Updated: Aug 25 2025
Sometimes, you don’t need a 60-page research deck. You just need to know, like right now, if an idea has legs.
That’s where DIY market research platforms come in. Traditional research has its place, especially for strategic, large-scale initiatives. But when you’re short on time, budget, or internal resources, being able to run your own concept test, message validation, or customer survey in hours (not weeks) is a game-changer.
We’ve rounded up the top 10 best DIY market research platforms to consider in 2025. Each one is designed to make gathering insights faster, easier, and more affordable.
What is a DIY market research platform?
DIY market research platforms are self-serve tools that allow businesses to do research independently, without relying on traditional agencies or consultants.
These platforms are designed to simplify the research process, making it possible for marketers, product teams, and strategists to design, launch, and analyze their own surveys, tests, and consumer studies.
Instead of doing a custom study that can take weeks or months, DIY market research tools offer templates, automation, and real-time dashboards to get to insights faster. This approach democratizes research, allowing more teams to access and act on consumer insights directly.
Read more: Dig Perspectives: Patrick Lambert on DIY vs. Automated Research
Why do you need a DIY market research platform?
You know it: speed and agility can make all the difference when you have big competition. DIY research platforms can be that secret weapon for you to stay on top. They help businesses:
- Make quicker, data-informed decisions
- Test ideas before investing heavily
- Continuously track consumer sentiment or brand health
- Run agile research cycles alongside product development or marketing campaigns
Whether you’re a startup validating your first concept or an enterprise brand optimizing a message, DIY platforms reduce cost and turnaround time while increasing control and flexibility.
Read more: Here’s Why You Need to Scale Research Expertise to Automate DIY Research
9 Best DIY Market Research Platforms for 2025
1. Upsiide (owned by Dig Insights)
- Best for: Concept testing and innovation research
- What it is: Upsiide, a proprietary DIY innovation research platform by Dig Insights, is a mobile-first tool built for testing ideas, products, and communications.
- What makes it different: The Upsiide Idea Score has been proven across multiple categories to predict in-market success. Patented data modeling converts Upsiide data into forecasts of share of choice, source of volume, incrementality, and cannibalization. Organizations that move their innovation process to Upsiide see faster time-to-market and improved success rates.
- Key use cases: Concept testing, pack testing, ad testing, message testing, flavor and scent testing, menu optimization, AI idea generation, AI analysis.
- Why it works: The gamified, social-media-like interface boosts respondent engagement and mirrors real-life decision-making. The platform includes real-time dashboards, pre-built survey templates, and predictive analytics. With access to 44M+ respondents globally and built-in quality checks, Upsiide delivers fast, high-quality insights.
2. SurveyMonkey
- Best for: Quick surveys and feedback loops
- SurveyMonkey remains a staple in DIY research for its ease of use and broad range of templates. It’s ideal for quick pulse surveys, employee feedback, and customer satisfaction checks. Their AI tools also help improve survey design and analysis.
3. Qualtrics CoreXM
- Best for: Enterprise-grade research
- While known for enterprise solutions, Qualtrics’ DIY tools let internal teams run ad-hoc studies, NPS tracking, and brand research. Their advanced analytics and automation make it a favorite for businesses that want power and flexibility.
4. Pollfish
- Best for: Mobile-first global surveys
- Pollfish offers access to over 250 million mobile users worldwide, making it perfect for quick-turn research across demographics. It supports targeting by behaviors, geography, and device type.
5. Suzy
- Best for: Instant consumer feedback
- Suzy combines DIY survey tools with an always-on panel of verified respondents. Brands can ask a question and receive thousands of responses in minutes. It’s especially useful for creative testing and consumer sentiment tracking.
6. Typeform
- Best for: Interactive, design-led surveys
- Typeform helps brands create visually engaging, conversational surveys that keep respondents engaged. It’s great for customer feedback, onboarding flows, and product discovery surveys.
7. Toluna Start
- Best for: End-to-end research with a global panel
- Toluna offers DIY tools plus access to a large, diverse panel. The platform includes tools for concept testing, ad testing, and product optimization, with real-time data collection and reporting.
8. Zappi
- Best for: Pre-launch ad and concept testing
- Zappi automates the entire pre-launch testing process. It’s popular among large brands for validating campaigns, package designs, and innovation concepts using benchmarks and predictive analytics.
9. Attest
- Best for: Broad consumer profiling and brand tracking
- Attest is a flexible survey platform that gives access to 125M+ consumers across 58 countries. It’s great for brand health tracking, audience profiling, and idea validation.
How to Choose Your Next DIY Market Research Platform
With dozens of DIY research platforms on the market, selecting the right one for your team can feel overwhelming. Here’s a breakdown of what to consider so you choose a tool that fits your goals:
1. Define your objectives
Start by identifying what you need to learn. Are you validating a product concept, testing messaging, tracking brand health, or profiling customers? Some platforms specialize in one area, while others offer end-to-end coverage.
2. Consider your audience
B2B and B2C research require different targeting and tone. Choose a platform that gives you access to your specific audience—whether that’s niche professionals, Gen Z consumers, or global shoppers. Look for customizable panels, demographic filters, and international reach.
3. Prioritize speed and usability
Look for intuitive interfaces, drag-and-drop survey builders, pre-built templates, and AI-assisted tools. DIY doesn’t mean “hard to use. You should be able to launch and analyze a study in a matter of hours.
4. Know who built it
Some platforms were developed by techs focused on scale and speed, often with limited understanding of research fundamentals. Others, like Upsiide, were built by seasoned market researchers who understand the nuances of sampling, question design, and decision-making frameworks. Choosing a platform made by researchers often means you get more rigorous methods, more relevant features, and better outputs for strategic decision-making.
5. Think about scalability and support
As your business grows, so do your research needs. Opt for a platform that scales with you and offers customer support, whether you want a fully DIY experience or a mix of self-serve and expert guidance.
6. Assess data quality controls
Not all responses are equal. Platforms with built-in data quality checks, fraud detection, and respondent validation (like Upsiide’s 9-layer quality control) help ensure your insights are trustworthy.
Choosing the right platform isn’t for the faint-hearted. But it can enable faster, smarter, and more confident decisions across your organization.
Want a guided experience with flexible DIY capabilities? Check out Upsiide by Dig Insights. Built by researchers, for researchers.