Questionnaire vs. survey – are they the same?

Although people use the terms interchangeably, questionnaires and surveys are not the same thing. A questionnaire is simply a set of questions designed to collect information. It can be paper‑based or digital, short or long, multiple choice or open‑ended. A survey, on the other hand, refers to the entire process of collecting, analysing and interpreting responses. A questionnaire is part of a survey, but a survey also includes sampling, distribution, data cleaning, reporting and follow‑up.

Consider an example: You might design a 10‑question form to measure customer satisfaction. That form is a questionnaire. When you send it to a representative sample of customers, gather their responses, calculate the average satisfaction score, share the results with your team and decide how to improve service—that sequence is a survey. Surveys may use several questionnaires (for different segments) and can incorporate interviews, focus groups or observation. The key difference is scope.

Understanding this distinction helps you plan more effective research. For small internal projects, a simple questionnaire sent to all employees might suffice. For larger studies—such as gauging public opinion on a new product—you need to think about sampling, distribution methods and analysis tools. To learn more about basic survey concepts, see What is a survey? and Panel surveys vs. focus group – what’s the difference?.

If you are estimating how many responses you need, try our Sample Size Calculator. To understand accuracy, use the Margin of Error Calculator.