HappyOrNot alternatives

HappyOrNot Alternatives: Smiley Terminal Competitors (2026)

Q: What are the best HappyOrNot alternatives?

For dedicated devices, the closest alternatives are Ombea, FeedbackNow and Press'nXpress, which all make smiley button or touchless terminals. For tablet-based kiosks, SurveyStance, Surveyapp and Zonka Feedback run smiley surveys on iPads and Android tablets. Qmeter — the platform we build — pairs a touchscreen smiley kiosk with QR, SMS, email and web surveys and closed-loop tickets.

Q: How much does HappyOrNot cost?

HappyOrNot does not publish figures. According to its pricing page, the cost is a setup fee plus an annual subscription based on your mix of feedback collection points, across Essentials, Professional and Managed editions, and prices come with a quote. Among the alternatives, SurveyStance and Surveyapp publish prices for their kiosk and app plans, Ombea gives an indicative starting price in a blog article, and Qmeter lists its device licence on a public pricing page.

Q: Is there a HappyOrNot alternative that runs on my own tablets?

Yes. Qmeter, Zonka Feedback and Surveyapp run smiley surveys on tablets you already own, with kiosk mode and offline collection; SurveyStance sells a bundle with the iPad and stand included, or a software-only option. A touchscreen can also show a follow-up question after a low score. See how it works on the feedback kiosk page.

Q: Which smiley terminals work without Wi-Fi?

According to their websites, Ombea's ExpressPods connect over built-in 2G/3G/4G and Press'nXpress terminals use built-in GSM with batteries rated for more than a year, so neither depends on local Wi-Fi. HappyOrNot's Smiley Terminal is battery-powered and wireless. Tablet-based kiosks such as Qmeter, Zonka Feedback and Surveyapp store answers offline and sync when the connection returns.

Q: What is the difference between a smiley terminal and a feedback platform?

A smiley feedback terminal measures one moment with one tap — fast, anonymous and high-volume, but light on detail and follow-up. A feedback platform adds the other channels (QR, SMS, email, web), full surveys with open comments, analytics that compare locations and time slots, and the workflow that turns a bad score into a fixed problem. HappyOrNot is centred on the first; Qmeter is built as the second — with the terminal included. The omnichannel feedback guide covers the full picture.

Q: Can a low smiley score open a ticket automatically?

In Qmeter, yes: a ticket rule turns a low smiley, star or NPS score into a ticket for the responsible person, with first-response and resolution SLA timers, escalation levels and an audit trail. Among the alternatives, Press'nXpress routes feedback through its Action Hub and Zonka Feedback turns feedback into cases with owners, while Ombea, FeedbackNow and SurveyStance send real-time alerts when scores drop. The mechanics are on the closed-loop ticketing page.

Q: Who should stay with HappyOrNot?

Organisations that genuinely need only the pulse: a simple, recognisable smiley terminal at fixed points, clear benchmarking dashboards, and their own established processes for acting on the results. HappyOrNot created this category and does that job well — Qmeter's case begins when you want the capture, the analysis and the follow-up in one system, at a published price.

The main HappyOrNot alternatives are dedicated terminal makers — Ombea, FeedbackNow and Press'nXpress — and tablet-based kiosk platforms such as SurveyStance, Surveyapp and Zonka Feedback. Qmeter — the platform we build — pairs a touchscreen smiley kiosk with QR, SMS, email and web surveys, tickets for low scores and public device pricing.

HappyOrNot created the four-smiley terminal and is still the best-known name in fixed-point feedback. Teams compare alternatives when they want a different form factor, a follow-up question after a low score, channels beyond the device, a way to turn a bad score into a task, or pricing they can see up front. This guide covers the terminal makers and kiosk platforms that genuinely compete, with facts from each vendor's own website. For the Qmeter side, see the feedback kiosk page and our public pricing.

See transparent pricing

We build Qmeter, so read this as a vendor's guide. Every competitor fact comes from that vendor's own website as of September 2026, and where another product is the better fit, we say so.

At a glance

Seven options side by side

Devices and channels, on-site hardware, pricing model and best fit for each option, summarised from the vendors' own websites. HappyOrNot is included as the reference point.

Platform	Channels	Kiosk & on-site	Pricing model	Best for
HappyOrNotReference	Smiley Terminal, Smiley Touch, Smiley Sign (QR/NFC), Smiley Digital	Battery-powered button terminals and touch kiosks	Quote: setup fee plus annual subscription	A fixed-point happiness pulse at scale
Ombea	Button and touchless terminals, touchscreen, online	ExpressPod (battery, 4G) and ExpressTab	Quote; indicative starting price published	Button terminals without Wi-Fi dependency
QmeterOur product	Kiosk, tablet, QR, SMS, WhatsApp, email, web	Touchscreen kiosk and tablet app (works offline)	Public pricing; Enterprise custom	Multi-location teams acting branch by branch
FeedbackNow	Smiley buttons, feedback boxes, sensors	Button boxes, incl. wave-activated	Quote-based	Airports, hospitals and facilities teams
Press'nXpress	Terminals, QR code and chip, SMS, email, web, tablet	Three-button, touchless and multiple-choice terminals	Quote-based (three tiers)	Retail, hospitality and facilities
SurveyStance	iPad kiosk, QR, email signature, links	iPad kiosk (hardware included)	Public, month-to-month	Hospitals, campuses and public facilities
Surveyapp	Tablet app, kiosk terminal, buttons, email, links, QR	Tablet app (offline) and SurveyKiosk	Public app plans; hardware on request	Travel, retail and quick-service
Zonka Feedback	Tablet kiosk, email, SMS, WhatsApp, web, in-app, QR	iPad and Android kiosk app (offline)	Quote-based; 14-day trial	Software-only kiosks on your own tablets

All product and company names on this page are trademarks of their respective owners. Qmeter is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any vendor listed; names are used only to identify the products compared. Vendor details summarise each vendor's own website as of September 2026 — features, packaging and prices change, so verify current details with the vendor before deciding. Qmeter details are our published product facts.

Alternatives

The alternatives, one by one

Each profile sums up what the vendor says about its own product, who it suits and one thing worth knowing before you book a demo.

Ombea

Button and touchscreen feedback terminals

Ombea makes smiley feedback terminals and the software behind them. The ExpressPod Small is a battery-powered button terminal for a single smiley or multiple-choice question, the ExpressPod Large is a touchless version, and the ExpressTab is a mains-powered touchscreen that adds multiple questions and free-text answers. All three connect over built-in 2G/3G/4G, so they do not depend on local Wi-Fi, and AI-powered reporting and alerts are included. Ombea lists retail, fitness, hospitality, transportation and public-sector customers.

Good fit: Teams that want dedicated button terminals with cellular connectivity, plus a touchscreen option where comments matter.

Worth knowing: Product pages ask for a quote; an Ombea blog article gives an indicative starting monthly price for a small terminal that varies with the number of touchpoints.

According to the Ombea website, September 2026.

QmeterOur product

Smiley kiosk plus feedback platform

Qmeter is the feedback platform we build. Its in-location channel is a touchscreen kiosk or tablet in kiosk mode: one tap on a smiley, an optional follow-up question after a low score, an automatic reset for the next person, and offline capture when the Wi-Fi drops. The same survey also runs on QR, SMS, WhatsApp, email and web. Low scores open tickets for the responsible team with SLA timers and escalation, and the device list flags kiosks that go offline or run low on battery. Device licences are listed on a public pricing page.

Good fit: Teams that want the smiley tap plus follow-up questions, multichannel surveys and tickets someone owns, in one platform.

Worth knowing: Qmeter uses touchscreen kiosks and tablets rather than battery-powered button pods; for a wireless button terminal on a wall, the hardware vendors on this list specialise in that.

Qmeter's published product facts, September 2026.

Feedback kiosk See public pricing

FeedbackNow

Smiley buttons and facility sensors

FeedbackNow, founded in 2012, makes Smiley Buttons and a family of feedback boxes — the Advanced Smiley Box with six customisable buttons, FlexBox, 1-2-3 Box and In & Out Box — including hygienic wave-activated buttons for healthcare and public spaces. Responses travel through a gateway to its platform, where teams watch sentiment in real time and receive alerts when feedback drops below a set threshold. It also sells people counters and noise sensors, and focuses on healthcare, travel and airports, hospitality, attractions and retail.

Good fit: Facilities teams in airports, hospitals and attractions that want feedback buttons alongside footfall and noise data.

Worth knowing: Pricing is not published; enquiries go through the contact and demo forms.

According to the FeedbackNow website, September 2026.

Press'nXpress

Feedback terminals and CX platform

Press'nXpress, with offices in Markham, Canada and Los Angeles, offers three terminals: a three-button Smiley Feedback Kiosk, the touchless TouchFree XPress and the multiple-choice ABC Choice Terminal. The devices run on batteries rated for more than a year, connect over built-in GSM instead of Wi-Fi, and questions can be changed remotely from the dashboard. Around them it adds QR code and chip, SMS, email, web and tablet surveys, PXP AI for sentiment and themes, location comparison and an Action Hub that routes feedback and triggers alerts.

Good fit: Retail, hospitality and facilities teams that want button and touchless terminals plus digital channels and routing from one vendor.

Worth knowing: Its Standard, Advanced and Managed plans are listed without prices; figures come with a demo.

According to the Press'nXpress website, September 2026.

SurveyStance

iPad feedback kiosks

SurveyStance, based in Newport Beach, California, captures in-the-moment feedback with one-tap emoji surveys on iPad kiosks, QR codes, email-signature surveys and one-click links. Its dashboards include real-time alerts, AI summaries and reports, and teams are notified about negative feedback and about kiosk devices that need attention. It targets hospitals, service centres, dining halls, offices, libraries and public spaces. Prices are published: a Feedback Kiosk bundle with the iPad and stand included, a software-only option, and month-to-month plans with unlimited responses.

Good fit: Hospitals, campuses and public facilities that want a simple emoji kiosk with hardware included and a price they can see up front.

Worth knowing: It is centred on quick one-tap emoji ratings, so check that its follow-up options match the level of detail you need.

According to the SurveyStance website, September 2026.

Surveyapp

Tablet survey app and survey terminals

Surveyapp, a UK company, offers a Smiley Survey App that runs on tablets and phones — even offline — a ready-made survey terminal called SurveyKiosk, and Smiley Buttons for instant ratings, plus email surveys and online surveys shared by link and QR code. Its real-time analytics suite covers statistical and text analysis, alerts and a Manager App for teams, and it offers a dedicated passenger feedback platform for airports. App licences, email surveys and survey links have published Essentials and Business prices.

Good fit: Travel, retail and quick-service teams that want a tablet-first smiley survey with offline support and published app pricing.

Worth knowing: Enterprise plans and hardware such as the SurveyKiosk terminal are priced on request.

According to the Surveyapp website, September 2026.

Zonka Feedback

Tablet kiosk app and multichannel surveys

Zonka Feedback's survey app turns iPads, iPhones and Android tablets into feedback kiosks, with a password-protected kiosk mode, inactivity timeouts and offline collection that syncs when the device reconnects. Remote device tracking shows uptime, sync history and battery status. Beyond the kiosk, the same platform sends surveys by email, SMS, WhatsApp, web, in-app and QR code, and adds AI sentiment and theme analysis, alerts, and case management with owners and resolution tracking. A 14-day free trial is available.

Good fit: Teams that want a software-only kiosk on their own tablets, combined with a broad set of digital channels.

Worth knowing: Zonka does not publish prices; quotes depend on feedback volume, scale and CX goals.

According to the Zonka Feedback website, September 2026.

How to choose

How to choose a smiley terminal

Six questions that separate a good fit from an expensive gadget.

Button terminal or touchscreen?

Battery-powered button terminals go anywhere — washroom exits, security lanes, gates — and collect one answer per tap. Touchscreen kiosks and tablets need power but can ask a follow-up question and capture comments, so you learn why a score dropped.

What happens after a low score?

An alert tells someone a score dropped; a ticket makes someone responsible for fixing it. Check whether a low tap can create a task with an owner, a deadline and escalation — see closed-loop ticketing.

Do you need channels beyond the device?

A terminal measures one moment at one spot. If you also want QR codes on tables and gates, SMS or email after a visit and web surveys, choose a vendor that runs them in the same dashboard.

How is it priced?

Compare like for like: setup fees, per-terminal or per-device subscriptions, whether hardware is bought, rented or included, and whether prices are published or quoted. Ask what happens to the hardware when the contract ends.

How do devices stay online?

Cellular terminals avoid Wi-Fi setup; tablets rely on Wi-Fi but can store answers offline. Either way, check for alerts when a device goes quiet, loses connectivity or runs low on battery.

How will you read the results?

Look for comparison by location and time of day, benchmarks across sites and one index your managers can track — Qmeter uses the SLI score for that.

Head-to-head

HappyOrNot vs Qmeter, need by need

If Qmeter is on your shortlist, this is how it compares with HappyOrNot on the decisions that separate a smiley-terminal product from a full feedback operation.

What you need	HappyOrNot	Qmeter
Pricing transparency	Quote-based: a setup fee plus an annual subscription based on your mix of feedback collection points — figures are not published.	Public pricing page — Web Feedback and Device License prices are listed, Enterprise is priced to scope. 14-day free trial on the full platform.
The terminal itself	The category's most recognisable device — the four-smiley terminal that created fixed-point feedback, proven at scale in airports, retail and healthcare.	Touchscreen smiley kiosks and tablets with the same one-tap simplicity — plus configurable follow-up questions, offline collection and automatic sync.
Beyond the terminal	Smiley Terminal, Smiley Touch tablet kiosks, Smiley Sign QR/NFC signage and Smiley Digital for websites and apps — all centred on point-of-experience smiley feedback.	One platform across kiosk, QR, SMS, email, web and in-person surveys in 100+ languages — journey-level measurement, not only fixed points.
From score to fix	AI-driven analytics show sentiment and drivers by time and location, with a live view of trends.	Closed-loop ticketing built in: a low score opens a ticket routed to the responsible team, with SLA timers, escalation and an audit trail.
Depth of feedback	Built for volume: one-tap smiley responses, with optional follow-up on touch devices — light detail by design.	Smiley taps where speed matters, full surveys where depth matters — NPS, CSAT and SLI scoring, open comments and AI analysis on top.
Best for	Organisations that want a proven, ultra-simple happiness pulse at fixed points with minimal setup.	Multi-location teams that want the terminal and the follow-through: multichannel capture, tickets someone owns, and public pricing.

HappyOrNot details reflect publicly available information and commonly reported customer experiences as of mid-2026; the product line and packaging change, so verify with HappyOrNot before deciding. Qmeter details are our published product facts.

When to choose HappyOrNot

HappyOrNot created this category and remains its most recognisable name. If these describe you, it is a solid choice:

You want exactly one thing: a simple, instantly familiar smiley pulse at fixed points — no surveys, no workflows.
The four-button terminal's recognisability matters — visitors already know how it works before they reach it.
You have your own processes for acting on the scores and only need the measurement layer.
A partner-managed, per-terminal subscription fits how you buy.

When to choose Qmeter

Qmeter starts where the smiley tap ends. Choose it if:

You want the terminal AND the rest of the journey — QR at gates and tables, SMS and email after the visit, web everywhere, in 100+ languages.
A low score should become a ticket someone owns — SLA timers, escalation, audit trail — not only a dip on a dashboard.
You want depth when it matters: full surveys, open comments, NPS, CSAT and SLI scoring, and AI analysis — not only button presses.
You want the price before the pitch — every plan and figure on a public page.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to the questions buyers ask most while comparing.

What are the best HappyOrNot alternatives?›

How much does HappyOrNot cost?›

Is there a HappyOrNot alternative that runs on my own tablets?›

Which smiley terminals work without Wi-Fi?›

What is the difference between a smiley terminal and a feedback platform?›

Can a low smiley score open a ticket automatically?›

Who should stay with HappyOrNot?›

Keep comparing

Related guides and next steps

Product pages, pricing and the other alternatives guides, written in the same honest format.

Feedback kiosk Qmeter for airports Medallia alternatives Qualtrics alternatives NPS software CSAT software Customer satisfaction survey software Transparent pricing Closed-loop ticketing

Decide with real data

Keep the smiley. Add the follow-through.

Run Qmeter beside your terminals for 14 days — the same one-tap simplicity at your fixed points, plus QR, SMS, email, AI analysis and tickets someone owns.

See pricing