Forms are the gold standard for capturing leads, tracking industry trends, and gathering customer feedback. To create that conversion or feedback, you need a form builder.
As marketing professionals, we use forms to understand what works well in what situations. By using a form builder tool, you can create various types of forms without writing any code: Contact us, sign up for an event, or conduct a survey.
Below we discuss the benefits of using forms, what to consider when creating them, and of course 11 of the best form builder applications.
How to Create Online Forms
A form builder tool allows you to create a contact form, signup for an event, or conduct a survey without writing a line of code. You can customize your form with multiple form fields, different formats, and design customization.
In addition to importing responses into a spreadsheet or centralized database, most forms send you notifications when people complete them.
When creating a form for lead generation, there are a few steps you'll want to follow regardless of the form builder you use.
1. Determine the form's goals
Do you merely intend to add contacts to your email list or are you hoping to generate sales leads?
By identifying what you're looking for from your prospects, you'll be able to determine what information you'll need on the form. You can get some ideas from HubSpot's Ultimate Guide to Web Forms.
2. Pick a form builder tool
Free online form builders are available, but they might not have all the features you need. There have been many times when we've encountered this frustrating scenario.
For example, some might not embed well onto the site you use because of your CMS.
3. Include name and contact fields
Basically, this step is self-explanatory. In most cases, you'll want to get the first and last name of your visitors, unless you're creating an anonymous survey.
Request contact information, such as an email address or phone number. It is important to keep in mind that your request should be appropriate for the situation.
Whenever I'm asked to fill out a form, I'm always a little hesitant. I recommend making non-essential contact fields optional and sharing how the details will be used in order to avoid form abandonment.
4. Add additional demographic information as needed
You may also find it valuable to gather more demographic information about your prospect, such as their job title, company location, and company size, in addition to their name and email address.
By doing so, you'll gain a better understanding of your audience and a contact's buying power.
5. Determine which fields are essential and which are optional
Here's where I often struggle to find the right balance. You probably don't need much information beyond the person's name and email address to add them to your email list.
However, if you're sending out a form to generate leads or learn about your target audience, you might want to ask a few more specific questions, such as age, gender, or location.
Adding more fields may seem like a good idea, but asking too many questions at once may actually discourage leads and lower conversion rates.
Use a form builder that automatically fills in information based on market intelligence or ask only for what you need.
What to Look for in Form Builder Software Tools
Are you confused by all the options available to you? Each one offers different features, prices, and values.
The following are the criteria we use to select the best tool for the job.
1. Ease of Use
Although every tool claims to be easy to use, not all are intuitive. To learn the platform, look for features like drag-and-drop reordering, question banks, and robust documentation.
Some of their nuances aren't apparent until you use them, so don't be afraid to try out different tools and decide which you like best.
2. Customization
Make sure you choose a form field solution that gives you a wide range of options, such as multiple choice, free response, and checkboxes. Visual customization is another feature to consider.
In order to create a cohesive customer experience, your form should match your brand's color and style.
In some tools, customization is hidden behind paid tiers, so decide ahead of time if you need brand customization.
3. Conditional Logic
Respondents are shown specific questions based on their previous responses in a conditional logic form.
For instance, if I ask, “Which products are you interested in trying?” in a market research survey and the person selects “shirts” instead of “shoes,” my next question may ask for their shirt size, but not their shoe size.
For better engagement, conditional logic creates relevant, concise forms.
4. Integrations
You should consider integrations when choosing a form builder tool. What is the integration between your form builder and your content management system if the tool is going to be embedded on your website?
Is it possible to automate the form data feed into your CRM to avoid a lag if you manage leads through a CRM? Form builders should take into account which systems are most important and find those that are compatible.
5. Analytics and Reporting
Different form builders offer different reporting capabilities. There are some dashboards that provide you with many different metrics on a visual basis.
With others, like Google Forms, you're given a spreadsheet to analyze on your own.
Before choosing a form builder, decide what analytics and reporting tools you need for your needs.
6. Mobile-Responsiveness
When was the last time you had to fill out a tiny form on your phone?
The effort of selecting a field and typing in information isn't worth it to many when the form isn't mobile-friendly. In simple terms, mobile-responsive forms follow best practices and are designed for mobile devices.
11 Online Form Builder Tools
You may feel intimidated by researching tools, but I have simplified the process for you. To help you choose the best form builder, I tested 11 tools in depth. Let's find the right form-building software for your business's needs and goals!
1. HubSpot’s Free Online Form Builder
The online form builder from HubSpot is one of the most powerful online form builders.
In addition to being free, the tool combines the foundations of form creation with cutting-edge technology to provide much more functionality than a standard online form builder.
Pricing: Free CRM and Marketing Hub with paid plans starting at $15 a month.
Pros
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Drag-and-drop interface, no coding needed
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Lead management integration with HubSpot's CRM and marketing tools
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Forms that match your branding
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Tracking the performance of forms using analytics
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Form pop-ups can be targeted based on customer segments or behavior
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Submissions are automatically notified by email
Cons
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There may be a fee for premium features (e.g., advanced reporting)
Although HubSpot's form builder is one of the more advanced tools, you don't need any technical expertise to use it.
Create unlimited forms, fields, submissions, and custom forms that connect to your contact database with the drag-and-drop form builder.
It took me about five minutes to create a simple form. Depending on where that appeared on my homepage, I could choose from an embedded form, a standalone page, or a pop-up.
The ability to target a form pop-up is one of my favorite features. In the form, I can select a customer segment and the page (and after how long) where the form should appear. For form pop-ups, I can also target by location, days since last visit, and various engagement metrics.
By doing so, I can send a customized message, demo request, or relevant content at precisely the right time.
When someone fills out your form, HubSpot CRM automatically adds them. You can set reminders, call them, and send them personalized emails, so you can better manage and nurture relationships with your contacts.
The HubSpot form builder also includes data enrichment for contact profiles, Breeze Intelligence form shortening, and deep integration with the HubSpot Marketing Hub, making it a good option for teams who want to manage contacts in one place.
A form shortener pulls in public data from the web and LLMs to auto-populate details like company size, industry, and website - only requiring your contact to complete a few short fields. As a result, your lead is less likely to abandon the form halfway through.
2. HubSpot's WordPress Plugin
Want to generate leads with HubSpot but have a WordPress site?
HubSpot's WordPress plugin allows you to create forms, assign them to workflows, and generate landing page leads. Your HubSpot CRM can also store contacts generated by your forms.
For certain features, you may need a paid HubSpot or WordPress plan.
Pros
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Lead capture made easy with seamless integration between WordPress and HubSpot
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Analyzes visitor behavior, including page views and form submissions
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Data is automatically synced with HubSpot CRM for better lead management
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Basic lead tracking features are free to use
Cons
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Free version has limited functionality
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There might be fewer customization options than with other form plugins
The tool simplifies the form creation process. Even though it's powered by HubSpot, you don't have to leave your WordPress dashboard to build forms.
3. ClickUp Forms
The ClickUp application is an all-in-one project management and collaboration tool that helps teams of all sizes organize and manage their work.
With ClickUp Forms, you can create your ideal form for any use case, add important questions, and collect insightful responses.
Paid plans start at $7/month and include one form.
Pros
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Forms that integrate with ClickUp tasks and workflows
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Form submissions automate task creation and team assignment
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With paid plans, you can view unlimited forms and generate rich reports
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ClickUp's collaboration features allow teams to work directly on form responses
Cons
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There is only one form available in the free plan.
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Beginners may need to learn ClickUp's interface, which can be complex
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There are some advanced features that are only available with higher-tier paid plans
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CRM and CMS systems are less integrated
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Integration with third parties may be required
Share your form with anyone by copying the direct link or embedding it on a web page. Alternatively, you can export your form responses as a CSV file or find them in your task list.
Due to its integration with task management, you can turn form submissions into to-do items and even use the form tool to manage tickets. I believe this tool is best suited for internal data collection or user feedback, rather than large-scale lead generation.
4. Forms.app
Forms.app is a great option to consider if you're searching for a form builder tool. You can create forms, surveys, and quizzes without coding with this user-friendly platform.
The form library is extensive, and I was able to create my first form without creating an account.
Start by choosing a template such as an order form, customer satisfaction survey, application form, consent form, or sign-up form.
A free plan is available, as well as paid plans starting at $15 per month.
Pros
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Easy drag-and-drop form builder - no coding required
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Provides a wide range of templates and customization options
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It integrates with third-party apps such as Google Sheets, Slack, and Mailchimp
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Provides conditional logic and payment collection capabilities
Cons
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There are limitations to the free version, including fewer form responses
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A paid plan is required for some advanced customization and analytics.
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Compared to some competitors, reporting is less robust
One of the great things about forms.app is that many of its advanced features are free. Conditional logic, calculators, product baskets, file uploads, multiple question types, payment collection, signature collection, and advanced analytics are all included.
AI form generators are available in Forms.app to help you create forms and surveys even faster. Describe what you want to create, and the AI will handle the rest. Additionally, it suggests rewriting your survey questions to help you write the best ones.
Once your form is complete, you can embed it on your website, share it as a QR code, or share it on social media. Data can be sent to popular tools like Google Drive, HubSpot, AirTable, and Meta Pixel via integrations.
In spite of the fact that the tool offers payment forms and medical treatment forms, proceed with caution. You should first ensure that it complies with your company's data security and regulatory requirements.
5. WPForms
You can add beautiful forms to your website with just a few clicks using WPForms, a beginner-friendly WordPress form builder. More than six million users love it for its easy WordPress integration and wide variety of templates.
WPForms Lite is free, while paid plans start at $49.
Pros
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Drag-and-drop builder suitable for beginners
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Forms can be quickly created using a wide range of pre-built templates
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Easily integrates with PayPal, Stripe, Mailchimp, and more
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Provides advanced features like conditional logic, multi-page forms, and file uploads
Cons
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The free version has limited functionality and form fields
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Compared to dedicated form tools, it lacks advanced reporting and analytics
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There have been reports of plugin conflicts with other WordPress features from time to time
The free version of WPForms has the same interface as the premium version, but limit users to a few pre-selected form fields.
6. Visme
In addition to integrating with Zapier, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and others, Visme offers a drag-and-drop form builder.
However, Visme has one big advantage: animations. According to their research, custom animations can boost conversions and start rates by 40% and 34%, respectively.
Basic plan is free, with paid plans starting at $12.25/month.
Pros
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Beautiful, interactive forms with customizable design options
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Create branded forms with Visme's other design tools
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Analyzes and collects data in real-time
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Easy embedding options make it ideal for presentations and reports
Cons
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Those looking for advanced form features may not find it suitable because it is design-focused
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On the free version, you will only have access to a limited number of templates and features
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CRM integration is limited
Create appealing, animated, and interactive forms with Visme's drag-and-drop functionality and built-in templates. Animations stand out from static lead generation forms that can quickly lose a viewer's interest.
With Visme's AI feature, you can create interactive forms with less hassle and with best practices. To embed the form on your website, Visme generates a link, QR code, and HTML code.
The platform populates once you collect data through signups, leads, and registrations. You can view, filter, or export data from there. You can set up a data flow between platforms with Visme's integrations.
7. JotForm
Online form builders such as Jotform are known for their intuitive visual editors that make the process of building forms as simple as possible.
Paid plans begin at $34/month, with a free plan available.
Pros
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Drag-and-drop form builder with a variety of templates
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Automates forms, conditional logic, and payment processing
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Easily integrates with Salesforce, Google Drive, PayPal, and Dropbox
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Form analytics and extensive customization options
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Some plans offer HIPAA compliance
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Collect and share information with no-code mobile apps
Cons
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There are limits on the number of forms that can be submitted and the amount of storage that can be used in some plans
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Plans with advanced features like HIPAA compliance, custom branding, and larger submission limits are paid
As well as standard form-building capabilities, the tool offers unique fields and tons of integrations. Before creating an account, I can play around with their form builder. With the free plan, you're limited to five forms and 100 entries per month.
Jotforms' capacity caps are frustrating, but they compensate by offering other features that are good for larger companies. Data can be turned into action with Jotforms' workflow integration. Many competitors do not integrate with Salesforce.
Jotform also offers HIPAA compliance, a valuable feature for healthcare providers. To protect user data, other useful security features include user access control, SSO integration, and local data residency.
8. Google Forms
With unlimited forms and entries, Google Forms is fast, free, and easy to use. As part of Google Workspace, it automatically pulls your data into a Google Sheet for you to analyze.
With a Google account, it's free.
Pros
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Creating and responding to forms is completely free
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Integrates seamlessly with other Google services, such as Google Sheets
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Real-time response tracking with a simple, intuitive interface
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Builds and shares collaborative forms
Cons
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Branding and design options are limited
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Sensitive data is not adequately protected
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Payment processing and conditional logic are lacking
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Compared to premium form builders, there are fewer integrations with external platforms
Google Forms has limited design customizations, so forms created with it look less professional. Rather than a lead capture form on your website, this form builder tool is best for quick surveys or quizzes.
Using Google Forms to gather medical or financial information is not recommended, since it is not designed to securely store personal data.
9. Typeform
Despite not knowing it came from Typeform, you will recognize the tool's innovative approach of serving up one question at a time. Due to its mobile-friendly nature and reduced cognitive load, this approach increases completion rates.
Paid plans start at $25 per month, with a free plan available.
Pros
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Conversational, one-question forms with a user-friendly interface
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Design options that can be customized
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It integrates with many apps, such as Google Sheets, Slack, and Zapier
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Provides conditional logic and payment collection support
Cons
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Responses and features are limited in the free version
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For users unfamiliar with conversational formats, there may be a learning curve
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Higher-tier paid plans offer customized branding and advanced analytics
Typeform has excellent logic and branching features that make it ideal for customer surveys and user research. It is a solid tool for creating forms with an engaging and straightforward user experience.
10. Formstack
Formstack is a SaaS platform that excels at one thing: forms. Its best features include intelligent forms, built-in workflows, and seamless integrations with Amazon S3, Stripe, PayPal, Microsoft, and Salesforce.
Monthly plans start at $83 per month.
Pros:
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Build versatile forms with advanced features such as conditional logic and calculations
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CRM, payment, and marketing platform integrations
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Tools for data collection and analytics that are robust
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Forms that are HIPAA-compliant for use in healthcare
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A full range of security features, including compliance with SOC 2, GDPR, and credit card fields
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Compliant with Section 508 and WCAG
Cons
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Small businesses and users needing basic features may find the pricing to be high
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Form builders with a simpler learning curve have a steeper learning curve
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It may not be as intuitive as competitors' interfaces for some users
Although Formstack is more expensive than other alternatives, it is SOC 2 certified and HIPAA compliant. Among its powerful features are the ability to collect signatures, save drafts of forms, and route data.
11. SurveyMonkey
Using SurveyMonkey, users can create and distribute surveys, collect responses, and analyze results.
Many businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofits use it to gather insights and improve decision-making.
Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $25.
Pros:
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A user-friendly interface with customizable templates
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A robust survey logic feature, including skip logic and branching
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Data analysis tools with strong analytics and reporting capabilities
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CRMs and email marketing platforms are among the apps it integrates with
Cons
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The free version has limited features and responses per survey
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Subscriptions are required for advanced features
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Comparatively, the design options are less flexible
There is a wide variety of question types and templates available on SurveyMonkey, such as multiple-choice, open-ended, and rating-scale questions.
CRMs, email marketing services, and productivity apps can all be integrated with the platform. With the help of a question bank and AI features, you can quickly and confidently create a survey.
There Are Endless Options When It Comes To Form Builder Tools
Although most form builders offer all the essentials for making a basic form, not all offer customization, data security, and deeper data analysis. In the end, the best form tool is determined by the purpose and business needs of your team.
For enterprise businesses, I recommend Formstack. With lots of design options and security features, I think it will meet your needs and provide lots of value.
I'd also highlight HubSpot's form builder, which offers a lot of features and can scale with your business. Small businesses and startups can start with the free plan and upgrade as their needs grow.
You can collect leads, prompt feedback, and grow your business with the right form.