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Surveys · head to head

SurveyCTO vs Zonka Feedback

SurveyCTO logo

SurveyCTO

Surveys

Offline field survey platform priced by submissions rather than seats, built for research data quality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zonka Feedback logo

Zonka Feedback

Surveys

Multi-channel CX feedback platform with quoted pricing based on response volume and AI data credits

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SurveyCTO has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SurveyCTO pricing is by submission volume, forms and storage rather than by users, so a small team running continuous high-volume collection can pay more than a 200-person survey team that runs for six weeks; Zonka Feedback no pricing tier is published for either the core product or the AI add-on, so total cost is unknown until a sales quote is obtained.
  • They diverge on capability: SurveyCTO covers Offline collection, Zonka Feedback covers Multi-channel surveys.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SurveyCTO and Zonka Feedback actually diverge.

Attributes where SurveyCTO and Zonka Feedback differ
AttributeSurveyCTOZonka Feedback
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer month by submission volumequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Android, iOSWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Surveys).

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 SurveyCTO

  • Offline collection
  • XLSForm authoring
  • Automated quality checks
  • Audio auditing
  • Random assignment
  • Server region selection

Only in Zonka Feedback

  • Multi-channel surveys
  • Kiosk and offline mode
  • Real-time dashboards
  • AI Feedback Intelligence
  • Reputation management

Both cover

  • Case management

What people use each for

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

SurveyCTO

  • A household survey with 200 enumerators across a country where paying per seat would cost more than the fieldworknot Zonka Feedback
  • An impact evaluation that needs audio auditing and timing metadata to prove interviews were conducted as reportednot Zonka Feedback
  • A panel study revisiting the same households annually and needing offline case assignment to find them againnot Zonka Feedback
  • A statistics unit that must keep data inside a specific region and produce a SOC 2 report for its fundernot Zonka Feedback

Zonka Feedback

  • A multi-location retailer or clinic wanting kiosk-based feedback capture alongside digital surveysnot SurveyCTO
  • A CX team that needs closed-loop case management to assign and track resolution of negative feedbacknot SurveyCTO
  • A hospitality operator wanting reputation management alongside direct feedback collectionnot SurveyCTO
  • A company with high volumes of open-ended feedback wanting AI theme extraction rather than manual taggingnot SurveyCTO

Where each one falls short

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

SurveyCTO

  • Pricing is by submission volume, forms and storage rather than by users, so a small team running continuous high-volume collection can pay more than a 200-person survey team that runs for six weeks
  • Forms are authored in XLSForm spreadsheet syntax, which is precise and versionable but has a real learning curve, and organisations without someone comfortable in it stall at form design
  • Overage is charged at 100 US dollars per 1,000 extra submissions, which is easy to trigger on the Basic tier at 5,000 a month and produces surprise invoices during an active field round
  • Server region selection only appears on the Pro tier and a custom GDPR data processing agreement only on Advanced, so European data protection requirements push the price to at least 315 and often 630 dollars a month regardless of volume
  • It is built for structured research fieldwork, not for business process forms, so it has no dispatch, no invoicing and no formatted document output, and a field service business would be buying the wrong tool

Zonka Feedback

  • No pricing tier is published for either the core product or the AI add-on, so total cost is unknown until a sales quote is obtained.
  • The AI Feedback Intelligence product is priced separately on data credits, meaning a buyer who wants both feedback collection and AI analysis is negotiating two line items, not one.
  • Third-party pricing estimates in the low hundreds to near a thousand dollars a month vary enough that budgeting from public sources alone is unreliable.
  • Kiosk hardware and offline capture are a strength for physical locations but add limited value to a purely digital-only business, which pays for a capability it does not use.
  • It is a smaller vendor than Medallia or Qualtrics, so enterprise buyers evaluating analyst-recognised platforms may not shortlist it despite comparable core features.

Pricing, plan by plan

SurveyCTO

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Permanent free subscription for testing and training
    • 10 forms
    • 200 monthly submissions
  • Basic$225/month
    • Billed annually, 250 USD month to month
    • 100 forms
    • 10 GB storage
  • Pro$315/month
    • Billed annually, 350 USD month to month
    • 500 forms
    • 25 GB storage
  • Advanced$630/month
    • Billed annually, 700 USD month to month
    • Unlimited forms, storage and submissions
    • Advanced offline case management

Zonka Feedback

On request
  • Feedback Management$undefined/month
    • Priced by response volume
    • Multi-channel surveys and case management
    • 14-day free trial
  • AI Feedback Intelligence$undefined/month
    • Priced by AI data credits, separate from Feedback Management
    • Theme extraction, sentiment and impact analysis

Which should you pick?

Choose SurveyCTO if

  • You need offline collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Android, iOS.
  • You also want xlsform authoring.
SurveyCTO review

Choose Zonka Feedback if

  • You need multi-channel surveys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want kiosk and offline mode.
Zonka Feedback review

Questions people ask

Is SurveyCTO or Zonka Feedback better?
Neither clearly leads. SurveyCTO starts at Free and Zonka Feedback at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SurveyCTO or Zonka Feedback?
SurveyCTO has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for SurveyCTO and On request for Zonka Feedback.
Does SurveyCTO or Zonka Feedback run on more platforms?
SurveyCTO runs on Web, Android, iOS. Zonka Feedback runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use SurveyCTO for free?
Yes. SurveyCTO has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zonka Feedback starts at On request.
What is SurveyCTO best used for?
SurveyCTO is most often used for a household survey with 200 enumerators across a country where paying per seat would cost more than the fieldwork, an impact evaluation that needs audio auditing and timing metadata to prove interviews were conducted as reported, a panel study revisiting the same households annually and needing offline case assignment to find them again, a statistics unit that must keep data inside a specific region and produce a soc 2 report for its funder. Of those, a household survey with 200 enumerators across a country where paying per seat would cost more than the fieldwork and an impact evaluation that needs audio auditing and timing metadata to prove interviews were conducted as reported are not what Zonka Feedback is typically brought in for.
What can SurveyCTO do that Zonka Feedback cannot?
SurveyCTO covers Offline collection, XLSForm authoring, Automated quality checks, Audio auditing. Zonka Feedback covers Multi-channel surveys, Kiosk and offline mode, Real-time dashboards, AI Feedback Intelligence. Both handle Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SurveyCTO: Do I pay per enumerator?

No. Users and devices are unlimited on every paid tier. You pay for monthly submissions, forms and storage.

Zonka Feedback: Is pricing published anywhere?

No. Zonka quotes pricing based on feedback volume for the core product and data credits for AI Feedback Intelligence; nothing is listed as a fixed price.

SurveyCTO: Is there a free version?

Yes, a permanent community subscription with 10 forms, 200 monthly submissions and 200 MB of storage, intended for testing and training rather than production.

Zonka Feedback: Is AI Feedback Intelligence included in the base plan?

No, it is sold and priced separately from core feedback management.

SurveyCTO: What happens if I exceed my submissions?

Extra credits are 100 US dollars per 1,000, with discounts of 20 per cent or more at volume. Plan the tier around your peak field month, not your average.

Zonka Feedback: Does it support offline feedback collection?

Yes, kiosk and tablet devices can capture feedback without a live network connection, which is a differentiator against purely web-based survey tools.

SurveyCTO: Can I choose where the data is stored?

Only on Pro and above. If data residency matters, budget for at least the Pro tier.

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