Top 3 Online Survey Tools: Features, Pricing Plans & More

As a business owner, you know that customer feedback is essential to your success. After all, how can you improve your products or services if you don't know what your customers think?

But getting that feedback can be difficult. You can't just go up to people on the street and ask them their thoughts on your latest product. And even if you could, would they be honest with you?

That's where online survey tools come in. By using these tools, you can get the honest feedback you need to make your business even better. Plus, they provide an efficient and cost-effective way to collect this information.

In this post, we’ll discuss the main features you should look for when selecting an online survey tool that is suitable for your business. Additionally, we’ll also talk about the key features and pricing plans of the best online survey tools in the market.

What are Online Surveys and Why Should You Use Them?

An online survey is a method of collecting data via the internet. Surveys are typically used to collect customer feedback or to gather information about a target market. Online surveys have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they offer a convenient and cost-effective way to collect data.

There are a number of advantages to conducting online surveys for any type of business. Let’s take a look at some of the most common benefits of conducting online surveys:

1. They Are Convenient

Online surveys are convenient for both you and your customers. Customers can take the survey at their convenience, and you don't have to worry about scheduling interviews or sending out reminders.

2. They Are Relatively Inexpensive

One of the main reasons online surveys are relatively inexpensive is that they can be easily automated. This means that once a survey has been created, it can be sent out to a large number of people with very little effort. Additionally, online surveys do not require any paper or postage, which further reduces costs.

3. They Can Help You Understand Your Customers

If you're looking to get to know your customers better, online surveys are a great way to do it. By asking questions and getting feedback, you can learn a lot about what your customers want and how they feel about your business. Plus, online surveys are a great way to collect data that can be used to improve your marketing and product development efforts.

4. They Help You Build Customer Relationships

If you're looking to build better customer relationships, online surveys can be a great way to gather feedback and learn more about your target audience. By asking questions and collecting data, you can gain valuable insights into your customers' needs and preferences. 

This information can help you tailor your products or services to better meet their needs, resulting in happier customers and stronger relationships.

5. They Help You Improve Your Products or Services

By conducting surveys with customers and other stakeholders, businesses can get valuable feedback that can help them fine-tune their products or services. Surveys can also provide insights into what people like or don't like about a particular offering, which can be extremely helpful in making improvements.

Still not sure how? Once you collect the results of your online survey, you can analyze them and see what they're telling you. This analysis can help you determine what changes need to be made in order to improve your products or services.

6. They Help You Make Informed Decisions About Your Business

When it comes to making decisions about your business, there's no substitute for good old-fashioned market research. Online surveys are a lot more convenient than traditional paper surveys. You can send them out to as many people as you want, and you don't have to worry about collecting the responses yourself.

Surveys can provide you with data that can be used to make decisions about your business. For example, if you're considering launching a new product, you can use survey data to assess customer interest and needs.

And if you're worried about getting honest feedback, don't be. Online surveys are completely anonymous, so people will feel free to tell you what they really think.

What Are the Main Components of an Online Survey?

Next, let’s take a look at the main components of online surveys.

How to Create Online Surveys

Now you know that online surveys are a great tool to understand your customers and improve your products and services. But how can you create online surveys? 

There are a few different ways of conducting online surveys. You can either use a web-based platform for online surveys like Google Forms, or you can use a more specialized survey tool like SurveySparrow or SurveyMonkey.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to choose the right tool for your needs.

Web-Based Forms

Web-based forms are generally easier to use and don't require any special software or skills. They're also usually less expensive than more specialized tools. However, they may not have all the features you need, and they may not be as reliable.

Specialized Online Survey Platforms

Specialized tools are often more reliable compared to web-based forms and offer more features. They offer customizable workflows, the ability to trigger surveys based on touch points, integration with CRM system and other apps, and more. These specialized platforms may also be better suited for complex surveys.

Why Should You Use Online Survey Tools?

If you're serious about getting feedback and improving your products and services, you should opt for a specialized online survey tool. After all, there are many other benefits to using these tools. 

Here are just a few reasons why you should consider using online survey tools for your next project:

1. You'll Save Time

With online survey tools, you can collect data quickly and easily. There's no need to spend hours conducting interviews or sending out questionnaires. Most online tools have ready templates that you can use to create your surveys. You can expect to create a basic survey in less than 10 minutes!

2. You'll Get More Accurate Results

When you use online survey tools, you'll be able to reach a larger audience and collect more accurate data. This is because people are more likely to respond truthfully to questions when they're anonymous.

3. You'll Be Able to Collect More Detailed Data

With online survey tools, you can ask more detailed questions and get more specific results. This is because people are more likely to provide detailed answers when they're not being interviewed in person.

4. You'll Have More Flexibility

With online survey tools, you can conduct surveys at any time and from anywhere. This means that you can reach people who are in different time zones or who have busy schedules.

5. You'll Be Able to Use Advanced Features

Many online survey tools offer advanced features, such as the ability to skip questions or to randomize responses. This means that you can tailor your surveys to fit your needs and get the most accurate results possible.

So, there you have it! 

These are just a few of the many reasons why you should consider using online survey tools for your next project. With all of these benefits, it's no wonder that more and more people are using these tools to collect data. 

So why not give them a try? You may be surprised at how helpful they can be.

9 Factors You Should Keep In Mind While Selecting an Online Survey Tool

When it comes to conducting online surveys, there are a ton of different tools out there to choose from. But with so many options, it can be tough to decide which one is right for you and your business.

To help you make the best decision, we've put together a list of nine factors you should keep in mind while selecting an online survey tool:

1. Ease of Use

You want to be able to create your surveys quickly and easily, without having to struggle with the interface. Otherwise, you'll just get frustrated and give up on the whole idea. 

Take a look at the interface itself. Is it intuitive and easy to navigate, or does it look confusing? If it's the latter, you'll probably want to steer clear. Plus, if you don’t want to spend too much time designing your surveys, look for a tool that has multiple template options.

2. Features

Different tools offer different ways of conducting surveys, and you want to make sure that the tool you choose is the best fit for your needs.

For example, some survey tools allow you to create custom questions, while others only provide pre-written questions. If you need to be able to ask your own questions, then you'll want to make sure that the tool you choose offers this feature.

Another important consideration is how the survey tool collects responses. Some tools require respondents to register before taking the survey, while others do not. 

If you're looking for a tool that allows anyone to take your survey without having to register first, then you'll want to make sure that the tool you choose offers this feature.

3. Cost

You can't just select an online survey tool based on its features alone. You also need to consider pricing before making a decision. Otherwise, you might end up paying way more than you need to.

There are a few different pricing models for online survey tools. Some tools charge per month, while others charge per survey response. There are also some that charge a combination of both.

4. Survey Design

The tool you choose should allow you to easily design surveys that are visually appealing and easy to understand.

One way to evaluate online survey tools is to look at their design features. This includes things like question types, response options, and skip logic. Survey design can be a complex process, so having a tool that makes it easy to create well-designed surveys is important.

Ideally, your tool should offer a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, open-ended, Likert scale, etc.

5. Reporting Capabilities

The right reporting features will let you slice and dice your data in all sorts of ways, so you can get the insights you need to improve your business. And trust me, you'll want to be able to do that! Otherwise, all those survey responses will just be gathering dust on your hard drive.

So when you're evaluating survey tools, be sure to take a close look at their reporting features. It'll be worth your while in the long run!

6. Customer Support

Customer support can make or break your experience with a survey tool. If you run into any problems or have any questions, you'll want to be able to get help from a knowledgeable and friendly customer support team. 

A good customer support team will be responsive and helpful, making sure that your experience with the survey tool is as positive as possible.

7. Integrations

If you're using other software programs (such as Salesforce or Mailchimp), you'll want to make sure the survey tool you choose can integrate with them. 

Integrations make it easy to share survey data with other people or systems. This is important if you need to collaborate on survey results or use the data for further analysis. With the right integrations, sharing survey data is a breeze.

8. Mobile-Friendliness

With more and more people using their phones and tablets to access the internet, it's crucial that your survey tool is optimized for mobile devices. 

Otherwise, you risk losing potential respondents who may get frustrated with a survey that isn't easy to use on their smaller screens. Ideally, you want a tool that has a responsive design, meaning the survey will automatically adjust to fit any screen size.

9. Free Trial

Finally, before you commit to a paid plan, make sure the tool offers a free trial so you can test it out and see if it meets your needs. It also allows you to get a feel for how the tool works and how user-friendly it is. 

By keeping these factors in mind, you're sure to find an online survey tool that's a perfect fit for your business.

Which Are the Best Online Survey Tools Out There?

Now that you know how to evaluate an online survey tool, let’s take a look at the best options available out there. Take a look at their key features and pricing plans to see how each one fares up. Pick one that is most suitable for your needs and budget.

Online Survey Tool #1: SurveySparrow

This omnichannel platform is designed so that you can provide a unified brand experience across different channels. It comes with an executive dashboard to plot journey mapping easily. 
Using this online survey software solution, you can create surveys for three different purposes: To gauge customer experience, to get feedback on employee experience, and to learn more about the product experience. Plus, these surveys can be designed in multiple languages as well. It has special reputation management features to turn your customers into advocates.

Key Features

• Host white-label surveys via your company domain.
• Create an exclusive dashboard to visualize survey data
• Customize survey design with custom CSS.
• Receive automated reports at a scheduled time.
• Export results in SPSS format for in-depth analysis.
• Compare survey responses based on specific criteria.
• Collect data securely with custom SSL.
• Workflows for closing the loop once you get a response

Pros

• Dedicated customer success manager assigned to all users.
• Add multiple users to a single account.
• SMS/text surveys to reach customers and prospects via mobile
• Manage all sub-accounts under a parent account.
• Integrations are available with popular apps like Zapier, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and others.
• 14-day free trial available.

Cons

• Limited question types.

Pricing Details

• Free Personal Plan: Free [Up to 100 responses]
• Basic Personal Plan: $19/month [Up to 500 responses]
• Premium Personal Plan: $29/month [Up to 2,000 responses]
• Business Plan: $99/month [Up to 10,000 responses]
• Enterprise Plan: $499/month [Up to 50,000 responses]
• Elite Plan: Please get in touch with their sales team

Online Survey Tool #2: SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is a popular online survey tool that helps you collect feedback from customers, employees, or anyone else you need to reach. With SurveyMonkey, you can create surveys, send them out to people, and then collect and analyze the results.

Key Features

• Custom branding options are available.
• SPSS integration for better analysis.
• Custom reporting capabilities.
• Consolidated account management.
• Cross-tabbing features for better comparison of responses.

Pros

• Quick setup process.
• Hundreds of survey templates are available.
• Multiple integrations are available.
• Free plan available.

Cons

• Skip logic and collector logic features may take a while to understand.

Pricing Details

• Basic Plan: Free 
• Individual Advantage Plan: $43/month [approx]
• Individual Standard Plan: $47/month [approx]
• Individual Premier Plan: $119.8/month [approx]
• Team Advantage Plan: $36/user/month [approx] [Starts at 3 users]
• Team Premier Plan: $90/user/month [approx] [Starts at 3 users]

Online Survey Tool #3: Typeform

Typeform is a great tool for anyone who wants to collect data from their customers or clients in a more efficient and effective way. With its powerful features and easy-to-use platform, Typeform makes it simple to gather the information you need to make better decisions for your business.

Key Features

• Built-in video and photo library. 
• Custom themes and layouts.
• Conditional logic for designing surveys.
• Custom branding options.
• SSL Security.
• Detailed reports available.

Pros

• Aesthetic template designs.
• Multiple categories of survey templates.
• Multiple integrations available.

Cons

• Doesn’t have integration with HubSpot or Airtable.

Pricing Details

• Free Plan
• Basic Plan: $25/month
• Plus Plan: $50/month
• Business Plan: $85/month
• Custom Plan: Get in touch with their sales team

How to Create Surveys With SurveySparrow

To give you a better understanding of creating your own surveys, let’s take a quick look at all the steps you need to follow with one of the tools mentioned above, SurveySparrow. 
Step 1: Select what kind of survey you want to design. For this example, I’ve chosen “Customer Feedback.” You can create a survey with “Add new survey” in the top right corner.

Step 2: Here I can see a lot of different template options for customer feedback surveys. I am going to pick the first option. But if you want to create your survey from scratch, there is another option for that too – “New Blank Survey.”

Step 3: As you can see in the screenshot below, there are lots of options available for customization. From background colors to button styles and fonts, you can change it all according to your taste. 

For this example, I am only making minor changes to the given template.

Step 4: Next, we can choose questions for the survey and edit them. It’s pretty straightforward.

Step 5: You can also add integrations if you want to use your survey with other apps.

Step 6: You also have the option to share your survey via multiple channels.

Step 7: Once you start getting results, SurveySparrow records them and creates reports accordingly. 

You can also compare responses, spot patterns, and check trends through SurveySparrow’s Executive dashboard. The insightful reports can help you track performance and take better business decisions.

Simple, right? Even if you have no prior knowledge of designing surveys, it’s going to be a breeze, I promise!

Get started right away!

FAQs

Which Online Survey Tool is Best?

Are you ready to start creating more survey forms to improve your services or products? We’ve given you all the information that you need about the top three survey tools out there. 

Which one is best? That depends on your specific needs. 

Each of these tools has its own strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to read through the features to find the one that best fits your needs. Don’t forget to check out some online reviews before you commit to a plan! 

Happy surveying!

Do you have any questions about any of the online survey tools mentioned here? Please feel free to mention them in the comments section.