Comments on: More on SurveyGizmo vs. LimeSurvey

By: Mario

Mario — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:22:36 +0000

Hey Steve,
Regarding access the data, while SurveyGizmo doesn’t have direct database access, it does have an API available for pulling down response data as XML data and parsing it as needed. Yes, it still means writing an in-between bit of software, but once written it will be all done.

Full disclosure, I’m an employee at SurveyGizmo.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:06:07 +0000

If you are planning a recurring survey, I strongly urge you to look at Limesurvey. SurveyGizmo really doesn’t have capability in this area. With SG you will have to clear all responses for each iteration of the survey – not exactly convenient!

By: Michael Cohn

Michael Cohn — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:14:17 +0000

Thank you for taking the time to record these observations! I’m currently working on a grant application to do an online emotion skills training intervention for people with type 2 diabetes, and I’ve been struggling with the very questions you talk about here. Surveygizmo’s numerous oddities are a real turn-off, and I’ve already torn out some hair trying to work with their clumsy in-house scripting and reporting features. But they seem more savvy and well-designed than other online survey tools, even some that market specifically to academics and cost much more. I really appreciate hearing about the pros and cons of limesurvey (not that I’m exactly shocked to learn that an open source project has better scripting and programming options than the commercial alternative, but a poorer interface…).

I’m also planning some fairly complex recurring surveys — once daily for 60 days, with special alternative questionnaires if they miss one or more days. We’ll see whether this turns out to be intolerably frustrating…