Alternative to SoSci Survey: branching, loops and piping without programming, significance tests built in

When SoSci Survey fits

SoSci Survey has been rooted in German-speaking research for over 20 years and offers far-reaching capabilities for scientific surveys and experiments. In several situations, SoSci Survey is the better choice:

When the method takes center stage. Multifactorial experiments, reaction-time tasks, Q-sort, card sorting and the module for implicit procedures (IAT, AMP) go well beyond what QUESTIONSTAR offers.
When you want to define every detail yourself. With PHP, HTML and JavaScript, almost anything can be implemented in SoSci Survey. Those who master it have maximum freedom.
When you do non-commercial research. Scientific projects without corporate involvement run for free: according to SoSci Survey, up to 5,000 cases, initially for three months, extendable by monthly renewal for up to two years. Method exercises in teaching are also free.
When your university already runs a SoSci infrastructure. Many German-speaking universities have a campus license or their own SoSci server; then the know-how and approvals may already be in place on site.

Use QUESTIONSTAR when...

Both offer a web interface for building questionnaires. SoSci Survey gives you full freedom for any logic, with your own PHP code where needed, and that is exactly what many researchers value. QUESTIONSTAR relies on the visual editor even for loops and piping. For many studies that is enough, and then the direct route saves time.

...when branching, loops and piping should be built without code. QUESTIONSTAR: branching with multiple conditions, quotas, block randomization, loops and piping in the visual editor, in every plan. In SoSci Survey you set up simple filters and simple randomization in the interface; filters with multiple conditions and piping are built, according to the documentation, with PHP, loops via PHP functions, and showing or hiding whole questions on the same page with JavaScript.
...when the analysis should begin right in the tool. QUESTIONSTAR: filters, crosstabs, group comparisons, t-tests and other significance tests where methodologically sensible, in every plan. SoSci Survey offers descriptive analyses on the paid server and points to SPSS, R or jamovi for more advanced analyses. For publication-grade analyses, SPSS or R remain the standard anyway; QUESTIONSTAR delivers the first analysis without an intermediate step.
...when a finished report should stand at the end. QUESTIONSTAR creates analysis reports as editable Word, PowerPoint and Excel files with charts and tables, plus PDF. In SoSci Survey, report exports are not documented; reports are created in statistics software.
...when you prefer to resolve questions by email or phone. QUESTIONSTAR: support by email and phone for all customers, regardless of plan. SoSci Survey answers questions in the forum, according to its own statement usually within one to two hours, in German and English; phone is available only for technical emergencies with a service contract.
...when your survey should run in many languages. QUESTIONSTAR: automatic translation into 106 languages, an unlimited number of language versions. SoSci Survey offers language versions with translation assistance and automatic translation, provided the server supports it.
...when you collect personal data in the questionnaire. QUESTIONSTAR: possible in every plan, including the Free plan, with a DPA for every customer. On the free SoSci server, collecting personal data in the questionnaire is not permitted; address data for invitations is possible there with an online DPA. For longitudinal studies, with both tools codes can link answers across survey waves; whether the data remains anonymous depends on the design and the possibility of attribution to individuals.

Feature comparison

Point by point, without marketing phrasing. Note: this compares functions and usability, not prices. SoSci Survey is free for non-commercial research; QUESTIONSTAR offers its own academic plans.

Criterion	QUESTIONSTAR	SoSci Survey
Building the questionnaire	Visual editor, no programming	Web interface; complex logic with PHP, HTML, JavaScript
Questionnaire logic	Multiple conditions, quotas, block randomization, loops, piping in the editor; no dedicated carry-forward	Simple filters and randomization in the interface; complex filters, piping and loops via PHP; multifactorial designs; quota module
Experiments and procedures	No module for reaction times or implicit procedures	Reaction-time tasks, Q-sort, card sorting; implicit procedures module (IAT, AMP)
Question types	Comprehensive standard question types	30+ question types, incl. special research formats
Built-in analytics	Filters, crosstabs, group comparisons, significance tests	Descriptive, only on the paid server; no online analysis on the free server
Data export	SPSS with labels and measurement level, CSV, Excel	SPSS, R, Stata with labels; XLSX, CSV, SQL
Report export	Analysis reports as editable Word, PowerPoint and Excel files + PDF	Not documented
Multilingual support	Unlimited number of languages, automatic translation into 106 languages	Language versions with translation assistance, automatic translation depending on the server
Personal data	In every plan, a DPA for every customer	Free server: not permitted in the questionnaire (address data with online DPA); paid with a DPA
Anonymity	Minimum number of participants per analysis group, private questions	No IP addresses in access logs, no cookies, anonymous reminders
Support	Email and phone for all customers	Developers' forum, German and English (usually within 1-2 hours); phone for emergencies only with a service contract
University login	University SSO for user accounts from CHAIR on request, included in CAMPUS	SSO with a campus license or as a module on your own server
Own server	On-premise in the CUSTOM plan	Your own SoSci server with a license
API / AI	REST API, webhooks, native MCP server	Data retrieval API, mailing API; MCP not publicly documented
Hosting	IONOS Germany, ISO 27001 data centers	Munich, M-net data center (ISO 27001)

See sample exports: View sample .sav · Screenshot of QS export dialog · Sample Office report (PPTX)

Start for free View Academic plans

Switching over: AI import via MCP

SoSci Survey exports the survey project as an XML file (intended for import into SoSci) and offers a print view. QUESTIONSTAR currently has no dedicated SoSci importer; the AI-based MCP path handles the reconstruction.

Path: AI import via MCP

Export the survey project as XML or save the print view as PDF.
Hand the file to an AI agent (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and others) with the QUESTIONSTAR MCP server.
The AI reconstructs question texts, answer options and pages; you check and add filters, randomization and language versions during review.

Limit of the reconstruction: PHP and JavaScript logic, reaction-time tasks and implicit procedures are not carried over; you rebuild logic in the graphical editor. You export previous responses as Excel or CSV and import them via the MCP path if needed.

For universities and companies

Academic plans: STUDENT, RESEARCHER, CHAIR and CAMPUS, all with all survey features. Details on the pricing page.
University SSO: eduGAIN and national federations (InCommon, UKfed, SWITCHaai, DFN-AAI as the German example) for user accounts from CHAIR on request, included in CAMPUS. More on university SSO.
GDPR: DPA (data processing agreement) available for direct download, list of sub-processors public, hosting with IONOS in Germany.
Support: by email and phone for all customers, including the Free plan.

Where SoSci Survey does more: methodological depth with experiments, reaction times and implicit procedures, maximum freedom through your own programming, free use for non-commercial research, a fast forum straight from the developers, data-minimal default settings without cookies, and the option of your own server.

Discuss a university setup

Your data stays your data

If QUESTIONSTAR ever stops convincing you, you get all your data out: as SPSS, CSV or Excel. Anytime, without canceling, without an extra fee, without having to ask. We treat data export as a baseline, not a bargaining chip.

Who is QUESTIONSTAR the right SoSci Survey alternative for?

Icon: watercolor illustration of a normal distribution curve - statistics

For university departments with ongoing survey operations

When several studies run in parallel and staff without programming skills build questionnaires: QUESTIONSTAR CHAIR with 100 simultaneously active surveys, significance tests and SPSS export. The limit: if your projects are non-commercial and the analysis runs in R or SPSS anyway, SoSci Survey is free and very flexible.

For students writing a thesis

When you want to get to a questionnaire and first results quickly without programming, with crosstabs, significance tests and an Office report for the thesis: QUESTIONSTAR STUDENT. The limit: for a purely academic thesis SoSci Survey is free, and with a SoSci campus license from your university also theses involving companies.

For contract research and applied projects

When studies run for or with companies and results go to clients as a report: QUESTIONSTAR with unlimited responses in paid plans and ready-made Office reports. The limit: if the study needs special procedures such as reaction times, SoSci Survey is methodologically stronger.

For international studies

When one questionnaire needs to run in many languages: QUESTIONSTAR translates automatically into 106 languages, with unlimited language versions. The limit: for two or three language versions that you translate yourself anyway, the translation aid in SoSci Survey is enough too.

Common questions when switching from SoSci Survey

SoSci Survey is free for my research. Why QUESTIONSTAR?

If your project is non-commercial, you can implement the logic you need with the available features or your own code, and you analyze in SPSS or R anyway, you are in very good hands with SoSci Survey. QUESTIONSTAR pays off when the questionnaire should be built without code, when the first analysis with significance tests should happen inside the tool, when you need ready-made Office reports, or when you want to clear up questions by email and phone.

Do I need programming skills for QUESTIONSTAR?

No. You set up branching, quotas, randomization, loops and piping in the graphical editor.

Can I measure experiments and reaction times?

Not to the extent SoSci Survey does. For reaction-time tasks and implicit procedures such as the IAT, SoSci Survey is the better choice.

How do I get the data into R?

QUESTIONSTAR exports SPSS (.sav) with variable and value labels as well as measurement level, plus CSV and Excel. You read the .sav file into R using the haven package, for example. There is no native R format like in SoSci Survey.

What do I need for the ethics committee and data protection?

QUESTIONSTAR provides the DPA (data processing agreement) for download, the list of sub-processors and the details on hosting with IONOS in Germany on the security page. You can collect personal data in any plan. Codes can link responses across survey waves; whether the data stays anonymous depends on the design and on any possible attribution to individuals.

Can I bring over my SoSci questionnaires?

Yes, via the AI-based MCP path from the XML export or the print view. You rebuild PHP and JavaScript logic in the graphical editor; you import responses as Excel or CSV.

Is there a university license?

Yes: CAMPUS on request, with university SSO via eduGAIN and national federations (InCommon, UKfed, SWITCHaai, DFN-AAI as the German example). Chairs start with CHAIR.

When does SoSci Survey remain the better choice?

When methodological depth counts: experiments, reaction times, implicit procedures, logic programmed yourself down to the last detail. And when the research should run non-commercially and free of charge, or when your university already has a SoSci infrastructure.

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SoSci Survey is a product of SoSci Survey GmbH (Munich). QUESTIONSTAR has no business relationship with SoSci Survey GmbH. The mention serves to identify the product (nominative use). All comparison details refer to publicly available product information as of the last review on October 21, 2026.