QR Poll vs SurveyMonkey: Which One Fits Your Use Case?
SurveyMonkey is the default answer when someone says "I need to make a survey." It's been around forever, it does a ton of things, and most people have filled one out at some point. QR Poll does way less, on purpose.
If you need a 40-question employee engagement survey with skip logic and branching, use SurveyMonkey. If you need quick feedback from people in a physical space — a conference room, a classroom, a restaurant — QR Poll is built for exactly that.
Different tools, different jobs
SurveyMonkey is a full survey platform. Conditional logic, multi-page forms, response piping, data exports, integrations with everything. It's designed for researchers, HR teams, and marketers who need detailed data collection.
QR Poll is a feedback tool for physical spaces. You print a QR code, someone scans it, they answer a few questions, done. The whole interaction takes 15-30 seconds. There's no account creation for respondents, no lengthy forms, no friction.
The overlap is small. SurveyMonkey can generate a QR code for a survey, but the survey itself is still a multi-page web form designed to be filled out at a desk. QR Poll's response pages are built for someone standing up with their phone, probably between sessions at a conference or waiting for their check.
Pricing
SurveyMonkey:
- Free: 10 questions per survey, 25 responses per survey
- Individual Advantage: ~$39/mo (annual)
- Team Advantage: ~$25/user/mo (annual), 3 user minimum
- Enterprise: custom pricing
QR Poll:
- Free: 3 active polls, 250 responses/month, no ads
- Starter: $6/mo, unlimited polls, 1,500 responses/month
- Pro: $15/mo, unlimited polls, 10,000 responses/month
- Business: $40/mo, unlimited responses, team features
SurveyMonkey's free tier caps you at 25 responses per survey. For a quick feedback form at a 200-person conference, that's useless. Their paid plans start at $39/mo for individual use, which gets you the features most people actually need.
QR Poll's Pro tier at $15/mo gives you unlimited polls and 10,000 responses. For the quick-feedback-in-a-room use case, that's usually more than enough.
The complexity question
SurveyMonkey has features QR Poll doesn't: skip logic, question branching, randomization, detailed cross-tabulation, integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot and dozens more.
QR Poll doesn't have those things. That's deliberate. When someone scans a QR code at a table, they want to tap 3-5 answers and move on. Conditional logic on a mobile screen while you're standing in a restaurant lobby is not a good experience for anyone.
If you need survey complexity, SurveyMonkey (or Typeform, or Google Forms) is the right call. If you need speed and simplicity in a physical setting, that complexity is dead weight.
Ads and branding
SurveyMonkey shows their branding on free tier surveys. Paid plans remove it. No third-party ads, though.
QR Poll doesn't show ads on any tier, including free. No third-party scripts on response pages at all.
QR codes
SurveyMonkey can generate QR codes for surveys, but it's a secondary distribution method. The core product assumes you're emailing a link or embedding a form.
QR Poll treats the QR code as the primary way people find your poll. The response page, the load speed, the mobile layout — all of it is designed around "someone just scanned a code with their phone camera."
When to use SurveyMonkey
- You need multi-page surveys with complex logic
- You're doing market research or academic studies
- You need CRM integrations
- Your respondents are at a computer and have a few minutes
- You need detailed cross-tabulation and data analysis
When to use QR Poll
- You're collecting feedback in person at a physical location
- You need something respondents can complete in under 30 seconds
- You want a clean mobile-first experience with no friction
- Your QR code is printed on a sign, table tent, slide, or handout
- You don't need survey complexity, you need fast honest responses
Common Questions
Is SurveyMonkey's free tier enough?
Probably not. The free tier caps you at 10 questions per survey and 25 responses per survey. For a feedback form at a 200-person conference, you'd hit the limit before the first break. QR Poll's free tier allows 250 responses/month across 3 active polls.
Can SurveyMonkey do QR codes?
Yes, SurveyMonkey can generate QR codes for surveys, but the survey itself is still a multi-page web form designed for someone at a desk. QR Poll's response pages are built for someone standing with their phone who just scanned a code -- big tap targets, minimal scrolling, done in 15-30 seconds.
Why is SurveyMonkey so expensive?
SurveyMonkey is a full survey platform with skip logic, branching, cross-tabulation, CRM integrations, and enterprise compliance features. You're paying for a research tool. If you just need fast feedback from people in a room, QR Poll Pro at $15/mo does that without the $39/mo price tag.
Should I use SurveyMonkey or QR Poll for event feedback?
Depends on the complexity. If you need a 40-question survey with conditional logic, SurveyMonkey. If you need a quick 3-5 question feedback form that people complete in 30 seconds after scanning a QR code, QR Poll. Most event feedback falls into the second category.
Bottom line
SurveyMonkey is a survey platform. QR Poll is a feedback tool for physical spaces. If you're choosing between them, the deciding factor is probably where your respondents are. Sitting at a computer filling out a form? SurveyMonkey. Standing in a room scanning a code? QR Poll.
Try QR Poll free — no credit card, no ads, takes about 30 seconds.