Are you looking for an efficient way to collect information from groups of people, whether it be contact information, survey data, or lead generation? If so, you are probably searching the market for the best online form builder.
Look no further. This article will delve into the pros and cons of 6 best online form builders – Formstack, Jotform, HubSpot Free Form Builder, Wufoo, Typeform, and Google Forms.
Since each application has a very distinct purpose, making the decision shouldn’t be hard!
The Best Online Form Builder: Common Features
While each of the online form builders has some sort of specific purpose, they all share some very common core features.
After using all of the applications, I can confidently say that all of them are very easy to use. Ease-of-use is important for any kind of software – you don’t have to purchase something, and realize you need a Ph.D. to use it, do you?
All builders with the exception of Google Forms use a drag and drop technique for creating forms, which is what makes them so easy to use. Google Forms uses a step-by-step builder, which isn’t necessarily harder.
While all of the form builders are, more or less, free to try, some are a lot more generous with their “free” features than the others.
So now that we’ve got the general stuff out of the way, let’s jump into each individual software to determine which one is the best online form builder!
Formstack
Formstacks’s Pros
- Conditional logic
- 40+ integrations
- Conversion kit including A/B testing
- Advanced customization capabilities
- Multi-page forms
- Clean design
Formstack’s Cons
- Expensive
- Cheaper plans are very limited
- Unremarkable customer service
Formstack Feature Review
Formstack has a beautiful and easy-to use UX/UI.
Conditional logic allows you to route the person filling out the form wherever their answers lead them. For example, if someone answers “No” to question 2, and you’d like them to skip ahead to question 4 as a result, Formstack has the capability to do so.
With over 40 integrations and 8 payment applications, you can customize your forms for your convenience.
One of the unique features of Formstack is their Conversion Kit which captures data and provides resources for you in order to maximize the amount of people who complete your form. It also helps you track the results of your form so that you don’t have to do as much analyzing yourself. The kit includes:
- Partial Submissions
- A/B Testing
- Field Bottlenecks
- Campaign Tracking
- Google Analytics
- Facebook Autofill
- Google+ Autofill
Formstack also makes it easy for you to stay true to your brand when creating forms with its customization options. It’s also simple to do so considering the application’s clean and intuitive design.
Lastly, Formstack’s multi-page forms allow users to split up long forms. This means people filling out the form can leave and come back without losing their place.
Formstack Pricing
Who is Formstack for?
Formstack stands out as a form builder for professional use. It’s advanced capabilities ensure that you can create complex forms true to your brand.
If you need forms that capture information across your organization such as event registration/feedback or HR forms, then Formstack is a great choice for you. I wouldn’t recommend Formstack to smaller teams or individuals who are looking for simple forms, especially considering the price tag on Formstack.
Jotform
Jotform’s Pros
- Lots of form Themes and Templates
- Easy to add payment integrations and widgets (lots of cool ones!)
- Conditional logic
- Option to invite collaborators
- Customizable automatic emails
- Clean design
- Mobile app
Jotform’s Cons
- Limits submissions that you can accept
- Limited visual customization of forms
- Unremarkable customer service
Jotform Feature Review
Jotform stands out from the rest with its speed. There are loads of themes and templates to choose which makes starting a form fast. Once you’re actually building the form, Jotform has conveniently placed payment forms, widgets and commonly used fields (ex. name, date, time, email, address, etc.) on the left side for you to quickly drag and drop into your form.
Like Formstack, Jotform can perform conditional logic.
In addition, Jotform allows you to invite colleagues at any point to work on the form with you.
Jotform also gives you the option to send out customized, automatic emails to people who have filled out your form as well as emails to yourself each time someone completes the form.
Lastly, Jotform has a beautiful user interface, which makes creating forms somewhat enjoyable.
Jotform Pricing
Who is Jotform for?
Jotform is perfect for fast, on-the-go form creation, especially considering Jotform’s mobile app. I would recommend Jotform for forms with a smaller audience. Due to Jotform’s lack of customization options, I would not recommend it to enterprises looking for customer-facing forms.
HubSpot Free Form Builder
HubSpot’s Pros
- Integration with all HubSpot Tools
- Integration with 100+ 3rd party software
- Customizable automatic emails
- Data transfer from form to CRM
- Conditional logic
- Free to use
HubSpot’s Cons
- Main focus on lead management
- Not as useful for other form types (surveys, etc.)
- Limited form customization options
- Lack of custom form fields for the free version
HubSpot Form Builder Feature Review
If you’ve done anything related to online marketing, you’ve probably heard of HubSpot before.
They offer tools for just about any purpose – email marketing, lead generation, SEO, you name it!
So, it shouldn’t be that surprising that they have their own form builder software. What really sets this tool apart from the rest we’ve mentioned is that it’s focused on lead generation, specifically.
As a given, all the functionalities that it comes with are with this specific angle.
You can, for example, send out an automatic email to all the new sign-ups. Or, automatically transfer all the data from the form to your HubSpot CRM.
HubSpot Form Builder Pricing
The form builder is part of the HubSpot marketing tools package, which is free for its basic functionalities.
If you want to include custom fields within the forms, you’d need to go for the “starter” package, which costs $46 / month.
Who is HubSpot Form Builder For?
This tool is the best option from all the other form builders if you’re using it for lead generation. The built-in integration with all the other HubSpot tools makes it extremely easy to use and benefit from.
If you’re using forms for anything other than lead generation (surveys, research, etc.), though, the other tools might be a better fit.
Wufoo
Wufoo’s Pros
- Complex reporting and analytics
- Tons of integrations (ex. Zapier, Mailchimp, Salesforce, etc.)
- Prevents duplicate submissions
- Conditional logic
- Ability to close form automatically at threshold
Wufoo’s Cons
- Outdated design
- Limited storage and submissions
- Lack of customization options
Wufoo Feature Review
Wufoo’s most distinct feature is its beautiful and complex reports, which you can see above. You get a lot more analytics with Wufoo than most form builders, and Wufoo automatically presents it in charts and graphs, making it much easier to understand. You can even use the reports for presentations.
Wufoo will also keep your data and email inbox clean by preventing duplicate submissions if you’d like.
Similar to Formstack and Jotform, Wufoo offers conditional logic.
If you’d like to close a form after a certain number of submissions or after a certain period of time, Wufoo can do that for you automatically.
One of the only cons I immediately noticed with Wufoo was the tacky user interface. Although it’s very easy to use, the bright oranges and outdated shapes and fonts are not as pleasant to look at as some of the other online form builders.
Wufoo Pricing
Who is Wufoo for?
Wufoo excels in robust reporting. Thus, I would recommend it for forms that require powerful reports such as contact forms, surveys, and heavy data collection. Wufoo is the ideal option if you are looking to gather AND organize your data without having to integrate with another reporting system.
Typeform
Typeform’s Pros
- Innovative, conversational forms
- Mobile phone app
- Conditional logic
- Proof of effectiveness for lead generation
- Email notifications
- Collaboration with teammates
- Sleek design
Typeform’s Cons
- Limited reporting
- Lacking customer support
- Distinct design makes customization hard
Typeform Feature Review
Typeform is an innovative form builder in that it aims to be a conversation with the person filling it out rather than just another form. It makes the process of providing information somewhat interesting and exciting.
Because of this, however, it’s quite obvious when a form was built using Typeform, so if you prefer a form that looks like your company has total ownership over it, maybe Typform isn’t for you.
Typeform is proven valuable for lead generation forms in particular. The conversational style allows potential customers to open up to you and provide you with their information.
With the paid versions of Typeform, you can set up automatic email notifications for when people fill out your form.
Lastly, my favorite aspect of Typeform is the design. It has a super clean and elegant user interface.
Typeform Pricing
Who is Typeform for?
Typeform’s unique style is aimed at engaging your audience one question at a time. It works best for surveys, quizzes, and lead generation. I personally use it to generate leads and can vouch for Typeform’s effectiveness.
Check out an example of a form, and you’ll see how fun they can be. They can be more time consuming to fill out, however, so if you just need some simple information and your audience doesn’t have the time for games, I wouldn’t recommend Typeform.
Google Forms
Google Forms’ Pros
- Completely Free
- Visually appealing themes
- Convenient if you already use Google apps
- Unlimited forms/submissions
Google Forms’ Cons
- Limited functionality- very simple forms
- Lack of integrations
- No reporting
Google Forms Feature Review
Google Forms is the bare bones of all the other form builders. But, this is not necessarily a bad thing, especially since you can get unlimited forms and submissions for free!
Pretty much the only exciting aspect of Google Forms are the fun themes and images Google provides you with to spice up your form.
However, if you already have a Google account, you may as well check out Google Forms because they work great for your simple online form needs. If you have purchased Google Suite you will have access to more advanced functions within Google Forms.
Lastly, the only data that Google Forms will collect is the responses. It will not automatically create reports for you like the others, so if you want any analytics you’ll have to do the math yourself.
Google Forms Pricing
As mentioned above, Google Forms is totally free. However, if you are interested in purchasing Google Suite for more advanced functions on your forms and other Google apps the prices are below.
Who is Google Forms for?
Google Forms has a clear audience- Non-business people with basic form requirements. I would recommend Google Forms for smaller community groups who need to capture light information.
For example, Google Sheets would work great for birthday RSVPs, event registrations, teacher/student purposes, and applications. If you need a heavy duty form with robust reporting, and you have some money to spend, I would not choose Google Forms.
Making the Decision – The Best Online Form Builder
Hopefully, we made it a little easier for you to choose the best online form builder. Of all five options presented- Formstack, Jotform, Wufoo, Typeform, and Google Forms- you can’t go too wrong choosing one. All of these apps will make it easy and fast for you to create a clean form and send it out to your audience.
However, keep in mind your specific needs when choosing, because there isn’t one objectively best online form builder out there. So, here’s a recap of each one’s main selling point…
- Formstack is a perfect for professional use with advanced functionality.
- Jotform is go-to for fast form-making for smaller audiences.
- Wufoo’s robust reporting make it a great option if you need to track analytics.
- Typeform is a new-age form builder. Its engaging style makes it perfect for lead generation.
- Finally, Google Forms is the perfect option for those who need a basic form to send out to friends, family, team members or peers.
Now it’s up to you to decide. And if you’re still stuck in deciding which one’s the best online form builder, you could just try each yourself! They all offer free trials.
If you use forms on a daily basis for work, there might be some room for automation. Learn how Tallyfy can help streamline and automate your workflows.
Related Questions
What is better than Google Forms?
While Google Forms is popular, several online form builders offer more features and flexibility. Tools like Typeform provide a conversational flow that keeps users engaged, while JotForm offers advanced customization and payment integration. For businesses that need workflow automation, Tallyfy’s forms connect seamlessly with business processes, making it easier to collect and act on information automatically.
How to create an online form for free?
Creating a free online form is straightforward with many available tools. Start by choosing a free form builder like Google Forms or the free tier of JotForm. Select a template or start from scratch, add your questions, customize the design, and share the form link with your audience. Remember that free versions often have limitations, so consider your needs carefully.
What features should I look for in an online form builder?
Look for drag-and-drop functionality, mobile responsiveness, and customization options. Essential features include conditional logic, file upload capabilities, and integration with other tools. The best form builders also offer analytics, automated notifications, and data export options.
Can online forms be made secure for sensitive information?
Yes, quality form builders include security features like SSL encryption, GDPR compliance, and password protection. Look for tools that offer data encryption, secure file storage, and compliance with industry standards like HIPAA if you’re collecting medical information.
How can I make my online forms more user-friendly?
Create forms with clear sections, progress indicators, and smart validation. Use conditional logic to show only relevant questions, keep forms short, and ensure they work well on mobile devices. Consider using conversational forms that feel more like a natural dialogue.
What’s the difference between basic and advanced form builders?
Basic form builders typically offer simple question types and limited customization. Advanced builders include features like payment processing, database integration, custom workflows, and advanced logic. They also often provide better analytics and reporting capabilities.
How can I integrate online forms with my existing systems?
Modern form builders offer integration with popular tools through APIs or direct connections. Look for builders that connect with your CRM, email marketing tools, and project management systems. Some platforms like Tallyfy specifically focus on integrating forms into larger business workflows.
What are the costs associated with professional form builders?
Pricing typically ranges from free to premium tiers based on features, form submissions, and user numbers. While free options exist, paid plans often start at $10-30 monthly, with enterprise solutions costing more but offering advanced features and support.
How can I analyze and use the data collected from online forms?
Good form builders provide built-in analytics dashboards, custom reports, and data export options. Look for features that help visualize responses, track completion rates, and identify patterns in user submissions. Some platforms automatically organize responses into actionable insights.
Can I create multilingual forms for international audiences?
Yes, advanced form builders support multiple languages and allow you to create forms that automatically display in the user’s preferred language. This feature is crucial for businesses with a global presence or diverse user base.
How do I ensure my online forms are accessible to everyone?
Choose a form builder that follows accessibility standards (WCAG guidelines). Forms should work with screen readers, support keyboard navigation, and provide clear error messages. Good contrast and readable fonts are also essential for accessibility.
What types of forms can I create with online builders?
The possibilities are vast: contact forms, surveys, registration forms, payment forms, job applications, event registrations, feedback forms, and more. Advanced builders allow creation of complex forms like dynamic order forms, interactive questionnaires, and multi-page applications.
