Census: Customer Surveys vs Report Toaster: Custom Reportsfor Shopify (2026)
Census: Customer Surveys and Report Toaster: Custom Reports, while both listed under the Analytics category on Shopify, serve fundamentally different purposes. Census focuses on gathering direct customer feedback through surveys, enabling merchants to understand customer sentiment, identify pain points, and improve their offerings based on qualitative data. Conversely, Report Toaster is a powerful reporting and analytics app designed to extract, customize, and automate data-driven insights from various aspects of a Shopify store's operations. It targets merchants needing deep dives into sales, inventory, customer behavior, and other key metrics.
At a Glance
Census: Customer Surveys
23 reviews
Report Toaster: Custom Reports
194 reviews
Detailed Overview
Report Toaster: Custom Reports
Advanced reports, using real-time data that you can report, customize, automate, export, and share.
Key Features
- Start with one of our 130+ report templates to create and save better reports
- Export and download reports as PDF or CSV to share via email or analyze in Excel
- Scheduled reports for automated delivery via email, SMS or Slack
- Share live sales report and inventory report links with staff or third-parties
- Use multi-store reporting to report and compare data from multiple shops
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Census: Customer Surveys5/5 Report Toaster: Custom Reports5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 23 | 194 |
Reviews Census: Customer Surveys23 Report Toaster: Custom Reports194 | ||
| Focus | Customer Feedback (Surveys) | Data Reporting & Analytics |
Focus Census: Customer SurveysCustomer Feedback (Surveys) Report Toaster: Custom ReportsData Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Data Source | Customer responses | Shopify store data (sales, inventory, customers, etc.) |
Data Source Census: Customer SurveysCustomer responses Report Toaster: Custom ReportsShopify store data (sales, inventory, customers, etc.) | ||
| Key Feature - App 1 | Gather customer insights | 130+ report templates |
Key Feature - App 1 Census: Customer SurveysGather customer insights Report Toaster: Custom Reports130+ report templates | ||
| Key Feature - App 2 | N/A | Scheduled report delivery (email, SMS, Slack) |
Key Feature - App 2 Census: Customer SurveysN/A Report Toaster: Custom ReportsScheduled report delivery (email, SMS, Slack) | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants prioritizing customer understanding and feedback collection | Merchants needing in-depth sales, inventory and operations analysis |
Target Merchant Census: Customer SurveysMerchants prioritizing customer understanding and feedback collection Report Toaster: Custom ReportsMerchants needing in-depth sales, inventory and operations analysis | ||
| Ease of Use (Inferred) | Potentially simpler due to focused functionality | Potentially steeper learning curve due to advanced customization options |
Ease of Use (Inferred) Census: Customer SurveysPotentially simpler due to focused functionality Report Toaster: Custom ReportsPotentially steeper learning curve due to advanced customization options | ||
| Value Proposition | Improve products and services based on direct customer input | Optimize business decisions with comprehensive, customized reports |
Value Proposition Census: Customer SurveysImprove products and services based on direct customer input Report Toaster: Custom ReportsOptimize business decisions with comprehensive, customized reports | ||
Our Verdict
For merchants primarily concerned with understanding their customers' needs and preferences through direct feedback, Census: Customer Surveys is the more suitable choice. Its focus on gathering customer insights through surveys makes it ideal for product development, service improvement, and overall customer experience enhancement. On the other hand, Report Toaster: Custom Reports is designed for merchants who require in-depth data analysis to drive operational efficiency, optimize sales strategies, and manage inventory effectively. Its robust reporting features, customization options, and automation capabilities make it a powerful tool for data-driven decision-making.
Common Questions
What type of data does each app collect?
Census collects customer feedback through surveys, while Report Toaster collects data from your Shopify store, including sales, inventory, and customer information.
Can I automate reports in both apps?
Report Toaster offers automated report delivery via email, SMS, or Slack, based on the app description. Census focuses on survey deployment, so automation is geared towards sending surveys, not necessarily compiling reports.
Which app is better for understanding customer satisfaction?
Census: Customer Surveys is specifically designed for understanding customer satisfaction through targeted surveys.
Which app is better for managing inventory levels?
Report Toaster offers features for tracking inventory history and generating aging reports, making it a better choice for inventory management.
Is either app suitable for multi-store reporting?
Report Toaster explicitly mentions multi-store reporting capabilities in its description. No multi-store functionality is mentioned for Census.
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