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Research · head to head

Medidata Rave vs SurveySparrow

Medidata Rave logo

Medidata Rave

Research

Electronic data capture for regulated clinical trials, sold only through a sales process

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SurveySparrow logo

SurveySparrow

Research

Survey and feedback platform for employee engagement

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SurveySparrow has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medidata Rave no pricing is published at all, so a first time sponsor cannot budget a study without entering a sales process and usually cannot benchmark the quote against anything.; SurveySparrow the free plan allows 75 responses per quarter, 3 active surveys and 10 questions per survey
  • They diverge on capability: Medidata Rave covers Case report form design, SurveySparrow covers Survey creation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medidata Rave and SurveySparrow actually diverge.

Attributes where Medidata Rave and SurveySparrow differ
AttributeMedidata RaveSurveySparrow
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Research).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Medidata Rave

  • Case report form design
  • Edit checks and queries
  • Part 11 audit trail
  • Rave Lite
  • Coding and safety
  • Platform integrations

Only in SurveySparrow

  • Survey creation
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Mobile app
  • Custom templates
  • Action planning
  • Reporting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Medidata Rave

  • A sponsor running a registrational Phase III study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiablenot SurveySparrow
  • A biotech that wants its CRO to run data management and benefits from the CRO already having Rave trained staff and templatesnot SurveySparrow
  • A sponsor standardising forms across a programme so that a global library is reused rather than each study being built from scratchnot SurveySparrow
  • A device or Phase IV study where Rave Lite gives the same compliance posture at a lower configuration burdennot SurveySparrow

SurveySparrow

  • Running conversational surveys and NPS programmesnot Medidata Rave
  • Collecting employee and customer feedback on a schedulenot Medidata Rave
  • Embedding surveys in websites, email and chat channelsnot Medidata Rave

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Medidata Rave

  • No pricing is published at all, so a first time sponsor cannot budget a study without entering a sales process and usually cannot benchmark the quote against anything.
  • Cost is dominated by study build rather than licence, and every protocol amendment that changes a form triggers billable rework, so a study with unstable protocols costs far more than the initial quote implied.
  • Configuration requires trained specialists, so most sponsors cannot build a study in house and are dependent on Medidata professional services or a CRO, which lengthens startup.
  • The system assumes a professional clinical data management function; a small sponsor without data managers will not operate it directly and will pay a CRO to do so.
  • Deep use of the wider Medidata platform for randomisation, imaging and patient reported data creates commercial lock in, because moving EDC later means unpicking integrations that were bought as one bundle.

SurveySparrow

  • The free plan allows 75 responses per quarter, 3 active surveys and 10 questions per survey
  • The Basic and Starter plans include a single user; extra users cost $49 per user per month
  • Responses are metered per month and additional responses or API calls require a custom quote from sales
  • Custom branding requires the Business plan
  • CSS customisation, auto translation, Key Driver Analysis and HIPAA compliance are Enterprise only
  • The advertised savings of up to 40 percent require annual billing rather than quarterly

Pricing, plan by plan

Medidata Rave

On request
  • Medidata Rave EDC$undefined/year
    • Priced per study through a sales process
    • Study build and configuration charged separately from licence
    • Mid study amendments generally billable

SurveySparrow

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic surveys
    • Limited questions
    • Standard reports
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Advanced surveys
    • Unlimited questions
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Medidata Rave if

  • You need case report form design.
  • You also want edit checks and queries.
Medidata Rave review

Choose SurveySparrow if

  • You need survey creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want engagement surveys.
SurveySparrow review

Questions people ask

Is Medidata Rave or SurveySparrow better?
Neither clearly leads. Medidata Rave starts at On request and SurveySparrow at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medidata Rave or SurveySparrow?
SurveySparrow has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Medidata Rave and Free for SurveySparrow.
Does Medidata Rave or SurveySparrow run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use SurveySparrow for free?
Yes. SurveySparrow has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Medidata Rave starts at On request.
What is Medidata Rave best used for?
Medidata Rave is most often used for a sponsor running a registrational phase iii study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiable, a biotech that wants its cro to run data management and benefits from the cro already having rave trained staff and templates, a sponsor standardising forms across a programme so that a global library is reused rather than each study being built from scratch, a device or phase iv study where rave lite gives the same compliance posture at a lower configuration burden. Of those, a sponsor running a registrational phase iii study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiable and a biotech that wants its cro to run data management and benefits from the cro already having rave trained staff and templates are not what SurveySparrow is typically brought in for.
What can Medidata Rave do that SurveySparrow cannot?
Medidata Rave covers Case report form design, Edit checks and queries, Part 11 audit trail, Rave Lite. SurveySparrow covers Survey creation, Engagement surveys, Pulse surveys, Analytics dashboard.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Medidata Rave: Who owns Medidata?

Dassault Systemes, which acquired Medidata in 2019. Rave is sold as part of the Dassault life sciences portfolio.

SurveySparrow: Does SurveySparrow offer a free plan?

Yes, SurveySparrow offers a forever free plan with 3 active surveys, 10 questions per survey, and 75 responses per quarter. No credit card is required to sign up.

Source
Medidata Rave: How is Rave priced?

Per study, through a sales process. Nothing is published, and study build and amendments are charged separately from the licence.

SurveySparrow: How much do SurveySparrow's paid plans cost?

SurveySparrow does not publish specific pricing amounts on its website. Basic, Starter, and Business plans are available with varying response limits and user counts. Enterprise requires contacting the company for a custom quote.

Source
Medidata Rave: Is Rave validated out of the box?

Medidata supplies validation and qualification documentation, but the sponsor still owns study level user acceptance testing and its own validation evidence.

SurveySparrow: Can I add more users to my SurveySparrow plan?

Yes, additional users can be added at $49 per month per user beyond what is included in each plan tier.

Source
Medidata Rave: What is Rave Lite for?

Lower complexity studies, typically Phase I, Phase IV and medical device, where a full study build is not justified.

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