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Surveys · head to head

Cognito Forms vs Customer.io

Cognito Forms logo

Cognito Forms

Surveys

Powerful forms made easy

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Customer.io logo

Customer.io

Marketing

Data-driven messaging for teams getting started, scaling and beyond

From
$15/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cognito Forms has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cognito Forms individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user; Customer.io essentials plan caps at 5,000 profiles (people and objects) and 1,000,000 monthly emails, with overages billed at $0.12 per 1,000 emails beyond that
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognito Forms and Customer.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognito Forms and Customer.io differ
AttributeCognito FormsCustomer.io
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
CategorySurveysMarketing

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cognito Forms

  • Building HIPAA-compliant data collection forms without codingnot Customer.io
  • Creating multi-step approval workflows for contract signingnot Customer.io
  • Collecting payments inline within customer intake formsnot Customer.io
  • Routing applications automatically based on responsesnot Customer.io

Customer.io

  • Orchestrating multi-channel customer journeys from signup to retentionnot Cognito Forms
  • Personalizing email and SMS campaigns using customer profilesnot Cognito Forms
  • Triggering automated messages based on user behaviornot Cognito Forms
  • Coordinating cross-team messaging without rebuilding campaignsnot Cognito Forms

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cognito Forms

  • Individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user
  • Pro plan ($24/mo monthly, $19/mo billed annually) still limits to 2 users and 2,000 entries per month
  • HIPAA compliance and single sign-on are restricted to the Enterprise tier ($174/mo monthly, $129/mo annual)

Customer.io

  • Essentials plan caps at 5,000 profiles (people and objects) and 1,000,000 monthly emails, with overages billed at $0.12 per 1,000 emails beyond that
  • Standard and Premium tiers show custom pricing only, and Enterprise is negotiated rate, so three of the four published tiers require a sales conversation
  • Monthly plans accept credit card only; annual billing via invoice (ACH/wire) requires the annual commitment

Pricing, plan by plan

Cognito Forms

Free
  • IndividualFree
    • 100 entries per month
    • 1 user
    • Cognito Forms branding included
  • Pro$24/month
    • 2000 entries per month
    • 2 users
    • Electronic signatures
  • Team$49/month
    • 10000 entries per month
    • 5 users
    • 5 guest access
  • Enterprise$174/month
    • Unlimited entries
    • 20 users
    • 20 guest access

Customer.io

$15/month
  • Essentials$15/month
    • Base profiles starting at 5,000
    • Email sends: 1 million monthly
    • Community and email support
  • Standard$null/month
    • Mid-tier scaling across channels
    • Higher profile and email allowances
    • Email and priority support
  • Premium$null/month
    • Advanced custom workflows
    • Dedicated support
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing for dedicated infrastructure
    • HIPAA compliance
    • Dedicated hardware

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognito Forms if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cognito Forms review

Choose Customer.io if

Nothing in the data separates Customer.io from Cognito Forms on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Customer.io review

Questions people ask

Is Cognito Forms or Customer.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognito Forms starts at Free and Customer.io at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognito Forms or Customer.io?
Cognito Forms has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cognito Forms and $15/month for Customer.io.
Does Cognito Forms or Customer.io run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Cognito Forms for free?
Yes. Cognito Forms has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Customer.io starts at $15/month.
What is Cognito Forms best used for?
Cognito Forms is most often used for building hipaa-compliant data collection forms without coding, creating multi-step approval workflows for contract signing, collecting payments inline within customer intake forms, routing applications automatically based on responses. Of those, building hipaa-compliant data collection forms without coding and creating multi-step approval workflows for contract signing are not what Customer.io is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cognito Forms: How much does Cognito Forms cost?

Cognito Forms offers a free Individual plan with 100 entries per month. Paid plans start at $24/month for the Pro plan, $49/month for the Team plan, and $174/month for the Enterprise plan. Annual prepayment provides up to 20% discount off monthly rates.

Source
Customer.io: How much does Customer.io Essentials cost?

Customer.io Essentials starts at $15/month and includes 5,000 base profiles with 1 million monthly email sends, community and email support, and data-driven messaging tools. Customers can choose monthly or annual billing.

Source
Cognito Forms: What is the difference between Cognito Forms plans?

The Individual plan (free) includes 100 entries/month and 1 user. Pro adds electronic signatures and accommodates 2000 entries/month with 2 users. Team plan (Best Value) supports 10000 entries/month with 5 users and includes client portal and approvals. Enterprise provides unlimited entries, 20 users, and HIPAA compliance.

Source
Customer.io: What are Customer.io's usage-based add-on costs?

Beyond plan limits, Customer.io charges $0.009 per additional profile, $0.12 per 1,000 additional emails, and $10 per 100K AI credits. Messages exceeding plan limits are charged at nominal rates. Billing occurs on the subscription anniversary.

Source
Cognito Forms: Does Cognito Forms have a free version?

Yes, Cognito Forms offers a free Individual plan that includes 100 entries per month, 1 user, unlimited forms, and payment processing capabilities. Higher-tier plans are available for increased capacity and features.

Source
Customer.io: Does Customer.io offer a startup discount?

Yes, early-stage companies that have raised under $10 million qualify for a full year free through Customer.io's Startup Program with annual billing.

Source
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