Top 10 Online Form Makers in 2026
Building online forms shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle. Whether you're collecting customer feedback, processing registrations, or running surveys, the right form maker can transform a tedious task into something straightforward. We tested ten popular online form builders to help you find the one that fits your needs.
Quick list: Top 3 Online form makers
After extensive testing, these three stood out for different reasons:
- forms.app: forms.app combines a clean drag-and-drop builder with polished, smooth form experiences and genuinely useful AI. It’s the fastest way we’ve found to go from idea to a professional online form, without a learning curve.
- Microsoft Forms: Microsoft Forms is a simple, web-based form builder baked into Microsoft 365, ideal for quick surveys, quizzes, and internal data collection. It shines when you want clean-looking forms and effortless handoff to Excel and Teams.
- Typeform: Typeform is the gold standard for conversational, one-question-at-a-time forms that look stunning on any device. It’s ideal when user experience and completion rates matter as much as the data you collect.
Comparison: Best Online form makers at first glance
We evaluated each tool based on five criteria: ease of use, features, design quality, user satisfaction, and pricing. Here's how they compare across key aspects:
| Tool | Rating | Starting Paid Plan | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.5/5 | $25/mo | Yes |
 | 3.8/5 | Free | Yes |
 | 4.2/5 | $29/mo | Yes |
 | 4.5/5 | $19/month | Yes |
 | 4.3/5 | $19/mo | Yes |
 | 3.9/5 | $29/mo | Yes |
 | 3.8/5 | Free | Yes |
 | 4/5 | $39/mo | Yes |
 | 3.9/5 | $29/mo | Yes |
 | 3.6/5 | $12 per app creator + $2.40 per app user/month | Yes |
Detailed Reviews
Now, let's dig deeper into what each tool offers and where it falls short.
1. forms.app
forms.app is a modern, web-based form builder designed for quick, high-quality data collection. It covers the essentials (logic, payments, file uploads, integrations) and advanced features (deep reporting, PDF generation, multilingual forms), all the while keeping the interface simple enough for non-technical users. With a huge form template library and an AI form generator, it’s an all-rounder that fits everything from lead capture to surveys, quizzes, and registrations.
forms.app earns the #1 spot for online form builders thanks to its balance of ease of use, premium form UX, and practical features like AI form generation and PDF generation. It’s a flexible choice for most teams that want great-looking forms without complexity.
Pros
- • Exceptional ease of use: clean dashboard and well-organized drag-and-drop editor
- • Premium form-filling experience with Step view (Typeform-style UX) and List view (Classic form layout)
- • Well-integrated AI features (AI form generator plus helpful AI assistance in-field and in responses)
Cons
- • Free plan’s response limit may feel tight for higher-volume collection
- • No HIPAA compliance
- • No public API for advanced integrations (webhooks available, plus Zapier for many connections)
Our Experience with forms.app
In our hands-on testing, onboarding was frictionless (we were in the dashboard in seconds), and the editor stayed intuitive even as we added logic, payments, and notifications. The AI form generator produced accurate question sets quickly, and the template library made it easy to start with designs that already look professional. Importing a PDF into a form worked well overall, though we did need to adjust a few field types after import.
Key Details about forms.app
- AI form generator + AI-assisted question/answer building
- 5,000+ free form templates
- Drag-and-drop builder with logic jumps and data validation (including regex)
- Step view (one question at a time) and List view layouts
- Payments, product listing, file upload, and signature fields
- Custom PDF generation from responses + export options
- Embeds, QR codes, multi-language forms, and mobile-responsive design
- Integrations + webhooks (plus Zapier options), analytics, and spam protection
forms.app Pricing
forms.app offers a free-forever plan and three paid tiers: Basic ($25/mo), Pro ($35/mo), and Premium ($99/mo). The free plan includes all field types and essentials for getting started, while paid plans add more advanced capabilities (like CSS customization and team features) for businesses scaling their data collection. Value-wise, it’s a straightforward pricing model with standout perks like a 90-day refund guarantee and discounts for nonprofits and education.
Free forever
- 5 forms
- 100 responses/mo
Basic
- 25 forms
- 1,000 responses/mo
Pro
- Unlimited forms
- 10,000 responses/mo
Premium
- Unlimited forms
- 100,000 responses/mo
2. Microsoft Forms
Microsoft Forms is Microsoft’s web-based form builder for creating surveys, questionnaires, and self-grading quizzes. It’s designed to be practical rather than flashy, making it a strong fit for teams already using Microsoft 365. If your priority is straightforward data collection with smooth Excel/Teams workflows, it’s a convenient option, just don’t expect the depth of a dedicated form platform.
Microsoft Forms is a solid “included” form builder in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem with unlimited responses and better-looking forms than Google Forms. It’s best for basic-to-intermediate forms, but it falls short on customization, advanced features, and analytics.
Pros
- • Included with Microsoft 365 (and usable for free with a Microsoft account), making it an easy default for many teams
- • Unlimited form responses, which is great for ongoing internal surveys and feedback loops
- • Seamless Excel integration with real-time response syncing for reporting and analysis
Cons
- • Very limited customization/branding options compared to dedicated online form builders
- • Feature set is basic (no payments, custom domains, advanced analytics, or partial-submission tracking)
- • Editor UX can feel clunky with a learning curve around where key settings live
Our Experience with Microsoft Forms
In our testing, Microsoft Forms was quick to start with and the dashboard felt clean and modern. Building a basic survey or quiz was straightforward, but some settings (like branching) took a moment to find, and the editor feels a bit less intuitive than Google Forms. Response review is fine for quick checks, but we often ended up exporting to Excel for any serious analysis.
Key Details about Microsoft Forms
- Web-based surveys, forms, quizzes, and questionnaires
- Unlimited responses
- Branching (logic jumps) for multi-step flows
- Built-in NPS question type
- File upload questions
- Real-time export/sync to Excel
- Embeddable forms + share links and QR codes
- Collaboration and Microsoft 365 ecosystem integrations (Teams/SharePoint/Power Automate)
Microsoft Forms Pricing
Microsoft Forms is free to use with a Microsoft account, and it’s also included at no extra cost for most Microsoft 365 subscribers. This makes it an excellent value if you’re already in that ecosystem. The core form-building features don’t require add-ons, but Copilot AI capabilities require a separate Microsoft 365 Copilot license (often around $30/user/month on top of Microsoft 365), which can quickly change the cost equation. For basic data collection and Excel-based reporting, the included pricing is hard to beat.
Free Plan
- Unlimited responses
- Basic statistics
- 22 Free templates
- 8 Form fields
3. Typeform
Typeform helped define the modern online form with its conversational, one-question-per-screen experience, and it still leads the pack on design. Beyond looks, it offers serious form-building power: conditional logic, calculations, payments, integrations, and increasingly capable AI tools. The tradeoff is cost, with many “must-have” features reserved for higher tiers.
Typeform is the pinnacle of online form design and a joy to build in, but its pricing and feature gatekeeping can make it hard to justify unless experience and brand polish are top priorities.
Pros
- • Best-in-class conversational form experience that can boost engagement and completion rates
- • Beautiful, highly polished templates and theming for professional-looking data collection
- • Powerful logic and advanced blocks (conditional logic, calculations, hidden fields) for smarter forms
Cons
- • Premium pricing compared to most online form builders, especially as you scale
- • Free plan is extremely limited (10 responses), making it impractical beyond testing
- • Basic bot protection (reCAPTCHA) requires Growth plans starting at $199/month
Our Experience with Typeform
In our hands-on testing, Typeform felt exceptionally intuitive, clean, fast to navigate, and structured in a way that makes complex forms easier to manage. The AI form generation produced surprisingly relevant question sets from simple prompts, and the conversational flow looked polished out of the box. That said, we repeatedly ran into upgrade prompts when exploring advanced settings, and key protections like reCAPTCHA being locked to higher plans stood out as a practical concern for live forms.
Key Details about Typeform
- Conversational one-question-at-a-time UX (with optional multi-question pages)
- Conditional logic (logic jumps) and advanced branching
- AI form generator + AI follow-up questions (plan-dependent)
- Payment collection via Stripe or PayPal
- File uploads, hidden fields, and calculations
- Drop-off analytics, partial submissions, and real-time reporting
- Embeds, QR codes, and mobile-responsive design
- Integrations + webhooks + API access for automation
Typeform Pricing
Typeform uses tiered subscription pricing: Free, Basic ($29/mo), Plus ($59/mo), Business ($99/mo), and Growth plans starting at $199/mo, with Enterprise custom pricing. The free tier’s 10-response limit means most real-world use quickly requires a paid plan, and several essentials (notably reCAPTCHA) sit behind the $199/mo Growth level. If you’re paying for premium UX and brand impact, the value can be there; however, budget-focused teams may find better feature-to-price alternatives.
Free
- 10 responses per month
- 1 user
Basic
- 100 responses per month
- 1 user
- Unlimited forms
Plus
- 1,000 responses per month
- 3 users
- Remove branding
Business
- 10,000 responses per month
- 5 users
- Drop-off analysis
Growth Essentials
- 10,000+ responses per month
- 5 users
- Data enrichment for 300 responses
- reCAPTCHA
- Clarify with AI
Growth Pro
- 10,000+ responses per month
- 5 users
- Data enrichment for 1,500 responses
- Drop-off rates
- Google Tag Manager
Talent
- 5,000 responses per month
- 3 users
- ReCAPTCHA
- Clarify with AI
- Video Questions & Answers
Enterprise
- Tailored response limits and seats
- Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Custom domain
- HIPAA and GDPR compliance
- Changing data center location
- Two-factor authentication
4. Fillout
Fillout is a web-based form builder designed for teams and creators who want both depth and a clean building experience. It covers the essentials (templates, conditional logic, embeds, payments, file uploads) and adds standout extras like built-in scheduling. The result is a feature-rich online form maker that feels organized rather than overwhelming.
Fillout delivers robust online form-building features with a UI that stays manageable. If you want powerful logic, great integrations, and scheduling in one tool, it’s an easy recommendation.
Pros
- • Balances advanced form features with a clean, well-organized builder UI
- • Built-in scheduling that can replace a separate booking tool for many workflows
- • Strong conditional logic and calculations for multi-step forms, quizzes, and lead flows
Cons
- • Less established brand than long-time competitors, which may matter for risk-averse orgs
- • Analytics and reporting are fairly basic compared to dedicated survey platforms
- • Granular user permissions are reserved for Enterprise plans
Our Experience with Fillout
In hands-on testing, we found Fillout quick to start with and easy to build in once you learn the dashboard layout. The drag-and-drop editor is intuitive, and the visual conditional logic builder makes complex paths feel approachable. Scheduling worked smoothly with calendar connections, and the forms looked modern out of the box with flexible embedding options.
Key Details about Fillout
- Drag-and-drop online form builder with templates
- Visual conditional logic / logic jumps
- Built-in scheduling with Google Calendar and Outlook integrations
- Payments, file uploads, and e-signatures
- Multiple embed types: inline, popup, slider, full-page
- Webhooks, API access, and integrations (notably Airtable and Notion)
- PDF generation, data export, and response management
- Spam protection, GDPR compliance, and 2FA
Fillout Pricing
Fillout offers a genuinely useful free plan, making it easy to launch real forms. Paid plans start at $19/month (Starter), then scale to $49/month (Pro) and $89/month (Business), with unlimited team seats included across tiers. Value is strong for teams, though note that Starter still includes Fillout branding, and some limits (like file storage quotas) may require moving up a plan.
Free
- 1,000 submissions/mo
- Unlimited forms
- Unlimited team members
Starter
- 2,000 submissions/mo
- Access to all question types
- Basic Fillout branding
- Custom endings
Pro
- 5,000 submissions/mo
- Remove Fillout branding
- Custom meta details
- Custom emails
- Custom CSS
Business
- Unlimited submissions
- Form analytics
- Partial submissions
- Custom domain
- Custom code
5. Cognito Forms
Cognito Forms is built for serious web-based data collection, especially when forms need to behave more like mini-applications. With powerful calculations, conditional logic, repeating sections, and workflow automation, it’s a strong pick for operations-heavy teams in healthcare, education, and compliance-driven organizations. It may not be the prettiest form builder out of the box, but it’s one of the most capable for the price.
Cognito Forms is a feature-rich online form builder that shines in workflows and calculations, offering exceptional value, especially for HIPAA-friendly use cases. The trade-off is a dated look and a dashboard experience that can feel slower than modern competitors.
Pros
- • Excellent workflow automation for approvals, routing, and multi-step processes
- • Industry-leading calculations and conditional logic for dynamic, data-driven forms
- • Repeating sections/tables make it easy to collect variable-length information (attendees, line items, employment history)
Cons
- • Forms can look dated and basic unless you invest time in styling
- • Dashboard navigation can feel slow and confusing, especially when managing many forms
- • AI form generator is functional but noticeably slow/unresponsive compared to competitors
Our Experience with Cognito Forms
In our testing, it was easy to start from a template and quickly build complex forms with conditional rules, calculations, and repeating sections. The workflow tools stood out. The main friction points were the sluggish navigation and an AI form generator that worked but often felt slow to respond.
Key Details about Cognito Forms
- Drag-and-drop online form builder with 100+ templates
- Advanced conditional logic, logic jumps, and data validation
- Powerful calculations/expression builder for pricing and scoring
- Workflow automation (approvals, status-based actions, assignments)
- Repeating sections and tables for variable-length responses
- Payments via Stripe, PayPal, and Square
- HIPAA support on paid plans + GDPR features, permissions, and 2FA
- Integrations via Zapier, API access, and JSON webhooks + exports
Cognito Forms Pricing
Cognito Forms offers a strong free plan (unlimited forms with 100 submissions/month) that’s genuinely usable for simple data collection, and it even supports payments. Paid plans start at $19/month (Pro) and scale to $39/month (Team) and $129/month (Enterprise), unlocking collaboration and advanced capabilities. Overall, it’s one of the best value options for organizations that need complex logic and workflows without paying premium “enterprise-only” pricing.
Individual
- 1 user
- 100 entries/month
- 100 MB storage
Pro
- 2 users (+$5 per additional user)
- 2,000 entries/month
- 1 GB storage
Team
- 5 users (+$5 per additional user)
- 10,000 entries/month
- 10 GB storage
- Workflow features
Enterprise
- 20 users (+$5 per additional user)
- 20 included guests (with pricing tiers for more)
- Unlimited forms
- Unlimited entries
- 100 GB storage
- HIPAA compliance
6. Tally
Tally approaches online form building differently: instead of a drag-and-drop interface, you create forms in a document-style editor that feels a lot like Notion. If you don’t need deep automation or highly customized designs, Tally covers the essentials well for the price.
Tally is a simplicity-first online form builder with one of the most generous free plans available. It’s ideal for basic to intermediate forms, but power users may hit limits around customization, integrations, and advanced workflows.
Pros
- • Unlimited forms and submissions on the free plan
- • Fast form creation with a clean, Notion-like document editor once you learn the workflow
- • Solid essentials for data collection: logic jumps, file uploads, payments (Stripe), and webhooks
Cons
- • Fewer advanced features than all-in-one form platforms
- • Limited design customization
- • Native integrations are relatively few
Our Experience with Tally
In hands-on testing, we were able to spin up multiple forms quickly using the slash-command, document-style editor, especially for straightforward lead gen and survey flows. Conditional logic works, but it’s less visual than tools like Typeform, so more complex branching took additional setup and trial-and-error. Overall, forms looked clean, embedded smoothly, and performed well on mobile, but deeper styling and reporting felt more limited than feature-heavy competitors.
Key Details about Tally
- Notion-like document editor (slash commands to add fields)
- Unlimited forms and submissions on Free (fair use policy applies)
- Conditional logic / logic jumps
- File uploads and data export
- Stripe payments (Tally fee applies on transactions)
- Embeds + share links + QR codes
- Webhooks and integrations (Notion, Google Sheets, Airtable, Slack)
- Custom domains, custom CSS, and team collaboration (paid plans)
Tally Pricing
Tally offers a genuinely usable Free plan with unlimited forms and unlimited submissions. Paid plans start at $29/month (Pro) for features like removing branding, custom domains, collaboration, partial submissions, and advanced customization, with Business at $89/month for additional controls like data retention. For many small businesses and creators, the free tier covers most everyday form needs.
Free
- Unlimited forms
- Unlimited submissions
Pro
- Remove branding
- Partial submissions
- Team collaboration
- Custom domains
Business
- Automatically delete data after some time
- Verify emails
- Restore to the previous version
7. Google Forms
Google Forms is a web-based form and survey builder built into the Google ecosystem (Drive, Sheets, Gmail, and more). It’s designed for simplicity: create a form in minutes, share a link, and watch responses appear in real time. For straightforward data collection where branding and advanced workflows aren’t critical, it’s one of the most accessible options available.
Google Forms is an excellent free pick for simple internal forms and quick surveys, especially if you live in Google Workspace. If you need advanced logic, branded design, payments, or signatures, you’ll outgrow it quickly.
Pros
- • 100% free for core form building (no trial, no credit card, no response caps)
- • Very easy to use with an almost nonexistent learning curve
- • Instant Google Sheets sync for real-time response tracking and analysis
Cons
- • Forms have a “Google Forms” look with limited branding and customization
- • Only 12 question types and relatively basic conditional logic
- • No native payments, e-signatures, or built-in submission email notifications
Our Experience with Google Forms
In our testing, Google Forms was one of the fastest tools to go from “idea” to a working form, especially when starting from scratch. The Gemini AI form generation produced surprisingly relevant question sets and structure from a short prompt, making it great for rapid drafts. Responses synced cleanly into Google Sheets for analysis, but we quickly hit limitations around customization, notifications, and advanced branching without relying on add-ons.
Key Details about Google Forms
- Unlimited forms and responses on the free plan
- 12 question types (including file upload, grids, rating/scale, date/time)
- Basic logic jumps between sections
- Automatic response export/sync to Google Sheets
- Templates available (limited library) + Gemini AI form generator
- Embeddable forms and shareable links
- Real-time collaboration and permissions within Google Workspace
- Mobile-responsive form experience
Google Forms Pricing
Google Forms is free for anyone with a Google account, including unlimited forms and responses. Storage for uploads and form assets counts against your Google Drive quota (15GB on a free account, shared across Google services). Businesses that want admin controls and broader Workspace features can use it via Google Workspace plans (e.g., Business Starter at $6/user/month).
Personal
- Unlimited forms
- Unlimited responses
- 15 GB storage (shared across Google services)
Google Workspace Business Starter
- Part of Workspace
- 30 GB pooled storage per user
- Custom email (@yourcompany.com)
- Admin controls
8. Jotform
Jotform earns its place among the best online form makers by focusing obsessively on forms, and then surrounding them with supporting tools to manage the workflow after someone hits “submit.” Beyond standard form building, it offers advanced widgets, automation, payments, and add-ons like Tables and Boards that help teams organize and use collected data. It’s a powerful, mature platform that can feel complex, but it’s built for flexibility at scale.
Jotform is a feature-heavy online form maker that can handle almost any form use case, from simple lead capture to payment and operational workflows. It’s not the most modern or streamlined UI, but its breadth of capabilities is hard to beat.
Pros
- • Huge template library that speeds up building common business forms
- • Very deep feature set (logic, widgets, calculators, file uploads, signatures, multi-language, and more)
- • Strong payment form capabilities with 20+ payment gateway integrations
Cons
- • Interface can feel cluttered and dated compared to newer form builders
- • Dashboard performance can be slow, especially when navigating between products and settings
- • Team members and some key business features (like API access and custom domains for form URLs) require an enterprise plan
Our Experience with Jotform
In our testing, we were able to spin up forms quickly using templates and the AI form generator, which produced surprisingly usable drafts with logical fields and structure. The editor is functional and packed with settings (great for power users), but the sheer number of options made the interface feel cluttered and occasionally overwhelming. We also tested AI Agents, and liked that conversations can automatically feed responses into a connected form, giving you a more interactive alternative to traditional form fills.
Key Details about Jotform
- AI form generator + in-app AI assistant
- Large template gallery
- Advanced logic (logic jumps, hidden fields, data validation)
- Payments + product listing fields (20+ gateways supported)
- File uploads, e-signatures, PDF generation
- Widgets library for specialized form elements
- Webhooks, integrations, and automation/workflows
- Offline mode + mobile app options
Jotform Pricing
Jotform offers a free Starter plan, then paid tiers at Bronze ($39/month), Silver ($49/month), and Gold ($129/month). The free plan is genuinely usable for light data collection, and many core capabilities (like payments) aren’t locked to the highest tiers. The main value trade-off is that quotas include form views (not just submissions), and several widely needed features (team members, API access, custom domains for form URLs) are reserved for a custom enterprise plan, which can raise costs for growing teams.
Starter
- 5 forms
- 100 monthly submissions
- 1,000 form views
- 100 MB file space
Bronze
- 25 forms
- 1,000 monthly submissions
- 10,000 form views
- 1 GB file space
Silver
- 50 forms
- 2,500 monthly submissions
- 100,000 form views
- 10 GB file space
Gold
- 100 forms
- 1,000 monthly submissions
- 1,000,000 form views
- 100 GB file space
9. Paperform
Paperform approaches online form building differently: you write your form like a document and insert fields as blocks using slash commands. That makes it flexible for creating anything from simple lead-capture forms to product order forms with calculations and payments. It’s best suited to teams that value customization, custom domains, and developer-friendly control over a more guided, drag-and-drop experience.
Paperform is a strong fit for agencies and advanced users who want multi-domain hosting and deep design control via custom code. It’s less ideal if you want the quickest, most polished drag-and-drop form-building workflow at this price.
Pros
- • Document-style editor makes it easy to combine rich content and questions in a single, web-native page
- • Custom HTML/CSS injection enables highly branded forms beyond typical template limits
- • Supports multiple custom domains (useful for agencies managing separate client form URLs)
Cons
- • Learning curve vs drag-and-drop builders; the editor and layout can feel intense at first
- • UI visibility and page transition animations can be distracting when building multi-page forms
- • Pricing is comparable to Typeform, with fewer obvious benefits unless you need Paperform-specific features
Our Experience with Paperform
In hands-on testing, we built several form types (from basic contact forms to conditional workflows and product-based checkout forms) and found Paperform capable but not instantly intuitive. The document editor became faster once we adapted, especially for rearranging content and mixing text with questions, but the UI readability and page transition animations felt distracting during longer builds. The AI form generator was helpful for getting a usable first draft quickly, and custom HTML/CSS injection unlocked styling freedom that many competitors restrict.
Key Details about Paperform
- Type-to-build editor with slash commands (block-based questions)
- 26+ field types including rankings, payments, and scheduling
- Conditional logic / logic jumps and hidden fields
- Custom domains (including multiple domains as an add-on)
- Custom HTML/CSS injection plus webhooks and API access
- Calculations for pricing rules and dynamic totals
- Embeds, redirects, and PDF generation
- GDPR compliance, spam protection, file uploads, and data export
Paperform Pricing
Paperform offers a limited Free plan ($0) geared more toward testing (30 submissions/month), with paid plans starting at Essentials ($29/mo), Pro ($59/mo), and Business ($129/mo). A 7-day Pro trial is available without a credit card, which is useful for evaluating advanced features like custom code and product listings. The value is strongest for agencies and teams that specifically need multiple custom domains and deeper customization; otherwise, similarly priced competitors may feel more streamlined.
Free
- 30 submissions/month
- 5 payment submissions/month
- 5 Appointment Submissions/month
- 100 MB storage
- Paperform branding
Essentials
- 100 submissions/month
- 20 payment submissions/month
- 50 Appointment Submissions/month
- 1 GB storage
- Minimal branding
Pro
- 1,000 submissions/month
- 250 payment submissions/month
- 500 Appointment Submissions/month
- 10 GB storage
- No branding
- Custom HTML/CSS
Business
- 10,000 submissions/month
- 2500 payment submissions/month
- 5000 Appointment Submissions/month
- 100 GB storage
- 1 Custom domain
10. Budibase
Budibase isn’t a traditional online form maker; it’s a low-code internal app platform where forms are just one building block. If you need forms tied directly to real business data, permissions, and automations (think approvals, intake workflows, and internal portals), Budibase can be a powerful fit. But if you only need a simple standalone form to collect responses, it will feel like overkill compared to dedicated form tools.
Budibase belongs on an online form makers list for teams that need database-backed forms inside internal tools and workflows. It’s powerful and flexible, but heavier and less form-focused than purpose-built form builders.
Pros
- • Connects forms directly to your databases and APIs (great for real data integration, not just “submission storage”)
- • Strong automation/workflow tools for approvals, routing, and internal processes triggered by form submissions
- • Open-source with self-hosting available (more control over data, security, and customization)
Cons
- • Steeper learning curve than dedicated online form builders; the app-building environment can feel overwhelming for simple forms
- • Form design is functional but basic out of the box, with fewer templates/themes than form-first tools
- • Limited form-specific features like analytics, drop-off tracking, and optimization tools
Our Experience with Budibase
In hands-on testing, Budibase’s form capabilities felt strongest once we treated them as part of an app (building screens, connecting data sources, and wiring automations). The interface was dense and initially overwhelming, especially compared to lightweight form builders, and we spent time learning the platform’s structure before moving quickly. Once set up, database-connected forms, permissions, and workflow triggers worked well, but the form UI and form-specific conveniences felt basic.
Key Details about Budibase
- Open-source app builder with built-in forms
- Database and API connectivity (e.g., SQL databases, REST APIs, Google Sheets)
- Multi-step forms and workflow-style data collection
- Hidden fields, calculations, and regex support
- File upload fields
- Webhooks and integrations for post-submission actions
- Custom domain and API access
- Role-based permissions and collaboration
Budibase Pricing
Budibase offers a free Self-Hosted option, which is valuable if you want maximum control over where form data lives (though you’ll still handle hosting and maintenance). For Budibase Cloud, pricing is per app creator plus per app user: Pro starts at $12 per creator + $2.40 per user/month, while Premium is $60 per creator + $6 per user/month. It can be cost-effective for teams building multiple internal tools, but may feel expensive if you only need a basic online form.
Self-Hosted
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited apps
- Unlimited automations
- Own your data
Pro
- 1 workspace
- Unlimited apps
- Budibase AI
Premium
- Multiple workspaces
- SSO: OIDC, Google, Microsoft
- Custom branding
- Creator access control
- PDF generation
How to choose the best online form builder
Picking the right form builder comes down to matching the tool to your specific needs. Here's a practical framework:
- Start with your budget: If cost is the primary concern, Google Forms and Microsoft Forms offer completely free options. These work well for basic needs. If you have budget flexibility, consider what you're willing to pay per month and whether you need features that justify premium pricing.
- Consider complexity: Are you building simple contact forms and surveys, or do you need complex calculations, payment processing, and advanced logic? Simple needs call for simple tools; Google Forms or Tally will serve you well. Complex requirements point toward Cognito Forms, forms.app, or even custom solutions like Budibase.
- Think about design: If forms represent your brand and completion rates matter, invest in tools like forms.app or Typeform that prioritize aesthetics and user experience.
- Check integrations: Look at what tools you already use. If you're in the Google ecosystem, Google Forms makes sense. Microsoft Office? Microsoft Forms. Need to connect to CRM systems, payment processors, or automation tools? Verify the form builder supports these integrations natively or through Zapier.
- Factor in technical ability: Some tools assume no technical knowledge (Google Forms, forms.app), while others reward technical skills with more power (Cognito Forms, Budibase). Be honest about your team's capabilities and available time for learning.
- Consider running small tests before committing. Most form makers have a free plan or at least a free trial. Create real forms and test them by wearing your customers' shoes.
- Read the fine print on limits: Response limits, form view quotas, storage caps, and feature gates can catch you off guard. Calculate your expected monthly usage and ensure the plan you choose accommodates growth.
Our Methodology for Online Form Builders
Our testing process is thorough and hands-on. We don't just look at marketing materials. We actually use these tools.
Here's the methodology we follow when creating a best form builder list.
- First, we check each tool to see if it really fits the category.
- Then, we read our review and take a look at the tool again, wearing a different pair of glasses. For this best online form makers list, for example, we went over each tool to see how they compare in terms of features, design, and price to rank them accordingly.
- We analyzed the plans specifically, documenting exact limits on forms, responses, features, and integrations.
- We checked the customer reviews from TrustPilot, G2, Capterra, and other verified platforms again to identify patterns regarding pricing.
- Finally, we ranked each tool based on how well it fits the category definition.
This methodology ensures our recommendations are based on actual usage, not just specs on a website. We update our reviews as tools evolve, so you're getting current information, not outdated analysis.
Finishing thoughts
The online form builder market offers options for every need and budget.
Google Forms and Microsoft Forms provide robust free solutions that work well for basic requirements. Typeform and forms.app excel when design and user experience matter most. Jotform and Cognito Forms offer the most features, but require patience with their interface.
For most small businesses, forms.app or Fillout strike a good balance between features, ease of use, and cost. Cognito Forms serves teams needing complex calculations or HIPAA compliance. Budibase fits technical teams building custom applications.
The best choice depends on your specific situation: budget, technical skills, design priorities, and feature requirements. Try the free versions, build a test form, and see which tool's workflow feels natural to you. The right form builder should make your work easier, not add complexity to your day.