Freedom251 › Data Collection Software
Ona Data
What Ona Data is
Ona Data is a mobile data collection platform for field teams and real-time monitoring. Forms can be built online or authored with XLSForm, and can capture GPS, signatures, photos, validation rules, logic, and repeat sections. Smartphones and desktops can collect data offline; responses upload when a connection is detected or can be transferred to a computer.
For reviewing submissions, the platform provides maps, summary charts, filters, and XLS Reports for creating Excel dashboards. Project controls determine who can share data, and filters can hide sensitive fields such as personal identifiers. Ona Apps connect with Google Sheets, RapidPro, TextIt, Tableau, and Tableau Hyper on select paid plans. These connections are form-based and do not support filtered datasets. The REST API has no stated call limit, though unusually high usage may be temporarily rate limited. The free plan includes 500 form submissions, one private project, one public project, and community support. Paid plans start at $199/mo. Encrypted submissions must be downloaded and decrypted with ODK Briefcase before account maps, tables, CSV, or XLS views are available.
Who it suits
Ona Data suits field teams that need to collect and review data on mobile devices, including when offline. Its form controls and reporting tools may also suit projects that need to capture location, signatures, or photos.
What it does well
- Offline collection works on smartphones and desktops.
- Forms can capture GPS, signatures, and photos.
- Free plan includes 500 form submissions.
- REST API has no stated call limit.
- Local instances can be set up for in-country hosting needs.
What to know first
- Encrypted submissions cannot be viewed until decrypted.
- Ona Apps do not support filtered datasets.
- Ona Apps connections are form-based, not project-based.
- Unusually high API usage may be temporarily rate limited.
Limits
The Free plan includes 500 form submissions, one private project, one public project, 10 private forms, and community support. Standard starts at $199 per month and includes 15,000 form submissions; Pro starts at $299 per month and includes 30,000.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 / month; $0 / year · 500 form submissions · 1 private project · 1 public project · 10 private forms (total) · community support | Free |
| Standard | $199 / month or $1910.40 / year · 15,000 form submissions · 2 private projects · 2 public projects · 10 public forms · unlimited storage, data collectors, and collaborators · email support | $199 a month |
| Pro | $299 / month or $2870.40 / year · 30,000 form submissions · 5 private projects · 5 public projects · 15 public forms · unlimited storage, data collectors, and collaborators · email support | $299 a month |
| Enterprise | Create your plan · Pricing based on usage · 24-hour priority support | On request |
As ona.io lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit ona.io.
- Choose the Free plan or a paid plan.
- Create forms with the online builder or author them using XLSForm.
- Use ODK Collect on Android or Enketo webforms in a modern browser.
- Collect responses offline and upload them when connected, or transfer them to a computer.
Verdict
Ona Data offers offline collection, form design, and reporting, with a free tier and paid plans from $199/mo. Note the limits around encrypted submission viewing and Ona Apps connections when planning a workflow.
Questions
Is Ona Data free?
Yes. The Free plan costs $0 and includes 500 form submissions, one private project, one public project, 10 private forms, and community support.
How much do paid plans cost?
Standard costs $199 per month, or $1,910.40 per year. Pro costs $299 per month, or $2,870.40 per year. Enterprise pricing is based on usage.
Which platforms can I use?
Ona Data lists Android, API, self-hosted, and web. ODK Collect is an Android app, while Enketo webforms run in modern browsers on computers and mobile devices.
Can forms be used offline?
Yes. Smartphones and desktops can collect responses offline. Data uploads when a connection is detected or can be transferred to a computer.
Which services do Ona Apps connect to?
Ona Apps support Google Sheets, RapidPro, TextIt, Tableau, and Tableau Hyper on select paid plans. Connections are form-based and are not supported for filtered datasets.
How are encrypted submissions viewed?
They must be downloaded and decrypted with ODK Briefcase. Before decryption, account map, table, CSV, and XLS viewing is unavailable for those submissions.
Facts from Ona Data's own pages
- Access controls
- Users can control who shares project data and use filters to hide sensitive fields such as personal identifiers. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Analysis
- The platform provides maps, summary charts, filters, and XLS Reports for creating Excel dashboards. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- API
- Ona provides a REST-based API with no stated call limit, but reserves the right to temporarily rate limit unusually high usage. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Availability
- Ona's service agreement says it aims for 99.5% server uptime. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Encrypted submissions
- Encrypted form submissions are stored on Ona until downloaded and decrypted with ODK Briefcase; account map, table, CSV, and XLS viewing is unavailable for those submissions until decryption. · help.ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Form design
- Forms can be authored with the XLSForm standard or the online form builder and can capture GPS, validation, logic, repeats, signatures, and photos. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- Ona says it can set up and manage local instances for clients whose data security laws require in-country hosting. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Ona Apps support Google Sheets, RapidPro, TextIt, Tableau, and Tableau Hyper; Ona says they are included with select paid plans. · help.ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- Ona Apps connections are form-based rather than project-based, and are not supported for filtered datasets. · help.ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Offline collection
- Forms can be used on smartphones and desktops offline, and data uploads when a connection is detected or can be uploaded to a computer. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Platform requirements
- ODK Collect is an Android application, while Enketo webforms run in modern web browsers on computers and mobile devices. · help.ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Product
- Ona Data is a mobile data collection platform for field data collection and real-time monitoring. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Security
- Ona's security page says server-client connections use TLS/HTTPS and databases and backups are encrypted at rest using AES-256. · help.ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- Ona says its multilingual support team spans 14 time zones and offers premium options for guaranteed one-day or weekend support. · ona.io, 4 Oct 2026
Where Ona Data stands on Freedom251
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