The Open Data Kit Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Open Data Kit in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Open Data Kit
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source mobile and web data collection
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among form and survey tools, read from Open Data Kit’s own pages.
Made by Get ODK Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Open Data Kit’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Open Data Kit’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 26 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade
Open Data Kit (ODK) is open-source software for building forms and collecting data online and offline, with an Android app and a web app. The software is free to self-host, and ODK Cloud is a paid, fully hosted version run by its creators. Forms support photos, GPS locations, skip logic, calculations and multiple languages.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Open Data Kit, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Self-hosting means installing and running a server, and forms are written in a spreadsheet format.
- 1
Best for free self-hosted field data collection
Open Data Kit is open source: you can host it yourself for free or pay for ODK Cloud.
- 2
Paid plans start at $199 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
ODK is open-source software you can self-host and support yourself for free; hosted ODK Cloud is paid.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and Android.
- 5
Forms with rich questions
Include photos, GPS locations, skip logic, calculations, external datasets and multiple languages.
- 6
Online and offline
Use the Android app or the web app; data syncs automatically when an internet connection is found.
- 7
Analysis connections
Download data or connect Excel, Power BI, Python and R to build dashboards and automations.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 26 of 148
That is against the other form and survey tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A form at its plainest is questions, a button and a table of answers.
Open Data Kit at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, Android
- Made by
- Get ODK Inc.
- Category
- Forms & Surveys
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for free self-hosted field data collection
Open Data Kit is open source: you can host it yourself for free or pay for ODK Cloud. The mobile app is Android only. ODK Cloud starts at $199 a month, and API access and Entities need Professional.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The 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 | B | Self-hosted ODK is free with no response caps, and you support yourself. It needs a server and technical setup. |
| Features | C | Varied question types, offline use, analysis links and Entities. The Collect app is Android only, and API access and Entities need Professional. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. Self-hosting means installing and running a server, and forms are written in a spreadsheet format. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web app plus an Android app (Android 5 or above), with Excel, Power BI, Python and R links. No iPhone app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Open Data Kit is for
- Fits if you can run your own server and want free software
- Works for field teams that all carry Android phones
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Field teams and researchers who need forms that work offline
- Technical teams that want to self-host for free
- Organizations that want a hosted option from the software's creators
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$199
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Open Data Kit has a free plan. Paid plans start at $199 per month, billed yearly ($249 billed monthly).
The software is free only if you host it yourself, which needs a server.
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.
Enterprise
Custom
10+ active projects, 100K+ monthly submissions, single sign-on, custom domain, uptime SLA, phone support.
The free plan
ODK is open-source software you can self-host and support yourself for free; hosted ODK Cloud is paid.
Read from getodk.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on getodk.org
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Android
Open-source mobile and web data collection. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, works offline, public API, forms, surveys.
Varied question types, offline use, analysis links and Entities.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- Android
What it works with
- Excel
- Power BI
- Python
- R
Open Data Kit is made by Get ODK Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
26/148
Other form and survey tools it is graded above
Open Data Kit'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 free plan and trial (B, above 111 of 148) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $199 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 103 of the 114 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. 105 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. Open Data Kit’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 35 of 148
- BFree plan and trialAbove 111 of 148
- CFeaturesAbove 5 of 148
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 148
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 148
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 121 form and survey tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Open Data Kit is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
A form at its plainest is questions, a button and a table of answers.
You could make the core of Open Data Kit for yourself: forms and surveys. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $2,388 a year. Open Data Kit is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Forms and surveys: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Excel, Power BI and Python among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Open Data Kit’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
KoboToolbox, Enketo, Epicollect5, SurveyCTO and Ona
The 5 tools Open Data Kit is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
KoboToolbox
Free plan · from $21/mo
Open-source data collection for field surveys, online or offline.
- KoboToolbox also covers reports.
- 1.8GPA
Enketo
Free
Open-source web forms that work offline.
- Only Open Data Kit lists an Android app.
- 3.0GPA
Epicollect5
Free
Free mobile and web data collection from Oxford University.
- Only Epicollect5 lists an iOS app.
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
SurveyCTO
Free plan · from $225/mo
Offline-capable data collection for field research.
- Only SurveyCTO lists an iOS app.
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- SurveyCTO is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Ona
Free plan · from $199/mo
Mobile data collection with forms, maps and charts.
- Only Open Data Kit lists an Android app.
- Open Data Kit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Ona also covers dashboards.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Open Data Kit free?
Open Data Kit has a free plan. ODK is open-source software you can self-host and support yourself for free; hosted ODK Cloud is paid.
How much does Open Data Kit cost?
Open Data Kit lists 4 plans. Self-hosted ODK: $0.
What platforms does Open Data Kit work on?
Open Data Kit is available on Web and Android.
Does Open Data Kit offer any discounts?
Open Data Kit publicly lists the following: Save up to 20% when paying yearly.
Does Open Data Kit have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Open Data Kit is listed for Web and Android.
Does Open Data Kit have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Open Data Kit is listed for Web and Android.
Is Open Data Kit open source?
Yes. Open Data Kit is open source, according to its own site.
Does Open Data Kit 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 Open Data Kit have an API?
Yes. Open Data Kit offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Open Data Kit integrate with?
Open Data Kit's listing names Excel, Power BI, Python and R. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Open Data Kit?
Open Data Kit is made by Get ODK Inc.
What are the alternatives to Open Data Kit?
The closest alternatives to Open Data Kit in our directory are KoboToolbox, Enketo, Epicollect5, SurveyCTO and Ona.
How does Open Data Kit compare with other form and survey tools?
Open Data Kit's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 29.
Is Open Data Kit good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Open Data Kit C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $199 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 103 of the 114 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Open Data Kit?
A form at its plainest is questions, a button and a table of answers. You could make the core of Open Data Kit for yourself: forms and surveys.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Open Data Kit’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Open Data Kit's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Get ODK Inc. Prices change, so check getodk.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Open Data Kit, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/open-data-kit
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Open Data Kit: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/open-data-kit
Know someone choosing between form and survey tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/open-data-kit/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded form and survey tools after Open Data Kit, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Forms & Surveys Insider's GuideEvery one of the 149 form and survey tools we grade, compared
- Formester Insider's GuideForm builder with unlimited forms and responses on the free plan3.2 GPA
- Formgrid Insider's GuideForm builder with unlimited forms and responses on the free plan3.2 GPA
- Google Forms Insider's GuideForm, survey and quiz builder that comes with a Google Account3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Open Data Kit’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Open Data Kit is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Get ODK Inc. Prices and plans change: check getodk.org before you buy.