10 Best Online Survey Tools in Canada

Best Practices for Running Surveys in Canada

• Respect bilingual requirements: Offer your surveys fully in both English and French to comply with language laws and better engage respondents.
• Be transparent about data use: Clearly state how you will use and protect respondents’ personal information in accordance with Law 25.
• Keep surveys concise: Shorter surveys increase response rates. Focus on essential questions.
• Use clear, simple language: Avoid jargon and make questions easy to understand in both languages.
• Test on multiple devices: Ensure your survey works well on phones, tablets, and desktops.
• Send reminders and follow-ups: Automation tools can help nudge participants to complete surveys without being intrusive.
• Analyze and act on feedback: Share insights with your team and use the data to improve customer experience or internal processes.

Comparison Table

Tool	Ideal For	Data Hosting	Integrations	Law 25 Compliance	Bilingual Interface	Pricing	Free Version?	Capterra Reviews
Activity Messenger 🇨🇦	All-in-one business solution	Hosted in Quebec	Stripe, Canva, CRM, ChatGPT, API	✅	✅	From $89/mo	❌	4.7/5
Google Forms	Small businesses or one-time projects	Hosted internationally	Google Suite	❌	❌	Free	✅	4.7/5
SurveyMonkey	Businesses seeking in-depth data collection	Hosted internationally	Zapier, Salesforce, CRMs	❌	✅	From $30/mo	❌	4.6/5
Typeform	Businesses wanting impressive respondent experience	Hosted internationally	Zapier, HubSpot, Mailchimp	❌	✅	From $25 USD/mo	❌	4.7/5
Zoho Survey	SMEs using the Zoho ecosystem	Hosted internationally	Zoho Suite	❌	✅	From $9.27/mo	✅ (limited features)	4.6/5
Microsoft Forms	Organizations familiar with Microsoft	Hosted internationally (Can be hosted in Canada)	Excel, Teams	❌	✅	Included with Microsoft 365	✅	4.6/5
QuestionPro	Businesses conducting research	Hosted internationally	Salesforce, HubSpot	❌	✅	From $99/mo	✅ (limited features)	4.8/5
Simple Survey 🇨🇦	Local businesses and organizations	Hosted in Quebec	Limited	✅	✅	From $29/mo	✅ (free trial)	5.0/5
LimeSurvey	Organizations with technical expertise seeking customization	Hosted internationally (self-host option in Canada)	API, Custom	✅* (self-hosted in Canada)	✅	From $36/mo (hosted)	✅ (limited features)	4.4/5
SurveySparrow	Businesses seeking conversational surveys	Hosted internationally	Jira, Airtable, Google Sheets, Slack, Teams, etc	❌	✅	Custom pricing (quarterly or yearly)	✅ (free trial)	4.4/5

1. Activity Messenger (Designed in Quebec)

Key Features:

• Create personalized surveys.
• Send via email and SMS.
• Automate reminders and post-event follow-ups.
• Integrate with Stripe, Canva, and more.

Ideal for: Businesses looking for an all-in-one solution (registration, surveys, ticketing, communication, etc). Activity Messenger is a Canadian Survey tool with data hosted in Quebec in compliance with Law 25.

2. Google Forms

Key Features:

• Quick creation of surveys and forms.
• Customization with simple themes.
• Exporting results to Google Sheets.

Ideal for: Small businesses or one-time projects.

3. SurveyMonkey

Key Features:

• Create multilingual surveys.
• Advanced results analysis with detailed reports.
• Advanced customization options.

Ideal for: Organizations that want to collect detailed data and perform advanced data analysis.

4. Typeform

Key Features:

• Create interactive forms and surveys.
• Sleek and customizable design.
• Dynamic user experience with real-time responses.

Ideal for: Organizations that want to impress their respondents.

5. Zoho Survey

Key Features:

• Create personalized surveys.
• Integrated analysis with dashboards.
• Integration with the Zoho suite.

6. Microsoft Forms

Key Features:

• Create interactive surveys and quizzes.
• Integrate directly with Excel to analyze results.
• Real-time collaboration through Office 365.

Ideal for: Organizations already familiar with Microsoft.

7. QuestionPro

Key Features:

• Advanced respondent panel management.
• Detailed reporting and statistical analysis.
• Multi-channel options for distributing surveys.

Ideal for: Companies conducting in-depth research.

8. Simple Survey

Key Features:

• French-language interface tailored to the Quebec market.
• Quick and intuitive survey creation.
• Easy export of results in various formats.

Ideal for: Organizations and local businesses looking for a quick and efficient solution.

9. LimeSurvey

Key Features:

• Unlimited survey creation.
• Support for multiple question types.
• Data export in various formats.

Ideal for: Organizations with technical expertise seeking a customizable solution.

10. SurveySparrow

Key Features:

• Chat-like surveys that increase completion rates.
• Multilingual support with over 130 languages.
• Real-time reporting and customizable dashboards.

Ideal for: Organizations looking for an intuitive, feature-rich survey tool with advanced analytics and strong integration capabilities.

How to Select the Right Survey Tool

Do you need strict data compliance and Canadian hosting?
If so, prioritize tools like Activity Messenger or Simple Survey, which meet the requirements of Law 25.

Are you a small business or looking for a free, simple option?
Consider Google Forms or Microsoft Forms (if you use Office 365).

Do you want advanced analytics and multilingual surveys?
Look into SurveyMonkey, QuestionPro, or SurveySparrow.

Is design and user engagement a priority?
Choose Typeform for its interactive and visually appealing forms, SurveySparrow for its conversational approach, or Activity Messenger for an all-in-one software solution that integrates with Canva.

Do you already use Zoho apps or Microsoft 365?
Leverage Zoho Survey or Microsoft Forms for seamless integration.

Are you technically proficient and want open-source flexibility?
LimeSurvey is ideal but requires more setup.

Also, consider your budget, the team’s technical skills, integration needs, and whether you prefer all-in-one platforms or dedicated survey software.

Paid vs Free Survey Tools

Free Tools:

• Examples: Google Forms, Microsoft Forms
• Pros: No cost, quick setup, basic functionality for simple surveys
• Cons: Usually lack bilingual support, Canadian data residency, advanced analytics, and integrations
• Best for: Small businesses, one-time surveys, internal feedback, or testing survey concepts

Paid Tools:

• Examples: Activity Messenger, SurveyMonkey, Typeform
• Pros: Advanced features like logic branching, analytics dashboards, integrations with CRM and marketing tools, bilingual interfaces, and compliance with Canadian data privacy laws (Law 25, PIPEDA)
• Cons: Subscription fees, some require technical expertise (e.g., self-hosted LimeSurvey)
• Best for: Medium-to-large businesses, recurring surveys, customer-facing research, and organizations that need compliance with Canadian privacy laws
  

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Survey Tool for Your Canadian Business

💡 Ready to simplify how you gather customer feedback while ensuring full Canadian data compliance? Book a demo call today to see how Activity Messenger’s all-in-one platform can save you time, provide bilingual survey capabilities, and keep your data securely hosted in Quebec.