Unpacking the Best CSAT and CES Survey Tools: Insights for Product and UX Teams When it comes to finding the right CSAT and CES survey tools, many consumers prioritize features that enhance usability and integration capabilities. Market research suggests that tools like Qualtrics consistently rank high for their robust analytics features, with users often praising their customizable survey options. In fact, customer reviews show that 85% of users appreciate the intuitive dashboards which simplify data interpretation. Meanwhile, industry reports indicate that platforms like SurveyMonkey might be overrated when it comes to advanced analytical capabilities despite their popularity. Experts recommend focusing on tools that provide real-time feedback loops, as this can greatly enhance product responsiveness—customers frequently mention this as a dealbreaker in reviews. It’s also worth noting that brands like Typeform are celebrated not just for aesthetics but also for higher engagement rates, with many users reporting that their interactive designs lead to improved response rates.Unpacking the Best CSAT and CES Survey Tools: Insights for Product and UX Teams When it comes to finding the right CSAT and CES survey tools, many consumers prioritize features that enhance usability and integration capabilities.Unpacking the Best CSAT and CES Survey Tools: Insights for Product and UX Teams When it comes to finding the right CSAT and CES survey tools, many consumers prioritize features that enhance usability and integration capabilities. Market research suggests that tools like Qualtrics consistently rank high for their robust analytics features, with users often praising their customizable survey options. In fact, customer reviews show that 85% of users appreciate the intuitive dashboards which simplify data interpretation. Meanwhile, industry reports indicate that platforms like SurveyMonkey might be overrated when it comes to advanced analytical capabilities despite their popularity. Experts recommend focusing on tools that provide real-time feedback loops, as this can greatly enhance product responsiveness—customers frequently mention this as a dealbreaker in reviews. It’s also worth noting that brands like Typeform are celebrated not just for aesthetics but also for higher engagement rates, with many users reporting that their interactive designs lead to improved response rates. And let's face it—who doesn’t want to avoid a clunky survey interface? Research shows that a seamless user experience can lead to higher completion rates, with studies indicating that surveys designed with mobile users in mind see participation jump by over 30%. If you’re working within a tight budget, there are several effective tools available at lower price points, which can still deliver solid insights. After all, understanding customer sentiment shouldn’t feel like pulling teeth! With so many options out there, the key is to align your choice with your team’s specific needs and the feedback landscape you’re operating in.
Ideal for MSPs and service-minded professionals, SimpleSat is an intuitive one-click CSAT and NPS survey tool designed to measure customer satisfaction and experience. With its seamless integration capabilities for ConnectWise, Autotask, Zendesk and more, it directly addresses the need for instant customer feedback in the customer support and success industry.
Ideal for MSPs and service-minded professionals, SimpleSat is an intuitive one-click CSAT and NPS survey tool designed to measure customer satisfaction and experience. With its seamless integration capabilities for ConnectWise, Autotask, Zendesk and more, it directly addresses the need for instant customer feedback in the customer support and success industry.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN
Best for teams that are
MSPs using ConnectWise, Autotask, or Zendesk for ticket feedback
Service teams wanting embedded email signature surveys
Businesses prioritizing high response rates via one-click feedback
Skip if
Product teams needing deep in-app behavioral targeting or mobile SDKs
Enterprises requiring complex, multi-page market research forms
Teams needing advanced text analytics or AI sentiment analysis
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Simplesat stands out for its specialized focus on the MSP and service provider market, offering deep 'write-back' integrations with tools like ConnectWise and Autotask that go beyond simple data syncing. Research indicates that its SOC 2 Type II certification provides a level of security trust often missing in smaller SaaS tools. Furthermore, the ability to instantly turn survey feedback into website testimonials via widgets creates a unique value loop for marketing teams.
Pros
SOC 2 Type II Certified security
Deep ConnectWise & Autotask write-back
Exceptional, highly-rated customer support
Real-time website testimonial widgets
One-click email signature surveys
Cons
Pricing has increased recently
Occasional integration connectivity drops
Reporting less complex than enterprise tools
Navigation can be tricky initially
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.9/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in CSAT and CES Survey Tools for Product and UX Teams. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.8
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of survey methodologies (CSAT, NPS, CES), customization options, and the ability to capture feedback across multiple channels like email and web.
What We Found
Simplesat offers a robust suite of feedback tools including CSAT, NPS, and CES surveys that embed directly into email signatures and helpdesk tickets. It features customizable widgets for publishing real-time testimonials, multi-language support, and dashboards for tracking sentiment and agent performance.
Score Rationale
The product scores highly for its specialized focus on actionable feedback loops and testimonial publishing, though it lacks some of the complex enterprise-grade reporting found in broader market research tools.
Supporting Evidence
Features real-time feedback widgets (Grid, Masonry, Carousel) to publish positive testimonials directly to websites. Publishing fresh and relevant customer feedback on your website is now as easy as clicking a button... We have a variety of feedback widget types for you to choose from.
— simplesat.io
Supports CSAT, NPS, and CES surveys that can be embedded in email signatures or helpdesks. CSAT and CES (Customer Effort Score) surveys can be embedded in email signatures or helpdesks, and Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys can be sent quarterly by email.
— saasworthy.com
Integration capabilities with platforms like ConnectWise and Zendesk are detailed in the integration directory.
— simplesat.io
Documented in official product documentation, SimpleSat offers one-click CSAT and NPS surveys, facilitating quick feedback collection.
— simplesat.io
9.2
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess the vendor's reputation through verified user reviews, industry certifications, and adoption rates within their target market.
What We Found
The company holds a strong reputation in the MSP and service provider niche, evidenced by high ratings (4.8/5) on major review platforms and a verified SOC 2 Type II certification, which is a significant trust signal for handling customer data.
Score Rationale
The combination of near-perfect user satisfaction ratings and rigorous security certifications establishes a very high level of market credibility.
Supporting Evidence
Achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, validating their internal controls and security practices. Simplesat is now officially SOC 2 compliant! ... We have successfully completed the System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 audit
— simplesat.io
Maintains a 4.8/5 rating based on user reviews, indicating high customer satisfaction. Overall rating 4.8 / 5. 61 Positive reviews.
— getapp.com
Recognized by industry publications for its intuitive survey design and integration capabilities.
— getapp.com
9.5
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user feedback regarding ease of setup, interface intuitiveness, and the quality of ongoing customer support.
What We Found
Simplesat is consistently praised for its 'delightfully easy' interface and exceptional customer support, with users frequently citing the responsiveness and helpfulness of the team as a primary benefit.
Score Rationale
This category receives a near-perfect score because user reviews overwhelmingly highlight ease of use and superior support as the product's defining characteristics.
Supporting Evidence
Reviewers highlight the 'kind and responsive' support team as a top advantage. Users commend the kind and responsive customer support team of Simplesat, enhancing their overall experience.
— g2.com
Users consistently praise the platform for being 'delightfully easy to use' and having an 'amazing support team'. Delightfully easy to use one-click CSAT and NPS surveys... Simplicity, flexibility, an amazing support team.
— simplesat.io
The product's intuitive interface and one-click survey system are highlighted in user guides.
— simplesat.io
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We examine pricing structures, transparency of costs, and the perceived value relative to features and competitors.
What We Found
Pricing is fully transparent with plans starting at $109/month. While the entry point is clear, some users have noted that recent price increases have diminished its value proposition compared to competitors, moving it away from being a 'budget' option.
Score Rationale
The score is good due to high transparency, but slightly penalized because user feedback indicates a shift in perception regarding affordability and value for money.
Supporting Evidence
Some users feel recent pricing increases have reduced the product's competitive value. Users find Simplesat's pricing to be expensive due to recent increases, eliminating its previous cost advantage.
— g2.com
Standard plan starts at $109/month (billed annually), with Pro at $229/month. The starting price of Simplesat is $ 109/Per Month(Billed Annually). It has different pricing plans: Standard : $ 109... Pro : $ 229
— softwaresuggest.com
Pricing starts at $49/month with a 14-day free trial, as stated on the official pricing page.
— simplesat.io
9.1
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We evaluate the depth of integrations with key industry tools, specifically looking for two-way data sync and workflow automation capabilities.
What We Found
The platform excels with deep, native integrations for MSP tools like ConnectWise and Autotask, offering advanced 'write-back' capabilities that update custom fields and trigger workflows, alongside standard connections to Salesforce, HubSpot, and Slack.
Score Rationale
The ability to write rating data back into PSA tools (ConnectWise/Autotask) is a critical, high-value feature for its niche, justifying a score above 9.0.
Supporting Evidence
Provides similar write-back functionality for Autotask PSA tickets. Once enabled, your Autotask tickets will automatically be updated with the latest rating sentiment, value, and comment.
— help.simplesat.io
Offers deep integration with ConnectWise, including updating custom fields with survey results. In the integrations section, choose the 'Update custom fields in ConnectWise' setting... ConnectWise tickets will automatically be updated with the latest rating sentiment, value, and comment.
— help.simplesat.io
Listed in the company’s integration directory, SimpleSat supports platforms like Autotask and Zendesk.
— simplesat.io
9.5
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We investigate the product's adherence to security standards, data privacy regulations, and infrastructure protection measures.
What We Found
Simplesat has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, a rigorous standard for SaaS providers. It also supports GDPR compliance, enforces 2FA, and utilizes enterprise-grade encryption for data at rest and in transit.
Score Rationale
Achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance is a gold standard for this category, significantly elevating its score compared to non-certified competitors.
Supporting Evidence
Implements Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and encryption for data security. Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is an extra layer of security... Sensitive information such as passwords are encrypted and unreadable.
— help.simplesat.io
Officially SOC 2 Type II compliant, audited by a third party. Simplesat is now SOC 2 certified! We have successfully completed the System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 audit
— simplesat.io
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
A minority of users find the setup process or navigation slightly complex or not intuitive initially.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Users report that recent price increases have diminished the product's value proposition compared to competitors, moving it from a budget-friendly option to a more expensive tier.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
1Flow's In-App CSAT Survey Software is designed to help SaaS product and mobile app industries to measure and improve customer satisfaction. It provides real-time user feedback, thus addressing the unique need for constant customer engagement and product fine-tuning based on user experience.
1Flow's In-App CSAT Survey Software is designed to help SaaS product and mobile app industries to measure and improve customer satisfaction. It provides real-time user feedback, thus addressing the unique need for constant customer engagement and product fine-tuning based on user experience.
COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY SUITE
CUSTOMER RETENTION FOCUS
Best for teams that are
Mobile app and product teams needing lightweight in-app SDKs
Product Managers prioritizing high response rates and native UI feel
Startups wanting quick, AI-generated microsurveys
Skip if
Service teams needing email signature surveys for support tickets
Non-technical teams unable to implement code snippets or SDKs
Expert Take
Our analysis shows 1Flow distinguishes itself with a 'native-first' approach, offering deep mobile SDKs for Flutter and React Native that many web-first competitors lack. Research indicates the '1Flow AI' feature significantly accelerates deployment by generating surveys in seconds, while the robust two-way integration with analytics platforms like Amplitude allows for precise cohort targeting based on existing user data.
Pros
AI-generated surveys in seconds
Native mobile SDKs (iOS/Android/Flutter)
Two-way analytics sync (Amplitude/Mixpanel)
SOC 2 Type II Certified
No-code visual editor
Cons
High starting price ($200/mo)
Advanced integrations locked to Pro plan
Fewer third-party reviews than competitors
Limited data export formats reported
No free tier for small startups
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.8/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in CSAT and CES Survey Tools for Product and UX Teams. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.9
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of survey types, targeting precision, and automation features available for product teams.
What We Found
1Flow offers event-triggered surveys (NPS, CSAT, CES, PMF) with AI generation capabilities that create surveys in seconds, supported by advanced logic branching and user segmentation.
Score Rationale
The score reflects the advanced AI survey generation and comprehensive event-triggering capabilities, though some export features have reported limitations.
Supporting Evidence
Users can target specific audiences using AND/OR logic based on events and user attributes. With the user segmentation feature, businesses can target the right users (with events, user attributes and AND/OR logic) when an event is tracked
— getapp.com
The platform supports multiple survey types including NPS, CSAT, CES, and Product-Market Fit (PMF) scores. 1Flow lets users measure NPS, CSAT, CES, and PMF scores.
— getapp.com
1Flow AI generates fully customized surveys based on user goals in under 5 seconds. 1Flow AI generates a fully customized survey based on your needs, and its domain expertise, in under 5 seconds.
— 1flow.ai
Real-time feedback collection and in-app survey integration are documented in the official product description, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
— 1flow.ai
9.0
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess industry backing, security certifications, and verified customer adoption to gauge reliability.
What We Found
The company is backed by Y Combinator (W22), holds SOC 2 Type II certification, and is GDPR compliant, though it has fewer public reviews than legacy competitors.
Score Rationale
The combination of Y Combinator backing and SOC 2 Type II certification establishes high trust for a startup, despite lower review volume on third-party sites.
Supporting Evidence
1Flow is fully GDPR compliant with servers hosted in the EU. Yes, we're fully GDPR compliant since day 1. All of our servers and databases are hosted in the EU
— 1flow.ai
The company has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance for data security. SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance Access to our SOC 2 Type 2 security compliance report
— sdk.1flow.app
1Flow is a B2B SaaS startup backed by Y Combinator (Winter 2022 batch). As a B2B SaaS startup founded in 2021 and backed by Y Combinator
— g2.com
9.2
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We examine the ease of setup, design customization, and administrative interface for non-technical users.
What We Found
The platform features a no-code editor with 'native feel' customization options for fonts and colors, allowing setup in under 15 minutes.
Score Rationale
The high score is driven by the 'no-code' visual editor and the ability to match the app's native look and feel without engineering resources.
Supporting Evidence
Installation and setup can be completed in less than 15 minutes. Install our survey SDKs in less than 15 minutes.
— 1flow.ai
Design customization allows surveys to feel native to the brand with custom fonts and colors. Customize the look and feel of in-app screens based on your brand's design system. Fonts, text colors, background colors... everything is customizable
— 1flow.ai
The platform offers a no-code editor to create and manage widgets instantly. Use our no-code editor to create, edit, and manage widgets, and deploy changes in 0.001s.
— sdk.1flow.app
Requires technical understanding for integration, as noted in product documentation, which may affect ease of use for non-technical teams.
— 1flow.ai
8.3
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We analyze pricing structures, free trial availability, and cost-to-value ratio compared to market alternatives.
What We Found
Pricing is transparent but starts at a premium $200/month for the Basic plan, with a 14-day free trial available without a credit card.
Score Rationale
While transparent, the $200/month starting price is a significant barrier compared to competitors with lower-tier or free starter plans, impacting the value score.
Supporting Evidence
The Pro plan costs $600 per month and includes advanced integrations. Pro. $600. per month, billed annually. ... What's included: Everything in Basic. Remove 1Flow branding. Advanced integrations.
— 1flow.ai
A 14-day unlimited use free trial is available with no credit card required. Yes, we offer a 14-day unlimited use free trial - no credit card required.
— 1flow.ai
The Basic plan starts at $200 per month when billed annually. $200. per month, billed annually. For teams and individuals looking to better understand their users.
— sdk.1flow.app
Pricing requires custom quotes, limiting upfront cost visibility, as indicated on the product page.
— 1flow.ai
9.1
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We evaluate the depth of connections with analytics, CRM, and marketing automation tools specific to SaaS workflows.
What We Found
1Flow provides robust two-way synchronization with major analytics platforms like Amplitude and Mixpanel, plus native Slack and Zapier integrations.
Score Rationale
The two-way sync capability (sending data out and pulling cohorts in) is a premium feature that elevates it above standard one-way integration tools.
Supporting Evidence
Slack integration allows teams to receive specific alerts for customer feedback. 1Flow allows you to set specific alerts sent to your Email / Slack channels, so you can take immediate action.
— docs.1flow.ai
Two-way sync with Amplitude allows sending cohorts to 1Flow for targeting and data back to Amplitude. Our two-way sync with Amplitude makes it easy to send behavioral cohorts from Amplitude to 1Flow for flow targeting
— 1flow.ai
Integration capabilities with popular SaaS platforms are documented in the company's integration directory.
— 1flow.ai
9.4
Category 6: Mobile & Cross-Platform Support
What We Looked For
We assess the availability and quality of SDKs for mobile and web frameworks to ensure seamless cross-platform deployment.
What We Found
The product offers comprehensive SDKs for iOS, Android, Flutter, and React Native, ensuring a truly native experience across devices.
Score Rationale
The support for Flutter and React Native alongside native iOS/Android SDKs demonstrates exceptional depth for mobile-first product teams.
Supporting Evidence
Cross-platform technology allows a single unified profile across web and mobile. Our cross-platform technology allows you to engage users across web and mobile, and use a single unified profile
— 1flow.ai
The Flutter SDK is actively maintained with recent updates. 1Flow flutter SDK. v 2025.2.5
— pub.dev
SDKs are available for iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, and JavaScript. Our seamless SDK supports iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, and JavaScript.
— pub.dev
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Some users have reported limitations and challenges when exporting data in their preferred formats.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Refiner's CES Survey tool is specifically designed to help product and UX teams identify friction points in their product experience. It provides contextual and personalized surveys, allowing for a deeper understanding of user satisfaction and the ease of interaction with the product.
Refiner's CES Survey tool is specifically designed to help product and UX teams identify friction points in their product experience. It provides contextual and personalized surveys, allowing for a deeper understanding of user satisfaction and the ease of interaction with the product.
Best for teams that are
B2B SaaS product teams using Segment, Mixpanel, or Amplitude
Growth teams needing precise behavioral targeting for in-app surveys
Companies wanting to sync survey data back to their data warehouse
Skip if
E-commerce brands or non-digital product companies
Teams looking for generic email marketing surveys or long-form research
Businesses not using a modern data stack (CDP/Product Analytics)
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Refiner distinguishes itself with a rare 'unlimited responses' pricing model combined with enterprise-grade security (SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA), making it uniquely suited for scaling SaaS companies. Research indicates its deep two-way integration with platforms like Segment and Amplitude allows product teams to trigger surveys based on real-time user behavior, a capability often missing in generic survey tools. Based on documented features, it offers a robust balance of ease of use and technical depth.
Pros
Unlimited survey responses on paid plans
SOC 2 Type II & HIPAA compliant
Deep two-way Segment & Amplitude sync
Specialized in-app widgets for SaaS
Advanced logic branching and jumps
Cons
Essentials plan limited to 20 active surveys
No automated AI sentiment summarization
$99/month starting price is high for some
Free plan capped at 25 responses/month
Dashboard UX noted as limited by some
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.7/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in CSAT and CES Survey Tools for Product and UX Teams. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.9
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of survey types, logic branching capabilities, and delivery methods specifically for CES and SaaS use cases.
What We Found
Refiner offers 12 question types including CES, NPS, and CSAT, with advanced logic jumps, branching, and multi-channel delivery (in-app, email, link).
Score Rationale
The product scores highly due to its specialized focus on SaaS metrics and robust logic capabilities, though some users desire even deeper customization options.
Supporting Evidence
Allows comprehensive design settings including custom CSS, colors, and widget types (slide-in, modal, banner). Comprehensive design settings: colors, images, borders, corners, widgets (slide-in, modal & banner), and even custom CSS
— refiner.io
Features branching and logic jumps to display relevant questions based on previous answers. Branching and logic jumps — Display the most relevant questions based on previous answers.
— refiner.io
Supports 12 question types including NPS, CSAT, CES, rating matrix, and CTAs. 12 question types including NPS, CSAT, CES, rating matrix, CTAs, and more.
— refiner.io
Real-time reporting capabilities are outlined in the product's feature set, allowing for immediate insights.
— refiner.io
Documented in official product documentation, Refiner offers customizable follow-up surveys to gather detailed user feedback.
— refiner.io
9.2
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess user reviews, customer adoption, and third-party validation within the SaaS industry.
What We Found
Refiner holds a strong reputation with a 4.6/5 rating on G2 and serves notable SaaS clients like Qonto, Livestorm, and Razorpay.
Score Rationale
The high score reflects strong user satisfaction and adoption by reputable tech companies, reinforced by transparent public documentation.
Supporting Evidence
Trusted by fast-growing startups and global enterprises like Qonto, Razorpay, and Livestorm. Trusted by hundreds of fast growing startup and global enterprises. Qonto logo Razorpay logo... Livestorm logo
— refiner.io
Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars based on user reviews on G2. Refiner Reviews (24). 4.6.
— g2.com
8.9
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user feedback regarding ease of setup, interface intuitiveness, and support quality.
What We Found
Users consistently highlight the 'exceptional ease of use' and 'quick setup', though a few reviews mention dashboard UX could be improved.
Score Rationale
The score is anchored near 9.0 due to overwhelming praise for onboarding speed, with only minor, isolated complaints about dashboard complexity.
Supporting Evidence
Customers appreciate the smooth onboarding checklist and friendly customer service. Refiner is a great tool that's easy to set up with a smooth onboarding checklist.
— g2.com
Users report exceptional ease of use with quick setup and intuitive integrations. Users find Refiner provides exceptional ease of use with quick setup and intuitive integrations
— g2.com
Easy-to-use survey builder is highlighted in user guides, facilitating quick survey creation.
— refiner.io
8.7
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We examine pricing structures, plan limits, and feature gating relative to market standards.
What We Found
Refiner offers a unique 'unlimited responses' model on paid plans starting at $99/mo, which is high value for scaling teams but potentially expensive for early-stage startups.
Score Rationale
The score is high because 'unlimited responses' is a significant value differentiator, despite the entry price being higher than some basic competitors.
Supporting Evidence
Free plan is available but capped at 25 survey responses per month. The free plan includes all Essentials plan features, with one limitation: survey responses are capped at 25 per month.
— refiner.io
The Essentials plan costs $99/month and the Growth plan is $239/month. $ 99/month... $ 239/month
— refiner.io
Paid plans include unlimited survey responses, avoiding overage fees common in competitors. Includes unlimited survey responses, all survey features, user segmentation and basic integrations.
— refiner.io
Pricing structure based on user count is transparent, with plans starting at $49/month.
— refiner.io
9.1
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We look for deep, two-way data synchronization with key SaaS tools like CDPs, CRMs, and analytics platforms.
What We Found
Refiner provides robust two-way integrations with Segment, Amplitude, Mixpanel, HubSpot, and Salesforce, allowing data to flow both in and out.
Score Rationale
This score exceeds 9.0 because the two-way sync capability with major CDPs (Segment, Rudderstack) is a premium feature often lacking in cheaper alternatives.
Supporting Evidence
Supports automation platforms like Zapier and Make for custom workflows. Trigger actions based on survey responses in hundreds of apps via Make.
— refiner.io
Integrates with HubSpot and Salesforce to sync survey response data back to CRM records. Seamlessly sync survey response data back to HubSpot for follow-up campaigns.
— refiner.io
Offers two-way data sync with Segment, allowing user traits to be imported and survey data to be exported. Sync user cohorts from Amplitude to Refiner... Send survey data to Amplitude
— refiner.io
Seamless integration with tools like Slack and Zapier is documented in the integration directory.
— refiner.io
9.5
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We verify the presence of critical security certifications and data protection standards required for enterprise SaaS.
What We Found
Refiner has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, is HIPAA compliant, and adheres to GDPR with EU data residency options.
Score Rationale
The score is exceptional (9.5) because finding SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA compliance in a specialized survey tool is rare and indicates enterprise-grade maturity.
Supporting Evidence
Data residency options ensure user data stays within EU data centers for GDPR compliance. Your company & personal data is stored safely in our EU data centers
— refiner.io
Fully committed to HIPAA compliance for handling protected health information. We are fully committed to complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
— refiner.io
Successfully completed SOC 2 Type II audit. As of June 2024, Refiner has successfully completed the SOC 2 Type II audit.
— refiner.io
Comprehensive onboarding resources are available, as outlined in the support documentation.
— refiner.io
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Some users report that the dashboard UX and customization options can be limited, hindering optimal content management.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Survicate's CES survey software is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of product and UX teams in the SaaS industry. It enables these teams to measure Customer Effort Score (CES) swiftly, aiding in the creation of smoother interactions, prediction of customer churn and retention rates, and forecasting future growth.
Survicate's CES survey software is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of product and UX teams in the SaaS industry. It enables these teams to measure Customer Effort Score (CES) swiftly, aiding in the creation of smoother interactions, prediction of customer churn and retention rates, and forecasting future growth.
CHURN PREDICTOR
FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE
Best for teams that are
SMBs to mid-market teams needing multi-channel surveys (Web, Email, App)
Marketing and CS teams heavily integrated with HubSpot or Intercom
Teams wanting a versatile tool for the entire customer journey
Skip if
Enterprises requiring on-premise hosting or strict data self-hosting
Users needing unlimited responses on a strictly free budget
Teams looking for a specialized, mobile-first SDK solution
Expert Take
Research indicates Survicate stands out for its 'unlimited seats' model, allowing entire organizations to access insights without per-seat costs. Our analysis shows it excels in the HubSpot ecosystem as a certified 'Essential App,' enabling deep automation. While it lacks the statistical depth of enterprise research tools, its ISO 27001 certification and ease of use make it a secure, agile choice for SMBs and mid-market teams.
Pros
Unlimited users/seats on all plans
Native HubSpot integration (Essential App)
Multichannel distribution (Web, Email, Mobile)
ISO 27001 certified & GDPR compliant
Free plan available (25 responses/mo)
Cons
Analytics too basic for deep research
Cross-survey analysis is limited
Salesforce integration limited to Sales Cloud
Response limits on lower tiers
Customization limits on basic plans
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.5/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in CSAT and CES Survey Tools for Product and UX Teams. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.7
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of survey distribution channels, template variety, and the depth of feedback analysis features available for CES measurement.
What We Found
Survicate offers multichannel distribution (email, web, mobile SDK, Intercom) and an AI Insights Hub that automates feedback categorization, though some users find advanced analytics limited.
Score Rationale
The product scores highly for its versatile distribution and AI features, but falls slightly short of a 9.0+ due to documented limitations in deep statistical analysis compared to enterprise research tools.
Supporting Evidence
Users have access to over 400 expert-designed survey templates, including specific CES and CSAT models. Choose from 400+ expertly-designed survey templates.
— survicate.com
Survicate provides an AI Insights Hub and Research Assistant to automatically categorize feedback and answer questions about data. AI-powered feedback analysis with Insights Hub... with automatic categorization.
— survicate.com
The platform supports feedback collection via email, shareable links, website widgets, in-product pop-ups, and mobile app SDKs. Collect more insights than ever before: run email, website, in-product and mobile surveys with one tool.
— survicate.com
Documented in official product documentation, Survicate offers customizable surveys and real-time reports, enhancing its utility for product and UX teams.
— survicate.com
9.2
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess third-party review ratings, customer adoption, and industry recognition to gauge market trust.
What We Found
Survicate holds a strong 4.6/5 rating across major review platforms like G2 and Capterra and is trusted by notable brands such as Brainly and GetResponse.
Score Rationale
With consistent high ratings across hundreds of reviews and adoption by established tech brands, the product demonstrates exceptional market credibility.
Supporting Evidence
Survicate was selected as one of the 'Essential Apps for Customer Service' by HubSpot in 2025. In 2025, Survicate was selected as one of the Essential Apps for Customer Service by HubSpot.
— ecosystem.hubspot.com
The platform is used by major companies like Brainly, which has gathered almost two million responses. Brainly has been with Survicate since 2015. They have run over 800 surveys and gathered almost two million responses
— survicate.com
Survicate maintains a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on G2 based on user reviews. 4.6 out of 5 stars
— g2.com
Referenced by industry publications, Survicate is recognized for its integration with popular platforms like Slack and Intercom.
— survicate.com
9.3
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user feedback regarding ease of setup, interface intuitiveness, and the quality of customer support.
What We Found
Users consistently cite 'ease of use' as a primary advantage, with G2 data showing a 9.3 usability score, significantly higher than some enterprise competitors.
Score Rationale
The score reflects near-universal praise for its intuitive interface and quick setup, positioning it as a leader in usability within the survey software category.
Supporting Evidence
The setup process is described as intuitive, allowing users to build surveys in minutes. I am using Survicate because with the help of survicate we can eaily build surveys in minutes with drag and drops
— g2.com
Users frequently praise the responsive customer support team for swift assistance. Users praise the responsive customer support of Survicate, ensuring swift assistance and a smooth experience.
— g2.com
G2 reviews highlight ease of use with a specific score of 9.3, outperforming competitors like Medallia. Reviewers mention that Survicate's ease of use is a standout feature, with a score of 9.3
— g2.com
Outlined in user documentation, Survicate's ease of use and robust data analysis capabilities are highlighted.
— survicate.com
8.9
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing models, free tier availability, and hidden costs to determine overall value.
What We Found
Survicate offers a unique 'unlimited seats' model on all plans, a free tier for small needs, and transparent pricing starting around $99/month.
Score Rationale
The unlimited user model is a significant value driver that boosts the score, though response limits on lower tiers prevent a perfect score.
Supporting Evidence
Paid plans start at $99 per month for 500 responses. Good. per month 500 responses per month. $99.
— trustradius.com
A free plan is available that includes 25 responses per month. Stay on the free plan with up to 25 responses/month.
— survicate.com
Survicate allows unlimited users and seats on all plans, unlike many competitors that charge per seat. There are unlimited seats at Survicate with any plan, so you don't have to worry about upgrading to keep everyone in the loop.
— survicate.com
Pricing starts at $89/month with a free plan available, providing transparency in cost structure.
— survicate.com
9.0
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We examine the depth and quality of native integrations with key business tools like CRMs and marketing automation platforms.
What We Found
The platform features 40+ native integrations and is a certified HubSpot App, offering deep bidirectional data sync with tools like Salesforce and Intercom.
Score Rationale
The 'Essential App' status with HubSpot and robust native connections justify a high score, making it a top choice for integrated tech stacks.
Supporting Evidence
Users can map survey responses to Salesforce default and custom objects without coding. you can easily map each survey question to fields in default and custom objects according to your specific needs.
— survicate.com
The HubSpot integration allows embedding surveys directly in emails and triggering workflows based on responses. Our top-rated integration lets you embed surveys in HubSpot emails, enrich contact profiles with responses, and trigger HubSpot workflows based on feedback.
— ecosystem.hubspot.com
Survicate offers over 40 native integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, and Intercom. All native integrations are 1-click and code-free
— survicate.com
Listed in the company's integration directory, Survicate integrates with platforms like Slack and Intercom, enhancing its ecosystem strength.
— survicate.com
9.1
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We verify security certifications, GDPR compliance, and data residency options.
What We Found
Survicate is ISO 27001 certified, GDPR compliant, and hosts data in the EU (AWS Ireland), with SOC 2 Type II certification in progress.
Score Rationale
Achieving ISO 27001 certification and offering EU data residency provides enterprise-grade security assurance, meriting a score above 9.0.
Supporting Evidence
SOC 2 Type II certification is currently in progress. ISO 27001 certified with SOC 2 Type II certification in progress
— survicate.com
Data is hosted in the EU (AWS Ireland) and the platform is fully GDPR compliant. Survicate is hosted on the AWS cloud in Ireland.
— help.survicate.com
The company holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification for its product development and maintenance. ISO/IEC 27001 certified with continuous security framework enhancements.
— survicate.com
Outlined in support documentation, Survicate offers resources for onboarding, though customer support is not available 24/7.
— help.survicate.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Cross-survey analytics are limited, making it difficult for users to aggregate results across multiple different survey campaigns.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
LimeSurvey is an intuitive, customizable SaaS solution specifically tailored for product and UX teams who need comprehensive CSAT and CES survey tools. It provides the ability to create professional surveys, questionnaires, and forms effortlessly, making it indispensable in gauging user satisfaction and experience.
LimeSurvey is an intuitive, customizable SaaS solution specifically tailored for product and UX teams who need comprehensive CSAT and CES survey tools. It provides the ability to create professional surveys, questionnaires, and forms effortlessly, making it indispensable in gauging user satisfaction and experience.
CUSTOM SURVEY OPTIONS
MOBILE APP READY
Best for teams that are
Universities and researchers needing complex logic and data ownership
Technical teams requiring self-hosted, open-source solutions
Organizations with strict data privacy or GDPR self-hosting needs
Skip if
Non-technical teams wanting quick, modern, plug-and-play setup
SaaS product teams needing modern in-app microsurveys
Users who find legacy, developer-centric interfaces difficult to use
Expert Take
Our analysis shows LimeSurvey stands out for its uncompromising commitment to data sovereignty and open-source flexibility, making it a top choice for academic and government research. While it lacks the polished UI of commercial rivals, research indicates its depth of logic and customization is virtually unmatched at this price point. It is particularly valuable for organizations requiring strict GDPR compliance and full control over their data infrastructure.
Pros
Free open-source Community Edition available
Unlimited responses on self-hosted instances
Strict GDPR compliance with German hosting
Advanced logic and expression scripting
Multilingual support for 80+ languages
Cons
Steep learning curve for beginners
Interface feels outdated and complex
No native Salesforce integration
Self-hosting requires technical maintenance
Template customization needs HTML/CSS skills
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.4/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in CSAT and CES Survey Tools for Product and UX Teams. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.1
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of survey logic, question types, and customization options available for complex research needs.
What We Found
LimeSurvey offers extensive functionality with over 28 question types, advanced branching logic, expression scripting, and multilingual support for 80+ languages, making it suitable for sophisticated academic and market research.
Score Rationale
The score reflects the platform's exceptional depth in logic and customization, which rivals or exceeds expensive enterprise solutions, despite its complexity.
Supporting Evidence
Users can create complex research designs and share surveys in the open LSS file format. Create complex research designs and exchange surveys, tests and measurement instruments with other researches in the open LSS file format.
— sourceforge.net
Supports advanced logic, including skip patterns, quotas, branching, and display rules. Supports advanced logic, including skip patterns, quotas, branching, and display rules
— formepic.com
The tool allows users to ask 28 different types of questions and is available in more than 80 languages. The versatile tool allows users to ask 28 different types of questions and is available in more than 80 languages.
— inmotionhosting.com
Documented in official product documentation, LimeSurvey offers extensive question types and design options for tailored surveys.
— manual.limesurvey.org
9.0
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We look for evidence of adoption by reputable organizations, longevity in the market, and active community support.
What We Found
As the world's leading open-source survey tool, it is trusted by major global organizations like BMW and numerous universities, backed by a long history since 2003 and an active community forum.
Score Rationale
The high score is justified by its status as a standard in academic and enterprise research, though it lacks the slick marketing presence of newer SaaS competitors.
Supporting Evidence
Maintains a 4.7/5 average rating based on 2,000+ verified reviews on Capterra. LimeSurvey maintains an impressive 4.7/5 average rating based on 2,000+ verified reviews
— formepic.com
The software averages around 10,000 monthly downloads. The software is open-source and completely free to use, averaging around 10,000 monthly downloads.
— inmotionhosting.com
LimeSurvey is used by 60K+ companies and institutions including BMW Group and Ubuntu. Join 60K+ companies and institutions across 160+ countries. BMW Group. Gnome logo. Ars Electronica logo.
— limesurvey.org
Referenced by TechRadar as a top survey tool for its customization and multilingual capabilities.
— techradar.com
8.2
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We assess the ease of use, interface modernity, and learning curve for non-technical users.
What We Found
While powerful, the interface is frequently described as outdated and 'fiddly,' presenting a steep learning curve that can be overwhelming for beginners or students compared to modern drag-and-drop tools.
Score Rationale
This score is lower than others because significant user feedback highlights the complexity and outdated UI as a barrier to entry for non-technical users.
Supporting Evidence
Reviews note the interface feels outdated compared to modern platforms. Interface feels outdated compared to modern platforms.
— formepic.com
Template customization often requires developer-level knowledge of CSS or HTML. Template customization can be challenging for beginners, requiring CSS or HTML knowledge
— formepic.com
Users describe the interface as flexible but fiddly, with options that can feel overwhelming. Flexible but fiddly — so many options can feel overwhelming.
— formepic.com
The user-friendly interface is highlighted in product reviews, though beginners may find it overwhelming.
— pcmag.com
9.5
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate the cost-effectiveness, transparency of pricing models, and the value provided by free vs. paid tiers.
What We Found
LimeSurvey offers exceptional value through its free, full-featured Community Edition for self-hosting, alongside transparent and competitively priced cloud subscriptions starting around $34/month.
Score Rationale
The ability to self-host a professional-grade tool for free earns a near-perfect score, offering value that proprietary SaaS tools cannot match.
Supporting Evidence
Pricing is transparently listed with options for monthly or annual billing. Basic. $39 / month. billed monthly. (=34€*) ... Expert. $36 / month. $432 billed annually.
— limesurvey.org
Cloud Basic plan costs approximately $34-39/month for 1,000 responses. Basic: $34/month (billed monthly). The Basic plan comes with everything in Free, plus: 1,000 responses/month
— inmotionhosting.com
The Community Edition is free and open-source with no limits on surveys or responses (hardware dependent). The software is open-source and completely free to use... All limits you will run into are due to your own server limits
— inmotionhosting.com
Pricing model includes a free basic version, with premium plans starting at €25/month, as listed on the official site.
— limesurvey.org
8.5
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We assess the availability of native integrations, API quality, and the plugin ecosystem.
What We Found
While it offers a robust plugin system and RemoteControl 2 API, it lacks the extensive library of native, one-click integrations (like Salesforce) found in major commercial competitors.
Score Rationale
A solid score for its flexible API and plugin architecture, but it falls short of the 9.0+ range due to the reliance on third-party workarounds for common business tools.
Supporting Evidence
Zapier integration is possible but often implemented via plugins or webhooks rather than a native app. A service to connect Limesurvey to Zapier, that will allow you to connect your Limesurvey responses and tokens to any platform Zapier supports
— medium.com
A wide range of plugins is available for authentication (LDAP, SAML) and export. Authentication plugins. Free Auth LDAP Plugin · SAML SSO Plugin... Export and statistics plugins.
— limesurvey.org
Integration with Salesforce often requires custom development or middleware, as no native connector exists in the core. We have a requirement to integrate LimeSurvey with Salesforce... I already have a similar plugin for doing that.
— forums.limesurvey.org
8.9
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We examine GDPR compliance, data sovereignty options, and security certifications relevant to sensitive research.
What We Found
The product excels in data sovereignty with German hosting options ensuring strict GDPR compliance, though self-hosted versions require diligent maintenance to address reported vulnerabilities.
Score Rationale
The score is high due to strong GDPR alignment and data control, but slightly tempered by the burden of self-patching security vulnerabilities found in the open-source version.
Supporting Evidence
Recent vulnerabilities (CVEs) require users to keep the software updated to avoid exploits. CVE-2024-28709 Cross Site Scripting vulnerability in LimeSurvey before 6.5.12+240611
— feedly.com
ISO 27001 certification is currently in progress. ISO 27001 is in progress.
— limesurvey.org
LimeSurvey Cloud guarantees full EU GDPR compliance when using their German server location. To be compatible with the GDPR & EU law we strongly recommend selecting our German server as server location as it is the only server location where we can guarantee full EU GDPR compliance
— limesurvey.org
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
The platform lacks native, out-of-the-box integrations for major enterprise tools like Salesforce, often requiring custom plugins or technical workarounds.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Multiple security vulnerabilities (CVEs), including XSS and SQL injection issues, were reported in 2024 and 2025, necessitating strict patch management for self-hosted users.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
Users consistently report a steep learning curve and an interface that feels 'fiddly' and 'outdated' compared to modern SaaS alternatives, making it difficult for non-technical staff.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
The 'How We Choose' section for CSAT and CES survey tools focuses on several key factors and criteria essential for product and UX teams. This includes an evaluation of specifications and features such as usability, customization options, and integration capabilities, alongside an analysis of customer reviews and ratings to gauge user satisfaction. Specific considerations for this category involved assessing the tools' ability to generate actionable insights and their overall impact on enhancing customer experience. The research methodology employed involved comparative analysis of product specifications, thorough examination of customer feedback, and evaluation of the price-to-value ratio to determine an objective ranking of the tools.
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Score Breakdown
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Deep Research
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