When to use it
- The answer is genuinely one-of-many — a single brand, plan, or preference.
- You want a clean frequency count you can chart without recoding.
- Options are mutually exclusive and cover the realistic range of answers.
- You need a branching point — route respondents by the choice they make.
When to reach for something else
- Respondents could reasonably pick more than one — use a checkbox question.
- The list runs long enough to scroll (10+ options) — a dropdown reads cleaner.
- You want intensity or degree, not a category — reach for a rating scale.
Sample question
“Which one of these best describes how you most often commute to work?”
Best practices
- Keep options mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive.
- Add an “Other (please specify)” write-in when the list can’t be complete.
- Randomize option order to cancel out position bias where order isn’t meaningful.
- Include a neutral “None of these” or “Prefer not to say” so no one is forced to guess.
- Aim for 4–7 options; longer lists belong in a dropdown.
Data & reporting
Each response stores the chosen option id. Exports write the option label (with any “Other” write-in appended in parentheses) into a single column. Reports show a count and percentage per option, sorted from most to least selected — a bar or pie chart with no recoding.
Accessibility
Rendered as a native radio group: options are reachable with Tab and selectable with the arrow keys, each control carries a visible label, and the group is announced with its question text to screen readers.
Compared to SurveyMonkey
Both tools do single-select just as well; the difference shows up later, when Surveti lets you crosstab and significance-test the result without moving to a separate analysis tool.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between multiple choice and checkbox?
Multiple choice is single-select — one answer only. A checkbox question is multi-select, letting respondents pick any number of options. If more than one answer can be true at once, use a checkbox.
How many options should a multiple choice question have?
Four to seven is the comfortable range. Beyond that, respondents skim and mis-tap; move long lists into a dropdown so the choices stay scannable.
Can I let people add their own answer?
Yes — turn on an “Other (please specify)” option. The write-in text is stored alongside the choice and carried through to your export.