Category guide · Software

Best Form & Survey Software in 2026

Form builders and survey platforms: free tools like Google Forms and Tally, design-led builders like Typeform and Paperform, workflow forms like Jotform and Formstack, and research platforms like SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics.

  • Verified 10 Nov 2026Every profile shows where facts came from
  • Unknowns labelledGaps are stated, never guessed
  • No paid placementNo affiliate links, ratings or reviews
  • Not a rankingAlphabetical by default; fit notes, not scores
Quick answer

What is Form & Survey Software?

Form and survey software lets you build online forms, surveys and quizzes, collect responses, take payments and send data to other tools. Form builders focus on data collection and workflows; survey platforms add sampling, analysis and research features.

Forms are how most businesses collect leads, orders, applications, feedback and research data.

This category covers free and free-first tools (Google Forms, Tally, Fillout), design-led builders (Typeform, Paperform), versatile business form builders (Jotform, Zoho Forms, Formstack) and survey and research platforms (SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).

Most tools have free plans; the main differences are response limits, branding, payments, compliance (such as HIPAA) and collaboration. The profiles below summarise dated sources and are research aids, not rankings.

Best by need

Best form and survey software by need.

Shortlists built from what each sourced profile documents, listed alphabetically, not ranked. Open a profile for limits, prices and sources.

Form and survey software for small businesses

4 of 12 profiles are documented mainly for small and mid-size teams.

Form and survey software for enterprises

6 of 12 profiles are documented for large enterprises.

Form and survey software with AI features

2 of 12 profiles document an AI assistant, agents or AI features.

Directory

Form & Survey Software compared: browse and filter

Search and filters update this list on the page and do not create new URLs, so every profile stays crawlable and linkable.

Quick filters

12 listings

  • Fillout

    Fillout · Form builder

    A modern form builder with a generous free plan (1,000 responses a month) and paid plans from $15 a month billed yearly.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly or yearly
    • Cloud
    • Generous free tier
    • Independent sources

    Best for Teams wanting Typeform-style forms with a generous free tier

    Key capabilities
    • Free
    • Starter
    • Pro and Business
    • Logic and multi-page
    PricingFree (1,000 responses a month); Starter $15/mo yearly; Pro $40; Business $75 yearly.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Formstack

    Formstack · Workflow forms platform

    A forms and workflow platform for businesses, with Formstack Forms from $83 a month billed annually ($99 monthly) and a 14-day trial.

    • No free plan
    • Monthly or annual
    • Cloud
    • Workflows
    • Independent sources

    Best for Organisations automating data collection, documents and signatures

    Key capabilities
    • Price
    • Builders
    • Forms
    • Submissions
    PricingForms $83 a month billed annually ($99 monthly) for 1 builder.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Google Forms

    Google · Free form and survey tool

    Google's free form builder, included with any Google account, with responses flowing to Google Sheets; Workspace plans from $7 per user a month add business features.

    • Free
    • Workspace optional
    • Cloud
    • Google Sheets
    • Independent sources

    Best for Anyone needing free, simple forms connected to Google Sheets

    Key capabilities
    • Personal
    • Workspace
    • Responses
    • Response view
    PricingFree; Workspace Business Starter $7 per user a month (annual) for business features.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Jotform

    Jotform · Online form builder

    A versatile form builder with 20,000+ templates, a free Starter plan and paid plans from $39 a month ($34 annually), with HIPAA features on Gold.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly or annual
    • Cloud
    • Templates and payments
    • Independent sources

    Best for Businesses needing many form types with payments and approvals

    Key capabilities
    • Bronze
    • Silver
    • Gold
    • Forms
    PricingStarter free; Bronze $39, Silver $49, Gold $129 a month (lower annually).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Paperform

    Paperform · Document-style form builder

    A document-style form builder with calculations and payments, with a free plan (30 submissions) and Pro at $49 a month yearly with unlimited submissions.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly or yearly
    • Cloud
    • Payments
    • Independent sources

    Best for Small businesses selling products or services through forms

    Key capabilities
    • Free
    • Pro
    • Business
    • Calculations
    PricingFree (30 submissions); Pro $49 a month yearly ($59 monthly); Business $124 yearly.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Qualtrics

    Qualtrics · Experience management (XM) and research platform

    An enterprise experience management and survey research platform sold by quote, with a reported median contract of about $30,000 a year.

    • Quote-based
    • Annual
    • Cloud
    • Enterprise research
    • Independent sources

    Best for Enterprises and universities running advanced research and XM programmes

    Key capabilities
    • CoreXM
    • CustomerXM and EmployeeXM
    • BrandXM and DesignXM
    • Median
    PricingQuote-only; Vendr median about $30,000 a year (range about $6,900 to $140,000).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • SurveyMonkey

    SurveyMonkey · Online survey platform

    The best-known online survey tool, with a free Basic plan, individual plans from $300 a year and Team Advantage at $360 per seat a year (3-seat minimum).

    • Free plan
    • Annual per user
    • Cloud
    • Surveys
    • Vendor documentation

    Best for Teams running regular surveys with built-in analysis

    Key capabilities
    • Standard Annual
    • Advantage Annual
    • Premier Annual
    • Team Advantage
    PricingFree (10 responses); Standard $300/yr; Advantage $468/yr; Team Advantage $360 per seat/yr.Prices from a vendor-published source
  • SurveySparrow

    SurveySparrow · Conversational survey and CX platform (SaaS)

    An Indian-founded survey platform known for chat-style surveys, NPS and CX tools, with a free plan and paid plans from $19 per user a month billed annually.

    • Free plan
    • Free trial
    • Cloud
    • Independent sources

    Best for CX teams running NPS

    Key capabilities
    • Conversational surveys
    • Classic forms
    • Logic and piping
    • NPS and CSAT
    PricingFree; Basic $19 per user a month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Tally

    Tally · Free-first form builder

    A document-style form builder with unlimited forms and submissions on its free plan, plus Pro at $29 and Business at $89 a month.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly
    • Cloud
    • Unlimited free submissions
    • Vendor documentation

    Best for Founders and small teams wanting powerful forms for free

    Key capabilities
    • Free
    • Pro
    • Business
    • Logic and calculations
    PricingFree (unlimited forms and submissions); Pro $29 and Business $89 a month.Prices from a vendor-published source
  • Typeform

    Typeform · Conversational form and survey builder

    A conversational form builder showing one question at a time, with a free plan (10 responses a month) and paid plans from $39 a month, about 30% less billed yearly.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly by responses
    • Cloud
    • Conversational
    • Independent sources

    Best for Marketers who want engaging, branded forms and surveys

    Key capabilities
    • Basic
    • Plus
    • Business
    • Free
    PricingFree (10 responses); Basic $39, Plus $79, Business $129 a month (about 30% off yearly).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Zoho Forms

    Zoho Corporation · Online form builder

    Zoho's form builder with a free plan and paid plans from $10 a month, integrated with Zoho CRM and other Zoho apps.

    • Free plan
    • Monthly
    • Cloud
    • Zoho suite
    • Independent sources

    Best for Zoho users wanting affordable business forms

    Key capabilities
    • Basic
    • Standard
    • Professional and Premium
    • Free plan
    PricingFree; Basic $10, Standard $25, Professional $50, Premium $100 a month.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
  • Zoho Survey

    Zoho Corporation · Online survey software (SaaS)

    Zoho’s survey tool with logic, piping and Zoho integrations, free for 150 responses per survey and paid plans from about $25 a month billed annually.

    • Free plan
    • Free trial
    • Cloud
    • Independent sources

    Best for Zoho users

    Key capabilities
    • Question types
    • Logic and piping
    • Themes
    • Web and email
    PricingFree; Plus $25 a month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly

Listings are ordered alphabetically by default. They are not ranked, and there are no user ratings or paid placements.

At a glance

Form & Survey Software compared on key criteria.

Summaries come from each profile; open a profile for sources and caveats.

Form & Survey Software compared on Free plan, Paid from, Response limits, Pricing model, Best for
ProductFree planPaid fromResponse limitsPricing modelBest for
FilloutYes (1,000 responses)$15/mo (yearly)2,000 to unlimitedBy responsesGenerous free forms
FormstackNo; 14-day trial$83/mo (annual)1,000 stored per formPer builderWorkflow forms
Google FormsYes (free)Free; Workspace $7/user/moNo monthly capFreeSimple free forms
JotformYes (100 submissions/mo)$34/mo (annual)1,000 to 10,000/moBy forms and submissionsVersatile business forms
PaperformYes (30 submissions)$49/mo (yearly)Unlimited on ProMonthly or yearlyPayment and booking forms
QualtricsNoQuote (median ~$30K/yr)By contractQuoteEnterprise research
SurveyMonkeyYes (10 responses)$300/yrUnlimited on annualPer user / seatSurveys
TallyYes (unlimited, fair use)$29/moUnlimited (fair use)Flat monthlyFree powerful forms
TypeformYes (10 responses/mo)$39/mo100 to 10,000/moBy responsesEngaging forms
Zoho FormsYes$10/moNot reviewedMonthly plansZoho users
Key features

Key features and capabilities of Form & Survey Software.

The capabilities that define the category. Not every product offers all of them, and depth varies a lot between entry-level and enterprise tools.

  • Form builder

    Drag-and-drop forms.

  • Survey logic

    Branching and skip logic.

  • Templates

    Ready-made forms.

  • Payments in forms

    Collect payments.

  • Integrations

    Send data to other tools.

  • Analysis and reports

    Charts and exports.

  • Branding

    Custom design.

  • Compliance features

    Consent and data controls.

Business use cases

How businesses use Form & Survey Software.

  1. 01

    Lead capture

    Collect enquiries.

  2. 02

    Customer surveys

    Measure satisfaction.

  3. 03

    Event registration

    Sign-ups and payments.

  4. 04

    Internal requests

    HR and IT forms.

  5. 05

    Research

    Market surveys.

Who uses it

Who uses Form & Survey Software and what problems it solves.

Marketers

Capture leads with branded forms connected to CRMs.

Small businesses

Take orders, bookings and payments without a website developer.

Researchers and CX teams

Run surveys, analyse results and track satisfaction.

Operations and HR

Automate intake, applications and approvals.

Benefits and business impact

What Form & Survey Software changes in practice.

Practical outcomes teams report when the category is implemented well. Results depend on adoption, data quality and process, so we do not quote percentages.

Quick data collection

Forms in minutes.

Better response quality

Logic keeps surveys relevant.

Automated workflows

Data flows to tools.

Insight

Built-in analysis.

Evaluation criteria

Features and criteria to evaluate in Form & Survey Software.

01

Response limits

Free and paid plans cap responses or submissions differently; check monthly vs stored limits.

02

Branding and design

Check when you can remove the vendor badge and use custom domains.

03

Payments

Some tools allow payments on free plans; others need paid tiers.

04

Compliance

HIPAA, GDPR and data residency often require higher plans.

05

Integrations

Confirm native links to your CRM, spreadsheets and automation tools.

06

Analysis

Survey platforms add reporting, cross-tabs and text analysis.

How to choose

How to choose Form & Survey Software: a step-by-step approach.

  1. 1

    List form types

    Lead forms, surveys, orders and intake forms need different features.

  2. 2

    Estimate volume

    Count expected responses a month and peak periods.

  3. 3

    Check must-haves

    Payments, logic, file uploads, signatures and HIPAA.

  4. 4

    Build on free plans

    Test the real form in two or three tools.

  5. 5

    Connect your stack

    Test integrations with your CRM or spreadsheet.

  6. 6

    Pick the smallest plan that fits

    Upgrade when you hit limits.

Questions to ask before you buy

  • What response limits apply?
  • How is data stored and secured?
  • Which integrations are native?
  • Does it support conditional logic?
Common mistakes

Common mistakes when choosing Form & Survey Software.

Ignoring response caps

Some forms close when monthly limits are reached.

Paying for research tools for simple forms

Enterprise survey platforms are overkill for lead forms.

Overlooking compliance

Health and personal data may need HIPAA-ready plans.

Too many questions

Long forms reduce completion rates.

Not testing on mobile

Most respondents use phones.

Glossary

Form & Survey Software key terms explained.

Conditional logic
Showing or skipping questions based on earlier answers.
Submission limit
The maximum responses a plan allows per month or stored.
Partial submissions
Capturing answers from people who do not finish.
Conversational form
A form that shows one question at a time.
HIPAA
US rules for protecting health information.
NPS
Net Promoter Score, a common customer loyalty survey.
Head-to-head

Form & Survey Software comparisons.

9 side-by-side comparisons with a feature table, pricing, strengths and limits, and best-fit scenarios. No winner is declared in any of them.

Alternatives guides

Alternatives to popular form and survey software.

Every product in this category has a guide comparing its main alternatives and competitors on pricing, free plan, features and fit.

FAQ

Form & Survey Software questions and answers

What is the best free form and survey software?

8 of the 12 form and survey software profiles here document a free plan: Fillout, Google Forms, Jotform, Paperform, SurveyMonkey, Tally, Typeform and Zoho Forms. Free plans and tiers usually cap users, records or usage, so check each profile for limits. The list is alphabetical, not a ranking.

What is the best form and survey software for small businesses?

Products documented mainly for small and mid-size teams include Fillout, Paperform, Tally and Zoho Forms. Fillout may suit teams wanting Typeform-style forms with a generous free tier. Paperform may suit small businesses selling products or services through forms. Tally may suit founders and small teams wanting powerful forms for free. The best fit depends on your sales or work process and budget, so trial two or three.

Which form and survey software suits large enterprises?

6 profiles are documented for large enterprises: Formstack, Google Forms, Jotform, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey and Typeform. Larger rollouts should also check SSO, permissions, audit logs, data residency and contract terms on each profile.

Which form and survey software has built-in AI features?

2 of 12 profiles document an AI assistant, agents or AI features: Google Forms and Typeform. Check which plans include AI and whether agent or credit usage is billed separately.

Where can I find alternatives to a specific form builder?

Every product in this category has its own alternatives guide, for example Jotform alternatives, Paperform alternatives and Typeform alternatives. Each guide compares the main competitors on pricing, free plan, features and fit.

What is the best free form builder?

Google Forms is fully free; Tally offers unlimited forms and submissions under fair use; Fillout includes 1,000 responses a month. This list is not a ranking.

Typeform or Tally?

Typeform's free plan allows 10 responses a month and paid plans start at $39; Tally is free for unlimited submissions with Pro at $29.

Which form builder supports HIPAA?

Jotform makes HIPAA-enabled features available on Gold; check each vendor's compliance documentation.

SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics?

SurveyMonkey has self-serve plans from $300 a year; Qualtrics is quote-only for enterprise research, with a reported median near $30,000 a year.

Next step

Narrow your Form & Survey Software shortlist.

Open a profile for sources and pricing, read an alternatives guide, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf is not the answer.

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