Ona review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Mobile data collection with forms, maps and charts
Black Friday: is there a Ona sale?
Ona report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for mobile data collection for field programmes
Ona Data collects field data on phones and desktops, with or without a connection, from forms written in XLSForm or an online builder. The free plan allows 1 private project, 10 forms and 500 submissions in total. Standard is $199 a month.
Who Ona is for
- 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
Who Ona is not for
- 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
Why Ona gets a 2.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- DValue for moneyStandard is $199 a month, above the dearest tenth ($149) of forms tools, and Pro is $299. Unfunded grassroots groups can apply for free access.
- CFree plan and trialFree: 1 private project, 10 forms and 500 submissions in total. A real programme passes that quickly.
- CFeaturesOffline 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.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. Forms are written in XLSForm or the online builder, so there is a learning curve.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, running on phones and desktops, with Tableau, Google Sheets and RapidPro links, an API and webhooks. No native app is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ona'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/ona#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/ona.svg" alt="Ona: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Ona stands among form and survey tools
Ona's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 29.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 46 of 148) and worst on value for money (D, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $159.20 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 102 of the 114 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 38 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 149 form and survey tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ona’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 1 of 148, level with 33
- CFree plan and trialAbove 32 of 148, level with 78
- 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 Ona, or make your own?
Keep it
The plain part of Ona you could make: surveys and forms. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 93 of the 148 other form and survey tools grade higher. It costs $1,910.40 a year.
What you could make
- Surveys and forms: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections that pull numbers from dozens of other services.
- It plugs into other products, Tableau, Google Sheets and RapidPro among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Ona’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 Ona?
Ona Data is a mobile data collection platform where forms are written in XLSForm or an online builder and run on phones and desktops, with or without a connection. Collected data feeds maps, charts and XLS reports. It offers personal and organization accounts, with a free tier.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Ona pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ona has a free plan, and paid plans start at $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly.
- Starts at
- $199 per month, or $1,910.40 billed yearly
- Free plan
- 1 private project, 10 forms in total and 500 form submissions.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 private project, 10 private forms, 500 submissions, community support. |
| Standard | $199per month, or $1,910.40 per year | 2 private projects and 15,000 form submissions, with email support. |
| Pro | $299per month, or $2,870.40 per year | 5 private projects and 30,000 form submissions, with 24-hour priority support. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom limits and pricing for multiple countries and projects; sold through sales. |
Read from ona.io on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Ona before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Annual discount20% off with annual billing
Paying annually saves 20% on the monthly price: Standard is $1,910.40 a year versus $199 a month.
Stated on ona.io - NonprofitImpact Grant for grassroots groups
Ona gives free access to unfunded grassroots organizations through its Impact Grant program.
Stated on ona.io
Works with
- Tableau
- Google Sheets
- RapidPro
Ona alternatives
- Ona vs KoboToolbox
Free plan · from $21/mo
- Ona vs Open Data Kit
Free plan · from $199/mo
- Ona vs SurveyCTO
Free plan · from $225/mo
- Ona vs CommCare
Free plan · from $100/mo
Common questions
Does Ona have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Ona is listed for Web.
Does Ona have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Ona is listed for Web.
Is Ona open source?
Ona is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Ona 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 Ona have an API?
Yes. Ona 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.