Finding a market research tool that fits your exact needs can be a challenge, especially if Suzy hasn’t quite met your expectations. You might be frustrated with its pricing model or find its data limits too restrictive for your projects. Other platforms out there offer detailed features, appealing pricing tiers, and more reliable data pools to address these issues. Comparing alternatives can help you uncover options that better align with your research requirements, whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise. With real user reviews and clear feature breakdowns, you’ll soon have a clearer picture of what each tool brings to the table.
Let’s explore the top alternatives that could be the right fit for your market research needs.
Top 10 Alternatives to Suzy for Market Research
Are you hitting roadblocks with Suzy’s market research platform? You’re not alone. Many CPG professionals find themselves searching for alternatives that better align with their specific research needs, budget constraints, or data quality requirements. Let’s explore ten robust alternatives that might be the perfect fit for your next consumer insights project.
1. Highlight
If you’re tired of dealing with junk data and lengthy research timelines, Highlight offers a refreshing alternative specifically designed for CPG product testing. This platform tackles the two biggest pain points in market research: data quality and speed to insights.
Key strengths:
- Exceptional data quality with only 1-2% junk data (compared to industry average of 30%)
- Lightning-fast turnaround—get insights in approximately 3 weeks instead of months
- Highly engaged Highlighter community with 90%+ completion rates
- Access to super niche audiences for specialized product categories
CPG brands particularly appreciate Highlight’s selective community approach, which ensures every respondent is genuinely invested in providing thoughtful, authentic feedback. Unlike platforms that prioritize panel size over quality, Highlight’s curated community delivers reliable insights you can actually trust when making critical product decisions.
2. Qualtrics
Qualtrics stands out with its comprehensive research suite that extends beyond basic surveys. Its XM Platform combines experience management with robust analytics, making it ideal for brands seeking deeper consumer understanding.
Key strengths:
- Advanced survey logic and branching capabilities
- Sophisticated analytics dashboard with AI-powered insights
- Strong integration with existing business systems
- Excellent for both quantitative and qualitative research methods
Many CPG brands appreciate Qualtrics for its ability to track product performance across the entire consumer journey, though smaller teams may find its extensive feature set overwhelming initially.
3. Medallia
Medallia excels in capturing real-time consumer feedback across multiple touchpoints, making it particularly valuable for brands focused on consumer experience research.
Key strengths:
- Omnichannel feedback collection (in-store, digital, social)
- Text analytics to identify themes in open-ended responses
- Predictive analytics to forecast consumer behavior trends
- Mobile-friendly interface for field researchers
The platform’s strength lies in connecting operational data with consumer feedback, giving R&D teams actionable insights for product improvements.
4. Attest
Attest has gained popularity among CPG brands for its straightforward approach to consumer research and its high-quality respondent panel.
Key strengths:
- Access to 125+ million consumers across 58 countries
- Fast turnaround times (often within 24 hours)
- User-friendly dashboard for non-researchers
- Flexible survey design with multimedia capabilities
Brand managers particularly value Attest’s ability to quickly test packaging designs, marketing messages, and product concepts with targeted consumer segments.
5. SurveyMonkey
Don’t underestimate SurveyMonkey’s capabilities beyond basic surveys. Their enterprise offering provides sophisticated market research tools at a more accessible price point.
Key strengths:
- Intuitive interface requiring minimal training
- Extensive template library for quick research setup
- Solid analytics for quantitative data
- Cost-effective for smaller research projects
Technical insights teams appreciate SurveyMonkey’s API capabilities, allowing them to integrate research data directly into their existing systems.
6. Typeform
Typeform has revolutionized the survey experience with its conversational approach, resulting in higher completion rates and more thoughtful consumer responses.
Key strengths:
- Beautiful, engaging survey designs
- Conversational flow that feels more natural to respondents
- Strong mobile experience
- Visual reporting features
Marketing teams often choose Typeform when consumer experience during the research process itself matters as much as the data collected.
7. dscout
For CPG companies seeking deeper qualitative insights, dscout offers a unique approach through its “mission-based” research methodology.
Key strengths:
- Rich media capture (video, photos, screen recordings)
- Longitudinal studies tracking consumer behavior over time
- In-context research capabilities
- Direct researcher-participant communication
R&D teams find dscout particularly valuable for capturing authentic moments of product usage in consumers’ natural environments.
8. GutCheck
GutCheck specializes in agile market research for CPG brands, offering a balance between speed and depth of insights.
Key strengths:
- Rapid concept testing capabilities
- Flexible methodology options (surveys, online focus groups, communities)
- Industry-specific benchmarking
- Iterative research approach
Consumer insights professionals appreciate GutCheck’s ability to quickly validate product concepts before committing significant development resources.
9. Zappi
Zappi stands out for its automation capabilities, allowing CPG brands to run standardized research programs with consistent methodology.
Key strengths:
- Automated research workflows
- Standardized testing frameworks for consistent benchmarking
- Fast turnaround times
- Integration with marketing and innovation processes
Brand managers value Zappi’s ability to compare new concepts against historical data using consistent metrics and methodologies.
10. UserTesting
While often associated with digital experience testing, UserTesting offers valuable capabilities for CPG product research through recorded consumer interactions.
Key strengths:
- Video-based feedback showing authentic consumer reactions
- Rapid recruitment of targeted participants
- Flexible test design for various research questions
- Rich qualitative data collection
Product development teams find UserTesting particularly helpful for understanding packaging usability, instruction clarity, and first impressions.
How to Choose the Right Market Research Tool for Your Needs
Feeling overwhelmed by all these options? Selecting the right market research tool requires careful consideration of your specific research objectives, team capabilities, and organizational constraints.
What are your primary research objectives?
Start by clearly defining what you need to learn from consumers:
- Product concept testing: Tools like Highlight, GutCheck, and Attest excel at rapid concept evaluation with reliable data
- Consumer experience tracking: Consider Medallia or Qualtrics for ongoing experience measurement
- Packaging and design feedback: Highlight, UserTesting, and dscout provide visual feedback capabilities
- Brand perception studies: Qualtrics offers robust brand tracking methodologies
Your research objectives should drive your platform selection, not the other way around.
What’s your data quality requirements?
Here’s a critical question many teams overlook: How much can you afford to have your decisions influenced by unreliable data?
- High-stakes product launches: Platforms like Highlight with verified, engaged communities minimize junk data risks
- Exploratory research: Broader panels may suffice when you’re gathering directional insights
- Niche product categories: Specialized communities ensure you’re reaching genuinely relevant consumers
Remember, the cost of bad data often far exceeds the price difference between research platforms.
What’s your team’s technical expertise?
Be honest about your team’s capabilities:
- Research specialists: Can handle sophisticated platforms with advanced features
- Occasional researchers: Need intuitive interfaces with minimal training requirements
- Cross-functional teams: Benefit from platforms with varying permission levels and collaboration features
Tools like SurveyMonkey and Typeform offer gentler learning curves, while Qualtrics provides more powerful capabilities that require greater expertise. Highlight strikes a balance with user-friendly interfaces backed by expert support.
What are your budget constraints?
Market research platforms vary widely in pricing structures:
- Per-project pricing: Good for occasional research (Highlight, Attest, GutCheck)
- Subscription models: Cost-effective for ongoing research programs (Qualtrics, Medallia)
- Pay-per-respondent: Offers flexibility for varying sample sizes (dscout, UserTesting)
Consider not just the platform cost but also the hidden expenses of training, implementation, and potential integration with your existing systems. Factor in the cost of poor data quality—redoing research or making wrong product decisions can be far more expensive than investing in quality upfront.
What’s your timeline?
Different platforms excel at different research speeds:
- Need results within 3 weeks? Highlight delivers quality insights faster than traditional methods
- Need results within 24 hours? Consider Attest or Zappi for quick directional feedback
- Planning a month-long study? dscout offers in-depth longitudinal capabilities
- Continuous monitoring? Medallia or Qualtrics offer robust ongoing tracking
The right tool balances speed with the depth and quality of insights required for your specific decisions.
By carefully considering these factors—especially data quality and timeline requirements—you’ll be better positioned to select a market research platform that truly addresses your organization’s unique needs and avoid the frustration of investing in a tool that doesn’t deliver the insights you need.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right market research platform doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. While tools like Qualtrics, Medallia, and Attest each bring valuable capabilities to the table, the best alternative depends on what matters most to your team—whether that’s speed, data quality, specialized audiences, or comprehensive analytics.
After exploring these ten alternatives, one platform consistently stands out for CPG brands prioritizing both quality and efficiency: Highlight. Unlike traditional research tools that force you to choose between fast results and reliable data, Highlight delivers both.
The bottom line? If you’re tired of compromising between speed and quality—or paying premium prices for unreliable data—Highlight offers the best alternative to Suzy for CPG product testing. It’s the platform that turns consumer feedback into confident product decisions, faster than you thought possible.
