There once was a time where if businesses wanted to gather information from a large group of people, they would have to create a custom form, print it out, and either hand-deliver or mail it to the people that they wanted to complete the form. This was an incredibly time-consuming process that was always marked with poor response rates, which made it difficult to use the data that was collected.

Even so, these forms were a valuable source of information when trying to gather insight into a variety of different subjects.  It’s not often that a business can tap into the mindset of its target demographic and collect essential information to help chart a path forward.

At the end of the day, form building was important, but massively flawed. Like taxis and Uber, form building was ripe for disruption. Many companies saw an opportunity to make the data collection process more efficient, and form builders began popping up online. They promised an improved method for not only building forms, but collecting data.

Today, they’ve all but eliminated the need to use document creation programs and waste valuable time on formatting settings that simply weren’t designed for building beautiful forms. In fact, creating a form with most online form builders can now be done in just minutes.

Creating the form is just the first step in the data collection process. They still have to be delivered to people who need to complete them. This process has also dramatically improved thanks to online form builders since it’s now possible to send out forms by email, provide a hyperlink that people can click on, and even embed forms directly into a webpage.  Data collection has never been easier.

And with improved form delivery also comes improved form return rates. Making it quick and easy for people to complete forms and return them means that more people will take the time to provide their opinion. For businesses that increasingly operate on data gathered from customers, online form builders have proven to be a very valuable tool for getting inside the heads of everyone from customers and employees to vendors and sometimes even competitors.

Online form builders have completely changed the game. It’s now easier than ever for businesses to create a form, gather greater amounts of data, and gain deeper insights into the parts of their businesses that need to be improved.

Why do businesses need online form builders?

The first question most people have about form builders is why these services are even needed? What benefits can form builders provide to businesses?

The fact of the matter is that any business reliant on data to improve operations can use forms to help facilitate this. Of course, finding out where and why to use these form builders isn’t always obvious.

Improved customer insight

One of the most common reasons that people build forms is because they want increased insight into the behaviors of their customers. Without happy customers, a business simply won’t survive. There are obviously a number of ways to make customers happy, like by improving customer service quality, but there are also a lot of far less obvious ways to make an experience perfect for customers. An online form builder can help dig deep, beyond just the basic things that customers look for.

There are a number of opportunities where a business could send out a form to customers for their opinion. One great example is by maintaining an email marketing list of existing customers where forms can easily be delivered to the inboxes of people who have already shown they are willing to spend money. This highlights the importance of maintaining a base of customers to stay in contact with as they can prove very valuable in the future as the direction of the business is shaped.

Of course, not all customers are existing customers sitting neatly in an email marketing list. Luckily, forms can easily be shared through other channels, like social media. A simple link to a form can help gather the opinions of people who may not yet have spent money, and provide insight as to what could turn these people from window shoppers into loyal, paying customers.

Better employee engagement

Connecting with customers isn’t the only use for online form builders, however. These forms can also be used to keep a finger on the pulse of internal matters like employee engagement. Forms can be created for everything from gathering employee opinions on business processes to simply helping plan the company holiday party. Online forms are an easy way to gather data from employees on any number of matters quickly.

Better business efficiency

One of the most overlooked reasons why businesses should consider using forms is that they can help improve business efficiency. Not all forms have to be used to gather data in the form of an opinion. Every business uses a mountain of data in many different ways to get the job done. Forms can be an effective way for staff to input information and streamline business processes.

One example of improving business processes with forms would be to create a form for sales staff to use when sending orders to other teams. Important details can be listed, such as requirements for completing the form, and then once submitted, the form can automatically be delivered to everyone who needs to be involved. There may even be an opportunity to create a dedicated email inbox for collecting all form submissions, which then makes acting on the information provided in the form much easier.

This simple change in a business process can reduce errors and/or delays due to missing information. It can also greatly help with organization. Instead of staff using their own processes and formats to complete a task, online form builders give businesses the ability to have a uniform and partially automated business process that is consistent,  regardless of who is submitting the form. Obviously, there is also the potential for this use of online forms to have a positive effect on customer-facing parts of the business. With improved internal operations, customers are less likely to experience issues like delayed orders due to incorrect submissions from staff.

More efficient customer service

Finally, there are also opportunities to use forms in a way that helps enable human staff to focus more on what they do best rather than worrying about menial tasks that could prove to be time-consuming. One common example that you may have seen online is customer service forms. Instead of requiring customers to call in or visit a business, companies have created submission forms for customers to submit their questions and issues. This helps free up customer service staff as there is less volume on phone lines as more people submit concerns through forms.

These forms also help create a better customer service experience. When the forms are received, customer support staff can triage the issues to the people and/or teams that can actually manage the issue. The correct actions can be taken right off the bat, and the staff can then follow up with the customer to confirm that the issue has been resolved. This is in obvious contrast to the typical customer service experience, where a customer phones in, explains their issue, and then waits for staff to resolve it or direct them to the team that can assist with a resolution. The final result is a happier, more satisfied customer that will be much more inclined to spend money in the future.

Check out our roundup of the Best Survey Tools and Software

When do businesses need online form builders?

There is never a bad time to consider implementing forms. Even established, successful businesses can benefit from the information that online form builders can help deliver. With that said, there are definitely some prime moments where online form builders can come in handy.

When first starting out

When a new business is just getting off the ground, it is a great opportunity to identify various ways to implement forms. New businesses are starting with a blank slate, which means incorporating forms is a much easier process than trying to implement them into a business with more established processes and procedures.

One great example is a customer feedback form. These can provide incredibly valuable information about what potential customers are looking for, especially if topics like products, pricing, and features are covered.  This will help a brand new business get a better sense of what entices its target audience to buy.

 A new business also has a very unique opportunity to build its processes around forms that can be easily created with online form builders. For example, hiring new staff can be streamlined with forms, simply by using an intake form that collects information from prospective employees and gives them an area to attach their resume. The form responses can then be delivered directly to HR or the hiring manager for easy sorting and follow up.

Identifying other opportunities to implement forms in processes is also important. Start with things like sales processes and internal communications that could be improved with smart and simple forms.

When a business is brand new, it presents the perfect opportunity to build efficient, smart processes from the get-go, as opposed to trying to revamp processes at some point in the future, after the business is established.  Change is hard, and especially when it comes to changes in how a business runs.

The good news is that for already established businesses, change isn’t impossible, and online form builders can help accomplish a variety of different goals.

When trying to increase sales

Data is what drives business today. With access to better quality data, businesses may make more informed decisions about the future. Using a form for basic customer feedback is a great place to start since the form can easily be integrated into the post-sales process.

For example, discount links can be delivered to customers in exchange for feedback about their buying experience. With this feedback, businesses can then make informed changes that they know their customers want.

Regular customer surveys are also a great way to gather data. Consider sending out online forms as part of regular marketing efforts, like a quarterly customer feedback survey. To take things to the next level and gather even more customer data, offer a reward – like a discount on the customer’s next purchase – for completing the feedback survey.

When upping-the-ante on customer service

Customer-facing forms can also be used to improve internal processes. Customer support forms built into a website are a great example of this. Not only do they limit the number of customers phoning or emailing for support, but they also collect all the necessary data to make it easier to solve the customer’s issue. By requiring information to be input into a form, customer service departments can be sure they’re getting the full picture before diving into the issue.

When streamlining the appointment setting process

Not all customer-facing forms have to be for support, however. In fact, there are a number of other scenarios where customers may need to complete a form. Examples of this would be a booking form where a customer schedules a time for a meeting or for service.

Registration forms are also very common. For a business like a salon, consider creating registration and booking forms for customers if they are first-time visitors. This frees up the time of front-line staff who would otherwise have to manually collect and input all of this information.

When generating new leads

Lead capture forms are also very popular. These forms can then be integrated into a lead generation funnel that turns casual buyers into paying customers. Forms used for lead generation can be structured in a number of different ways. For example, many businesses use surveys as a lead generation form. As customers complete the survey, they are entered into a lead generation funnel, which then opts them into future email marketing and other follow up methods.

When building a more cohesive company culture

Of course, not all feedback has to come from customers. Employees spend the majority of their time at work, which means they have the most knowledge about the business itself. Their insights can – and often do – prove to be incredibly valuable. With online form builders, it’s easy to create regular employee feedback surveys to find out what employees feel is working well, as well as where changes should be made. This can help with everything from improving business processes and employee retention to improved sales and overall end customer experience. For any business looking to improve employee engagement, a simple online form is one of the most impactful first steps that should be taken.

When optimizing internal systems and processes

Perhaps the most effective time to use forms in a business is when the realization hits that things need to change. And more specifically, when outdated processes are slowing down employees, causing errors, and/or hindering the growth of the business. Times like these present prime opportunities for forms to be implemented. In addition, antiquated data entry processes can – and should be – be replaced with forms in some way or another. Taking a few minutes to create forms that will form the backbone of consistent processes for an entire team can reap massive time savings, both in the short-term and long-term.

A fantastic real-world example of this is an investment management business that leveraged online form builders to improve communication between front and back-office staff. The previous process saw trade orders taken from front office staff and then sent by email to back-office staff to be reviewed and processed. There were several problems with this:

• No two employees would send the same email, despite efforts for consistent formatting. This left room for interpretation by back-office staff, which is never a good thing with financial transactions. 
• Sorting emails was also a challenge, and there were too many opportunities for mistakes to be made by both front office staff as well as back-office staff. Were emails actually sent? Had they been acted upon?

The solution was to create a consistent data entry form that sent a uniform trade order to the back office for processing. The information was emailed to back-office staff and also input into a tracking form automatically, so that front office staff could quickly review and confirm that the order was received. In addition, the requirement that certain fields be completed eliminated errors and omissions by front office staff as they weren’t able to submit the form without fully completing it. The end result was a huge amount of time saved, reduced errors, better collaboration, and a reduction in dissatisfied customers due to delays.

Every established business has countless examples of old, inefficient processes like the investment management company example above. Taking a few minutes to create forms to replace cumbersome, inefficient processes can result in substantial improvements in the overall operations of the business itself.

How to choose an online form builder 

While many different online forms, once completed, look the same, there is actually a wide range of customization options and features available. Unfortunately, this can make the process of finding the right form builder seems a bit daunting at first. Thankfully, once needs are determined, it’s a fairly straightforward process to narrow down options and pinpoint an online form builder that checks off all the boxes.

Ease of use

One of the most important things to look for in an online form builder is ease of use. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a form builder needs to be a simple, watered-down version of a more sophisticated product, however.

Generally speaking, there are 2 groups of people looking for form builders:

• Those who want a simple experience that only takes a few minutes
• Those who want a truly customizable form builder that they can make their own

There’s no right or wrong answer here, it ultimately boils down to the needs of the business and personal preference.

One ease-of-use feature that should be considered essential is access to templates. Templates save a lot of time when building forms, and can even help inspire the form building process. Instead of starting from scratch, many form builders have templates with pre-generated questions and formats that require just a tiny bit of customization from the end-user to make it their own. Many even offer a drag-and-drop feature for images, as well as provide a library of images to choose from.

Of course, with extreme ease of use comes a lack of customizability. This may or may not be a bad thing depending on how the form is going to be used. For example, an internal form used by employees doesn’t need to win awards for design.  It simply needs to function well. A customer-facing form, on the other hand, will probably have a higher bar for both quality and uniqueness. At the end of the day, it comes down to the needs of the business, as well as the purpose of the form.

Integration options

Regardless of how the form looks, it won’t be effective unless it can be easily shared and accessed. At a basic level, most form builders make it easy to share a hyperlink to the form’s web address with any and all intended recipients. This may not be enough in certain situations, however. An example of this would be a scheduling or customer support form that needs to be built into a webpage. In this case, once the form is complete, the user who created the form would need to be able to copy or download the code for the form so that they can insert the code into their website’s design. This is more of a challenge than simply sharing a hyperlink, but most online form builders do a relatively good job of lowering the bar of difficulty.

To take things a step further, some form builders even offer the ability to integrate their forms with automated marketing platforms. A business that wants to send a form to their database of customers may want this feature to ensure that they can create – and then send out – their form with just a few clicks. This form will need to appear professionally in the body of the email, as opposed to a basic hyperlink, which would look decidedly unprofessional and likely result in low response rates.

Contextual pages

While some businesses create forms that are simple, others create complex forms that serve very specific business goals and objectives.  When it comes to creating multi-page forms, many builders offer customization options so that certain pages show up based on someone’s input.

For example, if a customer enters an answer that requires more specific information, they could be redirected to page 2 of a form that asks for specifics based on previous answers. Many form builders provide multi-page form support, but only a handful offer these types of contextual secondary pages. This can be very handy especially when replacing processes within a business or creating customer feedback forms where more information may be required based on certain answers.

Data organization

Online form builders offer a number of ways that data can be organized after it’s collected. One of the most common methods is automatically inputting responses into a spreadsheet. This can be very handy for reviewing answers, as well as confirming form submission.  Email delivery is also a very common feature.

Often times, however, more complex export options are needed.  For example, to automatically enter collected information into a CRM platform like Salesforce. These more customized export options can be very handy depending on services and platforms already in use.

Revenue generation

At the end of the day, running a business is all about making money. While forms offer many passive ways of improving revenue, like through improved customer satisfaction, there are also some online form builders that work seamlessly with payment services like PayPal.  For businesses that want to be able to collect payments through forms, this is an invaluable feature worth exploring. An example where this would come in handy is if a business is using booking payment forms, and deposits are required immediately upon scheduling an appointment.

If interested in collecting payments on forms, best practice is to make things official with a signature, which is possible with some online form builders. Electronic signatures can be captured after completing a form, much like a paper form would have a signature section at the bottom. If there are terms associated with submitting the form, a signature space is a helpful addition that will add a little extra professionalism and legitimacy to the transaction.

Security and compliance

A handful of online form builders offer higher levels of security and compliance for specific business types like healthcare businesses that must remain compliant with HIPAA when collecting patient information. In this case, a basic form builder with free services will not meet the requirements for data protection as outlined by HIPAA, and a specialized form building tool will need to be used. Thankfully, many form builders make it easy for businesses handling sensitive data to use their platforms both safely and securely.

It all boils down to need

There are a wide range of online form builders available on the market today, each that comes with its own unique suite of features. While many basic features are shared across the board, some are unique to certain services. When evaluating options, it’s important to identify goals and objectives to help single-out which platforms make the most sense, based on those specific needs.

How much do online form builders cost?

The costs associated with online form builders will vary substantially, based on wants and needs.  The good news is that there are a number of free form building solutions available on the market. Many basic form needs can be satisfied with free services that allow users to quickly create forms based on a number of templates. In fact, in many cases, it may only take a few minutes to create a custom form. With that said, however, many free from building services only offer basic form building tools. For more advanced needs, businesses may find they have to pay for the form builder that they choose.

The way that form builders charge of their services is typically through a tiered model that’s either a recurring monthly or annual fee. Each tier is typically separated by a few common factors, including the total number of forms required, as well as users on the plan. So, for example, a small business with one user that’s only creating a handful of forms will likely be able to get by with the lowest priced tier, while an enterprise business with more advanced needs will probably need a much higher priced plan.

Some online form builders also include additional features at higher tier levels. For example, while a free tier may be available, these forms will most likely lack features like multi-page form support and the ability to integrate with a payment gateway. In these cases, businesses would have to choose a paid tier to gain access to some of the features needed.

Beyond free options, businesses can expect to pay around $10 per month for lower tiers with enterprise services running as high as $100 per month or more. Regardless of business size, it’s highly recommended to shop around to find the best price for the services needed.

Google Forms

Google is perhaps the most well-known name in the tech world, so it should come as no surprise that they offer one of the best online form building platforms on the market. Google Forms are simple to create, and anyone who has ever used other Google services like Docs or Sheets should easily be able to begin working with Google Forms. Pre-made templates make it quick and easy to create robust forms that can accept up to 2 million responses, and then organize data for easy analysis in other Google services like Sheets. The smart validation rules check form responses for accuracy so businesses don’t end up with responses that include things like improperly formatted emails.

Personal use of Google Forms is free, but business use requires a G-Suite subscription. This starts as low as $6 per month per user and includes all of the other G-Suite features like Google Drive storage, G-Mail, and more. While the pricing is competitive, many businesses may not see the need to pay for all G-Suite services just to have access to Google Forms. In addition, Google Forms is very easy to use, but this does come with some limitations in regards to advanced features like implementing payment gateways.

Gravity

Gravity is a WordPress plugin that easily creates powerful forms and then seamlessly integrates them into WordPress websites. With over 30 form fields available in its powerful drag-and-drop editor, Gravity makes it quick and easy to create forms with just a few clicks of a button. Conditional logic uses the answers within the forms to ensure that users see the questions that are relevant to them so that they don’t waste time answering ones that aren’t.

Obviously, Gravity isn’t a viable option for people who don’t use WordPress, but it’s an extremely affordable option for those who do.  Pricing starts at just $59 per year and includes powerful analytics and extensive integrations.

Typeform

Typeform is one of the more unique form builders available today, in that the format is completely different than the standard types of forms that most people have come to expect. Typeform forms use logic-based submissions to ask follow up questions based on the form’s settings, in an “if this, then that” type of format. The forms themselves flow more like a conversation as opposed to a standard, run-of-the-mill form. Marketing integrations are extensive and include both Mailchimp and Facebook Pixel integrations, which is perfect for businesses that want to ensure their forms actually translate into increased business.

What’s more, Typeform’s advanced conversion tracking makes it easy to see how well forms are performing, as well as identify areas for improvement. Other advanced features include live chat, completion redirection for respondents, and custom branding.

Typeform plans start at $35 per month, which includes a number of attractive features. Live chat, however, is only available with the highest price tier, which clocks in at $70/month.  While Typeform is one of the more costly solutions, it’s well worth the cost, depending on specific business goals and objectives.

Formstack

Formstack is amongst the most advanced form building tools on this list. In fact, the number of integrations and features available is almost unmatched by the competition. Unfortunately, however, this level of customization does come with a bit of a learning curve, and setting up a Formstack form is not as simple as using a basic premade template. With that said, the drag and drop interface does help to make the form creation process easier.

Advanced analytics helps set Formstack apart from more basic form builders. In addition, the logical conditions make custom forms based on previous answers even more powerful.  Amongst other advanced features, many people enjoy the ability to A/B test various forms to see which copy gets more responses for future campaigns. What’s more, analytics can identify where people abandon forms so the form can be edited and improved. End users can even upload documents right into the form and make payments from within the form so that no additional processes are needed.

Formstack comes jam-packed with countless helpful features, but there is a price to pay for this level of power and control. Base plans start at $19 per month, which only includes 5 forms. Users who want HIPAA compliant forms will have to opt for the enterprise plan, which is based on individual quotes so the price is not clear. With that said, the highest tier from Formstack costs $249 per month, so expect that the enterprise plan will cost even more.

JotForm

JotForm is one of the most advanced online form builders available, and the company is known for its commitment to security and data protection. In fact, two pricing tiers offer HIPAA compliance, which means that even healthcare businesses can use the forms.  All paid plans offer unlimited submission storage, as well as custom branding, and 3rd party integrations make it easy for businesses to collect money during the form completion process. There are also dozens of other integrations available, which makes JotForm one of the most flexible form builders on the market.

What’s more, JotForm’s mobile form editor is a unique and powerful feature that’s handy for business owners on-the-go. And best of all, JotForm can collect data offline.  In addition, the forms can be managed from mobile devices, which means no form ever has to ever go without being updated. 

As far as pricing is concerned, JotForms is extremely competitive with other comparable form builders on the market. Their free plan is limited to 5 forms and just 100 responses, and a bronze plan offers 25 forms with 1000 monthly responses.  Users looking for HIPAA compliance will be looking at plans that start around $32.50 per month. 

123FormBuilder

123FormBuilder appears to have found the sweet spot for businesses that want to build custom forms, but not invest a significant amount of time to do so. The drag-and-drop editor makes creating custom forms as easy as dropping an image into a document, and fields are pre-generated for simplicity when it comes to inserting them into the form. Don’t let this ease of use fool you into thinking 123FormBuilder is just for beginners, however.

Advanced analytics give 123FormBuilder a lot of power under the hood, and payment integrations are also available. What’s more, users can monitor responses as they come in, export data to spreadsheets, and use Google Analytics to dive deeper into responses.

The free plan from 123FormBuilder does include a number of essential features but lacks advanced functionality like payment integrations. At $24.99 per month, users have access to a wide range of more advanced features, and the $44.99/month Platinum Plan unlocks even customization options and features.

Cognito Forms

Cognito forms prides itself on being one of the easiest online form building platforms on the market.  Users can create forms based on the Cognito templates in seconds, and advanced customization options are also available.  Cognito’s analytics features rival more expensive and advanced form builders, and provide users with the ability to track form response data including drop-out points for respondents. Forms can also use data to create real-time calculations, accept file uploads from people, and even allow for digital signatures.

Like many other form building platforms, payments can be accepted from top payment processors like Stripe and PayPal. But where Cognito really shines is with data security. In fact, even HIPAA compliant forms are available so that healthcare businesses can collect sensitive data, without any fear of policy violations.

Perhaps best of all is that Cognito forms offers robust free plans that come standard with a variety of different features.  In fact, individual users can create an unlimited number of forms, as well as accept payments via Stripe. The $10/month Pro Plan eliminates ads, increases storage, and adds a wealth of other advanced features. Unfortunately, however, HIPAA compliant forms are only available in the Enterprise Plan, which costs $99/month.

Paperform

While looks aren’t everything, having an aesthetically pleasing form can certainly go a long way in growing a business and leaving a positive, lasting impression. And when it comes to creating beautiful forms, Paperform leads the pack. The platform’s simple drag-and-drop interface is easy to use, even for first-time form builders and technologically challenged. Rich media like audio and video can also be added, to create a truly stunning form that’s unique and memorable. Behind these beautiful looks, however, Paperform has a lot of smarts as well.

Advanced analytics track conversions, and embedding a form onto a website is also super simple. Major payment gateways like Paypal and Stripe can also be easily integrated, so there’s no need to redirect customers to separate pages for payment processing.

While Paperform does offer a free 14-day trial, there are no free plans available to extend this offer. Base plans start at $12.50 per month and includes an unlimited number of forms, which is in stark contrast to many other form builders that limit the number of forms that can be created.  Higher tiers offer more storage, custom branding, and advanced themes, and can cost upwards of $82.50 per month.

Formsite

Smart forms start with Formsite. For people who like to dive deep into data and analytics, Formsite offers some of the most expansive export and analysis tools. So regardless of whether you prefer to work with graphs, spreadsheets, PDFs, or your own custom reports, Formsite makes it easy to access the data you want, how you want it.

A wide range of integrations are available, including Salesforce, Dropbox, Mailchimp, Drive, and Zapier.  What’s more, payment integrations with PayPal, Stripe, and Braintree are also available, which creates a cohesive experience for customers and makes collecting payments both quick and easy.

Formsite offers a basic free plan, which is good for up to 5 forms. But for things like payment integrations, image uploads, API access, and 3rd party integrations, a Pro Plan will be needed.  Pro tiers start at $29.95 per month and come with a 14-day free trial.

Wufoo

Wufoo is a dedicated online form builder that gives users the ability to dive deep into customization and build forms that feel truly unique. People can start with a pre-designed template and then customize it to their liking, or begin from scratch to create a truly unique form that fits their needs, right down to the smallest details. Wufoo also gives complete control to users who want instant notifications when form responses are entered. What’s more, the question branching and advanced logic makes form data more valuable as participants can get detailed questions based on previous answers.

Where Wufoo really shines is with its vast array of customization options, like the ability to add payments, as well as integrate with Salesforce for CRM, Mailchimp and Facebook for marketing, and Dropbox for storage. Once the data is collected, detailed analysis is available and the information can be exported to a spreadsheet for future use and analysis.

Wuffo does offer a limited free plan, which gives users the ability to create 5 forms and accept 100 responses per month. For more advanced customization and access to priority support, however, paid plans start around $14 per month and go as high as $183 per month for enterprise needs.

Zoho Forms

Zoho Forms makes building a form feel like putting together a puzzle, except for the fact that you get to decide how the pieces go together and what the final picture will look like. Using a drag-and drop-formula, Zoho Forms gives users the ability to create powerful forms via an easy to use interface. These drag-and drop-elements are powerful and can do things like calculations, right inside the form. Pre-created themes make building beautiful forms a breeze. Data export and analysis is also super simple, and things like conversion rates and errors can be calculated with just a few clicks.

The pricing for Zoho Forms is extremely competitive and starts at just $8/month.. All plans offer unlimited forms, as well as payment integration.

Microsoft Forms

A lot of people are immediately drawn to Microsoft Forms due to its inclusion in the very popular Microsoft Office suite of products. For those who already use programs like Word or Excel, Microsoft Forms is an obvious choice that won’t cost any additional money on top of the Office subscription they are already paying. The selection of form templates is vast, and creating a form feels intuitive, much like creating a Word document. Forms can easily be shared by email, and there is even a handy QR code sharing option. Easy export to Excel for response tracking is available, which makes it easy to integrate with Office products.

The question branching is a nice customization detail that essentially allows customized questions to be asked based on previous answers. This way, the form can provide more detailed information based on responses, as opposed to just sticking with a basic, one-size-fits-all template.

Like Google Forms, however, Microsoft Forms does lack a lot of advanced customization options. Also, the platform is only available for those who have Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions. If other parts of the Office suite of products aren’t being used, then this could be a very expensive subscription, just for access to form building. With that being said, however, it’s a great option for people who want easy form building with a familiar interface.