Softwr

Surveys · head to head

Tally vs Thunkable

Tally logo

Tally

Surveys

Form builder with unlimited forms and responses on the free plan, edited like a text document

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Thunkable logo

Thunkable

No-Code

No-code, drag-and-drop mobile app builder priced by AI tokens and project counts

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Tally built-in analysis is limited to basic summaries, so any real analysis means exporting responses to a spreadsheet or database.; Thunkable every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • They diverge on capability: Tally covers Document-style editor, Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tally and Thunkable actually diverge.

Attributes where Tally and Thunkable differ
AttributeTallyThunkable
Pricing modelFree tier, paid for branding and team featuresPer month, tiered by AI token allowance and project count
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategorySurveysNo-Code

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

  • Document-style editor
  • Unlimited free responses
  • Conditional logic and calculations
  • Payment collection
  • Notion and Airtable sync
  • Custom domains

Only in Thunkable

  • Block-based logic editor
  • Native compilation
  • AI app assistant
  • Component marketplace
  • Live testing
  • Custom branding

What people use each for

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

Tally

  • A startup collecting waitlist or beta signups that will grow well past a free response cap elsewherenot Thunkable
  • A small team that wants form submissions landing directly in Notion or Airtablenot Thunkable
  • A charity or community group running a public consultation with no software budgetnot Thunkable
  • A quick internal request or intake form that needs to exist within the hournot Thunkable

Thunkable

  • A non-developer or founder prototyping an app idea before hiring an engineernot Tally
  • An educator teaching app-building concepts without requiring students to write codenot Tally
  • A small business needing a simple internal or customer-facing app with modest logicnot Tally
  • A hobbyist building a single published app who does not need more than one live app slotnot Tally

Where each one falls short

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

Tally

  • Built-in analysis is limited to basic summaries, so any real analysis means exporting responses to a spreadsheet or database.
  • There is no offline data collection, which rules it out for field research or events without reliable connectivity.
  • The company is very small and bootstrapped, so support is email and documentation with no account management, and some procurement processes will reject that.
  • Advanced research features such as quotas, randomisation and panel integration are absent, so it is a form builder rather than a research instrument.
  • Design control is deliberately narrow, so brands that need pixel-level form styling will find the theming options constraining even on the paid tier.

Thunkable

  • Every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • Only the Builder tier and above allow a live published app at all in useful numbers, so the entry-level paid plan cannot actually get an app onto the store in a meaningful way.
  • Block-based logic becomes unwieldy for apps with genuinely complex business rules, and there is no clean escape hatch to written code within the platform.
  • Native integrations and performance-sensitive features (heavy graphics, background processing) are limited compared to a coded framework, so the tool has a real complexity ceiling.
  • App ownership and export options are more restrictive than an open source framework; leaving the platform typically means rebuilding rather than exporting a portable codebase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Tally

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited forms, questions and responses
    • Conditional logic, calculations and file uploads
    • Integrations including Notion, Google Sheets and webhooks
  • Tally Pro$29/month
    • Remove Tally branding
    • Custom domains and form redirects
    • Team workspaces and collaboration

Thunkable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2,000 AI tokens
    • 3 public projects
    • 5 screens per project
  • Accelerator$19/month
    • 20,000 AI tokens
    • 5 public and 1 private project
    • 10 screens per project
  • Builder$37/month
    • 50,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited public, 10 private projects
    • Unlimited screens, 1 live published app
  • Advanced$99/month
    • 100,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited private projects and live published apps
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Tally if

  • You need document-style editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want unlimited free responses.
Tally review

Choose Thunkable if

  • You need block-based logic editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want native compilation.
Thunkable review

Questions people ask

Is Tally or Thunkable better?
Neither clearly leads. Tally starts at Free and Thunkable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tally or Thunkable?
Tally starts at Free and Thunkable at Free.
Does Tally or Thunkable run on more platforms?
Tally runs on Web. Thunkable runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Tally for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Tally best used for?
Tally is most often used for a startup collecting waitlist or beta signups that will grow well past a free response cap elsewhere, a small team that wants form submissions landing directly in notion or airtable, a charity or community group running a public consultation with no software budget, a quick internal request or intake form that needs to exist within the hour. Of those, a startup collecting waitlist or beta signups that will grow well past a free response cap elsewhere and a small team that wants form submissions landing directly in notion or airtable are not what Thunkable is typically brought in for.
What can Tally do that Thunkable cannot?
Tally covers Document-style editor, Unlimited free responses, Conditional logic and calculations, Payment collection. Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor, Native compilation, AI app assistant, Component marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tally: Is the free plan really unlimited?

Yes for forms, questions and responses. The paid tier sells branding removal, custom domains and team features rather than volume.

Thunkable: Can I publish an app on the free plan?

The free plan is aimed at building and testing; live publishing capacity in a meaningful way starts on the Builder plan.

Tally: Is Tally suitable for research surveys?

Only simple ones. It has logic and calculations but no quotas, randomisation or panel management.

Thunkable: What happens if I run out of AI tokens?

AI-assisted generation stops working until the next billing cycle or an upgrade; manual block-based editing still works.

Tally: Is it GDPR compliant?

Tally is a European company operating under GDPR, and buyers with strict requirements should request the data processing agreement before rollout.

Thunkable: Is this suitable for a complex business app?

No. It is built for simple to moderately complex apps; heavy custom logic and native integrations are better served by a coded framework.

Share

Related pages

More on Tally

More on Thunkable

Keep looking

Other head to heads