Epicollect5

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhoneWeb

What Epicollect5 is

Epicollect5 is a free mobile and web application for creating forms and collecting data. Its web form builder uses drag-and-drop controls and supports surveys with up to five hierarchical forms. Forms can capture GPS locations, photos, video, audio and barcodes. Mobile users can collect data offline and upload it to the server after reconnecting. Results can be viewed in tables and maps and exported as JSON or CSV.

Projects may be public or private; private projects require authentication, and user roles are supported. Custom data mappings can shape exports for other systems, and a read-only API serves data through HTTPS GET requests. API limits are five requests per minute for projects and entries, ten per minute for media, and 500 entries per request. Project managers retain ownership of project data. The privacy policy says the service is hosted in a DigitalOcean UK data centre, uses HTTPS and daily backups, and stores mobile data in the device's private app folder without encryption by default. Data collected in public projects is visible to anyone online. Use is subject to a fair usage policy.

Who it suits

Epicollect5 may suit researchers or teams collecting field data through mobile forms, especially when offline capture, location and media fields are useful. It also supports web-based form building and data review and export.

What it does well

Free to use for as many projects and entries as desired.
Mobile collection works offline.
Forms can capture GPS and multiple media types.
Results can be viewed in tables and maps.
Projects support private access and user roles.

What to know first

Fair usage policy applies.
Mobile app data is not encrypted by default.
Public project data is visible to anyone on the internet.
API request and entry limits apply.

Limits

The free plan allows as many projects and entries as desired, subject to the fair usage policy. The API is limited to five requests per minute for projects and entries, ten per minute for media, and 500 entries per request.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Epicollect5	Free to use · As many projects and entries as you wish · fair usage policy applies	Free

As five.epicollect.net lists them, read 5 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Epicollect5 website.
Use the web form builder to create a form or survey.
Choose whether the project is public or private.
For a private project, require authentication and configure user roles as needed.
Collect data in the Android or iOS app, including offline, then upload when online.

Verdict

Epicollect5 provides form building, offline mobile collection and several options for reviewing and exporting data. Consider its API limits and privacy details, particularly the default lack of mobile data encryption and public-project visibility.

Questions

How much does Epicollect5 cost?

The Epicollect5 plan is free to use, with a fair usage policy.

Which platforms does it support?

Epicollect5 is available on Android, iOS, the web, and through an API.

Can it collect data offline?

Yes. Mobile users can collect data offline and upload it when they are online again.

What can forms capture?

Forms can capture GPS locations, photos, video, audio, and barcodes.

How can collected data be exported?

Data can be exported as JSON or CSV. Custom mappings can shape exports for third-party systems.

Who owns project data?

Project managers retain ownership. Data in public projects is visible to anyone on the internet.

Facts from Epicollect5's own pages

Access controls: Projects can be public or private, with authentication required for private projects, and the platform supports user roles. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
API limits: The API documentation states limits of five requests per minute for projects and entries, ten per minute for media, and 500 entries per request. · developers.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Data capture: Forms can capture GPS locations, photos, video, audio and barcodes. · five.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Form builder: The web application includes a drag-and-drop form builder and supports surveys with up to five hierarchical forms. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Integrations: Custom data mappings support fitting exports to third-party systems, and a read-only API provides data through GET requests over HTTPS. · developers.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Mobile data protection: The policy says mobile app data is stored in the device's private application folder and is not encrypted by default. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Offline collection: Users can collect data offline on mobile devices and upload it to the server when they are online again. · five.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Privacy: The privacy policy says project managers retain ownership of project data and CGPS will not access or share it without permission, except to provide technical assistance. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Public project visibility: The privacy policy warns that all collected data in a public project is visible to anyone on the internet. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Purpose: Epicollect5 is a mobile and web application for creating forms and collecting data. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Review and export: Collected data can be viewed in tables and maps, and exported as JSON or CSV. · five.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Security and hosting: The policy says the service is hosted in DigitalOcean's UK data centre and uses HTTPS, security practices including authentication and authorization, and daily server backups. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Service limitations: The service is provided as-is without guarantees, and its fair usage policy notes that system resources are finite. · docs.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026
Support: The Epicollect5 Community is the primary contact point for support and platform questions. · community.epicollect.net, 5 Oct 2026

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