About 23; min
Tally, Google Forms, and Microsoft Forms are the three free form builders that handle most use cases without charging a dime. But “free” means different things for each: Tally is free with unlimited responses, Google Forms is free within Google Workspace, and Microsoft Forms is free for Microsoft 365 users.
We compared all three for surveys, lead capture, and internal forms — the three most common form use cases — to find which free option is actually best.
Quick Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Free Tier | Paid Plan | Response Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tally | Unlimited forms, unlimited responses | $29/mo (Pro) | Unlimited (free and paid) |
| Google Forms | Unlimited forms, unlimited responses | Part of Google Workspace ($6+/user) | Unlimited |
| Microsoft Forms | Unlimited forms (M365 users) | Part of Microsoft 365 ($6+/user) | 50K responses/form (M365), 200/form (free) |
All three are genuinely free for basic form creation and collection. The differences show up in design quality, logic capabilities, and integration depth.
Tally: The Beautiful Free Form Builder
Tally’s free plan is the most generous form builder available. Unlimited forms, unlimited responses, conditional logic, payment collection, file uploads, AND no branding — all for $0. Most competitors charge $25–$50/month for these features.
What Makes Tally Special
- Notion-like editor: Type “/” to add blocks — text, questions, images, embeds, dividers. It feels like writing a document, not configuring a form. The learning curve is near zero
- One-question-at-a-time mode: Optional Typeform-style presentation where each question appears on its own screen. This typically increases completion rates by 20–40% vs showing all questions at once
- Calculator fields: Perform math on form inputs — calculate pricing quotes, scores, or ROI directly in the form. Google Forms and Microsoft Forms can’t do this
- Payment collection: Accept Stripe payments within the form. Create order forms, donation pages, or registration with payment — all free
- Partial submissions: Save incomplete responses so you can follow up with people who started but didn’t finish. Only available on paid plans from competitors like Typeform
- No branding on free: Tally removes its own branding from free forms. Every other free form builder adds their logo or “Made with X” badge
Tally’s Limitations
- Integrations: Tally connects to Google Sheets, Notion, Slack, Airtable, and webhooks. But it has far fewer native integrations than Google Forms (which connects to the entire Google stack)
- Collaboration: Pro-only feature. The free plan is single-user
- Reporting: Basic response summary. No cross-tabulation, no advanced analytics. Export to Google Sheets for deeper analysis
- Custom domain: Pro-only ($29/month). Your forms live on tally.so URLs on the free plan
Google Forms: The Reliable Default
Google Forms is the form builder everyone already has. If you use Gmail or Google Workspace, you have Google Forms. No signup, no learning curve, no new tool in your stack.
Google Forms Strengths
- Google Sheets integration: Responses automatically populate a Google Sheet in real-time. No CSV export needed. Analyze, filter, and chart responses instantly
- Collaboration: Multiple people can edit the same form simultaneously (like Google Docs). Tally’s free plan is single-user
- Quiz mode: Auto-grade quizzes with point values, correct answers, and feedback per question. Built-in, no plugins needed
- Ubiquity: Everyone recognizes a Google Forms link. No friction for respondents — they don’t need to create an account or install anything
- Add-ons: Google Workspace Marketplace has form add-ons for notifications, approvals, and advanced logic
Google Forms Limitations
- Design: Google Forms looks like Google Forms. There’s minimal customization — header image, accent color, and font choice. That’s it. Your form will never look premium
- Logic: Basic section-based branching only. No field-level conditional visibility, no calculated fields, no piping answers into later questions
- No payment collection: You can’t accept payments through Google Forms without third-party add-ons
- No file uploads on personal accounts: File upload questions require respondents to sign into Google. This adds friction for external audiences
- Branding: “Google Forms” branding is always visible. No white-labeling on any plan
Microsoft Forms: The M365 Option
Microsoft Forms is the Google Forms equivalent for Microsoft 365 organizations. If your company runs on Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, Microsoft Forms integrates natively with all of them.
Microsoft Forms Strengths
- Teams integration: Create polls and surveys directly inside Microsoft Teams channels. Responses appear in the Teams conversation
- SharePoint embedding: Embed forms in SharePoint pages for internal portals and intranets
- Branching logic: More flexible branching than Google Forms — branch based on answers to any question, not just section-level
- Likert scales: Built-in matrix/Likert question type for satisfaction surveys. Google Forms has this too, but Microsoft’s implementation is slightly cleaner
- Excel integration: Responses flow to Excel Online for analysis. Similar to Google Forms + Sheets but within the Microsoft stack
Microsoft Forms Limitations
- 200-response limit (personal): Free personal accounts cap at 200 responses per form. Google Forms and Tally have no such limit. This makes the free personal version nearly useless for surveys
- Design: Even more limited than Google Forms. Theme options are minimal and all forms look institutional
- No payment collection: Same limitation as Google Forms
- Requires Microsoft account: Some question types require respondents to sign in with a Microsoft account, adding friction for external audiences
- External sharing friction: Sharing forms with people outside your M365 organization sometimes requires admin-level permission changes
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Tally Free | Google Forms | Microsoft Forms (M365) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50K/form (200 on personal) |
| Design quality | Best (modern, customizable) | Basic (recognizable) | Basic (institutional) |
| Conditional logic | Advanced (field-level) | Basic (section-level) | Moderate (question-level) |
| Calculator fields | Yes | No | No |
| Payment collection | Yes (Stripe) | No | No |
| File uploads | Yes (free) | Yes (Google sign-in required) | Yes |
| One-question mode | Yes | No | No |
| Branding removal | Free (no branding!) | Never (always Google branded) | Never (always Microsoft branded) |
| Real-time collaboration | Pro only ($29) | Yes (free) | Yes (M365) |
| Quiz/grading | Basic | Best (auto-grade, feedback) | Good (auto-grade) |
| Spreadsheet integration | Google Sheets, Notion | Google Sheets (native) | Excel (native) |
| Partial submissions | Yes | No | No |
| API/Webhooks | Pro only | Apps Script | Power Automate |
Best Tool by Use Case
Lead capture form (marketing website)
Winner: Tally. No branding, payment collection, one-question mode for higher conversion, and conditional logic — all free. Google Forms looks unprofessional on a marketing site. Microsoft Forms is worse.
Employee survey (internal)
Winner: Google Forms (Google Workspace) or Microsoft Forms (M365). Use whichever your company already has. Real-time collaboration lets HR and managers co-create surveys. The institutional look doesn’t matter for internal use.
Quiz or assessment
Winner: Google Forms. The built-in quiz mode with auto-grading, point values, and per-question feedback is the best free quiz builder available. Tally and Microsoft Forms offer quizzes but with less polish.
Order/payment form
Winner: Tally. The only free option with Stripe payment collection. Google Forms and Microsoft Forms can’t collect payments without third-party add-ons.
Customer feedback (NPS, satisfaction)
Winner: Tally or Google Forms. Both handle feedback well. Tally’s conditional logic lets you ask follow-up questions based on rating (“You rated us 3/10 — what could we improve?”). Google Forms can only branch by section.
Best free form builder overall: Tally — unlimited everything, no branding, payment collection, conditional logic, and one-question mode. The most features at $0 of any form builder in any category.
Best for Google Workspace teams: Google Forms — native Sheets integration, real-time collaboration, and quiz mode. The practical choice when you already live in Google’s world.
Best for Microsoft 365 teams: Microsoft Forms — Teams and SharePoint integration make it the obvious choice for M365 organizations. But the 200-response limit on personal accounts is a dealbreaker outside of work.
Best for external-facing forms: Tally — the only free option that looks professional without branding, collects payments, and supports one-question-at-a-time presentation.
FAQ
Is Tally really free with no catch?
Yes. Tally’s free plan has no response limits, no form limits, and no branding. They monetize through the Pro plan ($29/month) which adds team workspaces, custom domains, and webhooks. The free plan is fully functional for individual use.
Can I use Google Forms without a Google account?
Respondents can fill out most Google Forms without signing in. However, file upload questions and response-limit-one-per-person settings require Google sign-in. Form creators need a Google account.
Which has the best mobile experience?
All three are mobile-responsive. Tally’s one-question mode provides the best mobile form experience — large tap targets, one question per screen, swipe to advance. Google Forms and Microsoft Forms show all questions on one scrolling page on mobile.
Can I embed these forms on my website?
All three support iframe embedding. Tally also supports a popup/slide-in embed that looks more native. Google Forms embeds look distinctly “Google” and can’t be styled. Microsoft Forms embeds work but occasionally have authentication issues for external users.
