Updated October 2026. SurveyCTO and KoboToolbox are the two field data collection tools development and humanitarian researchers compare most. Both use XLSForm, both work offline, and both are trusted by large organisations. The real differences are price, security, case management, phone interviewing and support.

In short: KoboToolbox is free for most nonprofits and simpler to start with. SurveyCTO costs from $225 a month but adds SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance, full case management, phone interviewing, enumerator audits and an iOS app.

Pricing

KoboToolbox's Community plan is free for nonprofits, government agencies and UN agencies up to 5,000 submissions a month. Paid plans for nonprofits start at $129 a month billed annually (Professional, 25,000 submissions), and for-profit organisations pay from $21 a month for a small Starter plan.

SurveyCTO charges everyone the same: Basic at $225 a month billed annually (5,000 submissions), Pro at $315 and Advanced at $630, with unlimited users and devices. Its free Community plan is for testing, at 200 submissions a month and with no support.

Apps and Offline Collection

Both work offline. KoboCollect runs on Android only, and iPhone users fill in Kobo's web forms. SurveyCTO Collect runs on Android and iOS, alongside web forms, though some features such as call logs and audio audits are Android only.

Security and Compliance

SurveyCTO holds SOC 2 Type 2, added HIPAA compliance in March 2026, offers public-key encryption on every plan and lets Pro customers choose a server location. KoboToolbox encrypts data at rest, offers optional form-level encryption and hosts on a US or EU (Ireland) server, but doesn't name an ISO or SOC 2 certification and says its public servers aren't HIPAA compliant.

Case Management and Phone Interviews

SurveyCTO has built-in case management, with offline case transfers on its Advanced plan, and a phone interviewing plug-in with Twilio and Exotel. KoboToolbox links datasets through dynamic data attachments but has no full case management or native phone interviewing.

Quality Control

SurveyCTO's audio audits, text audits and call logs let supervisors check how each interview was done, and its Data Explorer helps spot problems during fieldwork. KoboToolbox records background audio in KoboCollect and keeps an audit log.

AI Features

KoboToolbox offers AI transcription and translation and, since May 2026, AI analysis of audio answers. SurveyCTO added AI help in the form designer in January 2026, an MCP server for AI agents in June and AI transcription and translation, paid for with AI credits, in October.

Support

SurveyCTO offers 24/7 support on paid plans. KoboToolbox relies on its community forum, with guaranteed responses within one or two business days on paid plans.

Which One Should You Choose?

• Choose KoboToolbox if you're a nonprofit, your data isn't highly sensitive, you work on Android and you want to start free.
• Choose SurveyCTO if you handle sensitive or health data, need case management or phone interviewing, use iPhones, or want audits and 24/7 support.

When Neither Is the Right Fit

Both tools are built around enumerators collecting data in person or by phone. When the people you need to hear from have a phone but are hard or expensive to visit, you can run the survey remotely instead. Yazi runs surveys, AI interviews and diaries inside WhatsApp, on the respondent's own phone: they answer by tapping, typing or sending a voice note, the AI follows up on open answers, and reminders arrive in the same chat. It has a 1.8M+ panel with reach in 25+ countries, or you can use your own list, and studies hold a 90% completion rate.

It isn't a replacement for household rosters, measurements or households without phones, and many teams pair a face-to-face baseline in Kobo or SurveyCTO with follow-up rounds on Yazi. See how to run a survey on WhatsApp.

For more options, see the top KoboToolbox alternatives and the top SurveyCTO alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SurveyCTO better than KoboToolbox?

It depends on the study. SurveyCTO is stronger on security, case management, phone interviews, audits and iOS support. KoboToolbox is free for most nonprofits and simpler to start with.

Do SurveyCTO and KoboToolbox use the same forms?

Both use XLSForm, so simple forms usually move between them with small changes. Features specific to each tool, such as SurveyCTO's plug-ins or audits, need reworking.

Which is cheaper, SurveyCTO or KoboToolbox?

KoboToolbox, for nonprofits: its Community plan is free up to 5,000 submissions a month. SurveyCTO starts at $225 a month billed annually. For for-profit organisations, Kobo's paid plans are still generally cheaper.

Is KoboToolbox HIPAA compliant?

Kobo says its public servers aren't HIPAA compliant. SurveyCTO announced HIPAA compliance in March 2026.

Competitor details come from each vendor's website, pricing page, documentation, release notes and review listings, checked in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm current details with the vendor. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@askyazi.com.