What is the difference between JotForm online, JotForm application, and JotForm engine?

There is a big difference between the online version and the two others, so I will describe them as such.

JotForm Online - is a form builder utilizing the entire system that you can purchase using the JotForm App, but with a difference in that JotForm developers are creating widgets, apps and every other change.

With such you just enjoy using the Form Builder, as all the widgets, integrations as well as the system changes are done by them.

On the other hand, you are limited by the plans and need to pay a fee for your plan if you are using paid account. You are also limited by having to request any features and it is up to management to see if this should be implemented and when if at all.

JotForm Engine is the part that will help you run and create forms. It is great if you wish to have it on your own system so that you can make your own changes to the same as you wish and see fit. It is also only paid for once. It has a downside of it being something that you need to maintain and work on yourself, including security patches, widgets, integrations, etc.

Good thing about it however is that you have access to the entire source code of it so it is easy to do everything by yourself.

It is also requiring that you make the backend for the Engine.

Now in regards to the JotForm App, it is JotForm Engine + backend, so you get it all, administration, source code, engine and everything that you need to start with your own system right away.

It has however limitation - the number of users, so I would suggest taking a look at this page for more details and differences: http://www.interlogy.com/products/jotform/

One important thing is that with online system you get support for as long as you need it, while with either of the other two (App and Engine) there is no support at all, nor any future updates.

Hope this helps.

so if we buy the form app or form engine then we cant use any of the widgets or apps?

can you please go into more detail about what you call the "backend" on  jotform app

can you host jotform engine on your own servers. or do u need jotform application to do that.. and for the users part is that who can login to create forms? or people who can utilize the forms 

so if we buy the form app or form engine then we cant use any of the widgets or apps?

No, you do not get any widgets nor apps / integrations, just the JotFrom App (Engine and as I had mentioned, backend).

can you please go into more detail about what you call the "backend" on  jotform app

I would first like to mention that I am support on JotForm Online, so I have not worked nor am familiar in any great details about JotForm App and Engine, so the term "backend" is given by me, in order to try to explain it. With it, I meant, Apache, database, and any and all other services that are required for the Engine to run the data from and send the data to.

With JotForm App it means that you do not need to make any changes, it should work as you install it on your server (if you follow the steps) and the rest is up to you. With JotForm Engine, you would first need to set up this 'backend' to have the Engine read and save data somewhere.

The benefit of Engine is that you have less work to implement it into your own solution, so if you already have some app, it would allow you easier integration.

and for the users part is that who can login to create forms? or people who can utilize the forms

This is related to the users that can create the forms, anyone should be able to submit the same.

can you host jotform engine on your own servers. or do u need jotform application to do that..

JotForm Engine is intended to be something that you can implement into your own solution, while JotForm Application is intended to give you the entire package.

I do however recommend contacting our team that works with these two packages instead, since they are more familiar with this and would be able to give you precise details on the same.

You can contact them by going here: http://www.interlogy.com/contact.html