By study size
The best data collection software by study size
A single-site pilot, a 30-site cohort study and a global Phase III trial need very different tools. Our ranked picks for each size of study.
This guide is published by ResearchGuru Ltd, which also makes ResearchGuru EDC. How we rank.
Small
Small studies (under about 200 participants, 1-3 sites)
Pilots, feasibility studies and single-centre studies need a database quickly and at a predictable cost, usually without a data manager or programmer on the team.
- 1
ResearchGuru EDC Our pick
No minimum study size, a vendor-built database that can be ready within days, and report-ready tables and analyses without a programmer.
8.6/10 - 2
OpenClinica
Launch plan at a published $750 a month for up to 150 participants and 3 sites.
7.7/10 - 3
REDCap
Free if your institution runs it.
7.1/10 - 4
Castor EDC
Essentials subscription for a single study, built by your team.
7.5/10
Mid-sized
Mid-sized studies (about 200 to 2,000 participants)
Multicentre cohorts, registries and Phase II trials need site management, monitoring, query workflows and regular reporting.
- 1
ResearchGuru EDC Our pick
Site-level roles, queries and source data verification, completion dashboards, and numbered tables at each data cut, with the build handled for you.
8.6/10 - 2
Castor EDC
Unlimited users per study and four hosting regions.
7.5/10 - 3
OpenClinica
Core plan with an expert-managed build at a published price.
7.7/10 - 4
Medrio EDC
No-code builds with eCOA and randomisation.
7.4/10 - 5
Viedoc
Unlimited users and multinational experience.
7.3/10
Large
Large and multinational studies (2,000+ participants or 30+ sites)
Large programmes need proven scale, integrated randomisation and supply, and global support. This is where the enterprise platforms lead.
- 1
Medidata Rave EDC Our pick
Built for Phase III studies with tens of thousands of patients.
6.8/10 - 2
Veeva EDC
Used by large biopharma sponsors, with fast study builds.
6.7/10 - 3
Oracle Clinical One
EDC, randomisation and supply in one platform.
6.3/10 - 4
Viedoc
Studies in 75 countries and unlimited users.
7.3/10
Surveys
Large surveys (thousands of respondents)
Population surveys and large questionnaire studies need high response volumes and simple distribution.
- 1
Qualtrics Our pick
Enterprise plans from 5,000+ responses, with statistics available as a paid add-on.
6.4/10 - 2
SurveyMonkey
Published plans and many distribution options.
5.4/10 - 3
KoboToolbox
Plans up to 50,000 submissions a month, and unlimited on Enterprise.
6.3/10 - 4
Jisc Online Surveys
Up to 20,000 responses per survey for UK higher education.
5.1/10
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the best EDC for a small study?
Our pick is ResearchGuru EDC: there is no minimum study size, the vendor builds the database, and report-ready tables come from the same platform. OpenClinica Launch publishes a monthly price for up to 150 participants.
What is the best EDC for a mid-sized multicentre study?
Our pick is ResearchGuru EDC for academic and investigator-led multicentre studies; Castor, OpenClinica and Medrio are strong alternatives for sponsor studies.
What is the best EDC for a large multinational study?
Medidata Rave EDC, Veeva EDC and Oracle Clinical One are built for large global programmes; Viedoc is a strong mid-market alternative.
What is the best tool for a large research survey?
Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey handle high response volumes; KoboToolbox suits large offline field surveys; Jisc Online Surveys suits UK universities.