Top 4 website survey tools for 2026
One of the best ways to understand the user experience, identify pain points, and evaluate the success of changes to your website is to use web surveys. With many tools to choose from, it may be difficult to find the best tool for you. To help you, we have compared 4 different survey tools. They have many similarities, but by comparing the differences, you can hopefully find the tool that best suits your needs.
The four tools are Extellio, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, and Hotjar. At the bottom of the page, you'll find a full comparison of the main features.
Extellio
Pros
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Combine survey data with analytics data
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Advanced trigger options
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Data stored in Sweden
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Export data with API
Cons
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No design templates (can add CSS)
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Distribution via email or QR-code is a separate plan
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No free plan, but a free trial
Extellio is one of the best tools for website surveys. After all, it was built to analyze websites. For a higher data quality, you want to ask the right questions at the right time, and Extellio allows you to do that with their trigger options. Besides several standard options, you can also code your own advances triggers.
The analysis tool is very powerful, and besides filtering your data, you are also able to analyze correlations, compare with industry benchmarks, and create funnels. To unleash the full analysis potential, you can collect analytics data with Extellio too. That will allow you to combine the two data sets, and see how your survey respondents move on the website, or see how they respond to the survey depending on what they did on the website.
Extellio is also GDPR future proof, as all data is stored on servers in Sweden, without any connections to American companies. After the rulings in 2023, it's better to be on the cautious side.
SurveyMonkey
Pros
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Multiple distribution channels (e.g. email)
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Over 3,000 templates
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Free plan
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Mobile app
Cons
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Limited data export possibilities
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Data stored in the US (some Enterprise plans allow for storage in Ireland)
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Security features only for Enterprise plans
SurveyMonkey is one of the most well-known survey tools, and a great choice if you want a free plan. Like Extellio, SurveyMonkey allows you to both embed and trigger surveys on your website, which allows for more flexibility on how you can use the survey. You can also distribute the survey via link or social media.
You can analyze your results in SurveyMonkey too, and compare to industry benchmark. However, some analysis features are limited to certain plans. If you'd rather analyze your data in a different tool, the API is also limited to Enterprise plans.
The main downside with SurveyMonkey is the data storage and security features. If you want to store your data in the EU, you must have an Enterprise plan. Same goes for HIPAA-compliant and other security features.
Typeform
Pros
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Multiple distribution channels (e.g. email)
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Many design options
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Visualizes question logic
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Accessibility feature
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Free plan
Cons
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Typeform branding for basic plan
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Only embedded surveys
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Data stored in the US (new Enterprise customers can choose EU instead)
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Security features only for Enterprise plans
Typeform is one of the best survey tools for visually appealing surveys, and the customization doesn't require any coding. However, how much customization is available to you will depend on the plan you choose.
Although you can add the survey to your website or send it out via emails, the surveys must be embedded. This limits how you can use the survey, as respondents generally have less patience for embedded website surveys and emails require a contact list.
Typeform is not just for collecting data but will also allow you to analyze your results, though some of the features as limited to the higher plans.
One of the main downside with Typeform are the many features that are limited to Enterprise plans, such as MFA, HIPAA compliance, and data storage within the EU. If safety is a concern of yours, Typeform may not be the best tool.
Hotjar
Pros
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Multiple distribution channels (e.g. email)
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Data stored in Ireland
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Free plan
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AI features
Cons
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Basic analysis tool
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No industry benchmarks
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Not GDPR future proof
Hotjar is a tool better suited for web analysts with little time, as they offer AI help to both create the survey questions and analyze the results. Besides the AI feature, other tools offer more analysis possibilities for those that want to dig deeper into their data.
Hotjar is also lacking comparisons to industry benchmarks, which is one of the best ways to contextualize your results. However, you can still compare to your own previous results.
Another benefit of Hotjar is the distribution options for the surveys, which can be embedded, pop-ups, or sent out via links (though that requires a contact list).
Although Hotjar stores there data in the EU, it isn't fully GDPR proof as they still use AWS to store their data.
Full comparison
Feature
Extellio
SurveyMonkey
Typeform
Hotjar
Unlimited surveys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Survey templates
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Question logic
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Add logo
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Analysis tool
Advanced
Advanced
Basic
Basic
Industry benchmarks
Yes
Yes
No
No
Reports
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
API data export
Yes
Only Enterprise
Only Enterprise
Yes
Data stored in the EU
Yes
Only Enterprise
Only Enterprise
Yes
GDPR future proof
Yes
Use AWS
Use AWS
Use AWS
MFA
All plans
-
Only Enterprise
Yes