The Survey Solutions Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Survey Solutions 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.
Survey Solutions
The Insider’s Guide
Free survey software from the World Bank for CAPI and CAWI
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among form and survey tools, read from Survey Solutions’s own pages.
Made by The World Bank Group · 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 Survey Solutions’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Survey Solutions’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
2.2
GPA, above 56 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade
Survey Solutions is free survey software developed in the World Bank's Data group for computer-assisted interviewing: offline tablet interviews (CAPI), web surveys (CAWI) and phone interviews (CATI). Organizations install the server themselves, on their premises or in the cloud. A questionnaire designer, supervisor tools and REST APIs come with it.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Survey Solutions, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The site does not say which operating systems the interviewer app runs on.
- 1
Best for free survey software you host on your own server
Survey Solutions is free software from the World Bank for tablet, web and phone interviews.
- 2
It is free
Survey Solutions has no paid plan at all. The software is free; you run your own server, on your premises or in the cloud.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Questionnaire Designer
Build multi-language questionnaires with nested rosters, linked and cascading questions, and a compiler that flags problems.
- 5
Mixed interview modes
Collect offline on tablets (CAPI), online through a web interface (CAWI) and by phone (CATI).
- 6
Data validation
Validation and interview flow use C# expressions, with macros, calculated variables and lookup tables.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 56 of 148
That is against the other form and survey tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Survey Solutions is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Survey Solutions at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- The World Bank Group
- Category
- Forms & Surveys
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for free survey software you host on your own server
Survey Solutions is free software from the World Bank for tablet, web and phone interviews. You install and manage your own server. The site does not say which operating systems the interviewer app runs on.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The software costs nothing, but you must run your own server, so hosting and staff time are on you. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The software is free with no response caps, but there is no hosted version. |
| Features | B | Questionnaire designer, offline tablet, web and phone interviews, data validation, GIS capture and APIs. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You install and manage a server before anyone can interview. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web server plus an interviewer tablet app whose operating systems the site does not name. APIs are listed, integrations are not. |
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 Survey Solutions is for
- Fits if you run a statistics office or research team with its own IT support
- Works for large household surveys with interviewers on tablets
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a hosted service, as you install your own server
- Skip it if you have no IT help, because setup and upkeep are yours
- Watch out: hosting costs depend on your own server, so the free software is not the whole bill
- Watch out: the site does not say which operating systems the tablet app supports
Good to know
Good for
- National statistics offices and research teams running large field surveys
- Teams with IT staff able to host their own server
Worth knowing
- You install and manage the server yourself; the team helps with setup but this is not a hosted subscription.
- The site points to cost planning tools in its documentation, since hosting costs depend on your own server setup.
- The site does not state which operating systems the interviewer tablet app supports.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Survey Solutions is free to use.
The software costs nothing, but you must run your own server, so hosting and staff time are on you.
Survey Solutions
$0
Free software: questionnaire designer, headquarters server, supervisor and interviewer tools; you host it.
The free plan
The software is free; you run your own server, on your premises or in the cloud.
Read from mysurvey.solutions on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free survey software from the World Bank for CAPI and CAWI. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, works offline, public API, forms, surveys.
Questionnaire designer, offline tablet, web and phone interviews, data validation, GIS capture and APIs.
- Questionnaire Designer
- Build multi-language questionnaires with nested rosters, linked and cascading questions, and a compiler that flags problems.
- Mixed interview modes
- Collect offline on tablets (CAPI), online through a web interface (CAWI) and by phone (CATI).
- Data validation
- Validation and interview flow use C# expressions, with macros, calculated variables and lookup tables.
- GIS capture
- Capture locations, distances and areas, with geofencing and offline guidance to interview points using satellite images.
- APIs and monitoring
- REST APIs support quality controls and dashboards, and paradata lets you monitor survey progress.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Survey Solutions is made by The World Bank Group.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
56/148
Other form and survey tools it is graded above
Survey Solutions's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 56 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 31.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 111 of 148) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Survey Solutions has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 149 form and survey tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Survey Solutions’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 35 of 148
- BFree plan and trialAbove 111 of 148
- BFeaturesAbove 96 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. Survey Solutions 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.
Keep it
Survey Solutions is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Surveys and forms: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An API that other software can build on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Survey Solutions’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, Open Data Kit, SurveyCTO, Epicollect5 and CommCare
The 5 tools Survey Solutions 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.
- Only KoboToolbox lists an Android app.
- KoboToolbox is open source, according to its own site.
- KoboToolbox also covers reports.
- 2.0GPA
Open Data Kit
Free plan · from $199/mo
Open-source mobile and web data collection.
- Only Open Data Kit lists an Android app.
- Open Data Kit is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
SurveyCTO
Free plan · from $225/mo
Offline-capable data collection for field research.
- Only SurveyCTO lists iOS and Android apps.
- Survey Solutions is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- SurveyCTO is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Epicollect5
Free
Free mobile and web data collection from Oxford University.
- Only Epicollect5 lists Android and iOS apps.
- Survey Solutions is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
CommCare
Free plan · from $100/mo
No-code apps for frontline case management and data collection.
- Only CommCare lists Android and iOS apps.
- Survey Solutions is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- CommCare is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Survey Solutions free?
Yes. Survey Solutions is free to use.
How much does Survey Solutions cost?
Survey Solutions lists one plan. Survey Solutions: $0.
What platforms does Survey Solutions work on?
Survey Solutions is available on Web.
Does Survey Solutions have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Survey Solutions is listed for Web.
Does Survey Solutions have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Survey Solutions is listed for Web.
Is Survey Solutions open source?
Survey Solutions is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Can Survey Solutions be self-hosted?
Yes. Survey Solutions's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does Survey Solutions 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 Survey Solutions have an API?
Yes. Survey Solutions offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Survey Solutions?
Survey Solutions is made by The World Bank Group.
What are the alternatives to Survey Solutions?
The closest alternatives to Survey Solutions in our directory are KoboToolbox, Open Data Kit, SurveyCTO, Epicollect5 and CommCare.
How does Survey Solutions compare with other form and survey tools?
Survey Solutions's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 56 of the 148 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 31.
Is Survey Solutions good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Survey Solutions C for value for money. Survey Solutions has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Survey Solutions?
Survey Solutions is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: An API that other software can build on.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Survey Solutions’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 Survey Solutions' 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 The World Bank Group. Prices change, so check mysurvey.solutions 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
- Survey Solutions, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/survey-solutions
- 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, "Survey Solutions: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/survey-solutions
Know someone choosing between form and survey tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/survey-solutions/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded form and survey tools after Survey Solutions, 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 Survey Solutions’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. Survey Solutions is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by The World Bank Group. Prices and plans change: check mysurvey.solutions before you buy.