Ona vs SurveyCTO (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SurveyCTO grades higher than Ona: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SurveyCTO grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SurveyCTO
Offline-capable data collection for field research
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 SurveyCTO if
- Fits if your team collects data in areas with no signal
- Works for research projects that need data quality checks
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are small: $225 a month on yearly billing before any extras
- Tight if you go over the cap: 5,000 submissions on Basic and 10,000 on Pro, then $100 per 1,000
- Watch out: the free Community plan has no support access
- Watch out: SOC 2 report and server location choice need Pro, and AI credits are sold separately
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAOnaFair | 2.2GPASurveyCTOFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | DBasic is $225 a month on yearly billing, above the dearest tenth ($149) of forms tools. Pro is $315 and Advanced $630. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree: 1 private project, 10 forms and 500 submissions in total. A real programme passes that quickly. | CCommunity is free for testing and training: 10 forms, 200 submissions a month and 200 MB, with no support access. A 15-day trial gives all features at the same limits. |
| 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. | BOffline collection, data quality tools, case management, security and AI tools. The listing's gaps are about caps and plan limits, not missing field-survey features. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Forms are written in XLSForm or the online builder, so there is a learning curve. | CNo store rating on record. Forms are built to a spreadsheet-style design, and field teams need setup and training. |
| 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. | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with Google Sheets, Stata, R, Power BI and Salesforce links. No desktop app. |
| Best for | mobile data collection for field programmes | offline field surveys with data quality checks |
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 SurveyCTO. 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. SurveyCTO starts at $225 a month and scores 2.7.
SurveyCTO scores higher, and starts $65.80 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other form and survey tools on the chart, 38 score higher than Ona for less, and 6 score higher than SurveyCTO 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
- SurveyCTO is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Ona also covers dashboards.
- SurveyCTO also covers case management.
At a glance
| Ona | SurveyCTO | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly | $225 per month, billed annually ($250 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 1 private project, 10 forms in total and 500 form submissions. | Community subscription for testing and training: 10 forms, 200 submissions a month and 200 MB of storage, without support access. |
| Free trial | None listed | 15-day free trial with all features: 10 forms, 200 submissions and 200 MB storage |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Ona Systems | Dobility, Inc. |
| Price read from | ona.io | surveycto.com |
| 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.
SurveyCTO
- Plans cap monthly submissions: 5,000 on Basic and 10,000 on Pro; extra submissions cost $100 per 1,000 credits.
- Extra AI credits are sold separately as prepaid or on-demand credits.
- The free Community subscription has no access to the support team.
- Server location selection and the SOC 2 report need Pro or higher.
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.
SurveyCTO
- Offline mobile collection
- The SurveyCTO Collect app works offline on Android and iOS and supports CAPI, CATI and ACASI interview modes.
- Data quality tools
- Real-time checks flag issues, with review and correction of submissions and automated statistical checks.
- Case management
- Follow-up and longitudinal surveys can be tied together; advanced offline case management is on the Advanced plan.
- Security
- The vendor says it is SOC 2 certified and GDPR and HIPAA compliant, with end-to-end encryption and SSO.
- AI tools
- AI translation, transcription and form design help, drawn from a monthly credit allowance that depends on the plan.
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.
SurveyCTO
Community$0
Free sandbox: 10 forms, 200 submissions a month, 200 MB storage, all paid features but no support team access.
Basic$225
per month, billed annually ($250 billed monthly)
10 GB storage, 5,000 monthly submissions, 100 forms, unlimited users and devices, 1,000 AI credits.
Pro$315
per month, billed annually ($350 billed monthly)
25 GB storage, 10,000 monthly submissions, 500 forms, limited API access, server location choice, 2,500 AI credits.
Advanced$630
per month, billed annually ($700 billed monthly)
Unlimited storage, submissions and forms, all APIs, advanced offline case management, 5,000 AI credits.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom storage, submissions and forms, custom training, an enterprise success team and custom AI credits.
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.
SurveyCTO
- Annual discount
10% off with annual payment
The pricing page gives a 10% discount whenever an annual subscription is paid up front; Basic is $225 a month annually versus $250 monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Ona or SurveyCTO?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ona is cheaper to start with: $159.20 a month when paid by the year, against $225 a month for SurveyCTO. Ona starts at $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly, and SurveyCTO starts at $225 per month, billed annually ($250 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Ona or SurveyCTO?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Ona and SurveyCTO have a free plan.
Which platforms do Ona and SurveyCTO run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SurveyCTO 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.