Google Forms

If you can use Google Docs, you can use Google Forms. Google Forms is refreshingly simple. When you create a new form, you get three options: start from a blank form, choose from a template, or use the new Gemini AI to generate a form based on your prompt.

The template library is limited to 17 options, which feels modest compared to competitors. The interface is so straightforward that building from scratch is often faster than searching for a template.

The AI feature, powered by Gemini, is genuinely helpful. You describe what you need, and within seconds, you have a working form. It's not just throwing questions together; it understands context and creates logical form structures. For instance, if you ask for a customer feedback form, it includes satisfaction ratings, open-ended questions, and even optional follow-up fields.

The editor itself is clean and intuitive. Adding questions is a matter of clicking a plus icon. Changing question types is straightforward. The settings are where you'd expect them to be. Unlike some form builders that bury important features in nested menus, Google Forms keeps everything accessible.

For ease of use, Google Forms deserves a perfect score. It does exactly what it promises with almost zero learning curve.

Here's where Google Forms shows its limitations. The tool offers only 12 question types: short answer, paragraph, multiple-choice, checkboxes, dropdown, file upload, linear scale, rating, multiple-choice grid, checkbox grid, date, and time.

For basic data collection, this is enough. For anything more complex, you'll quickly find gaps. There are no e-signatures, no payment integrations, no product listings, no advanced conditional logic, and no built-in email notifications when forms are submitted.

The conditional logic that does exist is basic. You can skip to different sections based on answers, but you can't show or hide specific questions within the same section. You can't create complex branching based on multiple conditions. It is also quite meticulous to set up basic conditions.

Data analysis tools are similarly basic. You get simple charts and summaries, but for anything sophisticated, you'll need to export to Google Sheets. There are no drop-off analytics, no partial submission tracking, and no response editing capabilities.

Google Forms also lacks scheduling features. You can't set forms to open or close at specific times without using add-ons. There's no built-in way to limit the number of responses, either.

The integration story is interesting. Google Forms works beautifully with other Google products: Sheets, Drive, Calendar, and Gmail. But connecting to third-party tools like CRMs or marketing platforms requires workarounds or Zapier.

There is one saving grace: the Google Workspace Marketplace. It has a vast library of add-ons that fill many gaps. Need email notifications? There's an add-on. Want to limit responses? There's an add-on. Need to schedule form availability? Add-on.

But here's the catch: many popular add-ons have their own pricing models. So while Google Forms is free, extending its functionality often isn't.

Google Forms has a recognizable look, and that's both good and bad. The forms are clean and functional, but they unmistakably look like Google Forms. The "Google Forms" branding and report links at the bottom are always there.

Customization options are quite limited. You can change colors, add a header image, and pick from a handful of fonts. That's about it. If you need your form to match your brand guidelines closely, you'll be disappointed.

The forms are mobile-responsive, which is essential. But they're not particularly beautiful. They work, they're readable, but they won't make anyone say "wow."
For internal use or casual surveys, this is perfectly fine. For client-facing forms or marketing campaigns where design matters, you might want something more polished.

Google Forms is completely free. It's hard to compete with that pricing-wise. There are no hidden costs, no premium tiers for core features, no limits on the number of forms you can create or responses you can collect.

You get unlimited forms, unlimited responses, and access to all 12 question types. The only storage limit is the 15GB that comes with your free Google account, which is shared across all Google services.

If you need more storage or advanced Google Workspace features, you can upgrade to a paid Google Workspace plan.