Epicollect5 review (2026): is it any good?
Free mobile and web data collection from Oxford University
Epicollect5 report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for free field data collection from a university team
Epicollect5 is free, from a team at the Oxford University Big Data Institute, with web and Android and iOS apps. It has no limits beyond a fair usage policy, but the team says it is not a commercial company and gives no guarantees. Its own docs suggest other tools for mission-critical projects.
Who Epicollect5 is for
- Fits if you need a free tool for a research or survey project
- Works for field teams with phones and GPS
Who Epicollect5 is not for
- Not for you if the work is mission-critical, as the team says it is provided as-is with no guarantees
- Watch out: a fair usage policy applies, and it is not designed for free media storage
- Too light for case management or in-depth reporting
- Skip it if you need support or a service agreement, as it is not a commercial company
Why Epicollect5 gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree with as many projects and entries as you want, under a fair usage policy. Nothing in forms tools costs less, and you need no server.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no cap a normal project would reach.
- CFeaturesForm builder, mobile collection, exports, an API and logic. The docs point to KoboToolbox, ODK or Google Forms for mission-critical work.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. You design each project in the form builder.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb plus Android and iOS apps with GPS and media capture, an export API and Google Maps and Earth links. No desktop app.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Epicollect5's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/epicollect5#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/epicollect5.svg" alt="Epicollect5: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Epicollect5 stands among form and survey tools
Epicollect5's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 142 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 139 of 148) and worst on features (C, above 5).
Epicollect5 has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 149 form and survey tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Epicollect5’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 131 of 148, level with 17
- AFree plan and trialAbove 139 of 148, level with 9
- CFeaturesAbove 5 of 148, level with 90
- CEase of useAbove 7 of 148, level with 135
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 46 of 148, level with 101
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 121 form and survey tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Epicollect5, or make your own?
Keep it
Epicollect5 is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 142 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade.
What you could make
- Forms and surveys: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Google Maps, Google Earth and Microreact among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Epicollect5’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Epicollect5?
Epicollect5 is a free mobile and web platform for collecting data, developed by a team at the Oxford University Big Data Institute. Projects are built in a web form builder and filled in through Android and iOS apps, with GPS and media capture. Data can be viewed on a central server and exported as CSV or JSON.
Worth knowing
- The team says it is not a commercial company and provides the service as-is, with no guarantees.
- For mission-critical projects the docs suggest alternatives such as KoboToolbox, ODK or Google Forms.
- A fair usage policy applies, and Epicollect5 is not designed as free media storage.
Key features
- Form builder
- Create projects and multi-form questionnaires in the web app, then download them to a device.
- Mobile collection
- The app runs on Android 10+ and iOS 15.6+, collecting GPS locations and media.
- Central views
- Entries can be viewed on a map, in tables and in charts on the project site.
- Export and API
- Data exports as CSV and JSON, and a developer API is documented.
- Logic
- Jumps, branches, groups and double-entry verification are documented in the form builder.
Epicollect5 pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Epicollect5 is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to use without limits, subject to a fair usage policy; as many projects and entries as you want.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100% free service with unlimited projects and entries, provided as-is under a fair usage policy. |
Read from docs.epicollect.net on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Epicollect5 before you buy.
Works with
- Google Maps
- Google Earth
- Microreact
Epicollect5 alternatives
- Epicollect5 vs KoboToolbox
Free plan · from $21/mo
- Epicollect5 vs Open Data Kit
Free plan · from $199/mo
- Epicollect5 vs Ona
Free plan · from $199/mo
- Epicollect5 vs Google Forms
Free plan · from $7/mo
Common questions
Does Epicollect5 have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Epicollect5 is listed for Web, Android and iOS.
Does Epicollect5 have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Epicollect5 is listed for Web, Android and iOS.
Is Epicollect5 open source?
Epicollect5 is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Epicollect5 work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Does Epicollect5 have an API?
Yes. Epicollect5 offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.