Microsoft Forms vs Google Forms: Which one is better?

If you need to gather data, one of the best ways to do it is with online forms, surveys, polls, and quizzes. Using an online form-building tool, you can create custom forms with different types of questions, such as multiple choice, rating scale, or open-ended text.

Two leading form builders are Microsoft Forms and Google Forms. Both are easy to use, offer robust functionality, and work well in business and educational settings. Not sure which one to choose? Read on for a breakdown of Microsoft Forms vs Google Forms that will help you decide which one is best for you.

Benefits and drawbacks of Microsoft Forms

Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Microsoft Forms is a web-based app accessible on all platforms and browsers. It’s used in business and educational settings and is also available for personal use. The app is free for personal use with any Microsoft account. Additional features like a higher respondent limit come with paid Microsoft 365 Personal, Microsoft 365 Education, and Microsoft 365 Business accounts.

With Microsoft Forms, you can easily create forms, quizzes, and surveys, such as customer or employee satisfaction polls, end-of-year tests, and event registration forms.

One of the key benefits of Microsoft Forms is its branching logic feature, which you can use to send respondents to different questions based on their answers to previous questions. This way, users only see questions that are relevant to them. Another unique benefit is how easy it is to export form responses into Microsoft Excel for analysis.

Dominic Harper, entrepreneur and founder of Debt Bombshell, has used both Microsoft Forms and Google Forms in his business. One of the major drawbacks of using Microsoft Forms, according to Harper, is its limitations when it comes to collaboration.

“In sharing and collaborating on the form, Google Forms allows you to be more free since it’s only an invitation that is needed to exercise this function,” says Harper. “With Microsoft Forms, you’ll have to tender a couple of bucks to be able to collaborate with other people.”

Benefits and drawbacks of Google Forms

Part of Google’s suite of tools, Google Forms is a web app that’s accessible on any platform. It’s used in various settings, from business and education to social and personal. The form builder is free, but you do need a Google account to use it.

Unlike Microsoft Forms, Google Forms offers a number of question formats, such as linear scale, dropdown, and multiple choice.

“For the Q&A, Google Forms is definitely better than Microsoft Forms,” says Harper. “With its wide array of question formats and sectioning, it’s easier for a user to craft their own questions thanks to this flexibility.”

Similar to Microsoft Forms, Google Forms offers a type of branching, where users can jump to different sections in the form based on answers they have provided.

When it comes to graphics, Microsoft Forms is the leader, according to Harper. “It has a variety of themes you can choose from, unlike Google Forms, where you can only modify the color and the background,” he notes. “Microsoft Forms also carries attractive and dynamic themes, which are a plus if you want aesthetically pleasing web form pages.”

Microsoft Forms vs Google Forms: Which one is right for you?

The answer to that question isn’t as simple as choosing the app with the best functionality or lowest cost. To make the best choice, you should determine your needs for the app as well as how it fits into the other platforms you use daily.

For example, if you primarily work with the Google suite of apps, then Google Forms may be a better fit for you, as you can seamlessly integrate it with your existing applications, and you won’t need to learn how to use a new platform.

Now that you’ve examined Microsoft Forms vs Google Forms, you can weigh the benefits and drawbacks to determine which tool is right for your needs. Once you’ve made your choice, it’s time to put the tool into action and gather data to make better decisions.

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