What is Cipher?
Cipher is Surbee's response-quality system, and it checks every response your survey collects.
Cipher is the part of Surbee that checks whether each response came from a real, attentive person. It runs on every response to every survey where it is switched on, and it is switched on by default.
You don't need to set anything up. Publish your survey, share the link, and Cipher checks each response as it comes in.
What Cipher does for each response
When someone submits a response, Cipher:
- Looks at how the survey was filled in. Timing, typing, scrolling, touch and attention signals recorded while the respondent worked through the form.
- Looks at the device and connection. Whether the browser behaves like a real one, and whether the response looks like part of a batch.
- Reads the written answers (on Pro and above). Whether an answer responds to the question, shows real effort, contradicts another answer, or reads as AI-written or copied.
- Gives the response a score from 0 to 100. Higher means more likely to be a genuine response.
- Flags the response when the evidence is strong enough, and explains why in plain language.
Cipher never blocks or rejects a response because of its score. Every response is kept, and you decide what to do with the flagged ones.
Where you see it
Open your survey and go to Insights.
- Overview shows the Flagged by Cipher count, the average Cipher score and a Checks passed breakdown that shows which kind of signal is pulling the score down.
- Results shows a Cipher column with each response's score. Expand a row to see the flags and Cipher's reasoning.
- Themes and Analysis leave flagged responses out automatically, so low-quality data doesn't shape your findings.
- Exports include the Cipher score, whether the response was flagged, and the flag reasons.
Why it matters
Online surveys attract bots, people rushing through for an incentive, and answers pasted from AI tools. A handful of bad responses can move an average, invent a theme, or hide a real difference between groups. Cipher helps you find those responses before they reach your conclusions.