Google Forms suits quick surveys, quizzes and sign-up sheets where the answers should land straight in Google Sheets. Jotform suits forms that do more work, such as taking payments, collecting signatures or turning into PDFs and apps, but its free Starter plan stops at 5 forms and 100 submissions a month. Count your forms and your monthly responses first.
Most small businesses start with Google Forms because it's already there. The question usually comes when a form needs to do more than collect answers. I read Jotform's plans page and FAQ, Google's Forms product page and two Google help centre articles, so the facts below are each company's own.
Jotform and Google Forms at a glance
| Jotform | Google Forms | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, Starter | No plan named; you create forms at forms.google.com with a Google Account |
| Forms on the free option | 5 forms | Not stated on the pages I read |
| Responses | 100 submissions a month on Starter | Not stated on the pages I read |
| Where answers go | Jotform Tables, Inbox, reports | Charts in Forms, or a Google Sheet |
| Payments | 10 payment submissions a month on Starter | Not covered on the pages I read |
| E-signatures | 10 signed documents a month on Starter | Not covered on the pages I read |
| Branding | Jotform branding on free forms | Your own colours, images and fonts |
| Extras | PDF forms, store builder, AI app builder, mobile app | Quizzes, logic, Apps Script and AppSheet |
Jotform: a form that does a job
Jotform's Starter plan is free and includes all its standard features, such as templates, payment integrations and widgets. The limits are what you watch: 5 forms, 100 submissions a month, 100 MB of space, 10 payment submissions and 10 signed documents a month, with Jotform branding on your forms.
Around the forms sit Jotform Tables for organising answers, Smart PDF Forms, a store builder, a report builder and an AI app builder. Bronze, Silver and Gold raise the limits, and Gold adds HIPAA features. Enterprise is the only plan with several users.
Google Forms: quick and joined to Sheets
Google's help centre gets you going at forms.google.com with a blank form, or straight from Google Sheets or Drive. You can add logic so people only see relevant questions, build graded quizzes, match your brand colours and fonts, and see answers as automatic charts or in a Google Sheet.
Every form is saved in your Google Drive, and Google's own help notes that a form has to be published before anyone can answer it. If you limit people to one response, they'll need to sign in to a Google Account first.
The limit that catches small businesses out
Here's the line I'd watch. Jotform counts both forms and submissions on its free plan, so a busy enquiry form can hit 100 submissions in a month, and that limit covers every form on the account. Google's pages don't put a number on forms or responses at all. On the other hand, Jotform gives you payments and e-signatures on the free plan, which Google's Forms pages don't mention.
So the choice comes down to what happens after someone clicks submit. If the answer is "nothing, I just read the replies", you don't need Jotform's extras. If the answer is "I send an invoice, a contract or a booking", that's where Jotform earns its place.
Who each form builder suits
Google Forms suits teams already working in Google Workspace who want surveys, feedback forms and quizzes that feed a spreadsheet. Jotform suits coaches, clinics, venues and shops whose forms need to take a deposit, collect a signature or create a PDF. For help with the form itself, see my guide to creating web forms and these ways to lift form completion rates.
My advice for your first form
Start with the job. If the form only gathers answers and you want them in Sheets, Google Forms will do it without any setup. If the form has to take a payment, collect a signature or feed a PDF, try Jotform's Starter plan and keep an eye on the submission count in your first busy month. Whichever you pick, keep the number of questions as low as you can.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Jotform free?
Yes. Jotform's Starter plan is free, with 5 forms, 100 submissions a month, 100 MB of space and Jotform branding on forms.
Does Google Forms have limits on responses?
The Google pages I read don't state a limit on forms or responses. You create forms at forms.google.com with a Google Account.
Can Jotform take payments on the free plan?
Yes. Jotform's Starter plan includes 10 payment submissions and 10 signed documents a month.
Where do Google Forms answers go?
You see them as automatic charts in Forms, and you can send them to a Google Sheet for deeper analysis.
Do people need a Google Account to fill in a Google Form?
Not always. Google's help centre says responders must sign in to a Google Account if you turn on the setting that limits each person to one response.
Does Jotform show its branding on free forms?
Yes. Jotform's FAQ says forms and signed documents on the free Starter plan include Jotform branding, which you can remove on an upgraded plan.
