# SmartSurvey — Forms & Surveys

SmartSurvey by SmartSurvey Ltd holds a panel rating of 3/5 from 6 AI judges (category median 3/5), as of 2026-11-03. Provenance: provenance unknown; sovereignty: not determined.

- Vendor: SmartSurvey Ltd (https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk)
- Category: [Forms & Surveys](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys.md)
- Provenance (editorial classification): provenance unknown
- Canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/smartsurvey
- Alternatives: https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/smartsurvey/alternatives ([markdown](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/smartsurvey/alternatives.md))
- Data as of: 2026-11-04 · evaluated 2026-11-03 · oldest source captured 2026-11-03

**AI-generated.** Every score, rationale and verdict here is written by a panel of AI judges from public evidence — an analysis, not a hands-on test. Every fact quotes the vendor page it was read from. No score can be bought. How scores are made: https://whats-best.ai/methodology

## At a glance

- Vendor: SmartSurvey Ltd
- Headquarters: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026
- Data hosting: Default not stated; pages mention United Kingdom [S3]
- Free plan: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026

## The panel's verdict

SmartSurvey is a UK survey and form builder whose strongest criterion is collection and workflows, scored 7-8: contact-list invitations with reminders that skip bounced and completed recipients, email and SMS delivery, website and in-app embeds, popups, QR codes, unlimited tracking links, event triggers, a documented API and stated panel access to over 20 million respondents across 70+ countries. Form building at 6-7 rests on skip-logic and piping documentation. Scores spread 4 to 6 on sovereignty and 5 to 7 on consent and data protection. The sovereignty gap turns on the same facts: a UK company under English and Welsh law, UK data centres on named ANS servers, an appointed EU representative and a published sub-processor list, weighed against a privacy policy permitting storage and processing outside the UK or EEA, which pushed one judge handling special-category research data to a 4. Consent credits a genuine anonymous mode and exportable consent evidence against default IP recording and manual deletion. Hosting and administration sits at a flat 6. Pricing transparency sits at 3, with no prices on the captured pages.

**Speaks for it:**
- Contact-list invitations with reminders that automatically exclude bounced and already-completed recipients, alongside email, SMS, website and in-app embeds, popups and QR distribution
- Panel access to over 20 million respondents across 70+ countries is stated on the homepage, with API documentation available
- Skip logic and piping are documented in depth, from jump-to-page routing and disqualification tagging to carry-forward answers, system variables and per-link themes and translations
- Anonymous mode stops IP and email addresses being recorded, and consent can be exported with completion timestamps as GDPR evidence
- The chain is traceable: a UK company under English and Welsh law, ICO registration Z1155070, a named DPO, UK data centres on servers from named provider ANS, a published sub-processor list and ISO 27001 stated

**Held against it:**
- The privacy policy states personal data may be stored, transferred and processed outside the UK or EEA
- IP addresses are recorded by default until anonymous mode is switched on
- Deletion has to be initiated manually, and the captured pages give different figures for backup retention — up to 21 days on one, up to 30 days on another
- Single sign-on supports OpenID Connect only from the Scale plan up, with SAML2 and plain OAuth2 stated as unsupported
- No monetary prices, response limits, billing periods or cancellation terms appear on the captured pages

**Best for:**
- You run surveys from managed contact lists across several channels and need reminders that automatically skip bounced and already-completed respondents
- You are a UK organisation that wants a traceable chain — UK data centres, ICO registration, a named DPO and a published sub-processor list
- You need documented GDPR accountability, with exportable consent-plus-timestamp evidence and a genuine anonymous mode
- Your team authenticates through OpenID Connect and manages sub-users with granular per-survey permissions

**Avoid if:**
- You require EU hosting or an EU contracting entity — data is kept in the UK and the privacy policy permits storage, transfer and processing outside the UK or EEA
- Your federation or IT stack depends on SAML2, Shibboleth or plain OAuth2 single sign-on, which the help pages state is not supported
- You need deletion to run automatically on a schedule — the pages state deletion has to be initiated manually
- You plan to collect sensitive responses on the free Basic account, which the pages state is excluded from TLS encryption

## Scores by judge and criterion

Scores out of 5, each judge scoring independently against the published rubric (v1). "n/r" = not rated: the vendor publishes no price, or the judge found no public information on that criterion.

| Criterion | The Market Researcher | The Operations Manager | The HR Lead | The Academic Researcher | The Data Protection Officer | The Skeptic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Form & survey building | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Distribution, response collection & workflows | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Survey analysis & reporting | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Consent, GDPR & respondent data | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Hosting choice, teams & portability | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| European sovereignty | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pricing transparency | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r |
| **Weighted verdict** | **3.5/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** |

### The judges

- **The Market Researcher** (v1.0): Runs customer and brand studies for a mid-sized consumer-goods company, three waves a year in four languages. Wants logic and quotas that keep the sample clean, invitations with reminders, cross-tabs and NPS without exporting to a spreadsheet first, and open answers grouped into themes before the board meeting.
- **The Operations Manager** (v1.0): Replaces paper and PDF forms at a service company: event registrations, supplier onboarding, damage reports with photos, order requests with a payment. Wants forms a colleague can build without IT, file uploads, a submission that lands in the right inbox and the CRM or spreadsheet without copy and paste, and a price that does not jump when the response count does.
- **The HR Lead** (v1.0): Runs the yearly engagement survey and pulse checks for a German company of six hundred, with the works council reading every question. Wants anonymity that is real and stated, results hidden below a minimum group size, reports per department that managers can read, and answers that are deleted when the agreement with the works council says so.
- **The Academic Researcher** (v1.0): Runs questionnaire studies at a European university and has to satisfy the ethics board before the first respondent sees a question. Wants complex branching, randomisation and validated scales, an informed-consent page that is part of the instrument, exports to SPSS and R with labels intact, and a licence the faculty can host or at least keep in the EU.
- **The Data Protection Officer** (v1.0): Signs off every form tool a department wants to use and has found health data in a feedback form before. Wants a data processing agreement and a subprocessor list on the vendor's own pages, consent fields and an anonymous mode that drops IP addresses, retention periods that delete on their own, EU hosting the customer can choose, and roles that keep responses away from people who do not need them.
- **The Skeptic** (v1.0): Has seen a "free form builder" put its logo on every customer survey and charge per response the month the campaign worked. Reads "GDPR compliant" with no data processing agreement behind it, "anonymous" surveys that still log IP addresses, "EU hosting" on the enterprise plan only, and AI analysis features with no word on where the answers go — and asks whether the responses can leave with the customer.

## European sovereignty — proven facts

Built only from facts on the vendor's own pages; a dimension we could not prove is left open, never scored as zero. Headline: not determined.

| Dimension | Finding | Points | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Not determined | — | — |
| Hosting location | Not determined | — | — |
| Hosting options | Not determined | — | — |
| Open source | Not determined | — | — |
| Data processing agreement | Not determined | — | — |
| Transfer impact assessment | Not determined | — | — |

## Key facts

Each fact is the vendor's own statement, cited to the source page it was read from ([S*n*] → Sources).

**Compliance**
- Account deletion scope: surveys · responses · history · contacts [S11]
- Breach notification: yes [S3]
- Certifications: yes · yes · 98 · yes [S1]
- Consent notice: article does not constitute legal advice; users responsible for personal data [S10]
- Cookie usage: yes · yes [S2]
- Cyber essentials plus: yes [S2]
- Cyber essentials plus: yes [S3]
- Encryption: Microsoft SQL Server TDE with AES [S2]
- Encryption: SQL Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) · TLS 1.2 [S3]
- GDPR roles: data_controller · data_controller · data_processor [S11]
- Ico registration: yes · Z1155070 [S2]
- ISO 27001: yes [S2]
- Merger notice: 1 [S2]
- Respondent erasure requests: contact_survey_creator [S11]
- Right of access: support_ticket · yes [S11]
- Right to rectification: support_ticket [S11]
- Security features: SPF and DKIM verified email sending · SSL protected surveys · annual 3rd-party penetration tests · encryption in transit and at rest (TLS 1.2) · password policies · 2FA via app or SMS · IP whitelisting · password protection of survey repor… [S3]
- Security scanning: Tenable Nessus [S3]
- Self service account deletion: My Account section of the Dashboard · yes · sub-users of Business Team or Enterprise Team accounts [S11]
- Subuser erasure: contact_master_user [S11]
- Tls encryption: yes · Basic Account (free) [S2]
- White paper: yes [S3]

**Data**
- Access portability: yes [S2]
- Access response time: 1 · 3 [S2]
- Backup: yes [S2]
- Backup retention: 21 [S3]
- Backups location: yes [S3]
- Confidentiality training: yes · yes [S3]
- Data sale: no [S2]
- Deletion backup retention: 30 [S2]
- Deletion process: yes · yes [S3]
- End of service: yes [S3]
- Export: yes [S3]
- Ip address logging: yes [S2]
- Retention period: as long as necessary to provide the service [S2]
- Staff access: support or technical fixes only [S3]
- Survey data ownership: Account Holder [S2]

**Hosting**
- Data location: UK [S3]
- International transfers: UKGDPR and Chapter 5 of GDPR · yes [S2]
- Staff location: UK [S3]
- Subcontractor ans: dedicated servers and physical security · ANS [S3]
- UK hosted: UK [S1]

**Integrations**
- API native: yes [S1]
- Google analytics: yes [S2]

**Legal**
- Entity: SmartSurvey Ltd · Unit 23, Basepoint Business Centre, Tewkesbury, GL208SD · 4885155 [S2]
- EU representative: IT Governance Europe Limited [S2]
- Jurisdiction: England and Wales · English and Welsh courts [S2]

**Pricing**
- Default answer business tier: Business-Level Account [S10]
- Plan tiers: Two plan tiers: Self-service and Full Access [S7]

**Product**
- Advanced logic: yes [S1]
- AI text analysis: yes [S1]
- Anonymous survey feature: yes [S2]
- Anonymous surveys: IP and email address not recorded · yes [S3]
- App embed: Embedded surveys in mobile apps via web embed codes or tracking links [S7]
- Carry forward responses: yes [S5]
- Channels: Email, SMS, web, popups [S1]
- Consumer panels: 70+ · 20000000 [S1]
- Crosstab chart dimensions: Charts can be 2D or 3D [S9]
- Crosstab chart types: Bar or Column chart types selectable [S9]
- Crosstab custom filter: Custom filter can be applied to exported responses [S9]
- Crosstab data display: Raw numbers or percentages toggle for answer cells [S9]
- Crosstab orientation: Question Orientation: Choose whether the reference question is displayed as the rows or columns on the cross tab. [S9]
- Customer count: 600000 [S1]
- Dashboards: yes [S1]
- Data controller processor roles: survey respondent data processed on behalf of Account Holder · account holders and site visitors [S2]
- Data subject rights tools: App supports erasure, restriction, rectification, portability requests [S3]
- Disqualified response tagging: disqualified · yes [S4]
- Embed tracking links: Unlimited web tracking links per survey, each with own theme, translation, restrictions [S7]
- Event triggers: yes [S1]
- Exit surveys: Exit-intent surveys shown when visitor leaves or closes website [S7]
- Export consent evidence: export of responses with consent plus completion timestamp as GDPR evidence [S10]
- GDPR consent collection: piping + email tool can collect marketing consent [S10]
- Granular survey permissions: Granular per-survey permissions for sub-users [S13]
- Ip tracking default: yes · yes [S3]
- Jump to page start at: yes [S4]
- Managed services: yes [S1]
- Optout tag: email invitations support [SURVEYLINK] and [OPTOUT] tags [S10]
- Permission review page: Shared permissions listed and editable on Manage User - Permissions page [S13]
- Permission sharing flow: Permissions set per survey via checkbox selection of sections/features; unchecked means no access [S13]
- Piping answer type: Answer piping inserts a previous answer into subsequent answer text [S5]
- Piping available: yes [S5]
- Piping custom contact fields: piping custom contact list fields supported for default answers [S10]
- Piping delimiter options: Delimiter can be changed to semicolons or pipes via tag modifiers [S5]
- Piping email contact: piping supports [contact(email)] from email invite contacts [S10]
- Piping multi answer comma list: Piping from multi-answer questions outputs a single comma-separated list [S5]
- Piping page break requirement: Piped question must be on a new page after the source question [S5]
- Piping question type: Question piping inserts a previous answer into subsequent question text [S5]
- Piping system variables: Piping supports system variables, e.g. the respondent's email address [S5]
- Platform summary: Advanced survey software & form builder [S1]
- Popup surveys: Pop-up survey invitations with triggers on visit length, page views, and traffic proportion [S7]
- Question types: Multiple choice, sliders, NPS, free text, and more [S1]
- Rating: 4.6 [S1]
- Reminder bounce exclusion: Reminders excluded for addresses that bounced on original invitation [S6]
- Reminder removed recipients: Reminders not sent to recipients removed from mailing list after original send [S6]
- Reminder targeting: no · yes [S6]
- Report sharing export: yes [S1]
- Shared survey visibility: Shared surveys appear on the sub-user's My Surveys page [S13]
- Skip logic all matching rules: all_matching_rules_applied [S4]
- Skip logic branching: yes · skip logic routes respondents down different paths based on their answers [S4]
- Skip logic conditions: Choice is; Choice is one of the following; Choice is not; Choice is not one of the following; Respondent Answers this question; Respondent skips this question [S4]
- Skip logic preview testing: yes [S4]
- Skip logic rule scope: rules from all pages are applied even if a page is skipped [S4]
- Social distribution: Facebook-specific link type and QR code generation for survey links [S7]
- Ssl basic account: Basic (free) [S2]
- SSO incompatible protocols: no · no · yes [S12]
- SSO login initiation: SSO login must be initiated via a dedicated login URL, not the normal login page [S12]
- SSO pkce: SHA256 · yes [S12]
- SSO protocol: Scale · OpenID Connect [S12]
- SSO redirect URL: https://app.smartsurvey.co.uk/c/sso/redirecturi [S12]
- SSO scopes: openid · email · profile [S12]
- SSO user billing: New SSO users auto-link to organisation account; soft and hard mechanisms apply when user limit exceeded [S12]
- Survey transfer edit rights: Transferred or copied surveys give the recipient unrestricted edit rights [S13]
- Tracking links: yes [S1]
- User classes: User · Respondents · free · paid · trial [S11]
- User management plans: User management (Users navigation) only available for Business or Enterprise Team Master Accounts [S13]
- Website embed: Embed surveys in website via JavaScript or HTML iframe [S7]

**Subprocessors**
- List location: smartsurvey.co.uk/company/sub-processors [S2]
- Objection right: account termination only · yes [S2]
- Payment processors: PayPal · Stripe [S2]

**Support**
- All plans: yes [S1]
- API documentation: yes [S7]
- Channels: live chat · phone · email [S1]
- Satisfaction: 95 [S1]

## Questions

### Is SmartSurvey European?

Not determined: the vendor’s pages as captured do not say where SmartSurvey is based.

### Where does SmartSurvey store data?

The default storage location for customer data is not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026. The vendor’s pages mention United Kingdom as hosting location, per [the vendor’s page captured 3 Nov 2026](https://whats-best.ai/evidence/17343).

### Does SmartSurvey have a free plan?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026.

### What are the best alternatives to SmartSurvey?

As of 3 Nov 2026, the panel rates [Formbricks (4/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/formbricks), [easyfeedback (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/easyfeedback) and [Netigate (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/netigate) highest among the other 19 Forms & Surveys products evaluated. Ratings that look equal are rounded to half stars; the order uses the unrounded rating, then the name. The highest-rated European alternative is [Formbricks](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/formbricks) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: [how scores are made](https://whats-best.ai/methodology#ordering). The full list, with European products first: [SmartSurvey alternatives](https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/smartsurvey/alternatives).

## What this page leaves out

- 6 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 2 compliance facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 pricing fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material.

## Sources

- [S1] Vendor page: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S2] Privacy policy — found from the homepage: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/policy/privacy-policy (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S3] Security / trust page — found from the homepage: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/policy/gdpr (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S4] Form & survey building — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/skip-logic (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S5] Form & survey building — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/piping (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S6] Distribution, response collection & workflows — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/survey-email-reminders (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S7] Distribution, response collection & workflows — found from sitemap: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/features/embed-surveys (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S8] Survey analysis & reporting — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/creating-cross-tab-reports (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S9] Survey analysis & reporting — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/crosstab-export-options (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S10] Consent, GDPR & respondent data — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/using-smartsurvey-to-collect-gdpr-consent (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S11] Consent, GDPR & respondent data — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/gdpr-exercising-rights-of-erasure-or-access (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S12] Hosting choice, teams & portability — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/single-sign-on-sso (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S13] Hosting choice, teams & portability — found from sitemap: https://help.smartsurvey.co.uk/article/setting-up-survey-permissions-for-users (checked 2026-11-03)

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Cite as: whats-best.ai, "SmartSurvey — Forms & Surveys", AI panel analysis, as of 2026-11-04. https://whats-best.ai/software/forms-and-surveys/smartsurvey

Corrections: https://whats-best.ai/correct/1442?target=page