Open Data Kit vs Survey123 (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open Data Kit grades higher than Survey123: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Open Data Kit grades higher on the free plan. Survey123 grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
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
Survey123
ArcGIS smart forms for field data collection and survey analysis
Which one is for you
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
Pick Survey123 if
- Fits if your organisation already runs ArcGIS and wants survey answers to land on its maps
- Works for field inspections and reports that must be filled in with no signal
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are not on ArcGIS, since the product is sold as part of it, not on its own
- Not for you if you want a price before you talk to anyone: no dollar figure is shown
- Watch out: the trial length isn't stated, and the free trial is the only free way in
- Watch out: the form builder, the field app and the desktop builder are separate downloads, and the new versions were still in beta
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAOpen Data KitFair | 1.8GPASurvey123Weak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe software is free only if you host it yourself, which needs a server. ODK Cloud starts at $199 a month on yearly billing. | CNo price is published: it is included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so the cost depends on the ArcGIS user types an organisation buys. |
| Free plan and trial | BSelf-hosted ODK is free with no response caps, and you support yourself. It needs a server and technical setup. | DA free trial is offered, but the overview page doesn't say how long it lasts or whether a card is needed, and there is no free plan. |
| Features | CVaried question types, offline use, analysis links and Entities. The Collect app is Android only, and API access and Entities need Professional. | CTwo builders (web designer and XLSForm), offline collection, photos, audio, signatures, barcodes and GPS. The listing's own gaps: authoring and field apps are separate downloads and the next-generation apps were still in beta. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. Self-hosting means installing and running a server, and forms are written in a spreadsheet format. | CNo store rating on record. You build the form yourself, in a web designer or an XLSForm file, and connect it to an ArcGIS account, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb app plus an Android app (Android 5 or above), with Excel, Power BI, Python and R links. No iPhone app. | COnly web is listed as a platform, because the pages don't say which systems the Mobile, Studio and Connect apps run on. It connects to ArcGIS Online and Enterprise only. |
| Best for | free self-hosted field data collection | field data collection that feeds ArcGIS maps |
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: Open Data Kit and Survey123. How we grade
Where they differ
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Survey123 also covers templates and reports.
At a glance
| Open Data Kit | Survey123 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly) | Not published |
| Free plan | ODK is open-source software you can self-host and support yourself for free; hosted ODK Cloud is paid. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Esri offers a free trial; its length is not stated on the overview page |
| Web | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Get ODK Inc. | Esri |
| Price read from | getodk.org | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Survey123
- Survey123 is included with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, so cost depends on the ArcGIS user types an organization buys; the pages read show no dollar prices.
- Authoring and field apps are separate downloads (Survey123 Mobile, the field app, Studio and Connect) alongside the website.
- The pages read do not list which operating systems each app supports, so only web is listed as a platform.
- A next-generation Survey123 Mobile and Studio were in beta at the time of the vendor's latest update post.
Key features
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.
Survey123
- Two ways to build
- A drag-and-drop web designer, or a desktop XLSForm builder for more complex forms, with built-in rules, calculations and required fields.
- Offline field collection
- Surveys can be filled in with no connection and sync automatically when connectivity returns.
- Rich capture
- Photos, audio, signatures and barcodes, with location from the device GPS or external GNSS hardware.
- ArcGIS integration
- Results sync in near real time to the ArcGIS platform, where they can feed web maps, apps, dashboards and reports.
- Templates and AI-assisted creation
- Reusable templates and AI-powered form creation, plus a Survey123 assistant and beta AI text and audio analysis listed in recent updates.
- Esri support and training
- Technical support, training courses and an Esri Community forum are part of the offer.
Plans
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.
Survey123
Pricing could not be confirmed. See survey123.arcgis.com.
Ways to pay less
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.
Survey123
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Open Data Kit or Survey123?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open Data Kit starts at $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly), and Survey123 has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Open Data Kit or Survey123?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Open Data Kit has a free plan. Survey123 does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Open Data Kit and Survey123 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.