Forsta is deep, complex survey and CX infrastructure built for research teams and agencies running large programs - and as of May 2026, it's part of Qualtrics. Standard Insights covers a solid range of the same building spectrum, from a guided module to a fully custom survey, with panel, AI analysis, and a finished report bundled in at every tier.
Standard Insights delivers a finished, decision-ready report - written analysis and personas included - in 24 to 72 hours, from $1,490 per project, with panel and fieldwork included at every tier. It supports custom survey design too: DIY gives full control over question design, Studio (from $199/month or $1,990/year) gives an ongoing self-serve workspace for teams that want standing access instead of one-off orders, and Enterprise includes a survey builder capable of most branching and logic needs for brand and marketing research - though none of them are built to match Forsta's depth for highly complex, IT-integrated CX programs.
Forsta is enterprise survey-scripting and CX infrastructure built for research teams and agencies, with dashboard tooling via Dapresy, a reported steep learning curve, and a complex, incremental fee structure with no public price list. Forsta was acquired by Qualtrics in May 2026, and industry analysts expect existing customers to migrate toward Qualtrics' platform over time.
The core difference isn't "who can build a survey" - it's how much enterprise-grade complexity you need, what's bundled in around the build, and whether you want to commit to a platform mid-acquisition transition.
This comparison, like the one against Qualtrics, is easy to get wrong in either direction - assuming Standard Insights has no building capability, or assuming it matches Forsta's enterprise depth. Neither is accurate.
Forsta is enterprise-grade survey and customer experience infrastructure, built for research teams and agencies running complex, large-scale programs - deep scripting capability, dashboard and visualization tooling via Dapresy, and broad platform reach across quant and CX use cases. It's software, not a delivered study: you, or your agency, design the instrument, field it, and build the analysis. Reviews consistently describe a steep learning curve and a complex, incremental fee structure with no published price list. Worth knowing up front: in May 2026, Forsta was acquired by Qualtrics as part of a larger $6.75B transaction involving Press Ganey; industry analysts expect Forsta customers to be migrated toward Qualtrics' platform over time, which is a real consideration for anyone evaluating it as a multi-year infrastructure choice right now.
Standard Insights covers a genuinely useful range of that same spectrum, at a shallower depth of enterprise complexity but with panel and reporting bundled throughout. Pre-built modules require no design work at all. DIY gives real control over question design for teams that want to build their own instrument. Studio extends that same building control into an ongoing subscription workspace, with no infrastructure decision or acquisition risk to weigh. Enterprise includes a survey builder, report engine, and AI research assistant capable of handling most branching and logic needs for brand and marketing research - but not built to match Forsta's depth for permanent, IT-integrated, highly complex CX infrastructure. What's consistent across every Standard Insights tier, and what Forsta doesn't include, is the finished output: a written report with personas, not a dashboard your team or agency builds the narrative from.
This comparison covers:
| Standard Insights | Forsta | |
|---|---|---|
| Can you build a custom survey? | Yes - DIY (question-design control), Studio, and Enterprise (survey builder) all support it | Yes - deep, complex scripting is Forsta's core strength |
| Building depth | Solid - covers most branching and logic for brand/marketing research | Deepest available - built for highly complex, IT-integrated CX programs |
| Ownership status | Independent | Acquired by Qualtrics, May 2026 - customer migration expected over time |
| The deliverable | Finished report: written analysis, personas, narrative - at every tier | Dashboards via Dapresy - your team or agency builds the narrative |
| Who operates it | Anyone for pre-built modules; a comfortable learning curve for DIY/Studio/Enterprise | Typically specialized survey scripters or research teams |
| Panel & fieldwork | Included at every tier | Not included by default - sourced separately |
| Price | Modules from $1,490; DIY from $990; Studio from $199/month ($1,990/year); Enterprise from $50,000/year in prepaid research credits | No public pricing; reviews describe a complex, incremental fee structure |
Enterprise infrastructure in the middle of an acquisition transition, or a capable builder with the panel and report already bundled in - which one does your team actually need right now?
Request a DemoNo public pricing list.
User reviews describe a complex, incremental fee structure with charges accumulating for add-ons and services beyond the base license, and panel access typically sourced separately.
Both are available. Pre-built modules need no design work. DIY and Studio give full control over question design, and Enterprise includes a survey builder capable of most branching and logic needs - though not matching Forsta's depth for the most complex, IT-integrated CX programs.
For standard-to-moderately complex brand and marketing research, yes - including studies where you want to design the instrument yourself. For deeply complex, IT-integrated CX infrastructure at enterprise scale, Forsta (soon part of Qualtrics) remains the more specialized tool.
Industry analysts expect a migration toward Qualtrics' platform over time following the May 2026 acquisition - worth discussing directly with Forsta or Qualtrics for the specifics of your own contract and timeline.
There's no published price list. User reviews describe a complex, incremental fee structure, with costs accumulating across the base license, panel access, and additional services.
Typically, yes - user reviews consistently describe a steep learning curve, and the platform is built for research teams or agencies with scripting expertise.
No, at any tier - every project includes fieldwork and respondents as part of the price.
Yes. Studio is built around this - CRM lists or previously collected survey data, including exports from other platforms, can be imported in standard formats and turned into finished reports, no Enterprise license required. Enterprise adds done-for-you mapping for more complex or legacy formats.
