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Surveys · head to head

Cognito Forms vs Insider

Cognito Forms logo

Cognito Forms

Surveys

Powerful forms made easy

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Insider logo

Insider

Marketing

Omnichannel personalisation platform with web experimentation and WhatsApp as first-class channels

From
On request
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; Insider delivery depends heavily on the assigned account team, so results vary by region and a team change mid-contract can be felt immediately in campaign output.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognito Forms and Insider actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognito Forms and Insider differ
AttributeCognito FormsInsider
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, REST API
CategorySurveysMarketing

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Insider does not also cover.

Only in Insider

  • Architect journeys
  • Web and app personalisation
  • WhatsApp commerce
  • Predictive segments
  • InStory and InMobile
  • Experimentation

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 Insider
  • Creating multi-step approval workflows for contract signingnot Insider
  • Collecting payments inline within customer intake formsnot Insider
  • Routing applications automatically based on responsesnot Insider

Insider

  • A retailer in a WhatsApp-first market that needs conversational commerce rather than more email volumenot Cognito Forms
  • Personalising category and product pages by segment without waiting for engineering release cyclesnot Cognito Forms
  • A marketing team without in-house campaign operations that needs the vendor to build and run journeysnot Cognito Forms
  • Unifying web, app and messaging targeting on one profile store after outgrowing separate point toolsnot 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)

Insider

  • Delivery depends heavily on the assigned account team, so results vary by region and a team change mid-contract can be felt immediately in campaign output.
  • The suite is licensed by module, so the platform fee quoted at the start typically excludes the channels and predictive features that make the business case work.
  • Template-driven web personalisation targets the rendered DOM, which breaks on single-page applications that re-render after the template applies unless a developer wires in the framework hooks.
  • Reporting exports are limited compared with warehouse-native tools, so teams that want campaign data alongside finance data end up pulling it through the API on a schedule.
  • Contracts are annual and negotiated per traffic band, so a seasonal spike in visitors can push you into a renegotiation rather than a metered overage.

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

Insider

On request
  • Insider Growth Management Platform$undefined/year
    • Licensed by module and by monthly traffic or user volume
    • Channels such as WhatsApp, SMS and email priced separately
    • Annual contract with an assigned delivery team

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognito Forms if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cognito Forms review

Choose Insider if

  • You need architect journeys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
  • You also want web and app personalisation.
Insider review

Questions people ask

Is Cognito Forms or Insider better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognito Forms starts at Free and Insider at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognito Forms or Insider?
Cognito Forms has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cognito Forms and On request for Insider.
Does Cognito Forms or Insider run on more platforms?
Cognito Forms runs on Web. Insider runs on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
Can I use Cognito Forms for free?
Yes. Cognito Forms has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Insider starts at On request.
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 Insider is typically brought in for.
What can Cognito Forms do that Insider cannot?
Insider covers Architect journeys, Web and app personalisation, WhatsApp commerce, Predictive segments.

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
Insider: Is WhatsApp actually usable at scale here?

Yes. It is a supported primary channel with catalogue and template message support, though WhatsApp conversation fees from Meta are passed through and are separate from the licence.

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
Insider: Can we run it without vendor help?

You can, but the pricing assumes a managed relationship. Teams with strong in-house campaign operations often find they are paying for services they do not use.

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
Insider: Does it work for B2B?

Rarely a good fit. The segmentation, recommendations and channel mix are built around high-frequency consumer behaviour.

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