Softwr

Research · head to head

STARLIMS vs SurveyMonkey

STARLIMS logo

STARLIMS

Research

Laboratory information management from Abbott for regulated and public health labs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SurveyMonkey logo

SurveyMonkey

Research

Turn feedback into action

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SurveyMonkey has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: STARLIMS implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration; SurveyMonkey team plans require minimum 3 users as baseline
  • They diverge on capability: STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management, SurveyMonkey covers Survey builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which STARLIMS and SurveyMonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where STARLIMS and SurveyMonkey differ
AttributeSTARLIMSSurveyMonkey
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Cloud, On-premiseWeb
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: 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 STARLIMS

  • Sample and specimen management
  • Quality management
  • Instrument integration
  • Public health reporting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Web and mobile access

Only in SurveyMonkey

  • Survey builder
  • Question bank
  • Survey logic
  • Multi-language surveys
  • Mobile surveys
  • Real-time results
  • Data analysis tools
  • Custom branding

What people use each for

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

STARLIMS

  • Public health laboratories handling surveillance and outbreak investigationnot SurveyMonkey
  • Clinical laboratories needing regulated specimen tracking and reportingnot SurveyMonkey
  • Food safety and environmental testing laboratoriesnot SurveyMonkey
  • Multi-site laboratory networks standardising methods and specificationsnot SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey

  • Market research and customer surveysnot STARLIMS
  • Employee feedback and engagement trackingnot STARLIMS
  • Data collection and analysisnot STARLIMS
  • Customer satisfaction and NPS measurementsnot STARLIMS

Where each one falls short

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

STARLIMS

  • Implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration
  • Pricing is quote-based with no public reference, making early budget setting difficult
  • The breadth across laboratory types means some verticals get less development attention than others
  • Interface modernisation has lagged behind newer cloud-native laboratory platforms
  • Over-specified for small laboratories, where a lighter LIMS delivers most of the value for a fraction of the effort

SurveyMonkey

  • Team plans require minimum 3 users as baseline
  • Annual response limits enforced: 50,000 responses/year on Team Advantage, 100,000 on Team Premier
  • Additional responses beyond annual limits charged at AED 0.50 per response
  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing and minimum 5 users
  • Advanced features like multilingual surveys and phone support require Team Premier tier

Pricing, plan by plan

STARLIMS

On request
  • STARLIMS$undefined/year
    • Sample management
    • Quality management
    • Instrument integration

SurveyMonkey

Free
  • Team Advantage$99/month
    • 50,000 responses per year
    • Unlimited surveys and questions
    • 3 user minimum
  • Team Premier$240/month
    • 100,000 responses per year
    • All Team Advantage features
    • White label branding

Which should you pick?

Choose STARLIMS if

  • You need sample and specimen management.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want quality management.
STARLIMS review

Choose SurveyMonkey if

  • You need survey builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want question bank.
SurveyMonkey review

Questions people ask

Is STARLIMS or SurveyMonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. STARLIMS starts at On request and SurveyMonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, STARLIMS or SurveyMonkey?
SurveyMonkey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for STARLIMS and Free for SurveyMonkey.
Does STARLIMS or SurveyMonkey run on more platforms?
STARLIMS runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise. SurveyMonkey runs on Web.
Can I use SurveyMonkey for free?
Yes. SurveyMonkey has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. STARLIMS starts at On request.
What is STARLIMS best used for?
STARLIMS is most often used for public health laboratories handling surveillance and outbreak investigation, clinical laboratories needing regulated specimen tracking and reporting, food safety and environmental testing laboratories, multi-site laboratory networks standardising methods and specifications. Of those, public health laboratories handling surveillance and outbreak investigation and clinical laboratories needing regulated specimen tracking and reporting are not what SurveyMonkey is typically brought in for.
What can STARLIMS do that SurveyMonkey cannot?
STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management, Quality management, Instrument integration, Public health reporting. SurveyMonkey covers Survey builder, Question bank, Survey logic, Multi-language surveys.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

STARLIMS: Who owns STARLIMS?

Abbott. That gives it institutional weight in laboratory procurement and a natural relationship with Abbott diagnostic instruments.

SurveyMonkey: How much does SurveyMonkey cost?

SurveyMonkey offers team plans starting at AED 99 per user per month for Team Advantage and AED 240 per user per month for Team Premier. Both plans require a minimum of 3 users. Billing can be monthly or annual.

Source
STARLIMS: Where is it strongest?

Public health and clinical laboratories. Surveillance reporting, outbreak investigation and unpredictable specimen surges are different problems from pharmaceutical QC, and it handles them well.

SurveyMonkey: What are SurveyMonkey's overage fees?

SurveyMonkey charges AED 0.50 per additional response on paid plans beyond the annual limit included in each tier.

Source
STARLIMS: What does it cost?

Not published. Enterprise licensing plus implementation, quoted on laboratory count, users and modules.

STARLIMS: How does it compare to LabWare?

Both are enterprise LIMS with regulatory depth. LabWare is more dominant in pharmaceutical QC; STARLIMS has more presence in public health and clinical. Implementation partner quality matters more than the platform difference.

STARLIMS: What decides a successful implementation?

Configuration and validation quality, not platform features. Evaluations that compare feature lists rather than implementation approach are asking the wrong question.

Share

Related pages

More on STARLIMS

More on SurveyMonkey

Keep looking

Other head to heads