One of the first platforms that will undoubtedly come to mind when building online forms is Google Forms. Simple to use, free for all, and easily accessible by users from all walks of life, it's easy to see why Google Forms is such a popular choice among the masses.
However, there are some limitations as to what Google Forms can do.
Occasionally critiqued as overly simple, users looking for higher customizability or specific question formats might find themselves needing alternatives that would suit their goals better.
Well, fear not! Whether you’re a blog owner figuring out your target audience or a small business looking to collect feedback from your clientele, there are plenty of online form builders you can try out.
Here, we've curated a collection of the best survey makers on the internet.
1. ProProfs Survey Maker
Boasting popular branded clients such as Sony, Dell, Yale, DHL, and more – ProProfs is a platform that aims to keep its clients happy by delivering high-quality products, including their meticulously-built survey maker.
One of the key features of ProProfs' Survey Maker is that it offers high customizability while still keeping the creation process within four quick and simple steps.
First, users would choose from over 100 pre-built survey templates or make their own form from scratch. Then, when adding in their desired questions, users could choose from a range of question formats, from multiple-choice to open-ended, and build relevant answer branches to guide their respondents.
The third step would be to customize the form to fit the company's branding and style before finally sharing it with its intended audience.
However, do note that ProProfs' free plan is restrictive in many ways, including limiting the number of responses your form can receive to up to only ten responses a month. For users who plan on reaching a wider audience, different subscription tiers offer more functionalities that may better suit your goals.
Pros
- High customizability
- Very restrictive free plan
- Presentation-ready analytics and results
Cons
- Pricing plans may be expensive for users aiming to reach a large audience
2. Microsoft Forms
Another popular alternative to Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, takes a page out of Google's book by championing simplicity and intuitive designs.
Users must first create or sign in to their Office 365 account and click on the Microsoft Forms application to create a form. Users can choose from various templates, list their questions, and begin collecting responses.
There are several key reasons to choose Microsoft Forms over other survey builders, and among these is the convenient integration of Microsoft Forms with any other Microsoft applications.
You can easily link Microsoft Forms in an Outlook email blast and transfer data directly onto Excel Sheets. It's handy for companies or teams that already use Office 360 applications in their day-to-day work.
There is a catch, however – if you don't have an existing Office 360 account, you will have to use a free trial or subscribe to a plan, which might not be worth it if you only use the form builder.
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Limited Formats and templates
- Easy integration with other Office and Microsoft applications
Cons
- Limited Functionality – responders cannot upload files
3. Zoho Forms
Much like Google's Workspace and Microsoft's Office 360, Zoho is a platform that offers digital solutions for the workplace, providing users with a host of apps related to finance, collaboration, customer service, and many other aspects needed to run a business.
One of these services is Zoho Forms, a popular form maker that users can try out for free. In addition to its large library of templates, two of the key reasons why many businesses online choose Zoho Forms to come down to its intuitive app design on both desktop and mobile phones, as well as its seamless integration with the rest of Zoho's applications.
If you are still determining if Zoho is right for you, try their free plan first. That allows up to 3 forms with a limit of 500 submissions per month. Paid plans start from $10/month and include other features such as payment integration.
Pros
- Convenient mobile application for on-the-go work
- Limited number of respondents and forms for free users
- Offers the form builder in 7 languages
Cons
- Might not be worth the subscription if your team doesn't already use Zoho
4. WPForms
Developed by none other than one of the biggest website builders on the internet, the WordPress Form Builder, also known as WPForms, is the perfect survey creator plugin for existing WordPress users.
Establishing itself as an extremely beginner-friendly yet still feature-rich survey application, WPForms ensures that your surveys will look professional while still being simple and quick to make. Beyond that, WPForms also employs spam prevention methods to prevent scammers and bots from giving false answers.
WordPress users would also benefit from the fact that the forms will not slow down the loading of their websites, creating a pleasant overall experience for their responders. However, there is a catch – while WPForms is technically free to use, you will need a WordPress website.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly
- Good performance on WordPress
Cons
- Requires a WordPress website
5. Formidable Forms
From its name alone, users might be able to extrapolate that Formidable Forms is an application built for more technically advanced solutions, making it ideal for users who would like to insert some of their code into their surveys.
Known for its powerful and versatile plugins, Formidable Forms offers customers many functionalities other survey makers might not, such as its online calculator, repeater fields, and a customizable HTML section. These functionalities allow users to create unique, highly specific forms that fit their visions.
However, Formidable Forms still aims to make the survey-making and survey-answering process as simple and painless as possible. For example, Formidable Forms utilizes a drag-and-drop feature, a visual styler, and a variety of form templates to ensure that their users can create their dream surveys as quickly as possible.
Formidable Forms is a costly undertaking, though. Expect to pay anything from $79 per year.
Pros
- Simple and easy form-making process
- Able to cater to highly specific functions
Cons
- Not very affordable
6. Hubspot Online Form Builder
Known to the online community as a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, it might not surprise many that Hubspot offers a wide range of free tools on its website, including a form builder.
One of the biggest reasons users choose Hubspot's form builder is because it is free to use, with unlimited forms and respondents. That's right – it's not just a free trial but a free tool you can use indefinitely. However, for users who require a more extensive range of functionalities, there are paid plans that you could look into as well.
Another highlight of Hubspot's form builder is that users can enable the email automation feature, which automatically sends follow-up emails to users who fill out the form. Additionally, Hubspot's form builder is also fully compatible with all of Hubspot's other tools and applications, creating seamless integrations for current Hubspot users.
Pros
- Seamless integration with all of Hubspot's other applications
- It comes with a marketing automation feature
Cons
- Offers only basic functionalities in its free version
7. Typeform
Another viable alternative to Google Forms is Typeform, a well-loved application for its simplicity and attractive UX design. One of the key factors that help Typeform stand out from its competition is its dedication to revolutionizing online surveys by making the process more human and engaging.
They achieve this by giving their forms a casual vibe and only showing one survey question per page at a time. They also provide their clients with a vast library of aesthetic themes and designs that make every form completely different from others.
As might be expected, to fully utilize Typeform's range of functions and designs, users must subscribe to a paid plan, beginning from $25/month. While there is a free version of Typeform, it only allows ten questions per survey and ten monthly submissions.
Pros
- High customizability
- Increased completion rates
Cons
- Limited questions and responses per form for free users
8. NinjaForms
And last but not least, NinjaForms is another beginner-friendly WordPress form builder that helps its users create professional-looking surveys. Utilizing a drag-and-drop feature, NinjaForms makes the survey creation process extremely easy to follow and does not require any technical knowledge or programming skills.
In the rare event that the users may need help, the NinjaForms customer support team is always there to answer any questions or clear up any confusion. However, if you don't have a WordPress website, you will have to give NinjaForms a miss.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly
- Good customer support
Cons
- Limited functionality for free users
Conclusion – There Are Many Alternatives to Google Forms
All in all, regardless of what you aim to achieve with your surveys, there are plenty of alternatives to Google Forms that can help you reach your goals. Now that you have an overview of all these form builders, which ones will you try out first?
