Google Forms is often considered the “OG” form-building tool, having been around for the past 15 years. The platform keeps users returning due to its simple interface and, of course, the unlimited free forms and responses.
But its simplicity doesn't always compensate for the lack of advanced features or customization options. This left a void that other form builders have filled.
Enter Typeform and Feathery.
Typeform has become as popular as Google Forms for its standout forms and one-question layout.
Typeforms can fit many use cases making it a versatile tool for businesses. But it falls short with a lack of customizations, advanced logic features, and developer-friendly forms.
Feathery stepped into the market to give power back to users. With Feathery's forms, companies don't have to wait months while their developers make a small but crucial change to the form. They can simply execute it themselves using our low-code form builder.
As we dive into a comprehensive comparison of these form builders, you'll soon understand why Feathery users prefer this platform above Google Forms and Typeform.
Our quick comparison table
Before we deep-dive into Google Forms vs Typeform vs Feathery, below is a brief comparison table to give you a bird's eye view of these platforms.
Learn more about how Typeform compares to Jotform in our comprehensive guide.
Google Forms
Google Forms is great if you're searching for a free solution for quick data gathering. The platform stands out for its user-friendly interface, offering a seamless experience that lets you piece together a form in minutes.
The effortless usability of Google Forms does present a certain give-and-take scenario. While the platform is refreshingly easy to navigate, it offers basic options for customization and personalizing your form's appearance.
If you aim to leave a distinct imprint on your forms or seek more advanced functionalities, such as advanced conditional logic or custom validation, you might find Google Forms somewhat limiting.
This trade-off also extends to its integration capabilities. While Google Forms smoothly integrates with Google's suite of tools, the platform is somewhat restricted when it comes to synchronizing with other popular apps and services.
If you plan to streamline your workflows by incorporating other widely used applications, Google Forms may only partially meet your expectations.
In essence, Google Forms serves as an ideal starting point for newcomers to form creation, providing a basic yet effective means of data collection.
But in this technologically driven age, basic doesn't cut it, and no business wants to be trailing behind competitors when it comes to user experience.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Regardless of your technical know-how, it's possible to create appealing forms within hours
- It's free to use
- Google Forms works seamlessly with other Google Workspace services like Google Drive and Google Sheets
- The platform facilitates teamwork, as its integration with Google's suite of tools allows for real-time data collection, analysis, and sharing
Cons
- Lacks advanced customization features, such as adding images directly into questions or applying custom CSS
- No complex branching and conditional logic options
- Limited question types
- The plain design aesthetics of Google Forms means it lacks the engaging user interface found in some other form-building tools
- There are only ten templates to choose from
- Adding additional features to your form requires add-ons which most times come at a cost
Typeform
Typeform is an online form builder that's made a name for itself by focusing on the user experience. Instead of forcing users to fill out question after question, Typeform allows you to ask one question at a time in a conversational style.
Adding to its impressive offerings, Typeform has incorporated advanced capabilities, such as conditional logic and custom themes, into its platform.
These allow users to create visually striking forms and ensure the forms adapt to the respondents' input, providing a tailored experience.
When put to the test in other avenues, Typeform falls short in many vital areas businesses are searching for.
Let's assume your team wants to build a sign-up page for your digital product. Typeform can't compete with a tool like Feathery, which was designed to make highly customized forms that feature robust templates or advanced logic such as loops and multiple entry points.
Typeform hits the mark as a versatile form builder with a focus on user experience. It has successfully differentiated itself in the marketplace with its unique conversational style.
But businesses requiring complex customization, extensive integration capabilities, or more control over the form's structure may want to consider other alternatives, such as Feathery.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Typeform integrates seamlessly with several tools, including Salesforce
- Effective for lead generation purposes
- Responsive on all screens
- Typeform offers visually pleasing designs
- The calculator tool allows for numerical formulas to create logic within your form
Cons
- Typeform doesn't provide ample protection against bots
- While Typeform can integrate with CRM systems, making changes can be cumbersome and require reconnection and re-application of tags
- No option for customizing buttons and labels in different languages
- It would be beneficial to have more native integrations with other popular services, reducing reliance on third-party solutions
Feathery
Feathery, an innovative, cloud-based form builder, empowers users with a seamless interface, making form creation a breeze.
With a drag-and-drop interface at its core, it presents a range of customizable fields, themes, and templates, giving users abundant creative freedom.
What really sets Feathery apart is its commitment to being a low-code platform while providing users with a form builder high on flexibility and customization.
The forms can be tweaked and adjusted as necessary, saving significant development time.
Interactive forms are another highlight of Feathery, thanks to its superior form logic capabilities. The platform offers dynamic forms, allowing for an engaging user experience.
It adjusts questions based on previous responses, paving the way for a more personalized interaction and, as a result, potentially garnering a higher response rate.
Feathery truly shines for its integration prowess. It boasts compatibility with a range of popular services, including Stytch, Firebase, Plaid, and Segment. Seamless integration enhances the automation of workflows and unifying data from disparate sources.
The creation of multi-step forms is simplified with Feathery, offering users an effective way to handle intricate data collection processes. Its scalability and flexibility makes it a preferred choice for businesses with complex data-gathering requirements.
Feathery distinguishes itself through its wide-ranging customization options, user-friendly low-code interface, and advanced conditional logic.
It also boasts comprehensive integration facilities and stringent data security measures, all of which make it the best form tool compared to Google Forms and Typeform.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Feathery is highly adaptable and can be extended with custom code to cater to specific user requirements
- The interface is designed for simplicity, allowing users to build forms easily
- Smooth user experience
- Customer support responds quickly and provides helpful solutions
- Can handle multiple users on the site
Cons
- It may take time to get used to the advanced features Feathery offers
- User experience may vary depending on the device or platform used
Key features compared
Let’s take a deeper look at these tools with a comprehensive feature comparison.
Form templates
Google Forms, Typeform, and Feathery all present their unique offerings when it comes to templates, but Feathery outshines the others in terms of diversity and customization.
Google Forms extends a set of basic templates to users. These range from event registration forms to quizzes. While these templates offer a decent starting point, they need more flexibility and customization capabilities to adapt to specific requirements.
Typeform, known for its focus on design, presents an array of visually engaging templates that align with its unique conversational approach. These templates are adaptable to varying applications but provide a different level of customization and flexibility than Feathery's.
What sets Feathery's templates apart is their adaptability. They can be modified to fit specific requirements, going beyond the provision of a fixed design. You can modify these templates or even create new ones from scratch, catering to a broad spectrum of user needs.
For instance, the onboarding template can be tailored to suit any company's onboarding process, whether it involves a simple sign-up or a more intricate series of steps.
Customization
Form customization is an essential aspect of any form builder. Google Forms provides a basic level of customization.
You can adjust the color schemes and fonts and even add a header image to your form (good luck with getting the size of your logo to match).
However, the platform's customization options largely end here, making it a less versatile choice for complex forms needing advanced functionality.
Typeform offers more depth than Google Forms, but it still falls short of Feathery in providing extensive control over the form design and functionality. For example, Feathery's 2D visual editor outperforms Typeform’s more linear, step-by-step building process.
Feathery distinguishes itself with its advanced and flexible customization capabilities. It allows users to truly make the form their own – from controlling the look and feel to adding specific fields and conditional logic.
Its form editor is not only intuitive but also versatile, enabling users to craft forms tailored to their exact needs.
Feathery extends beyond the aesthetic and delves into the functional aspects of form building. It is the superior choice for businesses and individuals seeking to create complex forms that align with their needs and branding.
Form logic
Form logic refers to modifying a form's flow based on user input, allowing for more personalized and dynamic interactions. Here again, Feathery comes out on top when compared to Google Forms and Typeform.
Google Forms offers a straightforward form-creation experience with limited conditional logic features.
You can create simple rules that direct users to different form sections based on their chosen answers, but the options end there. For more intricate form logic, Google Forms may not meet your needs.
Typeform does a better job in this area, offering more sophisticated conditional logic features, referred to as "logic jumps." These allow you to perform calculations and direct users to different questions or sections based on their responses, creating a more personalized and engaging form experience.
However, while Typeform’s logic jumps represent a significant step up from Google Forms, they may not provide the flexibility needed for more complex form requirements.
Feathery allows you to create intricate and tailored form experiences that cater to your unique use cases. Its logic capabilities are not just about directing users to different sections but truly creating a form experience that evolves and adapts based on user input.
You can also set up multiple entry points, allowing users to start the form at different stages based on their unique circumstances or responses.
Additionally, its looping functionality lets you repeat certain sections of the form based on user input, enabling you to collect more detailed and specific information.
Developer experience
While simple and easy to use, Google Forms offers limited scope for developers. Its simplicity, while a boon for non-tech savvy users, may prove limiting for developers looking for robust customization capabilities and programmability.
And what about Google Forms’ API? It provides little custom development, making it less attractive for complex use cases.
Typeform does provide a more sophisticated developer experience than Google Forms, offering a comprehensive API that allows for more interaction and customization.
But these additional capabilities still feel restrictive, particularly when building more complex, bespoke forms.
The developer experience of a form-building tool plays a pivotal role in determining its usability, extensibility, and overall efficiency. Feathery outperforms both Google Forms and Typeform in this arena with its advanced features and user-friendly design.
With its extensive documentation and active developer community, Feathery ensures developers have the resources and support to leverage the tool's capabilities fully.
It even offers a sandbox environment, enabling developers to test and experiment with their forms without affecting the live version.
Integrations
The ability to integrate with other tools and services is a significant consideration when selecting a form builder. Google Forms offers seamless integration with Google Workspace but lacks a diverse range of integrations with other popular tools.
Limited integrations may stifle the tool's effectiveness in more complex workflows requiring integration with multiple platforms.
Typeform, on the other hand, boasts a robust selection of integrations, connecting seamlessly with a host of popular tools such as Mailchimp, Zapier, Google Sheets, and Salesforce.
This makes it a strong contender regarding integrations, facilitating more streamlined workflows and a more connected data ecosystem.
Feathery stands out with its unique direct integrations. While it offers a wide range of standard integrations, like Typeform, Feathery also connects with Firebase, Plaid, and other platforms that many other form-building tools don’t integrate with.
With Feathery's developer-friendly API, users can leverage its out-of-the-box integrations and create custom ones, giving them unmatched flexibility in managing and manipulating their data.
Pricing
All three platforms can be accessed for free. But, If you'd like to unlock advanced capabilities like logic jumps, priority support, and advanced reporting, you'd need to opt for a paid plan on Typeform. These start at $29 per month and go up to $99.
As part of Google Workspace, Google Forms is free without specific trials or tiered plans. This makes it a highly accessible tool for those on a tight budget or needing a straightforward, easy-to-use form builder for basic tasks.
Feathery also offers a free version, but you'll need to consider one of the paid plans to maximize its potential. Feathery is the best option if you're looking for a more advanced, customizable, and developer-friendly form builder and don't mind investing a bit more.
Final verdict: Which is the best form builder?
In this thorough comparison, Feathery emerges as the top form builder. While Google Forms and Typeform certainly have their strengths and uses, Feathery's rich feature set, customization options, and unique integrations outperform its competitors.
Google Forms excels in simplicity and is an excellent tool for quick data-gathering tasks, but it falls short when it comes to more complex, customizable form-building needs.
Typeform, on the other hand, provides a design-centric, interactive experience with some advanced features, but it doesn't provide the same level of control and flexibility as Feathery.
Feathery's robust form editing capabilities, including a 2D visual editor, make it possible to create tailor-made forms with unparalleled ease.
Its advanced form logic features, including loops and multiple entry points, offer unique ways to guide respondents through the form, creating a seamless user experience.
Moreover, Feathery's focus on developer experience, offering features like debugging and version control, sets it apart from most form builders.
Feathery’s strong integration capabilities, including unique integrations not found in many other platforms, ensure your form-building efforts seamlessly tie into your broader workflows.
The pricing plans of Feathery are flexible, catering to different business sizes and needs. While it might not have a completely free offering like Google Forms, its capabilities far exceed what you can achieve with free platforms.
Overall, Feathery provides the perfect blend of power, flexibility, and user-friendly design, making it the top choice for businesses and professionals seeking to create forms that are as effective as they are aesthetically pleasing.
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Yes, Google Forms is a free tool offered as part of the Google Workspace suite.
Google Forms is a simple, straightforward form builder, while Typeform offers a more interactive and design-oriented approach to form creation. Typeform allows for more customization and offers advanced features like conditional logic and calculations. But, for more advanced form-building needs, Feathery provides the most comprehensive feature set and flexibility.
Yes, Typeform allows you to create quizzes. You can use features like conditional logic to create branching quizzes, which adapt based on the user's answers. Feathery also offers a robust quiz-making feature with advanced scoring and logic capabilities that can be customized to meet your needs.
Google Forms can be used as an online survey tool. It allows you to create multiple question types, including multiple-choice, dropdowns, linear scales, and open-ended questions. But if you want more interactive and engaging surveys, Typeform and Feathery offer more features, such as logic jumps and customizable designs.
Typeform offers a free basic plan but with limited capabilities. You'll need to opt for one of their paid plans for full access to all features.
Both Google Forms and Typeform can embed forms on your website. Feathery also offers the same feature, with additional customization options and the ability to fully match your site's design.
Yes, both platforms allow you to receive notifications for new responses. With Feathery, you can also set up real-time notifications and automate actions upon receiving responses, offering more flexibility and control.
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