Top 15 Mobile Data Collection Tools You Need to Try in 2024

In today's data-driven world, collecting data is the lifeline of decision-making, strategy formulation, and innovation. Picture this: a healthcare provider leveraging mobile app surveys to gather patient feedback instantly after appointments, a retail chain conducting on-the-spot inventory checks using tablets, or a field researcher capturing environmental data with a few taps on a smartphone.

Mobile data collection tools have become the linchpin of modern-day operations, offering unparalleled convenience, accuracy, and speed in gathering information from customers. While the data can also be collected through paper forms, they often lack the efficiency, real-time updates, and instant accessibility that mobile tools provide.

From surveys to field research, audits to customer feedback, these tools empower diverse industries to efficiently collect vital data, shaping a future where insights are instantaneous and decisions are made in real time.

In this article, we will explore the best mobile data collection tools and look at their features and pricing so that you can choose the best one for your business requirements. Let's get started!

TL;DR

• A mobile data collection tool is designed to gather, store, and manage data using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets and are invaluable for enhancing data accuracy, accessibility, and scalability.

• They streamline the process of collecting various types of information in the field, enabling organizations to efficiently collect data in real-time through the feedback survey.

• Some of the best mobile data collection apps include Zonka Feedback, Magpi, Forms on Fire, and Fulcrum among others.

• Other data collection software that can ease your task to collect data on mobile phones include Typeform, Jotform, Pronto Forms, and SurveyMonkey.

• Some methods of mobile data collection include utilizing mobile forms and surveys, mobile apps, field data collection, offline surveys, SMS surveys, GPS and location-based data collection, and QR code surveys.

• By using mobile data collection, you can go paperless, collect real-time data, customize mobile forms, and integrate and automate workflows for streamlined data collection.

• Zonka Feedback is a powerful survey software that helps you collect mobile data through surveys and analyze them in real-time to take action and close feedback loop. Sign up for a 14-day free trial or schedule a demo to get started with transforming your data collection and insights.

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Our List of Best Mobile Data Collection Apps

Let us directly jump into the best mobile data collection tools that offer a range of features to facilitate efficient data gathering.

1. Zonka Feedback

Zonka Feedback stands as a powerful mobile data collection app, streamlining the process of gathering insights through surveys on the go. With mobile-optimized surveys, real-time analytics, and offline data collection, it empowers seamless data collection on smartphones and tablets. Its versatile features, from multimedia integration to location-based insights, ensure comprehensive and secure mobile data collection for actionable decision-making.

Key Features

• Tailor mobile-optimized survey templates like customer satisfaction survey templates, product feedback form templates, healthcare patient satisfaction survey templates, and etc., designed specifically for mobile devices, ensuring accessibility and ease of response for participants on smartphones or tablets.

• 30+ question types for creating microsurveys on CX metrics like Net Promoter Score, Customer Effort Score, and Customer Satisfaction Score that can be deployed in-app easily.

• Through offline data collection, gathered data is synced automatically even without an internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted survey collection in various settings.

• Instant access to real-time advanced reporting and analytics for data insights as they're collected, facilitating prompt decision-making and action based on current information.

• Integrate multimedia elements (images, videos) within surveys, to enhance engagement and data richness in mobile responses.

• Utilize GPS coordinates capabilities to capture location-specific data, facilitating geographical insights and customer journey mapping.

• Data security through encryption and compliance measures for safeguarding sensitive submitted information collected via mobile devices.

• Powerful integration with business tools like Salesforce, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Slack, Mailchimp, Webex, Google Analytics, AirTable, Intercom, Zoom, and more.

• Utilize dynamic survey features like survey logic and branching, answer piping, multilingual surveys and survey redirection for efficient data collection.

• Share unlimited forms across various channels, including email surveys, SMS surveys, Android surveys, kiosk mode and more for seamless distribution and accessibility for respondents across different touchpoints and devices.

Pricing

• Starts at $49/month billed annually

• Free trial period for 14 days available and free version available

2. Magpi

Magpi stands out as an innovative mobile data collection app, offering a user-friendly interface for effortless data gathering in various settings. This robust form builder prioritizes simplicity without compromising functionality, empowering users to seamlessly collect qualitative and quantitative information through customizable forms, surveys, and data visualization tools.

Key Features

• Access the intuitive form-building interface to create personalized surveys and forms tailored to specific data collection needs.

• Deploy surveys on multiple devices via Android and iOS apps or SMS or IVR for efficient data collection from diverse geographical locations.

• Collect data in offline environments, ensuring uninterrupted data gathering even in areas with limited or no internet connectivity.

• Get hands-on dynamic data visualization to interpret and analyze data as it's collected for quick decision-making based on real-time insights.

• Offers integration capabilities with other systems and tools like Salesforce accounts, Google Sheets, or Microsoft Excel for a continuous flow of data.

Pricing

• Starts at $250/month

• Free trial is available

3. Forms on Fire

Forms on Fire sets itself apart as a powerhouse in mobile data collection, leveraging its intuitive interface and standout features like offline data collection and advanced workflow automation. Renowned across industries for its expertise in streamlining field data gathering, this mobile data collection app prioritizes efficiency and customization, offering seamless experiences tailored to meet the dynamic needs of organizations venturing into data collection in remote settings.

Key Features

• Utilize the adaptable and user-friendly form-building interface to craft customized surveys and forms that precisely cater to the requirements of mobile data collection.

• Leverage this offline data collection app to collect data in areas with limited or no internet connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted fieldwork.

• Sync data in real-time so that the collected data is instantly transferred to the cloud for immediate access to crucial information for data analysis and decision-making.

• Utilize workflow automation to automate various tasks, such as notifications, approvals, and data routing, streamlining the entire data collection process.

• Effortlessly integrate with diverse systems and tools, facilitating the smooth transfer of collected data to existing databases, CRMs, or other software applications.

• Access powerful analytics and reporting tools, enabling the generation of comprehensive reports, charts, and visual representations for profound insights from collected data.

Pricing

Starts at $20/month

4. Fulcrum

Fulcrum emerges as a versatile mobile data collection app, recognized for its adaptability and efficiency in simplifying data-gathering processes while prioritizing user-centric approaches. This dynamic platform offers customizable solutions tailored to diverse industry needs, empowering seamless field data collection across varied environments.

Key Features

• Utilize geospatial data collection, capturing precise location-based information, facilitating sophisticated mapping and spatial analysis for informed decision-making.

• Access offline capabilities to collect data in areas with limited or no internet connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted fieldwork.

• Employ data validation rules within Fulcrum's forms, ensuring data accuracy by setting parameters for required fields, numeric ranges, or specific formats.

• Customize workflows to automate data processes, including assignments, notifications, and conditional logic, enhancing overall efficiency and reducing manual intervention.

• Integrate with various systems and tools, enabling easy data transfer to databases, GIS platforms, or other third-party applications.

• Access powerful reporting and analytics features to derive meaningful insights from collected data and generate reports, visualizations, and statistical analysis for informed decision-making.

Pricing

• Starts at $15/5 users/month

• Free trial period is available

5. Go Canvas

GoCanvas serves as an innovative mobile data collection app, recognized for its user-friendly interface and customizable features. This platform caters to diverse industries, offering efficient and adaptable tools for seamless data capture and analysis in the field.

Key Features

• Leverage drag-and-drop interface to create personalized forms with various field types for specific data capture tailored to business needs.

• Instantly capture and transmit data using mobile devices for immediate accessibility to collected information.

• Capture photos within forms and annotate them directly, providing visual context to data collection, facilitating clearer understanding and documentation.

• Automate workflows with triggers and actions, ensuring streamlined data processes, such as automated notifications, task assignments, and data routing for enhanced efficiency.

• Collect data without internet connectivity and sync when back online, ensuring continuous data collection in remote or offline environments.

• Seamlessly integrate GoCanvas with existing systems and software for smooth data transfer to CRMs, databases, or cloud storage.

Pricing

Contact their team to gain pricing-related information.

6. Paperform

Paperform emerges as an intuitive mobile data collection app, celebrated for its versatile form-building capabilities. This platform offers a seamless user experience, blending simplicity with customization, empowering users to create interactive forms and surveys tailored to their specific data collection needs.

Key Features

• Create interactive forms and fill form fields with rich media elements within a user-friendly interface, allowing customization with conditional logic for dynamic and engaging data collection experiences.

• Seamlessly integrate payment gateways within forms, enabling secure transactions and monetizing data collection through PayPal, Stripe, or other payment processors.

• Customize form aesthetics with branding elements, fonts, colors, and layout options, ensuring a cohesive and personalized visual identity within forms.

• Automate tasks with conditional logic, auto-responses, and integration with third-party apps like Zapier, allowing for automated workflows based on form submissions.

• Create multi-step forms or surveys with easy navigation, ensuring a structured and user-friendly experience for respondents to encourage a higher completion rate.

• Ensure data privacy with secure SSL encryption, GDPR compliance, and data retention controls, safeguarding sensitive information collected through forms.

Pricing

• Starts at $24/month

• Free trial is also available

More Data Collection Software

Here are some more data collection software that can help you explore diverse options based on your specific needs.

7. Typeform

Typeform emerges as an innovative mobile data collection platform, known for its interactive and conversational form-building approach. With its sleek design and user-friendly interface, Typeform elevates data collection experiences, focusing on engaging respondents through visually appealing and conversational surveys.

Key Features

• Collect data in an engaging and conversational format through unlimited forms, with question branching and conditional logic for personalized and interactive survey experiences.

• Enhance surveys in mobile device with multimedia elements like images, videos, and GIFs, enabling visually appealing and dynamic data collection forms.

• Ensure responsiveness and usability on mobile devices with mobile-optimized design for a seamless and intuitive experience for respondents on smartphones and tablets.

• Access comprehensive analytics and reporting tools, allowing for in-depth insights from collected data with customizable dashboards and visualizations.

• Integrate Typeform with various tools through APIs and automate workflows using third-party integrations like Zapier, Google Sheets, or CRM systems, streamlining data management processes.

Pricing

• Starts at $25/month

• Free plan is available

8. Jotform

Jotform is among the most popular Android survey apps that stands as an intuitive mobile data collection app, celebrated for its extensive array of customizable templates and versatile form-building capabilities. This user-friendly tool prioritizes flexibility and functionality, empowering users to craft tailored data collection solutions for various purposes.

Key Features

• Access a vast collection of customizable templates for surveys, forms, registrations, and more, providing a head start in creating specific and purpose-driven mobile data collection.

• Implement conditional rules within forms to show or hide fields, enabling dynamic and personalized survey experiences based on respondents' previous answers.

• Enhance mobile forms with widgets like e-signatures, payment processors, or calendar integrations, expanding functionality and customization options for specific data collection needs.

• Ensure seamless usability and responsiveness on mobile devices, enabling respondents to easily complete surveys and forms on smartphones or tablets.

• Facilitate teamwork and streamlined workflows with features like collaboration tools, form-sharing options, and task assignment functionalities for efficient data management.

• Ensure data security and compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and other data privacy standards, offering secure and encrypted data collection processes for sensitive information.

Pricing

• Starts at $34/month

• Free trial and free version available

9. Pronto Forms (Now TrueContext)

Pronto Forms, now known as TrueContext, serves as a dynamic mobile data collection platform, recognized for its robust offline capabilities and extensive integration options. This solution prioritizes efficiency and adaptability, enabling businesses to streamline field data collection and workflow processes effectively.

Key Features

• Utilize strong offline capabilities, enabling data collection in areas with limited or no connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted fieldwork.

• Create tailored survey forms with a user-friendly interface and customizable features for specific data collection aligned with business requirements.

• Implement automated workflows, task assignments, and conditional logic, optimizing data collection processes and improving overall efficiency.

• Seamlessly integrate with various systems and tools such as CRMs, ERPs, or cloud storage, ensuring smooth data transfer and compatibility with existing workflows.

• Integrate with Mobile Device Management systems for enhanced security and centralized management of mobile devices used for data collection.

Pricing

Starts at $25 per month

10. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey stands as a pioneering mobile data collection platform, renowned for its extensive survey-building capabilities and robust analytics. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive tools, SurveyMonkey empowers users to create, distribute, and analyze surveys efficiently, driving valuable insights for informed decision-making.

Key Features

• Access a wide range of customizable survey templates and intuitive tools to design tailored surveys for specific data collection needs.

• Create surveys optimized for mobile devices, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience for respondents on smartphones or tablets.

• Gain instant access to real-time analytics and reporting tools, enabling quick insights and data-driven decisions from collected survey responses.

• Seamlessly integrate SurveyMonkey with third-party applications and platforms like Salesforce or Google Sheets, streamlining data transfer and analysis.

• Facilitate teamwork with collaboration features, allowing multiple users to work on surveys simultaneously and share data results securely with stakeholders.

Pricing

• Starts at $20.15/user/month

• Free trial is available

Additional Mobile Data Collection Tools

You can also explore these mentioned data collection software that can provide diverse solutions tailored to your specific data collection needs:

• Forms.app: Known for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Forms.app offers customizable forms, surveys, and quizzes with multimedia support, ensuring a user-friendly experience for efficient data collection on mobile devices.

• Formstack: With its robust form-building capabilities and extensive integration options, Formstack streamlines data collection workflows, allowing mobile users to create, distribute, and analyze forms efficiently across various platforms and devices.

• Satismeter: Focused on customer satisfaction measurement, Satismeter provides targeted NPS (Net Promoter Score) surveys and actionable insights, aiding businesses in understanding and improving customer experience through mobile-friendly survey solutions.

• Zoho Forms: Offering versatile form creation and automation tools, Zoho Forms facilitates seamless data collection, workflow automation, and integration with other Zoho apps, providing a comprehensive solution for mobile data gathering and management.

• QuickTapSurvey: Known for its offline data collection capabilities, QuickTapSurvey enables users to create mobile-optimized surveys and capture data without an internet connection, ideal for field research and events where connectivity is limited.

What are the Methods of Mobile Data Collection?

Selecting the right methods for mobile data collection is important in ensuring accurate, timely, and efficient acquisition of information vital for informed decision-making. Let's explore the various methods available to collect mobile data.

1. Mobile Forms & Surveys: These are digital versions of traditional forms and surveys created specifically for mobile devices. They can encompass various question types—multiple-choice, text inputs, ratings, etc.—and are designed to be easily navigable on smartphones or tablets.

2. Mobile Apps: These are applications developed for mobile devices to collect data. Mobile survey app can be customized to suit specific data collection needs, offering functionalities like offline data collection, data encryption, and integration with other systems.

3. Field Data Collection: This involves conducting surveys directly in the field using mobile devices. Field surveys allow researchers or data collectors to gather information from respondents on-site, often in real-time.

4. Offline Surveys: Some of the mobile data collection app offer offline capabilities, allowing users to collect data even when there's no internet connectivity. Data is stored locally on the device and later synchronized when an internet connection becomes available.

5. SMS Surveys: Sending out surveys or collecting data via text messages. Respondents receive questions through SMS and can reply with their answers using their mobile devices.

6. QR Code Surveys: QR codes are scanned using mobile devices to access surveys or forms. This method can be used in various settings, such as events or product information gathering, by directing users to the survey with a simple scan.

7. Mobile Web Surveys: Creating mobile surveys that are accessible through mobile web browsers. These surveys are optimized for mobile screens and can be accessed by respondents through a web link.

8. GPS and Location-Based Data Collection: Using the GPS capabilities of mobile devices to collect location data. This method is useful for mapping, tracking movement, or studying geographical patterns by associating collected data with specific locations.

Benefits of Mobile Data Collection Tools

Let us look at some of the benefits that mobile data collection software has to offer for which you should consider incorporating these tools.

• Paperless Data Collection: Through mobile data collection, you can eliminate paperwork entirely by digitizing your data entry and collection process which will reduce costs and environmental impact and streamline data management.

• Real-time Data Collection: By gathering information instantly in real-time, you can immediately access data and analyze results and make decisions, enhancing the responsiveness of your operations.

• Offline Data Collection: By capturing data instantly Capture data even without internet connectivity, ensuring data collection continuity in remote or unstable network coverage areas and syncing when a connection is restored.

• Customization Abilities: With data collection tools for mobile, you can easily customize your mobile forms to fit your needs. With diverse question types like radio buttons, checkboxes, drop-down menus, etc., and white label surveys to match your style and brand effortlessly.

• Integration & Automation: Seamlessly integrate data collection app with existing systems and automate workflows, enhancing overall efficiency and reducing manual intervention of your team member in data processing.

Collect Data Offline Using Zonka Feedback

Selecting the right mobile data collection tool can significantly impact an organization's ability to gather, manage, and analyze information efficiently. A good mobile data collection app offers the ability to create tailored surveys, real-time analytics, seamless integration and much more to streamline the data entry and collection process.

Whether it's about going paperless, harnessing the power of offline data collection, or automating workflows, your survey software should provide a comprehensive suite of functionalities.

Zonka Feedback is a powerful survey tool with an offline data collection feature that offers an invaluable solution for mobile data collection, enabling you to gather information without relying on consistent internet connectivity. You can create mobile-optimized surveys, capture multimedia responses on-the-go in various environments, and gain real-time insights. By performing an in-depth data analysis of survey results, you can derive actionable reports, take action and close the feedback loop effectively.

Sign up for a 14-day free trial and transform your data collection approach today!