REDCap

REDCap is a web application for creating surveys and databases, aimed primarily at research teams and organizational operations. It is best for eligible nonprofits with IT staff to run the system; its research controls and data exports are compelling, but it is not a ready-made service for personal or for-profit use.

Overview

REDCap combines survey and database workflows with tools for structured studies, including multi-site access, permissions, audit trails, scheduling, and reporting. Projects can be designed online or built from a data dictionary prepared in Microsoft Excel, giving teams a way to prepare project structure offline before bringing it into the system.

The trade-off is institutional ownership. REDCap is server software that an organization installs and maintains, and people use it through a browser. Deployment calls for PHP 8.0 or higher, a MySQL-compatible database, and an SMTP email server; Microsoft SQL Server is not compatible. That makes it a poor fit for individuals seeking a hosted account they can open and use immediately.

Key features

Branching logic, calculated fields, file uploads, scheduling, and a project calendar help support complex data collection rather than just simple forms. User-managed project access and audit trails are useful when multiple people or sites need controlled access and a record of activity. Data exports include Excel and PDF as well as SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R, a practical advantage for research teams working in statistical tools.

CDIS can pull selected structured information from EHRs such as Epic and Cerner using FHIR and OAuth2, but an administrator must enable it. The REDCap Mobile App allows offline collection on iPhone, iPad, and Android phones or tablets, which supports fieldwork without a live connection; use requires an account at a REDCap partner institution.

REDCap is not open-source software. Code access depends on an end-user license agreement between Vanderbilt University and an eligible nonprofit organization. It can be deployed in environments designed for standards including HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11, and FISMA, but each institution is responsible for its own installation and compliance environment.

Pricing

The REDCap Consortium license is available at no charge to eligible nonprofit organizations that join the consortium and sign an institutional end-user license agreement. There is no published price for the license; the organization must install, host, maintain, and support its own system. This is the relevant route for institutions with the technical capacity to operate REDCap, not a free hosted plan for individual users.

A demonstration account costs nothing for a one-time three-day period and cannot be extended. It offers a short chance to see the system, but it is not a continuing free plan. For-profit organizations cannot hold a REDCap license or self-host through the consortium option, and personal use is not offered.

Platforms

Users access the system in a web browser. REDCap’s listed platform support also includes Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, API, and self-hosted deployment; offline mobile collection is provided through the companion app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

Who it's for

REDCap is a strong match for eligible nonprofit research or operations teams that need structured surveys and databases, controlled multi-user access, research-oriented tracking, statistical exports, and optional EHR data exchange. It is less suitable for organizations without internal IT support, for-profits barred from the consortium license, or individuals who need a personal account. Each partner site independently installs, maintains, and supports its system; consortium administrators have access to Community resources and webinars.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Research-focused controls such as audit trails, branching logic, scheduling, and multi-site access support structured projects.
• Pros: Exports to Excel, PDF, SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R suit teams that need to move collected data into analysis workflows.
• Pros: Offline mobile collection and optional EHR interoperability extend collection beyond browser-only workflows.
• Cons: The institution must provide and support the server environment, including compatible PHP, database, and email infrastructure.
• Cons: Eligibility rules exclude for-profit organizations and personal users from the consortium licensing route.
• Cons: Mobile app access depends on an account at a REDCap partner institution, and EHR connectivity needs administrator enablement.

Alternatives

Jotform is worth considering when a web or mobile form builder with a free plan is a better fit than institution-run research software; its Starter plan includes 5 forms and 100 monthly submissions.

Survey Solutions is another free option for teams seeking survey software with server and tablet components, and it supports self-hosting.

mWater may suit teams that value a free platform with unlimited standard use, users, forms, surveys, and integrations.

KoboToolbox is an alternative to consider for its freemium offering and support for API, iOS, and web platforms.

GIS Cloud is another option for readers comparing a freemium platform with mobile, web, API, and self-hosted support.

DataScope may be preferable when a free plan with stated monthly action, user, form, asset, and storage limits better matches a small operation.

Monival offers a free Community plan with limits of 3 forms, 100 submissions per month, and 5 enumerators, alongside offline mobile support.

Survtapp has a free plan capped at 3 users, 100 responses per month, 5 MB storage, 2 kiosk devices, 3 forms, and 120-day data retention.

For broader discovery, browse Mobile Forms Software or Survey Software.

Verdict

Choose REDCap if an eligible nonprofit can operate its own system and needs research-oriented survey and database controls, broad statistical exports, and the option of offline or EHR-connected collection. Look elsewhere if you need a personal or for-profit account, a hosted service, or software your team can use without institutional IT support.