Best questions for online course student survey about pricing and value

Here are some of the best questions for an online course student survey about pricing and value, along with tips on crafting them for deep insights. With Specific, you can build this survey in seconds—effortless, effective, and tuned to your needs.

Best open-ended questions for pricing and value feedback

Open-ended questions invite students to share genuine thoughts and unexpected insights you’d miss with fixed options. They work best when you want qualitative stories about pricing experience or understand value beyond numbers. However, be mindful that open-ended survey items often have higher nonresponse rates; open-ended questions in surveys average about 18% nonresponse, compared to just 1–2% for closed-ended questions according to Pew Research Center. But the rich, qualitative data you collect more than justifies their inclusion when you need meaningful feedback. [1]

1. How would you describe the value you received from this course compared to its price?

2. What pricing model (one-time fee, subscription, per-module) would feel most fair to you?

3. Were there moments you questioned whether the course was worth the cost? Tell us about them.

4. If you could change one thing about the course pricing, what would it be?

5. What impact did the course’s price have on your decision to enroll?

6. In your view, what features or aspects added the most value for the price paid?

7. Was the course missing anything that would have made it feel like a better value?

8. How does this course’s value compare to others you’ve taken at similar or different price points?

9. Did any bonuses, discounts, or offers influence your perception of the price?

10. If you recommended this course to a friend, how would you explain whether or not it’s worth the cost?

It’s important to balance open-ended questions with easier, structured ones for a well-rounded survey—a blend leads to better data and broader participation. [2]

Best single-select multiple-choice questions for pricing and value

Single-select multiple-choice questions are gold when you want clear, quantifiable data or a simple entry point for students who might hesitate to write out their thoughts. These questions are quick to answer, reduce friction, and help you spot big themes right away. While they may lack nuance compared to open-ended questions, they’re far less likely to be skipped—making them ideal to spark follow-up conversations or combine with clarifying questions. [1]

Question: How would you rate the value of this course compared to its price?

• Excellent value

• Good value

• Fair value

• Poor value

Question: Which factor most influenced your perception of the course’s price?

• Course content and depth

• Instructor expertise

• Course length

• Available bonuses or extras

• Other

Question: Did you feel the course price matched your expectations?

• Yes

• No, it was higher than expected

• No, it was lower than expected

When to follow up with "why?" You should always follow up with "why" when a response indicates uncertainty or dissatisfaction (for example, if someone chooses "Poor value" or "No, it was higher than expected"). This uncovers the real issues or motivators behind their answer. For instance: If a student selects "Poor value," immediately ask, "Can you share why you felt the course was not a good value for its price?"

When and why to add the "Other" choice? Always include "Other" for questions about influences, features, or motivators. Sometimes, students have reasons or expectations you didn’t anticipate—by letting them elaborate, you can discover new opportunities for improvement or hidden strengths in your offering.

Should you use an NPS-style question for pricing and value?

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures how likely someone is to recommend your course to others—a powerful check on value perception. For pricing and value, NPS can reveal if the course feels “worth it” even if the price is high. High NPS scores mean students believe the course delivers value and that price wasn’t a dealbreaker. Use an NPS question to get a fast pulse and spot trends over time. If you want to instantly create an NPS survey for your audience and topic, try this survey generator link.

The power of follow-up questions

We see that the secret to a great AI survey is the follow-up: asking “why?”, clarifying ambiguity, or exploring specifics. Automated AI follow-up questions in Specific make this unscripted and instant—AI listens and digs deeper like a seasoned interviewer, so you always capture the story behind each answer. This means richer context and more actionable insights than static, one-shot surveys ever deliver. You won’t have to chase after respondents with emails, since the conversation stays alive in real time. [2]

• Student: “It wasn’t quite worth the price.”

• AI follow-up: “Can you share what felt missing or what would’ve made it worth the investment for you?”

How many followups to ask? We recommend aiming for 2–3 follow-ups per open-ended question. This helps you get to the real story without overwhelming your students. Specific offers precise controls—you can set the survey to skip to the next topic when the needed clarification is collected. Quality always wins over quantity.

This makes it a conversational survey: By layering follow-ups, your survey feels like a natural chat, not paperwork. Students respond more transparently—and you notice a higher engagement rate.

AI survey response analysis: Even with so much text, it's easy to analyze and extract key insights using AI-powered survey response analysis. Reviewing themes, patterns, and even sentiment in student feedback is now hands-off—AI does the heavy lifting, so you can spend time on action, not sifting through responses.

These AI-automated followups are a game changer; try generating your own conversational survey and feel the difference.

How to prompt ChatGPT for better course pricing and value survey questions

If you want to brainstorm your own survey with ChatGPT (or similar GPTs), here’s how to get sharp, focused questions. Start simple, then layer in more context for stronger results.

Initial request:

Suggest 10 open-ended questions for Online Course Student survey about Pricing and Value.

Want more targeted results? For best output, add plenty of context—describe your audience, your goals, typical student pain points, whether it’s a premium or budget course, etc. Example:

I’m surveying students who recently completed a mid-level online course priced at $99. My goal is to determine whether students saw the course as worth the price and identify features that affected perceived value. Suggest 10 open-ended and 5 multiple-choice questions to capture possible pain points, motivations for purchase, and satisfaction levels.

Next, organize for clarity:

Look at the questions and categorize them. Output categories with the questions under them.

Once you see the categories, focus on the areas most interesting to you (such as “perceived value” or “price sensitivity”). Prompt again:

Generate 10 questions exploring the categories "perceived value" and "features that justify pricing."

What is a conversational survey?

Conversational surveys are a sea change from static forms—think of them as interactive interviews, where each answer sets the stage for the next tailored question. Instead of a long, flat form, you get a natural chat, with smart branching powered by AI. This dynamic style drives higher engagement and more candid feedback.

Old-school manual surveys are rigid and impersonal. In contrast, AI survey generators like Specific’s AI survey builder can instantly craft, customize, and iterate new questions on the fly, based on your research goals or respondent input. The difference is night and day:

Why use AI for online course student surveys? AI survey makers help you move fast, test ideas, and find actionable feedback without guesswork. For example, you can create an online course student pricing and value survey in minutes—no prior expertise required. With conversational survey software like Specific, every step—from question creation to data analysis—feels like a natural extension of your workflow, not a tedious chore.

You’ll notice right away that Specific emphasizes conversation and rapid iteration. The platform provides a best-in-class experience, making feedback feel effortless for both survey creators and students. If you value a smooth research process and thoughtful student engagement, it’s a cut above.

See this pricing and value survey example now

Start collecting richer, actionable feedback today with a conversational AI survey for online course students—you’ll unlock new levels of understanding, retention, and growth.