Boundaries saved to their site
A boundary drawn or walked in Restoration Scope Field is saved to the site it belongs to, with its area.
ODK collects forms. Restoration Scope runs the project, surveys included.
Restoration Scope is the system that runs a nature project: its sites, field work, surveys, maps, results and funder reporting. Its surveys are filled offline inside the project, so each visit lands on the site it is about. ODK is open-source data collection used worldwide, with polygon capture and offline maps, and a strong pick for forms you host yourself.
Restoration ScopeShould you use ODK or Restoration Scope?
For most restoration and carbon projects, Restoration Scope: it adapts to how the project works and grows with it, its surveys are filled offline inside the site or plot they are about, and the same records run the work and reach funders. ODK is the better pick for a team that wants open source end to end, may host its own server, and has someone who writes XLSForm and designs the data model, or for surveys outside a project. ODK forms that already work can keep feeding the project.
Restoration Scope publishes this comparison and is one of the options. We list it first because we think it's the best fit for most projects: it adapts to each project and grows with it, and covers operations and costs as well as fundraising and reporting. No vendor paid to be included. Something out of date? Write to info@restorationscope.com.
ODK and Restoration Scope at a glance
| Restoration Scope |  ODK | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The system that runs a nature project: sites, field work, surveys, maps, results and funder reporting. The field app and its surveys are part of it. | Open-source forms, a mobile app and a server, from Get ODK Inc. |
| Cost | A free pilot on a sample of your data, then a platform license plus implementation, quoted after a scoping call. | As of October 2026: free to host yourself. ODK Cloud is $199 a month (Standard) or $499 (Professional) billed yearly, or $249 and $599 billed monthly; Enterprise is custom. |
| Setup | Configured with our team around your project. Someone on your side owns the workflow. | Forms written in XLSForm. You run the server or rent ODK Cloud. |
| Offline capture | Restoration Scope Field works offline: points, lines, polygons and photos. | Works offline and syncs once it finds a connection, with offline background maps. |
| Shapes and area | Points, lines and polygons drawn or walked on the project map, saved to the site they belong to. | Point, line and polygon questions. Walking a boundary records it, and the form can calculate its area. |
| Knows your project | Sites, nurseries, species and visits are linked records, configured for your project with our team. | Entities let forms share lists such as sites or trees between submissions (Professional plan and above on ODK Cloud, or self-hosted). You design and maintain that data model. |
| Donor reporting | Donor portals built from the same records the team keeps. | Dashboards on ODK Cloud, plus exports to Excel, Power BI, R or Python for reports. |
Use both
- ODKODK forms keep running in the field.
- Restoration ScopeSubmissions map to project fields and join their sites.
- Restoration ScopeThe project map and donor portals show them.
Restoration Scope maps submissions from existing survey tools to project fields, so ODK forms can keep running while their records join the rest of the project.
Checked against ODK's own pages on October 17, 2026: ODK home and pricing, Getting started, Question types, ODK Collect, Offline maps, ODK and Kobo.
Where Restoration Scope differs, on screen
These are Restoration Scope screens from our demo project and a public donor portal. To see ODK, visit its own site.
Linked records, configured with our team
Sites, plots and visits link to each other, so a site shows everything recorded about it.
Where each fits
Pick Restoration Scope when
- You want surveys filled inside the project, offline, each tied to its site or plot.
- You want forms, sites, maps and reports in one place without building the links yourself.
- Coordinators and funders need to see the work, not export files.
- Your team does not have time to design and maintain an Entities data model.
Pick ODK when
- You want the option to host your own server, with open source end to end.
- Someone on the team writes XLSForm and maintains the setup.
- You run surveys across many sectors, not only restoration.
Where each sits, from word of mouth to an adaptable platform
- 1 Word of mouth
- 2 Paper
- 3 Excel files
- Workable from here4 Google Sheets
- 5 Advanced Sheets
- 6 Airtable
- 7 Restoration software
- 8 Network of tools: ODK
- 9 Custom system
- 10 Adaptable platform: Restoration Scope
ODK collects forms and works as one part of a network of tools, beside a spreadsheet and a GIS. Restoration Scope is an adaptable platform where field data, sites and maps share one record.
Where restoration records live, from word of mouth to custom softwareQuestions teams ask
Is Restoration Scope an ODK alternative?
For most projects, yes. Restoration Scope builds its own surveys, filled offline inside the project, and replaces what teams build around ODK: linking records to sites, maps and reports. ODK stays a strong pick for open-source forms you host yourself, or for surveys outside a project.
Is ODK free?
The software is free and open source if you host it yourself. As of October 2026, ODK Cloud, the hosted service, starts at $199 a month billed yearly, or $249 billed monthly.
ODK or KoboToolbox?
They are close relatives: KoboCollect is built from ODK Collect and both read XLSForm. Kobo offers free hosting for nonprofits; ODK can be self-hosted or rented as ODK Cloud.
Can I bring ODK data into Restoration Scope?
Yes. We map submissions from survey tools to project fields, and spreadsheet or GIS exports can come in as files.
Another question? Email us or book a call.