If you’re running a survey in Alchemer and only want certain people to fill it out, you’re in the right place. Maybe it’s for staff, a private client group, or just folks you actually know. Either way, you need more than a public link floating around. Password protection is a simple, low-drama way to keep your survey from random eyes—without the headache of managing user accounts or sending out unique links. This guide walks you through exactly how to lock down your survey using Alchemer’s built-in password features, what works well, and what pitfalls to watch out for.
Why Bother With Password Protection?
Before we get into the how-to, let’s be honest: password protection in Alchemer isn’t Fort Knox. But it is a fast way to keep out the casual snoops and reduce spam responses. Here’s when it makes sense to use:
- You want to keep out the general public, but don’t need ironclad security.
- You’re sending the survey to a group you trust not to share the password everywhere.
- You don’t want the hassle of creating and managing a gazillion unique links.
If you really need to guarantee that only certain individuals respond—say, for compliance or legal reasons—look at email campaigns or authentication integrations instead. Password protection is quick, but it’s not bulletproof.
Step 1: Decide If Password Protection Is Enough
Don’t skip this. Password protection is simple, but it can be defeated by someone sharing the password. Ask yourself:
- What’s the risk if the link leaks? If it’s just a minor annoyance, password protection is fine.
- Do you need to track who responded? Passwords won’t tell you who’s who. If you need audit trails, consider more advanced features.
- How many people need access? Passwords are best for small-to-medium groups where you expect a little common sense.
If you’re OK with these tradeoffs, let’s keep moving.
Step 2: Create or Open Your Survey
Head into your Alchemer account and either create a new survey or open an existing one you want to restrict. You don’t need to start from scratch—password protection works on any survey.
Step 3: Enable Password Protection
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Go to the “Tools” or “Survey Settings” Section
- Find your survey in Alchemer.
- Look for a “Tools” menu or a “Survey Settings” option—Alchemer’s interface changes now and then, but password protection is almost always tucked away here.
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Find “Password Protection” or “Require Password” Option
- Scroll around for “Password Protection,” “Require Password,” or similar. Sometimes it’s under “Security.”
- If you can’t find it, search Alchemer’s help docs for your plan tier; password protection is available on most paid plans, but not all free ones.
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Turn On Password Protection
- Click to enable it. You’ll be prompted to enter a password.
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Pick a Password
- Choose something you’re comfortable sharing, but not so obvious that anyone could guess it in five tries (so, probably not “survey2024”).
- Don’t use sensitive passwords you use elsewhere—this isn’t high security.
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Save Your Settings
- Make sure to save or publish your changes. If you skip this, the password won’t stick.
Pro Tip: If you want to change the password later, just come back to the same spot and update it. No need to create a new survey.
Step 4: Test the Survey
Before you send out your link, open it in a private browser window or incognito tab. Make sure you see a password prompt before you can access the survey questions. Enter the password and confirm you get through.
If you don’t see the prompt, double-check that you enabled password protection and saved your changes.
Step 5: Share the Survey Link and Password
Now, send your survey link to your intended group—by email, Slack, or whatever you use. Include the password in the message, unless you want to do a separate follow-up for extra caution.
What to tell people:
- Don’t share the link and password more widely than needed.
- If you’re worried about leaks, you can always change the password and re-send.
What NOT to do:
- Don’t post the password on a public website or social media.
- Don’t use the same password for multiple surveys if you want to keep them separate.
Step 6: Monitor Responses (and Be Realistic)
Check your survey’s response rate in Alchemer as usual. Password protection won’t tell you who’s who—it just blocks the door. If you need to track individuals, ask for identifying info in the survey itself (but be upfront about it), or use Alchemer’s “Email Campaign” tool for more granular control.
If you get spam responses despite the password:
- Your password might’ve leaked, or someone guessed it. Change it and notify your group.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
What works:
- Quick setup: You can add password protection in under 5 minutes.
- Good for small/medium groups: Clubs, committees, or short-term projects.
- Keeps most randoms out: The average spam-bot won’t get past the password screen.
What doesn’t:
- Not real authentication: Anyone with the password gets in—there’s no account check.
- Easy to share/guess: If one person shares it, you lose all control.
- Not great for sensitive data: Don’t use this if you’re collecting medical, financial, or truly private info.
What to Ignore
- Multiple passwords: Alchemer doesn’t support “one password per person” out of the box. Don’t waste time looking for this.
- Complex conditional logic for passwords: That’s not a thing here. You get one password per survey, period.
- Secret URLs as security: A secret link is not a replacement for a password. Always use both if you care at all about privacy.
Alternatives to Password Protection
If you realize you need more control, here’s what else Alchemer can do (but with more setup):
- Email Campaigns: Send unique links to each person—they can only respond once per link.
- Authentication Integrations: Connect Alchemer to your SSO or LDAP, but this is overkill for most needs and requires IT help.
- Quotas and logic: Limit how many responses you’ll accept, or filter out responses with logic questions.
Each of these options requires more planning, and in some cases, a higher-tier plan.
Keep It Simple (and Iterate)
Password-protecting a survey in Alchemer is easy and works well when you just want a simple gate. Don’t overthink it—start simple, and only move to fancier solutions if you really need them. If you run into problems, tweak your password, tighten up your sharing, or look into Alchemer’s other access control tools as needed. Most of the time, a little friction is all you need to keep the right people in and the wrong ones out.