Data is primarily of two types i.e. primary data and secondary data. In this article, we will see the main difference between primary and secondary data.
| Primary Data | Secondary Data |
| Primary Data is original in character. | Secondary Data is not original. |
| The collection of this type of data is expensive. | The collection of this type of data is less expensive. |
| Primary Data is adequate and suitable. | Secondary Data need not be ample and apposite. |
| This data is originally collected by the investigator. | It is available in available sources. |
| The collection time of primary data is long. | The collection time of secondary data is short. |
| It is real-time data. | It is past data. |
| This data is specific to the researcher’s requirements. | This data may or may not be specific to the researcher’s requirement. |
| The data is available in crude form. | The data is available in refined form. |
| The accuracy and reliability of data are more. | The accuracy and reliability of data are less. |
| The sources of primary data are personal interviews, questionnaires, experiments, observations, surveys, etc. | The sources of secondary data are books, websites, journal articles, government publications, etc. |
