SmartSurvey vs Delighted: Which Survey Platform Is Right for You?

Delighted is shutting down. All customer data is permanently deleted after 30 June 2026.

If you're reading this as a Delighted customer, you probably already know: Delighted is shutting down. Qualtrics confirmed the closure in mid-2025. Monthly plans end on 31 May 2026, all customer data is permanently deleted after 30 June 2026, and feature development has already stopped. If you haven't started moving yet, now is the time.

If you're evaluating Delighted as a new platform, that decision has been made for you.

For everyone else comparing the two: here's an honest look at what each platform does, and where SmartSurvey picks up where Delighted always had limits, long before the shutdown was announced.

Ask yourself which of these sounds familiar:

• Are you capped at 10 questions per survey and 500 responses per month on a paid plan?
• Do your surveys need to go beyond NPS, CSAT, and CES into more structured feedback?
• Do you need full branding control, not just a logo and color change?
• Do you want to analyze open-text responses in-platform without exporting to a separate tool?
• Do you need UK data hosting, security accreditation, or compliance evidence for procurement?

Here's what we recommend.

Delighted was built as a lightweight NPS, CSAT, and CES measurement tool that deployed quickly with minimal setup and a clean, simple interface. For teams that needed a fast way to track a single feedback metric, it served its purpose well. That purpose is ending on 30 June 2026.

SmartSurvey is an advanced survey and feedback management platform trusted by large enterprises, public sector organizations, and growing feedback programs worldwide. It gives teams everything Delighted offered, including NPS, CSAT, CES, quick setup, and clean results, and the depth Delighted never reached: advanced logic, 24+ question types, AI analysis of open-text responses, multichannel distribution, live dashboards, and built-in case management. From the moment you sign up, you can be collecting feedback the same day.

If you're ready to explore the advanced capability of SmartSurvey before the shutdown deadline, book a no-obligation demo to see how the switch works for your team.

SmartSurvey vs Delighted at a glance

Sources: smartsurvey.co.uk, qualtrics.com/delighted, capterra.com. Researched June 2026.

Understanding the two platforms

The gap between them was always wider than it looked at the NPS question level.

Delighted was designed for simplicity above all else: a single-question survey, a few follow-up options, a clean results view. That simplicity was its selling point and its ceiling. 10 questions per survey, limited branding control, no advanced logic, no offline collection, and a support model that never included phone or live chat. It worked for teams that needed a lightweight metric tracker and nothing more. It's now permanently closing.

SmartSurvey started as an advanced survey tool and has grown into a full feedback management platform. It supports NPS, CSAT, and CES out of the box, alongside 24+ question types, advanced branching and logic, AI analysis, multichannel distribution, and case management. Trusted by over 600,000 customers including NHS trusts, UK government bodies, and global enterprises, it's built for feedback programs that need to go further than a single metric.

Building surveys and getting started

Delighted's survey building was intentionally constrained: a maximum of 10 questions, limited logic, and branding restricted to a logo upload and a color choice. For teams that needed exactly a short NPS pulse, that was fine. For anyone who needed more, including a second question, a follow-up branch, or their own domain, it wasn't.

SmartSurvey removes those constraints entirely. Unlimited questions, 24+ question types including matrix, ranking, sliders, and image choice, advanced branching, display logic, piping, carry-forward responses, and same-page follow-up logic. AI adaptive surveys adjust in real time based on each respondent's answers. Full branding control, including logo, colors, fonts, custom themes, and your own domain, is included without needing a top-tier contract.

Analysis and speed to insight

Delighted gave you a summary view and a basic breakdown. Open-text responses sat in a list with no in-platform analysis, useful for reading through a small number of comments, but not scalable beyond that.

SmartSurvey's AI thematic analysis surfaces themes from open-text responses automatically, so your team sees what respondents are saying across hundreds or thousands of comments without working through every reply manually. AI translations mean responses in 54+ languages land in one analysable view. Aggregated dashboards combine scores across multiple programs, with NPS, CSAT, and CES alongside each other, updated live and shareable directly with stakeholders.

Feedback collection across channels

SmartSurvey distributes surveys across every channel your feedback program needs: email with embedded questions, SMS, QR codes, tracking links, web embed, web intercepts, offline and kiosk mode, and printed response entry. Each channel is individually tracked.

Delighted distributed via email, web, and a basic link. SMS was not available. Offline collection was not available. For teams collecting feedback across physical locations, events, or mixed digital and in-person touchpoints, SmartSurvey covers the full picture, which Delighted never did.

Closing the loop and acting on feedback

Delighted surfaced scores and sent basic alerts. Acting on individual responses happened outside the platform.

SmartSurvey Case Management is built directly into the platform. Cases are created from responses, assigned to named owners, and tracked in-app from open to resolved, with no additional tool or module required. For teams that want to work within their existing tech stack, SmartSurvey connects via API and webhooks, routing cases into the CRMs, helpdesks, and ticketing systems your team already uses. The SmartSurvey support team helps organizations get configured without expensive consultancy fees. The goal is straightforward: resolve individual issues and fix the root causes driving them.

Integrations and tech stack fit

SmartSurvey connects to over 297 integrations, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, Power BI, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zendesk. A RESTful API, webhooks, and Zapier are available on paid plans.

Delighted had no native Microsoft integrations, with no Dynamics, Teams, or Power BI connectivity. Its integration set was limited compared to any full-featured survey platform. For teams with a CRM or BI stack to connect, Delighted was a gap waiting to happen.

Security and compliance

SmartSurvey is ISO 27001 certified and holds Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, the UK government-backed standard for regulated industries. Survey themes are built to WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standards. NHS DSPT accreditation covers healthcare providers, and all data is stored in UK data centers on every plan.

Delighted stored data on AWS in an undisclosed region with no published ISO 27001 certification, no Cyber Essentials Plus, and no WCAG 2.2 compliance. For organizations in regulated industries, Delighted was a gap in the compliance evidence well before the shutdown announcement.

Support when it matters

SmartSurvey includes phone support, live chat, and email on all paid plans. New customers get free migration support for up to 3 surveys, and the support team helps with survey rebuilding and program setup.

Delighted offered email support only, from a Utah-based team. For UK teams that needed to speak to someone quickly or in their own time zone, that model had limits from day one, regardless of the shutdown.

Choose the platform that fits

Delighted is shutting down. If you're currently on Delighted, you need to have moved before 30 June 2026 or your data is gone.

Choose SmartSurvey if:

• You need NPS, CSAT, and CES measurement that works from day one, and keeps working after 30 June 2026
• You want surveys that go beyond a single metric and 10 questions
• You need AI analysis of open-text responses without exporting anywhere
• You want full branding control including your own domain
• You're collecting feedback across email, SMS, QR codes, web embed, offline and kiosk, and tracking links
• You need UK data hosting, Cyber Essentials Plus, or WCAG 2.2 AA compliance
• You want built-in case management to close the loop without an additional tool

Frequently asked questions

Is Delighted really shutting down?

Yes. Qualtrics confirmed the shutdown in mid-2025. Delighted stops accepting annual renewals on 1 July 2025, monthly plans end on 31 May 2026, and all customer data is permanently deleted after 30 June 2026. Feature development has already stopped. If you're currently using Delighted, your program needs to have moved before the data deletion date.

Can I migrate my survey data from Delighted to SmartSurvey?

Yes. SmartSurvey's team supports you through the migration so your historical data, survey templates, and distribution workflows carry across. Most teams are collecting responses again within a few days. Book a demo and the team will walk you through how it works for your specific setup.

Does SmartSurvey support NPS, CSAT, and CES?

Yes, all three are built in and ready to use from day one. You also get employee engagement, patient feedback, citizen engagement, and custom survey types, so every program you run can come from one platform.

Does SmartSurvey cap responses like Delighted did?

SmartSurvey's self-serve plans give you up to 150,000 responses per year, with custom volumes on Solutions plans. Delighted's most expensive self-serve plan allowed only 500 responses per month, around 6,000 per year. SmartSurvey also removes Delighted's 10-question cap entirely.

How does SmartSurvey compare to Delighted on pricing?

Delighted's paid plans ran from $17 to $224 per month. SmartSurvey offers predictable pricing with a price match guarantee, backed by a platform that is actively developed and not shutting down. Book a demo to get a quote for your team.

The bottom line

Delighted served a real purpose for teams that needed a lightweight NPS tracker with minimal setup. That chapter is closing on 30 June 2026.

SmartSurvey gives you everything Delighted offered and the depth it never reached, including advanced surveys, multichannel distribution, AI analysis, live dashboards, case management, UK data hosting, and a platform that keeps developing. If you're moving from Delighted, the switch is straightforward and the support team is ready to help.

Request a demo with the SmartSurvey team to make the switch before the shutdown deadline.