Surveys · head to head
Google Forms vs Jotform
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: 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.; Jotform free tier limited to 5 forms and 100 monthly submissions
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google Forms and Jotform actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google Forms | Jotform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Included with Google Workspace, not sold separately | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
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 Google Forms
- Bundled with every Workspace edition
- Linked Sheets responses
- Per-unit external sharing controls
- Auto-close
- Gemini assistance
- Locked mode quizzes
Only in Jotform
Nothing recorded that Google Forms does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google Forms
- Schools and universities running quizzes and collecting coursework where Workspace is already the standardnot Jotform
- Internal data collection that must land in a Google Sheet for onward analysis without any export stepnot Jotform
- Organisations that want a form tool with zero incremental cost and no procurement conversationnot Jotform
- Simple public surveys where no respondent sign-in is required and no file uploads are involvednot Jotform
Jotform
- Form creation and collectionnot Google Forms
- Survey distributionnot Google Forms
- Lead generationnot Google Forms
- Workflow automationnot Google Forms
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Jotform
- Free tier limited to 5 forms and 100 monthly submissions
- Bronze tier requires $39/month to remove Jotform branding
- Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Google Forms
Free- Personal Google accountFree
- Free with any personal Google account
- 300 pieces of content per form, counting questions, descriptions, images and videos
- 75 sections per form
- Google Workspace Business Starter$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
Jotform
Free- StarterFree
- 5 active forms
- 100 monthly submissions
- 100 MB storage
- Bronze$39/month
- 25 active forms
- 1,000 monthly submissions
- 1 GB storage
- Silver$49/month
- 50 active forms
- 2,500 monthly submissions
- 10 GB storage
- Gold$129/month
- 100 active forms
- 10,000 monthly submissions
- 100 GB storage
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 Google Forms or Jotform better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google Forms starts at Free and Jotform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Google Forms or Jotform?
- Google Forms starts at Free and Jotform at Free.
- Does Google Forms or Jotform run on more platforms?
- Google Forms runs on Web, iOS, Android. Jotform runs on Web.
- Can I use Google Forms for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Google Forms best used for?
- Google Forms is most often used for schools and universities running quizzes and collecting coursework where workspace is already the standard, internal data collection that must land in a google sheet for onward analysis without any export step, organisations that want a form tool with zero incremental cost and no procurement conversation, simple public surveys where no respondent sign-in is required and no file uploads are involved. Of those, schools and universities running quizzes and collecting coursework where workspace is already the standard and internal data collection that must land in a google sheet for onward analysis without any export step are not what Jotform is typically brought in for.
- What can Google Forms do that Jotform 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
Google 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.
Jotform: Is there a free version of Jotform?
Yes, Jotform's Starter plan is free and allows 5 active forms, 100 monthly submissions, and 100 MB of storage. Jotform branding remains on forms in the free tier.
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.
Jotform: How much does Jotform Bronze cost?
The Bronze plan costs $39 per month when billed monthly, or $408 per year ($34 per month effective). It includes 25 active forms, 1,000 monthly submissions, 1 GB storage, and removable branding.
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.
Jotform: What is included in Jotform's Gold tier?
The Gold plan costs $129 per month billed monthly or $1,188 per year ($99 per month effective). It provides 100 active forms, 10,000 monthly submissions, 100 GB storage, HIPAA-friendly capabilities, and 100 active AI Agents.
SourceGoogle 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.
Jotform: Does Jotform offer discounts for nonprofits or education?
Yes, educational institutions and nonprofits receive 50% off Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers, plus 30% off the Enterprise plan.
SourceRelated pages
More on Google Forms
Other head to heads
- Google Forms vs Tally
- Google Forms vs LimeSurvey
- Google Forms vs Microsoft Forms
- Google Forms vs Alchemer
- Google Forms vs Formstack
- Google Forms vs Zoho Survey
- Google Forms vs GetFeedback
- Google Forms vs Qualtrics CoreXM
- Google Forms vs Retool
- Google Forms vs Cognito Forms
- Google Forms vs Gravity Forms
- Google Forms vs SurveyLegend
- Google Forms vs Wufoo
- Google Forms vs KoboToolbox
- Google Forms vs Paperform
- Google Forms vs Device Magic
- Google Forms vs Fillout
- Google Forms vs Sogolytics
- Jotform vs Tally
- Jotform vs LimeSurvey
- Jotform vs Microsoft Forms
- Jotform vs Alchemer
- Jotform vs Formstack
- Jotform vs Zoho Survey
- Jotform vs GetFeedback
- Jotform vs Qualtrics CoreXM
- Jotform vs Retool
- Jotform vs Cognito Forms
- Jotform vs Gravity Forms
- Jotform vs SurveyLegend
- Jotform vs Wufoo
- Jotform vs KoboToolbox
- Jotform vs Paperform
- Jotform vs Device Magic
- Jotform vs Fillout
- Jotform vs Sogolytics