All Research Guides

A Guide From Domandata

Survey Software That Exports to Stata, SPSS, and R

Written by Domandata, which makes a survey platform. We name our product where it fits and say where another tool fits better. Claims about other tools link to their own documentation, checked ; confirm anything decisive with the vendor or your institution.

Getting survey data into Stata, SPSS, or R with labels intact can take minutes or most of a day, depending on the tool. A native file keeps variable and value labels; a CSV plus syntax script usually works but needs a step; a spreadsheet leaves the recoding to you.

This page compares what each tool's official documentation says it exports, and what else to check before you trust an export.

The short answer

Domandata exports native Stata (.dta), SPSS (.sav), and R (.RData) files. REDCap documents exports for SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R. Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey (paid plans), and Alchemer (Full Access) export SPSS .sav files, which Stata and R can read. SoSci Survey and LimeSurvey provide data plus import scripts. Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Gorilla, and KoboToolbox give spreadsheets or CSV, with KoboToolbox adding an SPSS labels script.

What makes an export analysis-ready

  1. 1

    Native file or CSV plus script

    A native .dta, .sav, or .RData file opens with labels in one step. A CSV with a syntax script also works but adds a step that can break on special characters or long text.

  2. 2

    Variable names you control

    Set short, stable variable names in the survey before launch, so the export matches the names in your preregistered analysis code.

  3. 3

    Value labels and missing codes

    Check that answer labels arrive as value labels and that skipped, not-shown, and declined answers are distinguishable.

  4. 4

    Design metadata

    Assigned condition, randomized order, timing, and quality flags should be columns in the same file, not in a separate report.

  5. 5

    Multi-select and grid layout

    Check how each tool lays out multiple-answer and matrix questions, since one column per option and one column per question need different code.

  6. 6

    Test with your own script

    Export a pilot dataset and run the full analysis script on it before launch. It is the only check that catches every problem.

Tools by export style

Native files for all three packages

Domandata exports .dta for Stata 14 and later, .sav, and .RData that loads without extra packages, with conditions and quality flags in the same file, and randomized display order by default. REDCap documents exports for SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R.

DomandataOur product

Browser-based survey platform built for academic social-science research: survey experiments, conjoint, and analysis-ready data.

Pricing model
Free plan for drafting and previewing; fielding a study, Flow logic, and exports need a paid individual or team plan with published self-serve pricing.
Where it runs
Cloud only, on U.S.-based infrastructure providers.

Strengths

  • Randomized treatment arms (weighted, stratified, or balanced) with the assigned condition saved in every export.
  • Conjoint, MaxDiff, list experiments, and reaction-time tasks built in, without custom JavaScript.
  • Native SPSS (.sav) and Stata (.dta) exports with a generated codebook, plus Qualtrics .qsf import.
  • Links OSF preregistrations and deposits replication materials to Harvard Dataverse or Zenodo.

Watch out for

  • Does not sign HIPAA Business Associate Agreements, so it is not suitable for studies that require one.
  • Cannot be self-hosted, and the data-hosting region is not fixed by contract.
  • The free plan cannot collect responses; fielding a study requires a paid plan.
  • A newer, smaller vendor: its SOC 2 Type I audit is still in progress, which some IT reviews ask for.

Sources:Domandata PricingDomandata Trust Center

REDCap

Secure web application for surveys and research databases, developed at Vanderbilt and widely used in clinical and health research.

Pricing model
No charge to non-profit institutions that join the REDCap consortium; not available to individuals or commercial organizations.
Where it runs
Installed and supported by your institution. Can be configured to support HIPAA and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.

Strengths

  • Built for sensitive and regulated data, with audit trails.
  • Branching, calculated fields, longitudinal scheduling, and a mobile app.
  • Exports to SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R.

Watch out for

  • Only available if your institution runs an installation.
  • Features and support depend on how your institution configures and staffs it.

Sources:REDCap SoftwareJoining the REDCap Consortium

SPSS files

Each exports .sav, which Stata reads with import spss and R reads with the haven package. Check license or plan requirements before relying on it.

Qualtrics

Enterprise survey platform that many universities license campus-wide, and the default tool in much of academic survey research.

Pricing model
Usually an institutional license at no personal cost to students and staff, on terms set by your university's agreement. A capped free account is meant for trying the platform.
Where it runs
Cloud only. Publishes ISO 27001 and FedRAMP certifications.

Strengths

  • If your university licenses it, it is already paid for and usually reviewed by IT.
  • Mature, deep feature set, including Survey Flow randomizers and quotas.
  • Exports to CSV, Excel, and SPSS.

Watch out for

  • Access depends on your institution; leaving it can mean losing the license.
  • The free account caps responses, active surveys, and questions per survey, which rules out most studies.

Sources:Qualtrics Free AccountsQualtrics Account CreationQualtrics RandomizerQualtrics Security

SurveyMonkey

General-purpose commercial survey tool known for ease of use.

Pricing model
Free plan plus paid subscriptions; the free plan caps questions per survey and does not export data.
Where it runs
Cloud.

Strengths

  • Quick to learn for straightforward questionnaires.
  • SPSS (.sav) export on paid plans.

Watch out for

  • The free plan cannot export responses, so it does not work for a study you need to analyze elsewhere.
  • Logic and randomization features vary by plan; confirm what your design needs before paying.

Sources:SurveyMonkey Plan DetailsSurveyMonkey Free Plan RestrictionsSurveyMonkey SPSS ExportsSurveyMonkey Logic Features

Alchemer

Commercial survey platform with logic, piping, and randomization, used widely in applied and market research.

Pricing model
Paid subscriptions by license level.
Where it runs
Cloud.

Strengths

  • Documented logic, piping, and randomization features.
  • Direct SPSS (.sav) export.

Watch out for

  • SPSS export requires a Full Access license, and no Stata or R export is documented.

Sources:Alchemer SPSS ExportAlchemer Logic and Piping

Data plus import scripts, at no cost

Both provide scripts that load labelled data into SPSS, Stata, and R. LimeSurvey's native .sav and R exports need plugins enabled.

SoSci Survey

Professional questionnaire tool from Munich, widely used in European social science.

Pricing model
Free for non-commercial scholarly projects and non-profits; commercial use is paid.
Where it runs
Cloud servers in Munich, or install it on your own server.

Strengths

  • Free for most academic projects.
  • Labelled exports for SPSS, R, and Stata, plus a codebook.
  • Programmable survey paths for complex designs.

Watch out for

  • Free projects are time-limited and may not collect personal data under the GDPR; that requires the paid server.

Sources:SoSci Survey for AcademicsSoSci Survey Data Download

LimeSurvey

Open-source survey platform you can host yourself or use as a hosted cloud service.

Pricing model
Community Edition is free to self-host under the GPL; LimeSurvey Cloud has a free tier and paid subscriptions, with education discounts.
Where it runs
Self-hosted or cloud, with cloud regions including Germany and Finland and a GDPR data-processing agreement.

Strengths

  • Full control of the data when you host it yourself.
  • Exports to SPSS, R (via a plugin), Stata, CSV, and Excel.

Watch out for

  • Self-hosting requires someone to maintain, secure, and update the server.
  • Routing is written as relevance equations, and some statistical exports need extra configuration.

Sources:LimeSurvey PricingLimeSurvey Exporting ResultsLimeSurvey ExpressionScript

Spreadsheets only

Fine for simple data you will recode yourself. Gorilla's long, trial-level format suits reaction-time analysis in R or Python.

Google Forms

Free form builder in Google Workspace that writes responses straight into a Google Sheet.

Pricing model
Free with a Google account and included in Google Workspace, including Education editions.
Where it runs
Cloud. Covered by Google's HIPAA Business Associate Agreement only under a Workspace agreement.

Strengths

  • No setup, and familiar to collaborators and students.
  • Responses land in a spreadsheet immediately.

Watch out for

  • No SPSS, Stata, or R export; you get a Sheet or CSV.
  • Branching is section-based, with no built-in treatment arms or quotas.

Sources:Google Forms: ResponsesGoogle Forms: BranchingGoogle Cloud HIPAA Compliance

Microsoft Forms

Simple form tool in Microsoft 365, often available through a university's tenant.

Pricing model
Included with Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Education; free with a personal Microsoft account at much lower response limits.
Where it runs
Cloud, inside your organization's Microsoft 365 tenant when used through work or school.

Strengths

  • Usually already licensed by the university.
  • Responses open directly in Excel.

Watch out for

  • No SPSS, Stata, or R export.
  • Personal accounts have low response limits.

Sources:Microsoft Forms LimitsMicrosoft Forms Results

Gorilla Experiment Builder

No-code builder for online behavioral experiments and questionnaires, common in psychology.

Pricing model
Building and testing are free; you pay per participant with tokens, with academic discounts and lab or institution subscriptions.
Where it runs
Cloud only, on Microsoft Azure in Ireland, with a GDPR data-processing agreement.

Strengths

  • Reaction-time tasks and questionnaires in one study without coding.
  • A code editor is available when the visual builder is not enough.
  • Recruitment targets cap how much a study can spend.
  • Exports trial-level (long) or one-row-per-participant data as CSV or Excel.

Watch out for

  • Cost scales with sample size, since every participant uses a token.
  • Makes no HIPAA claim; compliance responsibility sits with the researcher.

Sources:Gorilla Pricing FAQGorilla Data ExportsGorilla Due Diligence

Export formats at a glance

ToolSPSSStataROther
DomandataNative .savNative .dta (Stata 14+)Native .RDataCSV, codebook; paid plans
Qualtrics.sav, optional syntax fileNot documentedNot documentedCSV, TSV, Excel, XML; varies by license
REDCapDocumentedDocumentedDocumentedSAS, Excel, CSV
LimeSurvey.sav (plugin) or .sps + dataXML for Stata importData + R syntax (plugin)CSV, Excel
SoSci Survey.sps syntax with dataCSV + import scriptCSV + script or API importExcel with codebook
SurveyMonkey.sav on paid plansNot documentedNot documentedCSV, Excel; no export on free plan
Alchemer.sav (Full Access license)Not documentedNot documented.sps + .txt option
KoboToolboxLabels syntax for CSV dataVia SPSS conversionNot documentedXLS, CSV, GeoJSON
GorillaNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedCSV or Excel, long or wide
Google FormsNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedGoogle Sheet or CSV
Microsoft FormsNot documentedNot documentedNot documentedExcel

From each vendor's official documentation as of the review date. "Not documented" means the official pages reviewed did not list it; every tool's CSV or Excel export can still be imported by hand. Formats can depend on license or plan.

Before you trust an export

  • Variable names match your analysis code
  • Value labels arrive intact
  • Skipped, not-shown, and declined answers are distinguishable
  • Assignment and randomized order are in the file
  • Multi-select and grid questions are laid out as your code expects
  • Non-English characters survive the round trip
  • Your full analysis script runs on the pilot export

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Qualtrics export to Stata?

Qualtrics' official export documentation lists SPSS .sav, CSV, TSV, Excel, and XML but not a Stata file. Stata can read the .sav file with import spss, which keeps variable and value labels.

What is the easiest way to get survey data into R?

A native .RData file or an SPSS .sav file read with the haven package keeps labels with the least effort. CSV works but drops value labels unless you apply them from a codebook or script.

Why does my exported data not match my survey?

Common causes are auto-generated variable names, recodes that differ from displayed labels, multi-select questions split into many columns, and text that breaks a CSV. Set variable names before launch and test a pilot export with your analysis script.

Should I export CSV or a statistical file?

Keep both. A statistical file preserves labels for analysis, and a CSV is a durable, software-neutral copy for archiving and replication packages.

Keep Reading

Export Survey Responses From Domandata

Formats, metadata columns, and prelaunch export checks.

Survey Data Analysis Guide

Variable names, recodes, codebooks, and cleaning.

Survey Software for Open Science

Replication packages and instrument records.

Why Domandata

Our own case for Domandata, and when to use another tool.