Survey dropout rate calculator

Find out what share of respondents abandon the survey after starting it. A quick signal of problems with length, screening, logic or the mobile layout.

Dropout rate — the share of people who started a survey but did not complete it.

Calculation FAQ

Starts and completes

Started the survey

All unique survey starts

Completed the survey

Reached the final screen

Dropout rate

—

Result

did not finish

Interpretation

Change the inputs to recalculate.

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Data is not stored — calculation runs in your browser.

How the dropout rate is calculated

Formula

Dropout rate = (started − completed) / started × 100%. Completion rate = completed / started × 100%.

Completion rate

The mirror metric: the higher the completion, the less of the sample is lost.

Losses after the start

Show quickly how much the survey pushes people away after the first screen.

Drop-off by page

When possible, look at losses by screen or question, not only overall.

Calculation examples

1 Short customer survey

Started: 1,200

Completed: 894

A dropout of about 26%: check the length, the first screen and the mobile experience.

2 Research screener

Started: 3,000

Completed: 780

A high dropout can be normal only if many people are screened out.

What to avoid

Confusing dropout with screen-outs Being screened out is not a flaw of the survey. Keep screen-outs and unfinished surveys apart.
Ignoring the channel Dropout from email, QR codes and a website can differ a lot. Segment by source.
Not checking for bugs A sharp drop on one screen is often caused by a bug, a heavy matrix or an unclear question.

Frequently asked questions

What dropout rate is normal?

Short surveys are often expected to stay within 10–20%. Long research and screeners can be higher.

How can I reduce dropout?

Shorten the survey, show an honest completion time, remove complex matrices, and check the mobile version and the first screen.

What matters more: response rate or completion rate?

Both. The response rate shows how many people enter the survey; the completion rate shows how well they get through it.

Should I count partial responses?

You can for individual questions, but base the full analysis on completed or quality-checked responses.

Why did dropout grow after a new version of the survey?

Most often because of length, complex logic, hard questions, a poor mobile layout or asking for personal data too early.

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