Top 15 Employee Pulse Survey Tools

Employee surveys play a crucial role in shaping workplace culture and driving engagement. But with so many options available, it can be tough to decide which tool is the best fit for your team. In this blog, we’ll explore 15 employee survey tools, also focusing on our top 7 picks, those that stand out for their features, usability, and ability to drive meaningful, actionable feedback.

These tools can provide the insights you need to improve employee satisfaction, reduce turnover, and enhance overall productivity. We’ll dive into each one’s unique strengths and shortcomings.

This research was conducted by analyzing employee survey tools listed on G2, allowing us to provide you with insights based on real user reviews and industry feedback.

Let's dive into the article.

Top 7 Employee Survey Tools (According to us)

1. Vantage Pulse: Best for organizations looking for a real-time, data-driven approach to employee engagement and continuous feedback.

2. SurveyMonkey: Ideal for creating simple, quick surveys and gathering feedback from teams with straightforward needs.

3. Qualtrics: A powerful solution for large enterprises with complex survey needs, though it may be more robust than what smaller teams require.

4. Officevibe: Great for organizations looking to capture ongoing feedback, though it may not provide the depth of analytics offered by others.

5. Culture Amp: Great for measuring employee sentiment, with a focus on company culture, but might not offer the same level of actionable insights in real-time.

6. 15Five: Primarily focused on performance management and one-on-one meetings, offering less in terms of holistic engagement tracking.

7. Infeedo Amber: Effective for automating engagement, but lacks some of the real-time, actionable insights found in more comprehensive platforms.

Tool-by-Tool Overview

1. Vantage Pulse

Vantage Pulse is a comprehensive employee pulse survey tool that helps any organization listen to the employees' pulse at any stage by collecting, measuring, and acting on real-time employee feedback. It allows the managers to analyze trends, uncover factors of employee turnover, predict behaviors, and ultimately increase employee retention. It gives the flexibility to the managers to gain insights into various departments across different organization parameters.

Vantage Pulse keeps track of engagement levels through the use of the eNPS alias Employee Net Promoter Score. It helps the organizations know the areas of improvement via engagement and makes it easier for organizations to measure employee loyalty quickly and effectively.

Best for: Organizations of every size looking for a customizable, all-in-one solution to track ongoing employee engagement. It's workplace and employee centric approach makes it a suitable candidate for organizations tackling their employee feedback puzzle.

Key features:

• Real-time feedback collection

• AI-Powered sentiment analysis

• Attrition Risk Indicator

• Heatmap with multi-level filtering

• Completely Anonymous

Pricing: Custom Pricing according to team size and business needs.

Things that are great:

• Vantage Pulse offers a dedicated support team to assist with setup, implementation, and ongoing success, ensuring HR teams get the most out of the platform.

• The platform uses AI to analyze employee feedback and predict engagement trends, helping HR teams take proactive action.

• The dashboard includes heatmaps and filters that allow teams to easily segment data, making it simple to identify trends and areas of concern. The dashboard has been specifically designed for ease of use and simplicity.

• Vantage Pulse ensures that employees can provide feedback in a safe and anonymous manner, which encourages honest and open communication, especially when discussing sensitive concerns.

Things that can be improved:

• While Vantage Pulse excels in tracking employee engagement, its focus on workforce feedback may limit its broader use across other organizational areas.

• The platform offers basic templates, but expanding this selection could provide more flexibility for teams with unique survey needs.

2. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is one of the most widely recognized survey platforms, known for its user-friendly interface and customizable survey options. It is a broad survey platform that serves multiple purposes, with employee surveys being just one of its many features rather than its sole focus. It allows organizations to create surveys of varying lengths and complexities, from quick pulse surveys to in-depth feedback forms.

Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses that need a straightforward, cost-effective tool for employee surveys.

Key features:

• Multiple survey question types

• Huge library of survey templates

• Customization of surveys

• Mobile-friendly design

Pricing: Contact Vendor

Things that are great:

• SurveyMonkey is widely praised for its intuitive, drag-and-drop interface, making survey creation easy for all users.

• The platform offers numerous customizable templates and question types, allowing for professional and flexible survey design.

• Users appreciate its multiple sharing options and built-in analytics, which provide real-time results, charts, and filters for quick data visualization and decision-making.

Things that can be improved:

• Customizing the survey's visual branding can be limited if you're using the basic version , and branding options are generally limited unless you upgrade.

• The free plan has limitations , and advanced features, such as detailed reporting, in-depth analysis, and customization options, often require an upgrade to expensive paid plans.

• Some users find team collaboration difficult without upgraded plans , and data export is sometimes manual due to limited integration with other tools.

3. Culture Amp

Culture Amp is a robust employee engagement and performance management tool that offers in-depth analytics and custom surveys to measure employee sentiment and track engagement across various stages of the employee lifecycle. It offers comprehensive benchmarking data, allowing organizations to compare their engagement scores against industry standards and gain valuable context for their results.

Best for: Companies with a data-driven culture that require sophisticated analytics and customized employee feedback.

Key features:

• Employee lifecycle surveys

• In-depth analytics and reporting

• Customizable survey templates

• Actionable insights into engagement and performance

Pricing: Custom pricing.

Things that are great:

• It offers a robust way to collect employee feedback and generate data-driven insights, helping organizations understand and improve their company culture and overall engagement levels.

• The platform is effective for structuring and tracking performance discussions, setting goals (like OKRs), and facilitating continuous feedback between managers and employees.

• By gathering feedback on specific processes (e.g., onboarding, exit), it provides actionable information that HR teams can use to refine and optimize those workflows.

Things that can be improved:

• Some users mentioned that while the platform does a good job of collecting feedback, it sometimes misses the mark in terms of contextual feedback or deeper explanations for certain questions.

• Users have noted that Culture Amp is missing some features they expected, such as more comprehensive feedback processes or tools to track progress in specific areas like productivity.

• Some users found the platform clunky and difficult to navigate, especially when setting up surveys or finding specific functions. This led to a steeper learning curve for new users.

4. 15Five

15Five is a performance management tool designed to encourage continuous feedback, goal tracking, and employee development. It combines employee surveys with regular check-ins to foster ongoing engagement.

Best for: Organizations with a strong focus on employee development and performance, especially those that value continuous feedback.

Key features:

• Weekly check-ins and feedback

• Goal setting and tracking

• Employee recognition features

• Customizable surveys

Pricing: $4 per user/month (billed annually)

Things that are great:

• 15Five has a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to engage with and navigate.

• Provides effective continuous feedback and goal tracking to monitor employee performance.

• Real-time visibility into team morale and challenges, enabling managers to act proactively.

Things that can be improved:

• Some users reported limitations in reporting, especially with aggregating data from multiple review cycles.

• Confusion around goal-setting and overlapping objectives can cause issues for users.

• Several users mentioned that customer support could be improved, with some issues taking longer to resolve.

5. Officevibe

Officevibe is an intuitive employee engagement tool that uses pulse surveys to measure employee sentiment and provide actionable insights. It’s designed to help teams improve communication, trust, and overall workplace culture.

Best for: Small to mid-sized companies looking for a simple, easy-to-use tool to gain quick insights and boost employee engagement.

Key features:

• Pulse surveys to measure employee satisfaction

• Team engagement tracking

• Customizable feedback questions

• Reporting dashboard with actionable insights

Pricing: $5 per user/month

Things that are Great:

• The platform is simple and easy to use, promoting effective team communication and engagement.

• Helps managers receive valuable, real-time feedback to track and improve team morale.

• Encourages employee recognition with its "Good Vibes" feature, fostering a culture of appreciation.

Things that can be improved:

• Survey segmentation is somewhat rigid, particularly for smaller teams.

• The platform lacks more detailed reporting capabilities, making it harder to filter feedback by specific topics or sentiments.

• The pricing is considered high for small businesses, especially outside of the enterprise tier.

6. Amber by inFeedo

Amber is an AI-powered chatbot that casually checks in with employees through one-to-one conversations, asking questions like “How was your day?” or “What could have gone better this week?” The bot captures open-ended feedback, applies natural language processing to gauge sentiment, and flags early signs of disengagement, so HR can act before issues snowball.

Best for: Mid- to large-sized organizations that want an always-on, conversational listening solution rather than scheduled surveys.

Key features:

• Conversational, chatbot-style check-ins

• Real-time sentiment and emotion analysis

• Predictive disengagement and attrition risk alerts

• Auto-routing of critical feedback to managers or HRBP dashboards

• Personalized nudges and follow-up questions to deepen insight

Pricing: Custom, based on headcount and feature scope.

Things that are great:

• Their human-like conversations boosts honesty and engagement by making feedback feel less like a formal survey.

• Uses AI to identify and address disengagement risks before they become bigger issues.

• Employees are more likely to interact with a chatbot than fill out a traditional survey, leading to more authentic and frequent feedback.

Things that can be improved:

• Setting up conversational flows and customizing the bot’s responses requires time and expertise.

• On the more expensive side, making it less accessible for small teams with tight budgets.

• Some employees may prefer traditional survey methods over the conversational chatbot approach, especially in organizations where employees aren’t accustomed to this kind of engagement.

7. Qualtrics

Qualtrics is an advanced survey platform offering highly customizable surveys and in-depth analytics. It’s designed for large enterprises that need to collect and analyze feedback across various employee touchpoints.

Best for: Large organizations needing a highly customizable survey platform with robust analytics and reporting.

Key features:

• Advanced survey customization options

• Real-time analytics and reporting

• Employee engagement and lifecycle surveys

Pricing: Custom pricing based on features and team size.

Things that are great:

• Offers deep customization for surveys and analytics.

• Advanced reporting and predictive insights to drive informed decision-making.

• Seamlessly integrates with various HRIS and BI tools for an integrated approach.

Things that can be improved:

• It is a premium tool with pricing that may be prohibitive for small or mid-sized businesses.

• Requires more setup time and learning to leverage the full suite of features.

• Smaller businesses may find the tool's complexity unnecessary for their needs.

8. Microsoft Viva Glint

Microsoft Viva Glint is an employee engagement and listening platform embedded within the Microsoft ecosystem. It helps organizations track engagement levels, gather feedback in real-time, and use AI-powered analytics to provide deeper insights into employee sentiment. Viva Glint offers pulse surveys, annual surveys, and automated recommendations for improving employee engagement.

Best for: Enterprises already using Microsoft 365 that want a seamless integration with their existing tools while tracking engagement, satisfaction, and sentiment within their workforce.

Key features:

• AI sentiment analysis: Provides actionable insights into employee sentiment.

• Real-time feedback: Capture and act on employee sentiment instantly.

• Actionable insights: Recommendations based on survey responses.

• Seamless Microsoft integration: Works directly with other Microsoft tools like Teams and Power BI.

Pricing: Custom Pricing

Things that are great:

• Uses AI to analyze open-ended feedback, identifying key themes and actionable insights with their narrative intelligence technology.

• Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft tools for a unified experience, ideal for organizations already using Microsoft 365.

• Covers the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to exit surveys.

Things that can be improved:

• While Viva Glint aims to offer anonymity, some users feel that it's not fully anonymous, which may discourage honest feedback.

• The tool is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365, meaning companies need a subscription to access it, which may be a limitation for non-Microsoft users.

• The basic plan has limited features, and to unlock more advanced functionalities, businesses need to upgrade to expensive plans.

9. Workday Peakon Employee Voice

Workday Peakon Employee Voice is an AI-powered platform for measuring employee engagement, capturing feedback, and providing actionable insights to improve organizational performance. It focuses on continuous feedback through pulse surveys and real-time sentiment analysis.

Best for: Global enterprises using Workday HCM that want integrated employee feedback and engagement solutions within a unified cloud environment.

Key features:

• Continuous pulse surveys: Gather feedback on a regular basis.

• AI-driven analytics: Provides sentiment and engagement insights.

• Integration with Workday: Seamlessly syncs data with HRIS and performance management systems.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on features and headcount.

Things that are great:

• Workday Peakon offers immediate insights from pulse surveys, allowing HR and leadership teams to act quickly on engagement issues and address concerns before they escalate.

• The platform captures feedback from employees across all levels and locations, ensuring comprehensive data collection, regardless of team size or geographical distribution.

• Peakon integrates seamlessly with Workday’s broader HR suite, enabling HR teams to align employee engagement data with performance, compensation, and other people management metrics for a unified experience.

Things that can be improved:

• The platform is designed for large organizations, and its pricing can be prohibitive for smaller teams or businesses with limited budgets.

• Workday Peakon’s advanced features require dedicated setup and ongoing configuration to maximize its potential, which can be challenging without proper resources.

• While it provides excellent out-of-the-box features, some users report that customizing surveys for very specific needs or unique company cultures can be somewhat restrictive.

10. Lattice

Lattice is a people success platform that offers a variety of tools for engagement, performance, and growth. It combines performance reviews, employee surveys, goal tracking, and feedback into a single unified platform. Lattice helps teams align with organizational goals and track progress while improving employee engagement.

Best for: Mid-sized companies that need an all-in-one platform for performance management, feedback, and employee engagement, especially if they focus on goal-setting and employee development.

Key features:

• Engagement surveys with customizable templates

• Goal setting and performance management integration

• AI-assisted insights and action plans based on employee feedback

• Real-time feedback loops for continuous improvement

Pricing: Custom Pricing

Things that are great:

• Lattice is highly regarded for its intuitive interface, making it easy for both employees and managers to navigate the system without much training.

• The platform allows for customizable performance reviews, giving organizations the flexibility to tailor them to their needs and specific criteria.

• Lattice integrates goal setting, performance management, engagement surveys, and career development into a single platform, helping HR teams manage the entire employee lifecycle.

Things that can be improved:

• Some users reported that certain features, like 1:1 agendas, lacked the flexibility to fully meet their needs, especially for smaller teams or more specific tasks.

• While Lattice is user-friendly, some users mentioned a learning curve for new users, particularly when implementing advanced features or integrating with other systems.

• The reporting and dashboard features could use more automation and dynamic insights, making it difficult for some to fully leverage the data for strategy planning.

11. Leapsome

Leapsome combines performance management, employee engagement, and learning tools into a modular platform. It offers customizable surveys, feedback, and goal-setting features along with AI-powered action recommendations. Leapsome is designed to improve employee development and align it with organizational goals.

Best for: Companies that need a flexible and modular platform for employee development, engagement, and feedback tracking.

Key features:

• Customizable feedback surveys and engagement tools

• OKR tracking for performance alignment

• AI-driven action plans based on survey results

• Learning and development modules for employee growth

Pricing: Custom Pricing

Things that are great:

• Modular platform for flexibility

• Strong UX and user-friendly interface

• Rich reporting and insights for performance tracking

Things that can be improved:

• Some users find the platform challenging to learn initially, especially due to its broad range of features. A learning curve can cause delays in getting the team fully onboarded.

• A few users mention that navigating through the platform can be confusing, particularly with the menu systems not always being intuitive. This can lead to frustration when performing certain tasks, such as linking goals in a parent-child structure.

• Some users feel that the platform could offer more flexibility in terms of customization options, particularly for reports and goal-setting features.

12. TINYpulse

TINYpulse is a simple, yet powerful pulse survey tool that helps organizations gather ongoing feedback from employees. It allows managers to check in with employees on a regular basis to measure engagement, satisfaction, and morale in real-time.

Best for: Small to mid-sized organizations looking for a simple, quick way to gather frequent feedback and improve employee engagement.

Key features:

• Quick pulse surveys to measure engagement and morale

• Employee recognition features to highlight great work

• Anonymous feedback to encourage honesty

• Customizable questions for tailored insights

Pricing: Custom Pricing

Things that are great:

• TINYpulse has a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy for HR teams to quickly gather feedback from employees without much setup.

• The platform allows employees to provide honest, anonymous feedback, which encourages greater transparency and trust within the organization.

• Offers real-time insights into employee sentiment, allowing HR teams and leadership to act quickly on issues as they arise.

Things that can be improved:

• Some users feel that the platform lacks the customization options for more specific feedback needs or tailored survey setups.

• At times, the pre-set survey questions may not fully align with specific team needs, leading to occasional irrelevant feedback.

• TINYpulse’s reporting capabilities could be more detailed to provide deeper insights, particularly for organizations looking for more comprehensive analysis of employee data.

13. Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace is an employee engagement platform offering unlimited surveys, pulse checks, and lifecycle surveys. It includes built-in AI to help analyze feedback and generate actionable insights. The platform provides organizations with tools to improve engagement, track performance, and drive better workplace culture.

Best for: Mid-to-large organizations that require continuous feedback and AI-generated insights.

Key features:

• Retention Radar

• Action-planning

• Employee recognition modules

Pricing: Contact Vendor

Things that are great:

• Quantum Workplace integrates multiple feedback mechanisms, such as surveys, recognition programs, and goal-setting features, giving organizations a holistic view of employee engagement and performance.

• The platform is praised for its easy-to-use interface, which allows users to navigate effortlessly and access key features like surveys, feedback, and goal-tracking.

• Quantum Workplace offers AI-powered insights that help HR teams and managers to make data-driven decisions, particularly around employee performance and engagement.

Things that can be improved:

• Some users noted limited customization options for certain features, such as performance review templates or recognition categories, which may not perfectly align with specific organizational needs.

• Despite its user-friendly interface, some users found the navigation a bit clunky, especially when switching between different feedback or goal-tracking sections.

• The platform's pricing, especially for smaller teams or businesses, can be quite expensive, making it less accessible for organizations with limited budgets.

14. QuestionPro

QuestionPro is a comprehensive online survey software that offers a dedicated suite of tools for employee experience (EX). It allows organizations to create and deploy a wide range of surveys, including engagement pulses, 360-degree feedback, eNPS, and lifecycle surveys (onboarding, exit). It is known for its extensive question library, advanced logic, and powerful analytics capabilities.

Best for: Organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, that need a robust, flexible, and scalable platform for conducting detailed research and gathering feedback across the entire employee lifecycle.

Key features:

• Vast library of survey templates and advanced question types

• Multi-channel distribution (email, SMS, web, mobile app)

• Advanced analytics, including sentiment analysis, heatmaps, and trend analysis

• 360-degree feedback tools and anonymous response options

Pricing: Contact Vendor

Things that are great:

• Praised for its ease of use in creating and distributing surveys.

• Offers a wide array of templates, question types, logic options, and reporting, with extensive customization for branding.

• Users consistently highlight helpful and responsive 24/7 customer service.

Things that can be improved:

• Users dislike the annual license renewal and loss of access to surveys upon expiration, suggesting email notifications for renewals.

• Some report slow interfaces or system crashes on older devices, potentially leading to unsaved work.

• While generally customizable, some users note specific limitations (e.g., 100-question limit for non-profit license) or difficulty navigating to deeper settings.

15. Leena AI

Leena AI offers an employee engagement solution powered by AI. Through conversational surveys and feedback collection, Leena AI helps HR teams measure engagement levels and gather insights to improve employee experience. The platform automates survey processes and uses AI to analyze and act on feedback in real time.

Best for: Organizations that want to use AI to enhance their employee engagement surveys and gain actionable insights for improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Key features:

• AI-powered engagement surveys that provide real-time feedback

• Conversational chatbot interface for a more interactive and engaging survey experience

• Personalized recommendations based on employee sentiment analysis

• Integration with HR systems to combine engagement data with performance and HR insights

Pricing: Contact Vendor

Things that are great:

• AI-driven insights provide deep understanding of employee sentiment and engagement levels

• Conversational surveys make the feedback process more interactive and increase response rates

• Real-time feedback allows HR teams to act quickly on engagement trends

Things that can be improved:

• Pricing can be on the higher side, especially for small businesses

• Setup and customization might require some time and expertise to fully integrate with existing HR systems

How to Choose the Right Pulse Survey Tool?

Choosing the right employee survey tool is essential for organizations to gain valuable insights into engagement and foster a positive workplace culture. With a wide variety of tools available, it’s important to choose one that fits your specific needs. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the best tool for your team:

1. Team Size and Needs

Your organization’s size and structure will significantly impact your tool choice.

• Small Teams (under 50 employees): For smaller teams, simple and affordable tools that offer essential survey capabilities and ease of use may be ideal. Look for platforms that are quick to implement and don’t overwhelm your HR team with unnecessary features.
• Mid-Sized Teams (50-500 employees): As your team grows, you may need a tool with more customization and deeper insights. Platforms that offer scalable solutions with robust reporting features can help track engagement across multiple departments.
• Large Enterprises (500+ employees): Larger organizations often require more comprehensive tools that can handle complex data and provide advanced analytics. Look for solutions that offer real-time feedback, predictive insights, and the ability to scale with your organization’s needs.

2. Survey Frequency and Type

Consider how often you need feedback and the level of detail required in your surveys.

• Frequent Pulse Surveys: For continuous, real-time feedback, look for tools that specialize in pulse surveys. These tools allow for regular check-ins and quick insights into employee engagement levels.
• In-Depth Surveys: If you need to conduct more comprehensive surveys that gather detailed feedback on specific aspects of employee experience, choose a tool that offers advanced survey customization and in-depth reporting.

3. Integration with Other HR Tools

The ability to seamlessly integrate with your existing HR systems can streamline operations and ensure data flows smoothly.

• HRIS Integrations: If you’re already using HRIS platforms for performance tracking or employee data management, consider a survey tool that integrates easily with these systems. Integration ensures you can combine feedback data with other HR insights for a more complete view of employee engagement.
• Custom Integrations: For more complex setups, make sure the tool offers flexible integration options or an open API to connect with your existing HR tech stack.

4. Budget Considerations

The price of the survey tool should reflect your organization’s needs and budget.

• Affordable Tools: Smaller teams may not require the advanced features of high-end tools. Look for survey platforms that offer the functionality you need at an affordable price.
• Enterprise Solutions: Larger teams with more complex needs may require tools that come with a higher price tag but provide advanced analytics, customization, and scalability to match their requirements.

5. Customization and Reporting Needs

Customization of surveys and the depth of reporting features are essential for gaining meaningful insights.

• Customizable Surveys: Look for tools that allow you to customize your surveys to suit your specific needs, whether it’s employee engagement, feedback on leadership, or team dynamics.
• Advanced Reporting: If you need in-depth analytics, choose a tool that offers comprehensive reporting capabilities, such as segmenting data by department or tracking long-term trends in employee engagement.

Why Employee Survey Tools Matter?

Using the right employee survey tool can have a significant impact on your organization’s culture and performance. Here’s why these tools are essential:

1. Higher Engagement

Employees who feel heard are more likely to be engaged in their work. Regular feedback through employee surveys helps keep employees involved, improves morale, and fosters a sense of ownership in the workplace. Engaged employees contribute to higher productivity and job satisfaction.

2. DEI Monitoring

Employee surveys provide organizations with valuable insights into their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. By regularly asking employees about their experiences, organizations can measure inclusivity and identify areas where improvement is needed to ensure a more equitable workplace.

3. Lower Attrition

By identifying potential issues early, organizations can address concerns before they lead to employee turnover. Employee surveys help HR teams spot disengagement, lack of career development, or other issues that may contribute to higher attrition rates.

4. Better Management Enablement

With continuous feedback, managers can better understand team morale and engagement, allowing them to act quickly. Pulse surveys allow managers to quickly adjust their approach and ensure their teams remain engaged and productive.

Conclusion

Choosing the right employee survey tool is essential for fostering a positive work environment and driving continuous improvement. Whether you’re a small team seeking simplicity or a large organization needing advanced insights, there’s a tool out there to meet your needs. By considering factors like team size, survey frequency, budget, and integration capabilities, you can select a platform that not only measures employee engagement but also empowers HR teams to take action. Ultimately, the right survey tool will help your organization cultivate a more engaged, productive, and satisfied workforce.

FAQs

Q.1 Which survey tool is the best?

The best tool depends on your organization’s needs. Smaller teams may prefer straightforward, cost-effective tools, while larger organizations may need more comprehensive, feature-rich platforms with advanced reporting and analytics.

Q.2 Can these tools help track changes in employee satisfaction over time?

Yes, most employee survey tools offer the ability to track employee satisfaction over time, allowing organizations to measure shifts in engagement and adjust strategies accordingly.

This article was co-authored by Sahil Khan and Pratyakshi Goswami, who work as digital marketers at Vantage Circle. For any queries reach out to editor@vantagecircle.com.