1. Key features

Diverse and convenient survey creation

Zoho Survey allows you to include various question types in surveys to suit different purposes—from simple multiple-choice or open-ended questions to more complex formats like ranking, star ratings, and matrix questions.

Its user-friendly interface, featuring simple drag-and-drop functionality, ensures that anyone can design survey questions quickly and effortlessly, even without technical expertise.

The Pro version of Zoho Survey offers multilingual survey creation, enabling businesses to easily reach an international audience. With support for 135 languages, including Vietnamese, this feature is a major advantage.

Multiple survey distribution methods

Zoho Survey makes it easy to send surveys directly via email, increasing response rates without requiring respondents to navigate to another website. Alternatively, you can generate survey links to share on platforms like websites, social media, Zalo, and Facebook.

It also supports embedding survey codes into websites or personal blogs, generating QR codes for mobile device responses, and exporting surveys as PDF files for offline distribution.

Survey personalization

Zoho Survey allows you to customize the appearance of surveys to create a positive impression on participants. You can easily modify design elements, colors, and font styles, upload your company logo to enhance brand recognition, or add images and videos for a more interactive survey experience.

Additionally, the platform offers over 200 pre-designed templates tailored to various industries and purposes (e.g., education, business, marketing), saving time during survey creation.

Detailed reporting and analysis

Zoho Survey provides users with advanced reporting and analytics tools, enabling quick and clear insights into survey results. The platform features a wide array of visualizations, such as bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and radar charts, making it easier to interpret data.

Users can also compare responses across groups, identify patterns, and spot trends, reducing the need for manual analysis and minimizing errors.

Seamless integration with Zoho ecosystem

As part of the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho Survey integrates seamlessly with other Zoho tools like Zoho CRM, Zoho Campaigns, and Zoho Bookings. For instance, you can connect Zoho Survey with Zoho Campaigns to send surveys through email marketing campaigns and track feedback.

Real-time synchronization with Zoho CRM allows you to manage and analyze customer data efficiently.

2. Drawbacks

Based on the writer's firsthand experience, Zoho Survey does not run as smoothly as expected. The platform occasionally suffers from freezing or lag issues, which may frustrate users. This is a significant concern for software with over a decade of development and from a renowned IT company.

The free version of Zoho Survey is highly limited, allowing only 10 questions per survey and unsuitable for creating in-depth surveys. For basic needs, users can turn to free alternatives like Google Forms or Microsoft Forms, which can often meet their requirements.

Additionally, Zoho Survey’s functionality shines best within the Zoho ecosystem. It performs optimally when used alongside other Zoho products but may not be ideal for businesses or users outside this ecosystem. Its third-party integrations are limited compared to advanced tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform.

Zoho Survey supports only around ten preset integrations (e.g., Zapier, Pipedream, Salesforce, Google Sheets), and setting up webhooks is relatively complex, requiring technical expertise.

3. Pricing

Zoho Survey offers a free plan with limited features, supporting a maximum of three surveys, 10 questions per survey, and 100 responses per survey.

For higher needs, Zoho Survey provides the following paid plans (all with a 7-day free trial):

• Basic: $9/month – Limited to 1,000 responses per month, with access to design features, spam protection, and survey tracking.
• Plus: $35/month – Limited to 3,000 responses per month, unlimited surveys, and upgraded reporting options.
• Pro: $49/month – Advertised as the best-selling plan, supporting 5,000 responses per month, multilingual surveys, and custom variables.
• Enterprise: $109/month – Limited to 7,000 responses per month, enhanced customer support, and access for three users (additional users cost $15/user).

In comparison to competitors, Zoho Survey's lower-tier plans are reasonably priced. For instance:

• SurveyMonkey’s cheapest plan starts at $35/month with a 1,000-response limit, equivalent to Zoho Survey’s Basic plan.
• Typeform’s Basic plan costs $29/month but limits responses to just 100/month.
• Microsoft Forms requires a Microsoft 365 subscription, and Google Forms often requires a Google Workspace plan, which may not appeal to all users.

However, Zoho Survey’s premium plans are relatively expensive and less competitive. For example:

• Typeform’s Plus plan at $50/month supports three users, while its Business plan at $83/month allows up to 10,000 responses.
• SurveyMonkey offers a Team Advanced plan at $25/user/month with more benefits, such as 24/7 support and multi-user functionality.

4. Suitable users

Given its pros and cons, Zoho Survey is an effective tool for creating surveys ranging from simple to professional. However, it is most suitable for users already integrated into the Zoho ecosystem, such as those using Zoho CRM or Zoho Campaigns. These tools work seamlessly together, maximizing their potential with easy integration and strong data synchronization.

Zoho Survey’s free plan has limited practical use and is best for testing purposes. Its premium plans, while feature-rich, may deter users due to their cost. A 7-day free trial is available for users to evaluate if it fits their needs.

This platform is also ideal for users needing surveys primarily for offline use (e.g., printed surveys) rather than online distribution. Its robust design tools and diverse question types are advantageous in such cases.

For those seeking a professional platform with strong third-party integrations, alternatives like SurveyMonkey or Typeform may be more suitable.

5. Final thoughts

Zoho Survey offers numerous useful features, making it easy for users to create high-quality and professional surveys tailored to their needs. However, its limitations, such as performance issues and pricing concerns, detract from its appeal, especially with the growing availability of more affordable and competitive survey tools.