What AQ Rate does

AQ Rate SRL is an independent, full-service market research agency headquartered in Saint-Gilles, Brussels, Belgium, operating since 2012. The firm delivers tailor-made research solutions across both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, covering face-to-face (CAPI/CASI), telephone (CATI), and online (CAWI) data collection, and partners with Egerie Research to extend into focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observation. Its research process runs end-to-end from diagnostic and methodological recommendations through questionnaire design, data collection, and statistical analysis using Askia Suite, with results delivered as detailed reports, cross-tabulation tables, interactive dashboards, and raw data exports in SPSS or Excel formats.

The backbone of AQ Rate's offering is InternetPanel.be, a proprietary online access panel established in 2001 with approximately 100,000 active Belgian members that is GDPR-compliant, double opt-in, and used exclusively for AQ Rate's own projects. The panel is representative of the Belgian online population, with response rates of 5-20%, ~35% subscription retention, churn below 2%, and panelists contacted no more than once every 6-8 weeks. AQ Rate holds certified memberships in Esomar, CUBE Belgium (formerly Febelmar), and CommPass, ensuring adherence to international and Belgian deontological codes of ethics and privacy regulations.

The company serves enterprise and institutional clients across at least nine verticals — FMCG, Finance, Retail, Automotive, Pharma, Advertising, Media, Institutional, and Travel — with named engagements spanning SNCB/NMBS, Actiris, Bruxelles Mobilite, Bruxelles Environnement, Port of Brussels, Rossel Advertising, Omnicom Media Group, Space Media, RTBF, Renault, Dacia, VOO, Keytrade Bank, Agoria, Atout France, and APAQ-W, among more than 200 cumulative client companies. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services billed per engagement, with SME-tailored packaged offerings (Brand Awareness & Equity, Brand Satisfaction, Advertising Impact) supplementing the core custom research model. Distribution is exclusively direct sales from Brussels, with no resellers or channels, and geographic scope is Belgium with the proprietary panel representative of the Belgian online population.

Name

AQ Rate

Legal name

AQ Rate SRL

Website

https://aq-rate.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AQ Rate is an independent, full-service market research agency in Brussels, Belgium, providing end-to-end tailor-made research using its proprietary InternetPanel.be (~100,000 Belgian members), serving enterprise, government, and SME clients across FMCG, finance, automotive, media, retail, pharma, advertising, institutional, and travel sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

akta.pro primary industry

Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Consumer insights research
• Survey data collection
• Brand tracking research
• Advertising effectiveness

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-gilles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Market Research Projects: AQ Rate provides tailor-made research solutions across qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Every survey project is handled end-to-end (diagnostic, questionnaire design, data collection, analysis, strategic advice) and priced on a per-project basis. The company also offers SME-specific packaged research solutions. Revenue is derived entirely from professional research services billed to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AQ Rate is an independent, full-service market research agency providing tailor-made qualitative and quantitative research solutions from initial diagnostic and questionnaire design through multi-mode data collection (CAPI/CASI, CATI, CAWI) to results analysis and strategic advice. Its proprietary InternetPanel.be panel of approximately 100,000 active Belgian members and Askia Suite software underwrite the end-to-end research process delivered entirely in-house.

Product overview

AQ Rate is an independent full-service market research agency headquartered in Brussels, operating since 2012. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of research services organized around three core service pillars: Diagnostic & Recommendations (methodology design), Data Collection (quantitative research via face-to-face CAPI/CASI, telephone CATI, and online CAWI), and Results Analysis & Strategic Advice (statistical analysis using Askia software). AQ Rate's proprietary InternetPanel.be panel of approximately 100,000 active Belgian members underpins its research capabilities. The portfolio encompasses specialized research types (audience, branding, loyalty, behavior, segmentation, shopper, innovation, product, B2B, employer research) and sector-focused services across FMCG, Finance, Retail, Automotive, Pharma, Advertising, Media, Institutional, and Travel markets. Tailored SME packages covering brand awareness, satisfaction, and advertising impact are also offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Full-Service Market Research Projects End-to-end tailor-made qualitative and quantitative market research projects delivered entirely in-house by AQ Rate — from initial diagnostic and questionnaire design through data collection (CAPI/CASI, CATI, CAWI) to results analysis and strategic advice. Each project is run by a dedicated, experienced research manager and is intended for Belgian enterprise, SME, and public-sector clients across AQ Rate's sector specializations (FMCG, finance, retail, automotive, pharma, advertising, media, institutional, travel).
• InternetPanel.be Access Panel Proprietary online access panel of approximately 100,000 active members representative of the Belgian online population, GDPR-compliant with double opt-in. Used exclusively for AQ Rate's research projects with no data transferred to third parties, supporting CAWI data collection and integrated with Askia Suite.
• SME Market Research Packages Tailored fixed-scope research packages for small and medium enterprises covering three deliverables: Brand Awareness & Equity, Brand Satisfaction, and Advertising Impact. Available through the website on a first-come-first-served basis with no publicly disclosed pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of Belgian consumers prefer Made in Belgium products and see them as more valuable (Belgium at Heart study)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Egerie ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAQ Rate collaborates with Egerie Research, an independent Belgian qualitative research agency recognized for its expertise, to deliver focus groups, in-depth interviews, observation, and desk research. This partnership strengthens AQ Rate's qualitative capabilities and ensures high standards of methodological rigor and insight quality for qualitative components of client projects.
• CUBE Belgium (formerly Febelmar)minorOthersAQ Rate is a certified member of CUBE Belgium (ex Febelmar), the Belgian professional association of market research organizations. Membership signifies compliance with Belgian deontological codes of ethics and privacy regulations.
• EsomarminorOthersAQ Rate is a certified member of Esomar, the international professional association of market research organizations. Membership confirms adherence to international ethical standards and best practices in market research.
• CommPassminorOthersAQ Rate is a member of CommPass, a professional association relevant to market research and communications professionals in Belgium.
• STRATECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAQ Rate collaborated with STRATEC on a shared micromobility study for Bruxelles Mobilite (Brussels government). AQ Rate contributed questionnaire design, data collection monitoring, and results processing, while STRATEC led the overall study coordination. The study surveyed ~2,200 Cambio Brussels and Poppy Mobility users in 2025.
• AskiacoreTechnology or IntegrationAQ Rate relies on Askia Suite (a leading marketing research software solution) for survey creation, distribution, data validation, real-time tracking, and advanced statistical analysis. Askia is integrated seamlessly with AQ Rate's proprietary InternetPanel.be panel, providing a seamless, GDPR-compliant research process.
• InternetPanel.be partner websitesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternetPanel.be recruits panelists both online (via recruitment campaigns on partner websites) and offline (through cross-fertilization with CATI and CAPI interviews). Partner websites serve as a recruitment channel for growing the panel.
• CIM (Centre d'Information sur les Media)minorOthersAQ Rate references CIM (CIM.be) as a source of media data referenced in its external resources section, likely used for media benchmarking and audience research context.
• MediaSpecsminorOthersAQ Rate links to MediaSpecs.be as an external media glossary resource for clients to understand industry vocabulary, as referenced in its Useful Links section.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Antémys: French consumer insights and innovation research firm with comparable methodology and SME/enterprise positioning; relevant peer for cross-border competition in French-speaking Belgian accounts.

Direct peers

• Profacts: Belgian full-service market research firm with proprietary online panel (Profacts Panel) covering consumer, B2B, and healthcare research; competes head-to-head for the same Belgian FMCG, retail, and government budgets.
• iVOX: Belgian online panel and full-service research agency with similar proprietary panel, multi-mode data collection, and Belgium-wide coverage; overlapping customer base in retail, media, and public-sector studies.
• Bilendi: European panel and data collection specialist with Belgian operations; competes on online panel access, fieldwork services, and full-service market research across the Benelux region.
• Accent (Accent Group): Belgian research and consultancy firm providing consumer insights, brand tracking, and customer experience research to Belgian enterprises; comparable in size, methodology, and client segments.
• InSites Consulting (Human8): Belgium-based full-service consumer insights agency operating its own online communities and panel; directly comparable in geography, full-service quant/qual offering, and proprietary community asset model to AQ Rate.

Others

• Attentia: Belgian HR and employer research specialist; adjacent peer given AQ Rate's employer branding research line, competing for Belgian HR, employee engagement, and eNPS mandates.

Broad incumbents

• GfK (NielsenIQ): Global consumer research leader with Belgian presence in retail, FMCG, and consumer durables research; larger-scale alternative for the same enterprise buyers AQ Rate serves.
• Ipsos Belgium: Global market research leader with a strong Belgian operation; competes for the same enterprise and government clients AQ Rate serves, but offers broader international reach and syndicated products.
• Kantar Belgium: Global insights and consulting group with Belgian offices providing consumer panels (Worldpanel), brand tracking, and media research; competes for multinational clients and Belgian media/advertising accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aqratebelgium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aq-rate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AQ Rate