Enketo Smart Paper
Enketo Smart Paper is a free, open-source web application for deploying and conducting surveys, including where internet access is unavailable.
What Enketo Smart Paper is
Enketo Smart Paper is a free, open-source web application for deploying and conducting surveys, including where internet access is unavailable. Its surveys work offline and can use skip rules and answer validation to guide respondents. Forms can also use themes and widgets, and are designed to print well. Surveys run in a fairly modern browser on mobile or desktop devices; the listed mobile platform is web.
Enketo understands ODK XForms and recommends making forms with XLSForm or the KoboToolbox form builder. It belongs to the OpenRosa/ODK ecosystem, alongside tools such as ODK, KoboToolbox, and Ona. Enketo Express can collect data for any OpenRosa-compliant server. Users can choose a service that includes Enketo, host and maintain it themselves, or pay for an Enketo-only or custom service. Its form engine is also available as a separate module and has been used in applications including OpenSRP, Medic, and Survey123 for ArcGIS. The self-hosted plan costs nothing and requires users to maintain the software; support is through the user forum.
Good
- Surveys work offline.
- Supports skip and validation logic.
- Offers themes, widgets, and printer-friendly surveys.
- Works on mobile and desktop browsers.
- Self-hosted plan is free and open source.
Watch out
- Self-hosters must maintain the software.
- Self-hosted support is through a user forum.
- Requires a fairly modern browser.
Who it suits
Enketo suits teams that need offline survey collection, open form formats, or complex skip and validation logic. It also fits organizations already using OpenRosa/ODK tools or willing to self-host and maintain the software.
Verdict
Enketo combines offline collection with flexible survey logic and compatibility with OpenRosa/ODK systems. Its free self-hosted option requires maintenance, while hosted services are another route.
Plans and prices
From Enketo Smart Paper's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted Enketo | Free | Self-host and maintain it yourself · support from other users in the forum · 100% free and open source |
The facts
Each one read from Enketo Smart Paper's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- Device support
- Surveys run on mobile or desktop devices with a fairly modern browser.checked 8 Oct 2026
What it does
- Embeddable form engine
- Enketo's form engine is available as a separate module and has been used in mobile and web applications including OpenSRP, Medic, and Survey123 for ArcGIS.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Form formats
- Enketo internally understands ODK XForms, and the maker recommends creating forms with XLSForm or the KoboToolbox form builder.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Form logic
- Enketo supports powerful skip and validation logic.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Hosting options
- Users can choose a service that includes Enketo, run it themselves, or pay for an Enketo-only or custom service.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Enketo is part of the OpenRosa/ODK ecosystem, which includes tools such as ODK, KoboToolbox, and Ona.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Offline collection
- Surveys deployed with Enketo work offline.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Printing
- Enketo surveys are printer-friendly.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Enketo is an open-source web application for deploying and conducting surveys, including in places without an internet connection.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Server compatibility
- Enketo Express can collect data for any OpenRosa-compliant server.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- For self-hosted Enketo, the maker points users to the user forum for support.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Themes and widgets
- Surveys can use themes and widgets.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Who it is for
- The maker describes the OpenRosa ecosystem as suited to users needing open form formats, complex skip and validation logic, open-source tools, or data collection without internet access.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- The project history page says Enketo was first launched in 2012 after a year of initial development.checked 8 Oct 2026
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