Qualtrics has become a go-to platform for surveys and data collection, particularly in large institutions and enterprises. However, for organizations using Drupal 10 to power their websites or internal systems, Drupal Webforms offer a more integrated, customizable, and cost-effective alternative. In this article, we explore why transitioning from Qualtrics to Drupal 10 Webforms makes sense. We will look at benefits related to integration, API access, customization, cost savings, and the strategic value of self-hosting.
Seamless Integration Within the Drupal Ecosystem
When your organization already relies on Drupal, using an external system like Qualtrics introduces unnecessary complexity. Webforms are native to Drupal, which eliminates the need for iframe embeds or third-party connectors. This results in:
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Surveys that live within your site structure
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Forms that respect existing user roles, permissions, and content workflows
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Consistent branding and styling through Drupal themes
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The ability to connect Webforms to Views, custom entities, and internal workflows
With Webforms, survey responses are treated as part of the content ecosystem rather than data siloed in a third-party platform.
API Access and Automation Capabilities
Drupal Webforms support modern integration patterns using RESTful endpoints, JSON:API, and GraphQL. The Webform module itself offers dedicated APIs for reading, writing, and processing submissions.
This allows your organization to:
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Push data directly to CRMs, ERPs, and analytics tools
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Automate form population based on user profiles or external sources
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Feed live data into dashboards or trigger notifications via webhooks
These features are often only available at higher pricing tiers in SaaS platforms like Qualtrics, whereas Drupal makes them available through its open-source framework.
The Strategic Advantage of Self-Hosting
One of the most important distinctions between Webforms and Qualtrics is where your application and data live. Qualtrics is a hosted SaaS solution, which means your data, form behavior, and capabilities are managed by an external provider. In contrast, Drupal Webforms are self-hosted. This gives your team:
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Full ownership of data: All submissions stay within your infrastructure.
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No vendor lock-in: You are not dependent on a specific provider's roadmap or uptime guarantees.
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Control over privacy and compliance: You can meet specific legal and regulatory requirements (such as GDPR or HIPAA) without relying on third-party audits or agreements.
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Customization without restrictions: You decide what features to add, remove, or alter based on your needs, not licensing tiers.
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Infrastructure flexibility: Host it on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid model that aligns with your IT strategy.
Self-hosting may require internal expertise or a development partner, but it gives you total control over your platform and long-term adaptability.
Cost Savings and Long-Term Value
Qualtrics can cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars annually, depending on your license level, feature usage, and number of users or responses. Additional costs may include onboarding, training, or integration support.
With Drupal Webforms:
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The module is free and open-source
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You do not pay per user, form, or submission
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Existing internal resources or your Drupal development partner can manage the system
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Infrastructure and hosting costs are predictable and scalable
Even when accounting for developer time and maintenance, the total cost of ownership is significantly lower.
Deep Customization and Extensibility
Drupal Webforms support a wide range of features out of the box, including:
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Conditional logic for dynamic surveys
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Pre-population of fields using tokens or authenticated user data
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Multiple submission handlers (email, remote post, database logging)
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Spam protection with CAPTCHA, Honeypot, or custom logic
You can also write custom modules to create advanced workflows, such as sending a Slack alert for specific answers or integrating with enterprise systems. This level of extensibility is often impossible or expensive in SaaS platforms.
Long-Term Sustainability and Maintainability
By bringing survey functionality into your Drupal platform, you align your tools, teams, and systems. This makes long-term maintenance easier and reduces reliance on external platforms that may change their pricing or discontinue features.
Additionally:
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You can archive, version, or export submissions alongside other site data
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Your DevOps or IT teams maintain full control of security and deployment
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New features can be introduced at your own pace, using the Drupal community or internal development
Webforms as a Strategic Upgrade
Replacing Qualtrics with Drupal 10 Webforms is more than a technical decision. It is a shift toward greater control, cost efficiency, and platform unification. For Drupal-based organizations, this move simplifies your stack, reduces costs, and provides unmatched flexibility and security.
Whether you are a university, nonprofit, government agency, or enterprise, Drupal Webforms can meet your survey needs without the overhead of a commercial SaaS product.
If your team is already using Drupal, there is no reason not to make Webforms your default survey platform.