When you compare SurveyMonkey vs Google Forms, how do you know what’s best? Our guide breaks it down to help you choose - let’s go!
So you want to know who wins in this epic showdown: Google Forms vs SurveyMonkey?
These two form builders have many features in common. But they also have some key differences to understand.
The trouble is there are so many differing reviews that it’s hard to tell fact from fiction. Let’s cut through the noise and figure this out once and for all!
Join us as we compare SurveyMonkey and Google Forms to see which one will suit you best. We’ll cover a lot, so feel free to skip around using the table of contents below. 👇
One note before we get started: are you looking for info about Google Consumer Surveys vs SurveyMonkey?
Google Surveys is not Google Forms! More importantly, Google Surveys has been sunset as of November 1st, 2022. In other words, you won’t be able to use it anymore.
Google Surveys was a nice choice for those interested primarily in consumer market research. Since it’s gone, we won't waste your time comparing it to SurveyMonkey!
No matter, there’s still a lot of good stuff to compare in Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. So let’s get to it, shall we?
Which is better: SurveyMonkey vs Google Forms?
The million-dollar question: which one is really better?
The truth: it depends!
First, let’s agree on what users are looking for. Which of the following best describes you?
- Current SurveyMonkey user: you want to know if it’s possible to downgrade to a free tool like Google Forms.
- Current Google Forms user: you need a bit more functionality and are thinking about an upgrade to a paid form builder like SurveyMonkey.
- You are not using either: You want to compare them before you choose which one to invest your time into.
So you see? It really depends on what you are using currently and what you hope to achieve with your online survey tool.
Let’s start with some quick advice for users who think they need to make the switch.
If you're currently a SurveyMonkey user
If you are a current SurveyMonkey user, here are some reasons to switch to Google Forms:
- Value: Google Forms is cheaper and has fewer limitations in the free version.
- Google integration: Google Forms integrates seamlessly with other Google tools.
- Collaboration: Google Forms allows real-time collaboration for teams.
- Customizability: Google Forms offers a range of design options for customizing the look and feel of surveys.
To put it simply, if you’ve been using the basic plan (free version) of SurveyMonkey, you may get more value from Google Forms.
However, if you’ve been using any of the paid individual pricing plans or team plans that SurveyMonkey offers, then you might want to consider other options than Google Forms.
That’s because the power of Google Forms isn’t due to advanced features. It’s all about the collaborative tools you’d have available to your team if you are using Google Workspaces.
👉 Learn more: Best SurveyMonkey Alternatives
If you're currently a Google Forms User
If you’re using Google Forms right now, here are some reasons you’d switch to SurveyMonkey:
- Advanced features: SurveyMonkey offers more advanced survey features and robust data analysis tools than Google Forms in their paid plans.
- 24/7 email support: SurveyMonkey offers comprehensive customer support options, including live chat, phone support, and email support.
- Integrations: SurveyMonkey offers more integrations with other tools and platforms that are outside of Google Suite.
To sum up, if you want advanced survey software, the battle of SurveyMonkey vs Google Survey will always be won by SurveyMonkey.
Does that make SurveyMonkey the best questionnaire platform on the market? Not necessarily. There are plenty of options to choose from, including Microsoft Forms, Formidable Forms, Qualtrics, and Typeform.
👉 Learn more: Best Google Forms Alternatives
Now let’s dig a bit deeper. Let’s see how a broader comparison of Google Docs Surveys vs SurveyMonkey shapes up.
Feature comparison: SurveyMonkey vs Google Forms
Let’s get started with a feature comparison chart. This might be all you need to figure out what’s best for you. Of course, the devil is in the details, so keep scrolling for more details!
| Features | Google Forms | SurveyMonkey |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes | Yes (with limitations) |
| Advanced features | Limited options, basic features | Skip logic, randomization, advanced question types, and more |
| Data analysis tools | Basic analytics and reporting features | Cross-tabulation, trend analysis, and text analysis |
| Branding and customization | Basic customization options | Extensive branding and customization options (in paid versions) |
| Integrations | Integrates with other Google tools such as Gmail, Drive, and Sheets | Integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, and many other platforms |
| Security features | Basic security features such as password protection and CAPTCHA | SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, access restrictions |
| Customer support | Limited support options (non-existent would be more accurate) | Live chat, phone support, email support |
What’s the difference: Google Forms Survey vs SurveyMonkey?
When we compare Google Forms and SurveyMonkey, let’s agree that we’re talking about two slightly different things.
- SurveyMonkey: Primarily a survey platform
- Google Forms: An all-purpose forms platform (sort of)
We want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples. So even though Google Forms has some additional form-building capabilities, we are focusing on how well each delivers for surveys only.
If you’re looking for something that does more than just surveys, chances are you need a form builder (more on that later).
If you are here for surveys though, let’s run through some common questions to help you choose between these two options:
- Do you need an all-purpose form builder?
- Are you using WordPress?
- Is Google Forms good for surveys?
- Is SurveyMonkey free to use?
- Is Google Forms free to use?
1. Do you need an all-purpose form builder?
If you need to make forms that can do more than create surveys, chances are you need a form builder. And guess what? Google Forms is a form builder!
But there’s more to it than that. For example, Google Forms relies heavily on paid third-party extensions to handle advanced features like payment gateways and electronic signatures.
That’s all well and good, but third-party extensions aren’t always reliable. One thing that can happen: Google can shut them down without notice. For these reasons, if you are looking for more than just survey responses, it’s likely better to look elsewhere.
Which brings us to the next question…
2. Are you using WordPress?
It’s been estimated that more than 40% of websites on the internet are using WordPress. Are you one of them? If so, you will almost certainly benefit from a form builder designed to work on WordPress specifically.
Believe it or not, there's not a Google Forms or SurveyMonkey WordPress plugin.
If you want something that's built to work with WordPress, there are a lot of choices.
Luckily there are also many resources available to help you find the best one. Like this: Best Free WordPress Form Plugins
3. Is Google Forms good for surveys?
Without a doubt, Google Forms is great for surveys when compared to the basic plan (free version) of SurveyMonkey. That’s because it does not have the same limitations on maximum number of responses and maximum number of questions per survey.
However, the advanced features of SurveyMonkey’s paid plans are hard for Google Forms to compete with if you plan on running regular surveys with many planned respondents.
4. Is SurveyMonkey free to use?
SurveyMonkey does have a free plan. In fact, they were one of the first software companies to ever offer a generous free plan in the mid 2000’s. Since then, it has become less generous, but you can still create unlimited surveys + access some of their survey templates.
The free SurveyMonkey plan has the following limitations:
- Only up to 10 questions per survey.
- Allows only 10 responses per survey.
- Offers limited customization options.
- Has basic analysis and reporting features.
- Provides limited customer support.
- Lacks advanced security features.
5. Is Google Forms free to use?
Google Forms is free to use without many apparent limitations. It has upsides too, like the ability to easily connect to other Google apps for example. You can also freely add a header image to give your survey some personalized branding.
Just remember that this comparison isn’t SurveyMonkey vs Google Docs. If you are looking for powerful survey software, take note of the limitations found in Google Forms:
- Limited question types compared to other survey tools.
- Limited branding and design options compared to other survey tools.
- Basic analysis and reporting features compared to other survey tools.
- Basic security features that may not meet the requirements of all organizations or industries.
The final verdict
Who should choose Google Forms?
Here’s the final verdict! You should choose Google Forms if:
- You're budget-conscious (it's free).
- You have relatively simple survey goals.
- You're already comfortable using Google Business Apps or Google Workspaces.
When you use Google Forms, you’ll be working within a familiar suite of Google platforms. You can’t really compare Google Docs vs SurveyMonkey because the latter has no comparable word processing features. That’s not even to mention Google Sheets, Slides, and all the rest.
If you’re a small business or a solopreneur, go with Google Forms (and if you are using WordPress, go with a WordPress forms plugin).
Who should choose SurveyMonkey?
Think you should choose SurveyMonkey over Google Forms? You may be right, if:
- You are looking for advanced survey features
- You want advanced and automated data analysis tools + reports
- You want to integrate with a wider variety of third-party apps
To put it simply, if you have advanced survey needs, go for a paid version of SurveyMonkey (the free version won’t cut it for all but the smallest projects).
Wrapping up
An online survey is a great tool to measure customer satisfaction. The data mined from a survey like that is extremely powerful; it’s no wonder SurveyMonkey is so expensive!
Luckily, Google Forms provides a free (though underpowered) alternative.
I know what you’re thinking… If only you could have the best of both worlds…
ACTUALLY, YOU CAN! Just use our humble forms plugin, Formidable Forms. It does everything that both Google Forms and SurveyMonkey can do, plus more, plus it’s cheaper, plus it’s guaranteed.
We mean it - try Formidable risk-free for 14-days and we’ll give you all your money back if you aren’t loving it. Go ahead and create your own surveys with more question types, advanced conditional logic, and all the form-building features you could ever need.
Just head to our pricing page to get started - we’ll be here when you need us. Until next time, keep it locked to our blog for more content every week. Adios! 👋
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