart, 38 score higher than Ona 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.
- Ona also covers dashboards.
At a glance
| Ona | Open Data Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly | $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 1 private project, 10 forms in total and 500 form submissions. | 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 | Ona Systems | Get ODK Inc. |
| Price read from | ona.io | getodk.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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, Ona or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ona is cheaper to start with: $159.20 a month when paid by the year, against $199 a month for Open Data Kit. Ona starts at $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly, and Open Data Kit starts at $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Ona or Open Data Kit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Ona and Open Data Kit have a free plan.
Which platforms do Ona 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.