Surveys · head to head
Cognito Forms vs Google Forms
Google Forms
Surveys
Survey tool bundled with Google Workspace that cannot be disabled separately from Drive and Docs
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Cognito Forms individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user; Google Forms forms has no service toggle of its own and is governed by the Drive and Docs service, so an administrator cannot disable it for an organisational unit without also disabling Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive for those same users.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cognito Forms and Google Forms actually diverge.
| Attribute | Cognito Forms | Google Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | Included with Google Workspace, not sold separately |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Surveys).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Cognito Forms
Nothing recorded that Google Forms does not also cover.
Only in Google Forms
- Bundled with every Workspace edition
- Linked Sheets responses
- Per-unit external sharing controls
- Auto-close
- Gemini assistance
- Locked mode quizzes
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 Google Forms
- Creating multi-step approval workflows for contract signingnot Google Forms
- Collecting payments inline within customer intake formsnot Google Forms
- Routing applications automatically based on responsesnot Google Forms
Google Forms
- Schools and universities running quizzes and collecting coursework where Workspace is already the standardnot Cognito Forms
- Internal data collection that must land in a Google Sheet for onward analysis without any export stepnot Cognito Forms
- Organisations that want a form tool with zero incremental cost and no procurement conversationnot Cognito Forms
- Simple public surveys where no respondent sign-in is required and no file uploads are involvednot 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)
Google Forms
- Forms has no service toggle of its own and is governed by the Drive and Docs service, so an administrator cannot disable it for an organisational unit without also disabling Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive for those same users.
- Data Regions covers Forms only for data at rest and not during processing, Business Starter gets no data regions at all, and Forms is excluded from client-side encryption and unmentioned in Assured Controls, so the residency guarantees are weaker than for Gmail or Drive.
- Google Vault has no Forms-specific retention rule, hold or export, reaching forms only as Drive files, which means survey responses are reliably retainable only when they are routed to a linked Google Sheet.
- Adding a file upload question requires every respondent to sign in to a Google account, which destroys anonymity and excludes anyone without one, and uploaded files consume the form owner personal Drive quota rather than an organisational pool.
- File uploads are disabled when a form lives in a shared drive, so the ownership pattern that survives a staff departure and the upload feature are mutually exclusive, and a deleted owner Drive files are recoverable for only twenty days.
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$174/month
- Unlimited entries
- 20 users
- 20 guest access
Google Forms
Free- Personal Google accountFree
- Free with any personal Google account
- 300 pieces of content per form, counting questions, descriptions, images and videos
- 75 sections per form
- Google Workspace Business Starter$undefined/year
- Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
- No data regions coverage at all at this tier
- Forms governed by the Drive and Docs service toggle
- Business Standard, Business Plus, Frontline Standard, Education Standard, Enterprise Essentials$undefined/year
- Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
- Fundamental data regions, one organisation-wide at-rest policy
- Forms covered at rest only, not during processing
- Frontline Plus, Enterprise Plus, or the Data Regions add-on$undefined/year
- Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
- Enterprise data regions with per-unit and per-group policies
- Forms still excluded from client-side encryption and unnamed in Assured Controls
Which should you pick?
Choose Google Forms if
- You need bundled with every workspace edition.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want linked sheets responses.
Questions people ask
- Is Cognito Forms or Google Forms better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cognito Forms starts at Free and Google Forms at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cognito Forms or Google Forms?
- Cognito Forms starts at Free and Google Forms at Free.
- Does Cognito Forms or Google Forms run on more platforms?
- Cognito Forms runs on Web. Google Forms runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Cognito Forms for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Google Forms is typically brought in for.
- What can Cognito Forms do that Google Forms cannot?
- Google Forms covers Bundled with every Workspace edition, Linked Sheets responses, Per-unit external sharing controls, Auto-close.
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.
SourceGoogle Forms: Can I buy Google Forms separately?
No. It is bundled with Drive and the Docs editors in every Workspace edition and is free with a personal Google account. There is no standalone SKU.
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.
SourceGoogle Forms: How many responses can one form take?
Google publishes no limit. The practical ceiling is the linked Google Sheet at ten million cells. The documented 300 figure is pieces of content per form, not questions and not responses.
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.
SourceGoogle Forms: Can I turn Forms off but keep Drive?
No. Forms is controlled by the Drive and Docs service toggle. You can restrict external sharing of forms per organisational unit, but you cannot disable Forms alone.
Google Forms: Are responses covered by Vault?
Only as Drive files. There is no Forms-specific hold or export, so route responses to a linked Sheet if they need to be retained or produced in discovery.
Related pages
More on Cognito Forms
More on Google Forms
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