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Marketing · head to head

Google Optimize vs Microsoft Forms

Google Optimize logo

Google Optimize

Marketing

A/B testing for Google Analytics

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Google OptimizeFull review
Microsoft Forms logo

Microsoft Forms

Surveys

Survey tool bundled into Microsoft 365 with no standalone price, where the real constraints are tenant policy, residency and admin visibility

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Microsoft FormsFull review

The short version

  • Google Optimize is a free A/B testing platform integrated.
  • Both are free.
  • Only Google Optimize lists A/B testing; only Microsoft Forms lists bundled licensing.
  • Where Google Optimize falls short: Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Optimize and Microsoft Forms actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Optimize and Microsoft Forms differ
AttributeGoogle OptimizeMicrosoft Forms
Pricing modelFreemiumIncluded with Microsoft 365, not sold separately
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMarketingSurveys

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: founded for Microsoft Forms.

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 Optimize

  • A/B testing
  • Google Analytics integration
  • Visual editor
  • Real-time analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google's security
  • Cloud deployment

Only in Microsoft Forms

  • Bundled licensing
  • Very high response ceiling
  • File upload questions
  • Co-authoring
  • eDiscovery coverage
  • Surveys Agent in Copilot

What people use each for

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

Google Optimize

  • A/B and multivariate testing of web pages tied to Google Analytics goalsnot Microsoft Forms
  • Personalising page content for defined audience segmentsnot Microsoft Forms
  • Redirect tests between alternative landing page URLsnot Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms

  • Internal surveys and quizzes inside an organisation that already pays for Microsoft 365 and does not want a second vendor contractnot Google Optimize
  • Education settings where quizzes need automatic grading and results in Excel without procurement approvalnot Google Optimize
  • Quick polls inside Microsoft Teams where the response data should stay in the same tenant as everything elsenot Google Optimize
  • Any case where the deciding factor is that no purchase order is requirednot Google Optimize

Where each one falls short

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

Google Optimize

  • Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
  • Any experiments and personalizations still running on that date were ended by Google
  • Google directs former users to third-party A/B testing tools, naming AB Tasty, Optimizely and VWO, rather than a replacement Google product

Microsoft Forms

  • The Advanced Data Residency add-on explicitly does not cover Microsoft Forms, so a tenant that has paid for regional residency still has its survey responses provisioned according to best-effort guidance rather than a contractual commitment
  • Above 50,000 responses a form degrades sharply: only CSV export continues to work, while summary charts, viewing individual responses, printing, shared summary links and manual quiz grading all stop
  • Forms belonging to an account that is hard deleted, or deleted more than thirty days earlier, are not recoverable at all, so an unmanaged leaver process destroys survey data silently
  • The administrator settings that govern external sharing, template sharing and result summary sharing are only available to education and Microsoft 365 Apps for business customers, leaving many commercial tenants without the controls the documentation describes
  • A summary sharing link that has already been created continues to work for anyone inside or outside the organisation even after the form is restricted, so tightening permissions does not close an existing leak unless the link is deleted explicitly

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Optimize

Free
  • FreeFree
    • A/B testing
    • Google Analytics integration
    • Visual editor

Microsoft Forms

Free
  • Free consumer Microsoft accountFree
    • 200 responses per form
    • 400 forms per account, including the recycle bin
    • 200 questions per form
  • Paid consumer Microsoft accountOn request
    • Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
    • 1,000 responses per form
    • 400 forms per account
  • Microsoft 365 work or school licenceOn request
    • Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
    • 5,000,000 responses per form
    • Included in Business Basic, Standard, Premium, Office 365 E1, E3, E5 and Microsoft 365 F3
  • Government GCC High and DoDOn request
    • Included in the subscription price, not sold separately
    • 50,000 responses per form
    • No email notification, video insert, Bing image search or phishing protection

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Optimize if

  • You need a/b testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want google analytics integration.
Google Optimize review

Choose Microsoft Forms if

  • You need bundled licensing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want very high response ceiling.
Microsoft Forms review

Questions people ask

Is Google Optimize or Microsoft Forms better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Optimize starts at Free and Microsoft Forms at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Optimize or Microsoft Forms?
Google Optimize starts at Free and Microsoft Forms at Free.
Does Google Optimize or Microsoft Forms run on more platforms?
Google Optimize runs on Web. Microsoft Forms runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Optimize for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Optimize best used for?
Google Optimize is most often used for a/b and multivariate testing of web pages tied to google analytics goals, personalising page content for defined audience segments, redirect tests between alternative landing page urls. Of those, a/b and multivariate testing of web pages tied to google analytics goals and personalising page content for defined audience segments are not what Microsoft Forms is typically brought in for.
What can Google Optimize do that Microsoft Forms cannot?
Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Google Analytics integration, Visual editor, Real-time analytics. Microsoft Forms covers Bundled licensing, Very high response ceiling, File upload questions, Co-authoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Optimize: Is Google Optimize still available?

No. Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were discontinued as of September 30, 2023. Google recommends third-party A/B testing integrations such as AB Tasty, Optimizely, and VWO as replacements.

Source
Microsoft Forms: Can I buy Microsoft Forms on its own?

No. It exists only as a service plan inside Microsoft 365, Office 365 and education or government SKUs, or free with a consumer Microsoft account. There is no standalone product to purchase.

Microsoft Forms: Where are responses stored?

In the United States for most tenants, in the EU and EFTA region for EU tenants, and in Australia only for Forms provisioned after October 2022. Microsoft states this is guidance, not a residency commitment.

Microsoft Forms: Can an administrator read someone else responses?

Not while that user account is active; ownership transfer is refused. Yes once the account is disabled or deleted, and yes through premium eDiscovery, which is still labelled preview.

Microsoft Forms: How do I turn Forms off for the organisation?

Disable both the Microsoft Forms and the Office Hive enterprise applications in Entra ID, or clear the Forms checkbox per user. Both applications must be disabled for it to take effect.

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