From surveys to quizzes, Microsoft Forms is an online form builder that is capable of collecting real-time responses. 

You can create a form either from scratch or by editing pre-available templates or even use it to collect feedback, create surveys, and organize events. The collected data can be combined with Excel to perform deeper analysis or embedded into other Microsoft products like Microsoft Teams.

Let’s explore the pricing, features, support, and more about Microsoft Forms for a deeper understanding.

Microsoft Forms: Pricing and plans

You can start using Microsoft Forms for free – just make sure you have an account with Microsoft. Simply click on the “New Form” button on the top-left corner of the Microsoft Forms home page to build your first form.

Microsoft Forms is also available with Office 365 Education, Microsoft 365 Business Basic/ Standard, and Premium plan along with Office 365 Enterprise E1/E3/E5/E4/F3/F5/GCC G3/GCC G5/365 GCC High G3, and GCC High G5 plans.

While the free version is more than sufficient for basic to mid needs, if you want to take advantage of features like built-in question suggestions, custom surveys, and business process integrations, you’ll need to purchase a paid plan, the cheapest of which is the Microsoft 365 Business Basic costing $6 per month when billed annually.

Remember, Microsoft Forms isn’t sold separately. You will get it as part of the whole suite, which includes Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, One Drive, and others. 

Microsoft Forms: Features

You can effortlessly create forms for surveys, quizzes, and polls with Microsoft Forms. However, there are limited options for adding new form fields along with fewer integrations. That said, the ease of use and simple interface makes it extremely beginner-friendly. Moreover, you can even import a Word or PDF file from your local device. 

Templates

Microsoft Forms offer as many as 27 templates, neatly categorized into 4 categories. From an entertainment event survey and food catering request forms to customer expectations form templates, the options are diverse. You can also customize these templates to further suit your needs by playing around with the colors, fonts, and other design elements. 

Integrations 

While Microsoft Forms does not allow you to integrate with other third-party apps, you can insert polls, quizzes, and surveys to other Microsoft products like Excel, Office App, OneDrive for Business, Outlook, One Note, Sway, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and more. 

For instance, you can create a Forms tab in Microsoft Teams and collaborate your form with a team. You can use it to collect responses, create notifications for the form, show survey results, or perform a quick poll for your team members. Similarly, Excel integration will help you view the collected data with ease.

Surveys 

Microsoft Forms is ideal for survey data collection, be it surveying employee satisfaction or organizing team events. You can choose from field types like text, date, rating, ranking, net promoter score, and more. However, options like autosuggest or file uploads are missing. If you want to embed your forms on your website, you can do it using iframe – an HTML element used to load another HTML page within the document. 

Likert Scale is one of the best survey features offered by Microsoft Forms. It’s basically a feedback table with the rows containing the statement/question and the column header with the options. For example, the statement might be, “The training was helpful”, with four options - “strongly agree”, “agree”, “disagree”, and “strongly disagree”. These options will be constant for all the statements under this table. The Likert Scale is a widely used feature in customer feedback and satisfaction surveys.

View results 

Once you have collected responses for your form, it’s time to view the results. Simply click on the “Responses” tab for the graphical details of each question. You can also see how much time a respondent took to fill out the form. There’s also an option to view the results in Excel for further analysis. Click on the “More details” option in each question for a more detailed analysis of each question. 

Microsoft Forms: Interface and use

Even if you have never built an online form before, using Microsoft Forms is going to be a breeze. While it does not come with the drag-and-drop interface, it’s simple enough for a newbie. Just click on the “Add question now” option and choose from the 8 field options. It offers an intuitive interface without complicated settings. 

There is a question mark on the top right of the editor for guidance and help. You’ll find valuable suggested articles like “Start Here Guide For Microsoft Forms” and FAQs. You may also run into occasional pop-ups for help on features you might have missed. The toggle switches or drop-down settings make editing each question easy. Try the preview mode to see the final look of the form before sending it out. 

Microsoft Forms: Support

Microsoft Forms offers a ton of learning resources, guides, and FAQs if you’re stuck with anything. If you’ve access to the Microsoft Business Basic plan or higher, you can contact support from the Admin Center. You can also use the service request form to raise a query or simply use the “call-back by phone” option for a response within 15 minutes. However, there can be delays on several occasions. 

When testing customer support, I asked the agent about the extent of the free service of Microsoft Forms. The response was vague, and it took a lot of time before the actual useful answer was thrown my way. But on other occasions, the support was prompt and smooth sailing.

Microsoft Forms: The competition

JotForm, Paperform, and EmailMeForm are some of the primary competitors of Microsoft Forms. Both JotForm and Microsoft Forms are easy to use and help collect data really quickly. However, JotForm offers higher functionality in terms of thousands of customizable templates as compared to just a few offered by Microsoft Forms. 

While both offer a free plan, you can do more with JotForm in terms of functionalities such as drag-and-drop builder, ACH payments, CRM integrations, electronic signature, and more.

Paperform is a complete form builder with as many as 26 field types, as compared to only 8 offered by Microsoft Forms. Although setting branch logic is much easier with the latter, it lacks a lot of advanced features like payment integrations and notifications. 

If you already have a Microsoft 365 Education or Business plan and are looking for a basic form builder, Microsoft Forms is the way to go. However, if you want more template options, themes, question types, or advanced features like conditional logic, the other options mentioned above might be worth a look.

Microsoft Forms: Final verdict

Microsoft Forms is simple to use, works with any web browser, and is extremely beneficial in creating simple surveys. It’s great for conducting surveys in small offices, for educational purposes, or for individual use. However, purchasing an entire Microsoft Office plan just to use the form builder might not be the best fiscal bet. Even if you do have the Microsoft plan, the features fall short of what most dedicated form builders offer – considering you’re after a 360-degree solution.

If you have basic form needs for data collection and analysis, Microsoft Forms will definitely be enough. However, if you want to collect payments, add more custom fields and CRM integrations, or need advanced analytics, there are better options on the market.

We've listed the best survey tools.

Zoho Forms is an online form builder and front-end data collection system offered by Zoho, a cloud-based software suite for businesses. You can design and deploy online forms and integrate them with other apps with zero coding. It allows you to customize and embed your forms on web pages or share them via email or custom links for easy access. 

With Zoho Forms, you will receive instant alerts when someone has submitted their response. Further, you can integrate seamlessly with other Zoho applications like Zoho CRM to improve your customer relationship and sales. It will let you create the best data collection and management system for your business needs. 

Additionally, you can access all the functionalities and features the online form builder offers on your mobile devices. Compatible with iOS and Android operating systems, the mobile application allows you to create forms online and offline, consolidate data, and collaborate with your team remotely. 

Zoho Forms: Plans and pricing

You can sign up for free and design three forms, generate unlimited reports, and take in up to 500 submissions/month. You can also accept ten payments and access around 200 MB of file storage. Apart from an entirely free plan, Zoho Forms offers four paid subscriptions:

Basic Plan

Available at $10 per month (billed annually), this plan allows a single user to build unlimited forms, takes in 10,000 submissions/month, and offers 500 MB of cloud storage. You can generate unlimited reports, merge documents, use payment integration, and access built-in or custom themes during form building. 

Note that most of Zoho Forms features are available with this plan. However, you can consider a higher-level plan if you need more submissions or storage.

Standard Plan

Available at $25 per month billed annually, this plan allows up to 10 users to design and deploy unlimited forms with an entry intake of 25,000 submissions/month, with 2 GB of cloud storage. Apart from everything in the basic plan, the standard plan offers features like task assignment, task management, private sharing, reports approval, and form ownership management.

Professional Plan

Priced at $50 per month (billed annually), this plan allows up to 25 users to create unlimited forms. With a massive upside of 75,000 submissions/month and 5 GB of cloud storage with unlimited report generation, it’s ideal for medium-scale businesses. 

Note that there’s no real difference in the features offered by the Standard and Professional plans - the only difference is in the number of users and submissions, along with cloud storage capacity.

Premium Plan 

If you’re looking for more capacities for your large organization, consider the Premium plan. Available at $90 per month billed annually, up to 100 users can design unlimited forms with a data processing limit of 150,000 submissions/month, along with 10 GB of cloud storage. 

Apart from the features in the Professional plan, you get to enjoy auto-trash submission, record and export audits, and report scheduler. 

Zoho Forms: Features

Zoho Forms offers several features allowing you to create and customize forms per your requirements. You can compile and share form data, set up email notifications, and generate tracking analytics to see your performance. Creating custom themes, CSS, and branding options like custom domains make your forms more appealing. Let’s explore more Zoho Forms features to see if this is the form builder you’ve been looking for.

Intuitive form builder

Zoho Forms’ drag-and-drop builder will help you create engaging forms with 30+ field types and 65 premade templates to help you save time. The templates are neatly organized into various sections such as business, human resources, requests, e-commerce, non-profit, and more for easy access.

You can set field rules to direct respondents to the desired question/page/field according to their responses. Suppose a particular question asks if the respondent requires chauffeur services. If the user enters yes, only then will they be asked if an airport pickup is needed. If their answer is no, they’ll not have to answer an irrelevant question and will be directed to the next one. 

Share forms easily

With Zoho Forms, you can easily share your forms across different platforms. You can generate a custom permalink or embed them in webpages. Additionally, Zoho also allows you to circulate your forms via QR codes or email. If you aim for a higher response rate, you can distribute through email campaigns using integrations like Zoho Campaigns or MailChimp. You’re also free to use your domain or subdomain name in the form's URL while sharing. 

Analytics and report

I found Zoho Form’s analytics dashboard too basic. You can only view the number of forms filled each day and the geographical region from where it was filled - both of which are irrelevant business data. A free form builder like Google Forms offers better analytics than Zoho Forms. 

That said, you’ve got the option to integrate your form with Zoho Analytics for better data visualization. Moreover, you can also integrate Zoho Forms with Google Sheets for a consolidated view of all the entries collected. Build basic reports with customizable and auto filters and options to hide columns, which can be exported in both CSV and PDF format.

Form integrations

Zoho Forms allow seamless integration with the Zoho Suite of apps such as Zoho Desk, Zoho SalesIQ, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Project, and more. Moreover, you can connect your forms with over 4,000+ third-party apps via Zapier. However, you can only integrate one application at a time with the form.  

Payment portals

With Zoho Forms, you can design forms with leading payment portals like Stripe, Razorpay, PayPal, 2Checkout, Authorize.Net, and more. Further, you can perform field calculations, which allow simple and complex calculations based on the respondent’s input making the form flexible and efficient.  

Mobile application

Create and access your forms online and offline with the Zoho Forms mobile application. You can also capture images through your device’s camera and upload them to the form. The option to autofill specific fields through live geolocation and QR codes is a delight. 

For instance, it can automatically capture the address of the job site - you will not have to type it manually. You can also collect data offline and sync it to the cloud when you've connected to the internet again, making it excellent if you're on the move and are experiencing network issues. 

Security

Zoho Forms offer features like SSL certification and GDPR compliance for enhanced security. With SSL certification, data like your name, numbers, and addresses remain secure. Besides, GDPR compliance offers trust and credibility to Zoho Forms and helps understand the collected data better.

Zoho enables you to improve your email delivery rates with DKIM or DomainKeys Identified Mail authentication. It ensures the emails are sent to the intended recipients without being tampered with during the transit. 

Zoho Forms:

Zoho Forms:

Zoho Forms: Interface and use

As mentioned earlier, Zoho Forms offers many features without compromising the interface's ease of use. With over 65 templates, integrations, and security features, you can quickly build functional and mobile responsive forms in a few steps. 

The form builder, on the whole, is very intuitive and easy to use. The drag-and-drop tool can help insert, remove, or rearrange form fields. Further, Zoho's form editor is very well designed, making editing a breeze. All you have to do is click on an element, move to the settings sidebar, and make changes. 

You can completely transform your form's overall look and feel by accessing premade themes and customizing them by editing backgrounds, colors, fonts, buttons, and other widgets. 

Zoho Forms: Support

You can avail of support from Zoho Forms by emailing them at support@zohoforms.com. You can also submit a ticket request from the Zoho Help section - access it by clicking on your profile icon at the top-right corner of the dashboard. Moreover, you can find everything you need on Zoho’s user guides, how-to articles, forums, FAQs, tips and tricks, and e-books.

Zoho Forms: The competition

Zoho Forms competes with more or less every heavyweight in the online form builder segment - such is its versatility. Jotform, Typeform, Formstack, Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, and Wufoo are Zoho Forms’ most prominent competitors. 

Google Forms is a free online form builder that offers basic question types and a barebones editor. On the other hand, Jotform, Wufoo, and Typeform provide both paid and free subscriptions. They have excellent capabilities for advanced data collection and customization features at different price points.

However, Zoho's smooth interface, intuitive drag-and-drop editors, and mobile application make it a lucrative deal. The best thing about Zoho Forms is its Basic plan, which includes most of all the features Zoho has to offer. You’d need to upgrade only if you have more data and form needs. It’s perfect for creating versatile and dynamic forms to streamline your workflow.

Zoho Forms: Final verdict

Zoho Forms offers several integrations and ready-made, customizable templates to take your forms to a new level. You can quickly build forms to automate workflows and optimize your business operations. 

If you’re looking for a cost-effective, cloud-based form builder offering a brilliant mobile application, Zoho Forms is your reliable bet. And the best part is you can try the free plan and play around with all the features to create compelling and engaging forms.

We've listed the best survey tools.