The 10+ Best Data Collection Tools With Data Gathering Strategies

List and comparison of the best data collection tools you can use for data gathering activities:

Data collection includes gathering, storing, accessing, and using the original information.

There are different types of data collection, i.e. quantitative information collection and qualitative information collection. The data collection methods that come under the quantitative type include Surveys and Usage data.

The data collection methods that come under qualitative type include Interviews, Focus Groups, and Document analysis.

Different data collection strategies include Case Studies, Usage Data, Checklists, Observations, Interviews, Focus Groups, Surveys, and Document analysis.

Primary data is the data that is collected for the first time by the researcher. This will be the original data and will be relevant to the research topic. The methods used by researchers to collect the primary data include Interviews, Questionnaires, Focus Groups, and Observations.

Best Data Collection Tools for Data Gathering

Enlisted below are the various Data Collection Strategies along with the most popular tools for each data-gathering technique.

Recommended Tools:

Overall Best Toolkit for Building Data Pipelines.

#1) ScraperAPI

ScraperAPI is the most reliable proxy provider for various types of data collection tasks with 90+ million IPs (residential, datacenter,mobile and ISP proxies) around 200+ locations focusing for geotargeting and various types of web scraping tasks. These include tracking product price fluctuations, monitoring customer reviews, scraping search engine results, analyzing competitor data, and much more.

All of this can be efficiently managed through a simple API request, making the process seamless and versatile for diverse scraping needs.

You also get structured data endpoints that return ready-to-use JSON and CSV data from Amazon, Google, Walmart, and more; an async scraper that can handle large amounts (up to 10,000 URLs at once) with 99.99% success rate; and a built-in scheduler that lets you set automatic requests at the time and frequency. You can get the raw HTML of any site by entering its URL. Another option is to use a static IP if you’d like a more permanent session.

ScraperAPI’s smart proxy rotation is highly efficient for automating retries, CAPTCHA handling, and timeouts. It also prevents blocks and bypasses strict anti-bot like DataDome and PerimeterX. Its rotating proxies avoid IP wastage to avoid proxy overheads for businesses to scale without surprise charges.

Additionally, ScraperAPI supports unlimited bandwidth and only charges for successful requests, ensuring cost-effective operations for large-scale scraping tasks. Try their premium proxies at a 7-day free trial with 5000 API credits and upgrade as per your convenience or you can continue using their forever free plan at 1000 API credits monthly. Sign in for more details.

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#2) Nimble

Experience lightning-fast data collection with Nimble Browser, featuring advanced AI models for superior performance.

Unlike automated browsers such as Puppeteer, Selenium, and Playwright, Nimble Browser is up to 70% more lightweight and automatically manages advanced features like TLS fingerprints, canvas checking, headers, and cookies.

Plus, with fully-managed infrastructure designed for data collection – including Nimble’s premium proxy network, comprehensive device emulation, and dynamically-scalable elastic cloud environments – there’s zero need for maintenance or additional infrastructure.

Seamlessly integrate Nimble Browser into your existing data collection pipelines with just one line of code, regardless of which stage your project is in.

Enjoy painless integration with support for all existing browser automation frameworks. Simply sign up for a KYC to start a 7-day trial, and start using Nimble Browser today to upgrade your data collection game!

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#3) IPRoyal

When it comes to successful web scraping, authenticity is key. IPRoyal proxy pool consists of 2M+ ethically sourced residential IPs, with a total of 8,056,839 IPs. Proxies are available in 195 countries. Each IP comes from a genuine device (desktop or mobile) connected to the internet through an ISP, so it’s completely indistinguishable from other organic visitors.

This approach to scraping allows IPRoyal users to gather accurate real-time data anywhere in the world with the highest possible success rates regardless of the target. Unlike other providers, IPRoyal charges you per GB of traffic. You can get significant discounts on bulk orders, but you can purchase as much or as little traffic as needed – all features are available to all clients. Furthermore, your residential proxies traffic never expires!

Speaking of features, IPRoyal offers HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 support, with precise targeting options (country, state, region, and city level), so you always know you get the most accurate data. It’s a versatile and affordable option for efficient, hassle-free data extraction regardless of scale.

#4) Integrate.io

Integrate.io is a cloud-based data integration tool. It can bring all your data sources together. It will let you implement an ETL, ELT, or a replication solution. It is a licensed tool.

It will let you integrate data from more than 100 data stores and SaaS applications. It can integrate data with a variety of sources like SQL data stores, NoSQL databases, and cloud storage services.

You will be able to pull/push data from the most popular data sources on the public cloud, private cloud, or on-premise infrastructure through easy configuration with Integrate.io’s native connectors. It provides connectors for applications, databases, files, data warehouses, etc.

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#5) Outgrow

As far as data collection tools go, Outgrow is perhaps the most underrated of the bunch. This is a marketing tool that you can use to craft a ton of interactive content to collect data from users. Outgrow offers a ton of layouts, which you can use to create data-collecting tools like surveys and chatbots. 

This content can be personalized to your heart’s content. Plus, these layouts come pre-optimized to maximize engagement and conversion. Thanks to the templates and the smart builder, you’ll be able to create professional-looking data collection tools in minutes. Outgrow also offers in-depth analytics to easily assess the collected data in real time.

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#6) Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)-Try for Free

Not many providers take data collection en masse to the next level as Decodo.

It offers scraping solutions for virtually every use case and target. Social Media, eCommerce, and SERP Scraping APIs connect 65M+ ethically-sourced IPs, web scrapers, and data parsers to collect structured HTML and JSON results from social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok; eCommerce platforms like Amazon or Idealo; and search engines, including Google and Baidu.

Web Scraping API connects a residential, mobile, and datacenter proxy network and a powerful scraper for raw HTML extraction from various websites and handles even the JavaScript-heavy websites. Decodo ensures that the results are delivered at a 100% success rate, meaning the software automatically keeps sending API requests until the desired result.

All the APIs have a one-month trial for free and a playground for testing before purchase. If the API isn’t what you are looking for, Decodo has No-Code Scraper, which delivers scheduled data without coding.

For those with built-in custom scraping infrastructure, the provider offers four different proxy types – residential, mobile, shared, and dedicated datacenter. 55M+ ethically-sourced residential IPs in 195+ locations work the best for block-free data scraping in bulk.

Highly successful 10M+ mobile proxies work wonders with multiple account management and ads verification. 100K shared datacenter IPs are the best choice for those requiring super fast speed and pocket-friendly price, while the private datacenter proxies are excellent if you need full IP ownership and control.

All Decodo solutions are vetted for real-time data collection in bulk. In addition, the provider has the capabilities to handle JavaScript-heavy websites.

Website: https://decodo.com/

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#7) Bright Data

Bright Data is a data collection infrastructure that has proxy networks and data collection tools. Its Data Collector can accurately collect data from any website and at any scale.

It can provide the collected data in the format required by you. Its Data Collector is accurate & reliable, customizable, requires no coding, and provides immediately usable data. It has features of ready-made templates, a code editor, and a browser extension.

Bright Data Proxy Networks has solutions of Data Unblocker, rotating residential proxies, data center proxies, ISP proxies, and mobile residential proxies.

Bright Data can provide 24*7 global support. They have an engineering team to guide you with using Bright. Bright Data can provide dedicated account managers. It is a regularly updated tool. It provides full transparency through a real-time service health dashboard.

Website: https://brightdata.com/

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List of Tools for Different Data Collection Techniques

Let’s Explore!!

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#1) Case Studies

A case study is a thorough description of a process, structure, or experience at one organization. Case studies use surveys, statistics about usage, and qualitative data collection techniques. While performing research quantitative data is gathered first and then the qualitative strategies are used.

Below are some of the tools for case studies.

Encyclopedia:

It is a website which has a huge collection of information about many topics. This information can be useful for writing a case study. Website: Encyclopedia

Grammarly:

It is the tool which will help you while writing the case study. It can correct spelling and grammatical mistakes. It has both free as well as paid options. Website: Grammarly

Quetext:

It is a tool to check for plagiarized content. It can be used to check our own content for plagiarism. It is free for use. Website: Quetext

#2) Usage Data

Already collected data can be useful for making decisions.

Example: Computer usage data and the data about the gates and headcount of the existing building etc.

Below are some of the tools for Usage Data.

Suma:

It is an open-source and mobile space assessment tool. This tool will be useful for collecting, aggregating, and analyzing the data. It will help you in interactively analyzing the real-time data of the physical space and service usage. Website: Suma

NCSU Group Study Room Usage Report:

It is an example of the report. Website: NCSU Group Study Room Usage Report

#3) Checklists

The checklist is a list structure of points that needs to be observed or evaluated. Using this technique, you can mark the presence or absence of criteria or can note down short comments about a topic.

Below are some of the tools for Checklists:

Canva.com:

It is an online tool for creating checklists. This will allow you to customize the design for the checklists. The created checklist template will be accessible from desktop, laptop, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Website: Canva.com

Checkli:

It is a free checklist maker. It provides templates for creating checklists. It has free as well as a business plan. The business plan has many features like creating checklists, assigning & scheduling, and tracking everything. Website: Checkli

Forgett:

Forgett is a simple and easy to use checklist tool. It has features like markdown & syntax highlighting, animated gifs, edit mode & action mode, sharing of checklists, and mobile checklists. It is free to create three checklists. Website: Forgett

#4) Observation

Observation is a data collection technique that is performed by monitoring or viewing the subject.

Sometimes observations are performed continuously or in a set of time periods. There can be different types of observations like structured, unstructured, and semi-structured.

The limitation of observations is that it consumes time and it affects the behavior of the participants.

#5) Interviews

Interviews are another data collection techniques.

To collect data through this technique, interviews are performed in groups or on a one-on-one basis. During interviews, the data can be collected using stenography, video recordings, audio recordings, or written notes.

Sony ICD ux560:

It is an audio recording tool. It performs the recording in LPCM format. Website: Sony ICD

#6) Focus Groups

This data collection technique is used to understand the work habits of participants, assignment types and much more.

Learning Space Tool Kit:

This website will tell you about the points to be considered if you want to plan for the focus group. Website: Learning Space Tool Kit

#7) Surveys

Surveys are performed through questionnaires. A standard set of questions are used to perform the survey on any specific topic.

Google Forms:

It is a tool for creating survey forms. It is a free tool for google account holders. You can use the themes provided. This tool will allow you to create a new form and have collaboration features as well. Website: Google Forms

Zoho Survey:

It is an online tool for creating surveys and questionnaires. It is available for free as well. It is accessible from any device and will give you real-time results. Website: Zoho Survey

#8) Documents and Records

This includes checking existing data from databases, reports, minutes of meetings, financial records, newsletters, etc. It is a cost-effective technique for data collection. However, sometimes it may not be the complete data source.

Data Collection Tools in Healthcare:

In the Healthcare industry, the most common data collection methods include manual data collection, administrative data from the electronic patient management system, and reviewing the medical record of a patient.

Instant Data Entry Application (IDEA):

It is a tool for creating and deploying web applications for data collection. You will be able to manage all the created applications in a central place. This application will provide you with a central location to set up mapping and lookup lists.

Data Collection Tools in Qualitative Research:Some of the well-known data collection methods for qualitative research include observations, textual or visual analysis, and interviews.

Further reading =>> Qualitative vs Quantitative Data Analysis and Research

For healthcare research, interviews and focus groups are the common methods that are used. Using the interviews, data collection methods, views, experiences, beliefs & motivations are explored. Qualitative methods will give you a deeper understanding than quantitative methods.

Conclusion

We have explored a list of data collection tools from different categories in this tutorial. By understanding the individual beliefs, experiences, and motivations, qualitative data collection methods will provide a deeper knowledge.

Data collection methods for the Healthcare industry include manual entry, medical reports, and the data collected from an electronic patient management system.

I hope you have learned more about the different data collection tools and techniques.