SurveyMonkey Cheat Sheet

Updated 2026-03-18

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SurveyMonkey is a cloud-based survey creation and data collection platform that enables individuals and organizations to design, distribute, and analyze surveys online. Founded in 1999, it has become one of the most widely used tools for gathering feedback, conducting market research, and measuring customer satisfaction. The platform's strength lies in its ability to transform complex survey logic into an intuitive interface — allowing users to create sophisticated, branching questionnaires without writing code. A critical distinction to understand: while SurveyMonkey makes survey creation accessible, the quality of insights depends entirely on well-crafted questions and appropriate analysis methods; the tool amplifies both good and poor survey design equally.

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This topic spans 16 focused tables and 113 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.

Table 1: Question TypesTable 2: Survey Logic and BranchingTable 3: Randomization and A/B TestingTable 4: Survey Design and CustomizationTable 5: Collector Types and DistributionTable 6: Response Recruiting ServicesTable 7: Data Analysis FeaturesTable 8: Report Generation and ExportsTable 9: Benchmarking and ComparisonTable 10: Integrations and AutomationTable 11: Mobile FeaturesTable 12: Team Collaboration and PermissionsTable 13: Survey Templates and Building ToolsTable 14: Response ManagementTable 15: Advanced Question FeaturesTable 16: Data Security and Privacy

Table 1: Question Types

Type	Example	Description
Multiple Choice	`Which social media platform do you use most?` `○ Facebook` `○ Instagram` `○ Twitter`	• Single-selection or multi-selection questions with predefined answer choices • supports image choices and can be configured to allow "Other" text entry.
Matrix/Rating Scale	`Rate each feature (1-5):` `Speed [1][2][3][4][5]` `Quality [1][2][3][4][5]`	• Grid format where multiple items are evaluated using the same set of response options • commonly used for Likert scales and can assign numeric weights to choices.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)	`How likely are you to recommend us?` `0 (Not likely) ... 10 (Very likely)`	Specialized 0-10 scale that automatically calculates NPS by categorizing respondents as Promoters (9-10), Passives (7-8), or Detractors (0-6).
Single Textbox	`What is your job title?` `[________________]`	• Short open-ended response field • can be validated for email addresses, numbers, or date formats to ensure data quality.
Comment Box	`Please explain your rating:` `[____________________]` `[____________________]`	• Larger multi-line text field for detailed qualitative feedback • ideal for capturing explanations and suggestions.
Dropdown	`Select your country:` `[▼ United States____]`	• Space-saving alternative to multiple choice with searchable list of options • best for long lists like countries or states.
Ranking	`Rank these priorities (drag items):` `1. _____` `2. _____`	• Forces respondents to order items by preference • useful for understanding relative importance of options.

Table 1: Question Types

Type	Example	Description
Multiple Choice	`Which social media platform do you use most?` `○ Facebook` `○ Instagram` `○ Twitter`	• Single-selection or multi-selection questions with predefined answer choices • supports image choices and can be configured to allow "Other" text entry.
Matrix/Rating Scale	`Rate each feature (1-5):` `Speed [1][2][3][4][5]` `Quality [1][2][3][4][5]`	• Grid format where multiple items are evaluated using the same set of response options • commonly used for Likert scales and can assign numeric weights to choices.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)	`How likely are you to recommend us?` `0 (Not likely) ... 10 (Very likely)`	Specialized 0-10 scale that automatically calculates NPS by categorizing respondents as Promoters (9-10), Passives (7-8), or Detractors (0-6).
Single Textbox	`What is your job title?` `[________________]`	• Short open-ended response field • can be validated for email addresses, numbers, or date formats to ensure data quality.
Comment Box	`Please explain your rating:` `[____________________]` `[____________________]`	• Larger multi-line text field for detailed qualitative feedback • ideal for capturing explanations and suggestions.
Dropdown	`Select your country:` `[▼ United States____]`	• Space-saving alternative to multiple choice with searchable list of options • best for long lists like countries or states.
Ranking	`Rank these priorities (drag items):` `1. _____` `2. _____`	• Forces respondents to order items by preference • useful for understanding relative importance of options.